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Millport: Water, water everywhere...

14 Sep 2009
  • Pot's a girl to do? Filling up at the Keppel Pier. (c) The Evening Times 1968
  • Water laugh! Water's short, but it's taken in good spirit. (c) The Evening Times
  • Lappy days! A dog sneaks a drink from the spillage. (c) Evening Times 1968
  • Spout & about! Anything for a cuppa! (c) The Evening Times 1968

... and not a drop to drink!

We all remember the nuisance of January 2008 when burst pipes drained the island's water tank and water had to be brought over on the ferry until repairs were done.

But does anyone remember a similar incident more than 40 years ago?

The pictures here are from The Evening Times back in September 1968, and show people queuing up to fill pots and kettles from a road tanker at the Keppel Pier.

Can anyone fill out the details on this story? Was it the end of a long, hot summer, or had something else happened to make the island's supply run dry?


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20 Sep 2009 | 1:36:12

Sandy Morton says

Bit ironic that this comes up on s1 when we've run out of water - again!

20 Sep 2009 | 5:20:51

Janice Lamb says

Well! The water lorry is here again as there's NO WATER on the island today, Sunday 20 September 2009! I wasn't here 40 years ago, but I did sense the community spirit that no doubt existed in 1968 as I queued for my ration of water today.

22 Sep 2009 | 10:09:31

James Jack says

I remember the water shortage of 1968 and the wasps were everywhere as well. Is the "temporary" water stand still there across from the Garrison wall?

23 Sep 2009 | 11:03:45

Neil Mcphail says

I can remember the water shortage. There was a large black bowser on the grass at Haistie Avenue and we were sent down to fill a can from it. To us as kids it was a great adventure, we spent most of our time in Kames Bay so that kept us clean or so we thought as Kames Bay had a sewage outlet and was not very clean. I can remember on one occasion being bathed in about 4 inches of water into which the whole family went, as the youngest I went first so it was not so bad. Happy Days

25 Mar 2010 | 1:55:17

David Marshall says

I remember that there was a huge black water tank on a trailer parked beside the post box on Kames St. Robert Doig was one of the truck (lorry) drivers. Us kids would climb all over the bowser and he would yell at us. Great Days.

30 Apr 2010 | 12:50:46

Janine Donald says

As schoolkids we were given the task of delivering water to the older folk in the town during the water shortage in 1968. I was given a patch round the West Bay which I was miffed at because I lived at the other end of town! Mrs Kerr, a retired science teacher, gave me a large bar of Bournville chocolate in return for her water. I remember eating it all in one go and feeling sick!

30 Apr 2010 | 2:27:54

Sandy Morton says

omg - I clearly remember you and Barbara Kerr was my favourite school teacher! Nostalgia - ye canny whack it.

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