My early years in Glasgow

The weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Kirkcaldy was held on July 21st at the Dean Park Hotel. President John Kilgour welcomed 25 members of the club.

President John advised the club that the club visit to Kirkcaldy’s twin club in Ingolstadt would be held at the end of May 2016. Winners of the 200 club were also announced.

The main speaker was Rotarian Ron McGill who took the club on a nostalgic tour, not about Rotary but his experiences as a child in wartime Clydebank from 1939 to 1945. “Wee Ron from Glasgow” recounted how his father’s proudly nurtured lawn was dug up to grow vegetables as part of the war effort. He told us how the “Flat Pack” Anderson Shelter, purchased for £7, was erected, and half buried in the garden, only to be partial flooded every time it rained. He spoke of the blackout curtains and dangers of driving with no headlights. The memory of rationing was highlighted, coupons for food and clothing, only enough coupons for a single change of clothes per year. How would modern society cope with that? He told us movingly of the Clydebank Blitz, emerging from the Anderson Shelter to see how Glasgow survived such destruction. All this, with Ron’s characteristic humour, obviously articulated with the help of Mrs Davidson’s elocution lessons in his childhood. Wartime memorabilia were shown to the club members, these were kindly loaned by Kirkcaldy Galleries.

Senior Vice President Mark Rossiter gave the vote of thanks, emphasising that the Luftwaffe had spared a great speaker and a loyal Rotarian. Mark reminded the younger members of our fortune in not having to endure these trials of Ron’s childhood.

The meeting was closed with the club being advised that the next club meeting would be held on July 28th at the Dean Park Hotel.