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Brigton
Billy Boys
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social history from Glesca 's east-end. |
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Whilst pursuing the social
history of Bridgeton I have been very fortunate to have found and met two
members from the 1930s Bridgeton Purple & Crown Flute Band .... Tam
Bain and
Wullie (swagger) Watson.
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Tam Bain Swagger Watson
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29th April 2006 Extracts from my meeting with Mr.Tam Bain in the
Crimson Star
pub in Brigton |
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Tam Bain was born at 29 Harvie Street,
(latterly renamed
Fairbairn
Street). Bridgeton in his Auntie Jean Skinner's house, his uncle Willie Skinner, he told me, was such a bluenose that he was known as 'Struth' nicknamed after the legendary
Rangers
Manager Bill Struth.
The Bain family home was a top flat, 3 storey
'room & kitchen' with outside toilet, just a few
closes along at No.63 Harvie Street.
There the parents, Donald
(known as Donny) and
Margarert
(nee McRobbie) brought up Tam
and his
five brothers, Tam being the third son born on
11th May 1918.
He attended Dalmarnock
Primary School
and then Bernard
Street School.
His Dad died in 1931 when Tam was only
13yrs old leaving his mother to bring
up the family.
He left school, worked in the coop bakery
until he was 16
then joined Singers in Clydebank,
serving his time as a toolmaker and
working there
for 32 years until it closed cc1980.
Read Tam's tales of the
Billy Boys band on page1
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Aged 20yrs old Tam married Jean Oaks, a
Bridgeton lass, from Bernard Street at Fairbairn Free
Church, Baltic Street
in 1938. Their first house was a room & kitchen with outside toilet
in
the close at 160 Bernard Street, Bridgeton. Tam & his wife Jean had six children, 3 sons and 3 daughters
Lilias now Lilias Trotter living in Cranhill
Margaret now Margaret Russell living in Skegness
Andrew Bain living in Nottingham
Wilma now Wilma Fullerton living in Bridgeton (
marrried Billy Fullerton's son)
Thomas Bain (known as Junior) living in Barachnie
William Bain living in Cranhill
Tam talked fondly of his children and said they had all done well,
he reminisced of family life in Bridgeton and mentioned that his boys went
to Church House.
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I spent a very happy hour with Tam, a lovely wee
man immaculately dressed and 'as sharp as a tack'!
Interestingly we both were brought up in Fairbairn Street
(known as Harvie St in Tam's day) and we both attended
Dalmarnock Primary School!
So that got us off to a good start!
He still lives in his beloved Bridgeton, in a new house in
Dalmarnock Road near
'the Toll'.
A Rangers season ticket holder, he takes his place at the
Rangers end
of the main stand every home game, his wee
brother Andy Bain is the famous
bluenose with the one leg
who goes to all the matches with Scottish comedian
Andy
Cameron.
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He greeted me with a warm smile and friendly handshake,
we met as strangers and departed as friends.
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webmaister, GlesgaPals
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Fairbairn Free Church
Baltic Street
Bridgeton
Where Tam married Jean in 1938 |
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Apr 2006 extract from email,
Peter Scott,
Vancouver, Canada.
".. Hi Wull, Many thanks for letting me see the
latest photos of the Billy Boys and it was
great to see Tam Bain and to know that at 87 years old, he is still
sharp as a tack. I remember nights at the Playhouse on a Saturday
night, and football on a Sunday with Tam, Abie Bagley, Bob
Wallace, Willie Houston, Rab Napier etc, Tam
Bain was a true Character and had a great wit.
Peter
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18th August 2007....Tam
Bain died . |
BAIN THOMAS McROBBIE. Suddenly at home, on
Saturday, 18th August 2007, Tam, loving husband of the late Jeannie, much
loved dad of Lilias, Thomas, Margaret, Wilma, Andrew and William, devoted
grandad, great grandad and brother of all the family. Cortege will leave
Taylor Brother Funeralcare, 517 London Road, G40, on Friday, 24th August, at
11.35am, for service at Daldowie Crematorium, arriving at 12 noon, to which
all friends are respectfully invited. No flowers please.
See Funeral Tribute
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