Introduction
At
the beginning of 1989 Mrs. Elspeth McKissock and I, as members of the Carmyle
Community Centre Management Committee, were invited to attend a meeting of East
End community groups, to discuss possible local contributions to Glasgow’s
forthcoming Year of Culture. The meeting was chaired by a representative of
Community Education, who encouraged us to submit a variety of feasible topics
and ideas. During the discussion Elspeth mentioned that Carmyle had lost a
historical landmark, the Fountain, which she would like to see replaced or
commemorated in some way.
She
felt that part of the history of Carmyle was lost. Soon we were discussing other
issues of yesteryear in the village, and someone, I can’t remember who,
suggested that we publish our anecdotes, as there was funding available for such
ventures. We made applications to and received funding from the Festivals
Office, Age Concern and Strathclyde Social Work Department. However, when we
priced the publishing, printing etc., we realised that we would need to
fund-raise to reach the necessary target.
We
formed a reminiscence group, meeting every second Tuesday, and the stories came
flooding in. We received so many photographs and local memorabilia that we
decided to hold a two-day exhibition in the Community Centre. According to the
viewers it was very successful. Over 250 people, of all ages, attended.
As
the members were all in a similar age group, the reminiscences tended to be
centred around the war years, so we decided to dramatise some of the events, in
an effort to raise some money. We formed a drama group, “The Carmylites” and
produced a show, Blitzed which was performed twice in the local primary school
and then in the Rarin’ To Go festival for the over 50’s. This took place in
the Students’ Union of the Strathclyde University in September 1990. The
audience reception, and financial gain, encouraged us to continue our writing
and dramatic activities, and in 1991 we wrote and performed Hippy-Crits
for Glasgow’s “Mayfest”. Three performances in Glasgow and two in Carmyle
brought us the necessary funds.
During
this period we were still researching and collecting material for the book,
visiting libraries and the Scottish Archives Offices, also appealing for
information through the press. We discovered that there is very little
documented historical data on Carmyle and perhaps some readers will comment that
I have omitted some special events, or facts, but I can only write on the
information received and remembered.
