Edit Illuminations of yesteryear
Born just before the outbreak of WW2 there were, due to the blackout restrictions, no Millport Illuminations in my younger days but I do recall how magical it all seemed in the years following the war.
Millport had no mains electricity until 1948, if my memory serves me correctly, so it was a huge job to set up and light thousands upon thousands of padella lights (candles) all along the sea wall , the gardens opposite our shop and house, The Garrison wall and right round past Crosshouse into Kames Bay. Not to mention those set up on the Eilans.
For a youngster, who had only known pitch dark nights, it was truly a marvelous sight and even in those days boatloads of Illumination visitors came to see the spectacle.
My mother who came to the island in 1928 to work in Dr Paul's Sanatarium eventually married my father, one of the local bakery owners and she recalled the following which took place throughout the 1930s; "Some of the nurses went around with a group of local lads and I was welcomed into this group. We had some marvellously happy times when we went for long walks or sailing in Donny MacLauchlan's motorboat. Donny was on one of the local fishermen and his wife Isabel ran the local fish shop.
In Donny's motorboat we frequently anchored just offshore and sang to our hearts content. As all the six boys were members of the Millport town choir it was really an excellent evening's entertainment both for us and people who were gathered on the shore. The choir entered many competitions and often won prizes.
I have vivid memories of tremendously happy evenings singing offshore with the harvest moon shining on the water and the peaceful scene of the little fishing boats swinging to and fro at anchor in the bay. Each September we also went to Dunoon and Rothesay for their illuminations and entertained the travellers on the boat journey with our singing."
Life was indeed very different then.- Who are you? We should all be encouragng our elderly to speak and record their memories of the island. Perhaps this could be the start of a new section to our already great web-site ! Watch this space!
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Hi Jean,
I am Cameron Cunningham, the son of Alex and Jennie Cunningham.
My family owned the bakery, now the card and computer shop, started there by my grandfather in 1883. My father had an exhausting WW2 being the only baker left to run the business with the help of untrained young boys or retired people yet having to feed the many evacuees that came to the island while at the same time still doing Home Guard duty.
Disillusioned and exhausted, he sold the family business to the COOP after the war and we left the island. The COOP subsequently brought in all their bakery goods from Glasgow and the building became 'The Savings Bank'.
With the deaths of Agnes Cunningham (Married to Bertie) and Mollie Cameron (Florence) I believe I now have no relatives on the island now and it is interesting to note that my early memories are now considered 'history'.
I would be happy to share my childhood and family memories if anyone is interested.
- My Mother Tina Gillan, nee Weir worked in Cunningham Bakers possibly early twenties. She told us Mr Cunningham said she could eat all the cakes she fancied. Good idea, put them off completely. Belle Mitchell was also employed there. I trust I have remembered this correctlly. I heard the stories in the forties.
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Excellent memory Janette.
Belle Mitchell was actually my Grandmother's housekeeper although sometimes she worked in the shop. She came from Quarrier's Home, as a young girl, about 1906 to help my Grandmother with her large young family (2 boys from my Grandfather's first marriage and 4 of her own) and stayed until the 1940s.
- Good to read this - we now own what was once Cunninghames Bakery, and have built the Smillie Centre on the site of the old bakehouse. In the summer, I regularly make bread with the children as a craft activity, and they are fascinated when I tell them about the bakery that used to be here, and show them the old (huge!) pastry break machine which we still have, now in the garden. I get them to guess what it is, and they usually guess it is a mangle! Then I explain what it really is, and tell them that I bet that now they know something that their mums and dads don't know! So, Mr. Cunningham, we go on baking to this day!
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Hi Meg,
Yes indeed it is great to know that something of the old heritage of the building is still remembered. Bill sent me some before and after pictures of the development of the old bakery and your new venture looks really impressive.
I well remember the day when my uncle crushed a finger in the cog wheel of that 'mangle' while helping out in the bakery by rolling out the pastry for the 'pie shells'.
All the best in your venture.
Cameron
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Hi Mr Cunningham,
I don't know you, but feel that I do, especially after all the stories I have heard, along with your family history, that my grandfather has told me over the years.
My Grandfather's name is Davie Stevenson, he says "hello" and hopes you are well.
Cunningham's bakery was a part of his life that he remembers with great fondness, and that without it he would never have gone on to make many couples their wedding cakes, including mine, with royal icing (of course!) To this day he will never use that roll on icing.
My grandfather said there are two reasons he got intrested in becoming a baker -
1. his dad (my great grandfather a master in the trade) worked in the bakery,
2. the oven was a secret hiding place for him to plunk off school, the one not in use of course.
He remembers well the day your uncle crushed his finger in the cog wheel.
My Great-grandfathers hand went through the mangle and damaged his hand - always a risk when working with machinery when no health & safety rules applied!!
The bread was delivered to the Boys Brigade camp by him on Craig-en-gour hill where my father now lives. Unfortunately there is now no bakery on the island which is a great shame.
Life indeed was different then...
David Stevenson (3rd)