PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS: Shops & businesses circa 1930s
By Julia Campbell [nee Crombie]. b. Elie 1922
Small Shops, Elie 1930s – High Street from Station
Menzies – Bookstall at the Station
Sweet Shop
Shoe Shop – Terras
Butchers Shop – McCallum then Hughes
Greigs – Garage Shop
Graham – Bakers
Drapers – Miss Betts two sisters owned this shop
Fruit & Veg – Miss Kings
Fruit & Veg- Oddies
Grocer – Melville’s
Shoe Shop – Nan Graham’s
Brattasani – Chip Shop
Grocers – Dewars
Stationers- Mr & Miss Mackie
Bruce – Plumbers
Post Office
Bank Street
Cummings – Drapers
Harris – Barbers
Adamson – Bakers
2 x Pubs and 2 x Banks
Earlsferry
Hudsons – Dairy Lows – Grocers
Brattasani Cummings – Grocers
Stationers Later Boullet – Bakers
Bruce – Grocer Thomson – China Shop
Donaldsons – Painters Hairdresser later 30’s
Gordon Bruce
20 March 2015 at 22:57
Dear Julia . So very interesting to read your recollections . Bruce the plumbers you refer to consisted of my Grandfather Jock Bruce and his brother Andrew later joined by my father James. I think my great aunt Davine had a grocers shop on Bank Street . Later my grandfather bought a ships lifeboat and used to run trips for visitors from the harbour . My fathers cousin George Bruce ran a garage for cars on Bank St and also worked on the bins.
Kind Regards Gordon Bruce
janr2011ss
19 January 2016 at 13:39
Hi
I’ve just seen this recollection. Do you, or does anyone, know anything more about Donaldsons, the painters from Earlsferry (and Elie)? I’d love to hear about the shop, or even a photo???
Many thanks.
Jan
Gordon Bruce
17 January 2018 at 00:40
Hi Jan
Tom Donaldson was a great friend of my grandfather Jock Bruce ( Plumber from 11 Bank Street) Tom was provost at one time and my grandfather was a baillie. Tom used to call in to take my papa out for a drink much to the anger and distress of my granny Isabella who was a strong character. Tom built a house in a large walled garden at the end of Earlsferry where the two roads meet. Eventually he succumbed to dementia brought on according to my granny be excessive drinking. I recollect him as a lovely funny man with a very red face. Gordon Bruce
Jan Ross
17 January 2018 at 08:36
How lovely to hear your comments – thank you. Yes, Tom did enjoy a wee dram or two. I only met him once with my husband, who was Tom’s nephew. I also recall his red face. I expect too, that the lead in the paint (his earlier painting jobs) may have contributed to dementia. Do you by any chance recall his father – William Given Donaldson, or his sister – Violet Donaldson? Good to hear your recollections though, so thank you.
Jan
Gordon Bruce
17 January 2018 at 00:42
Remember that well.Just adjacent to Adamsons the bakers. It was a holiday treat for myself to get a beard after a haircut. My father said they used to take bets in the barbers when it was illegal ! Gordon Bruce
James Henry
10 December 2016 at 20:16
I remember being taken for haircuts along the road in Bank Street (would that have been Mr Harris?). He was an ex stage ventriloquist and there was a wee man in his strop cabinet who I swear I heard threatening to come out if we didn’t sit still and behave. Before we left he gave us (the boys) a beard and moustache with greasepaint.
Gordon Bruce
17 January 2018 at 00:44
Remember that well.Just adjacent to Adamsons the bakers. It was a holiday treat for myself to get a beard after a haircut. My father said they used to take bets in the barbers when it was illegal ! Gordon Bruce