Transcription:

You had a new suit to get married in. Kelman’s, the tailor was at Parkneuk. Jimmy was sitting in the tailors at night while

they sewed ‘a fine blue suit’ for him. It was only finished the day before the wedding! There was another tailor next to

Davidson’s (the grocer). Jimmy got married in the Kildrummy hotel. There wasn’t a minister at that time, so he had to

collect one from Alford and take him home again after the service.

“It was great times at that time. I mind when I was getting married. I was needing a new suit, see.

You always had a new suits to get married.”

“Jimmy – the tailor in Lumsden. Jimmy Soutar?”

“Tailor in Lumsden – Jimmy ?? So when we arrived to get on and get a suit ready. The wife was

away but I see’d him and he said we’ll make it for you and we had to get away.” [something about

tea?]

“Jimmy went with me about one o’clock came and she ???? and the old boy says to me – “you’d

better get a good suit now he says, may be the last thing you’ll get.” Maybe the last thing you get,

he said to me. and we got it home this one day and wore it the next day.”

“??? was the same – he thought it was not going to be ready in time.”

“I was down they day before to get my suit. Last day I bought my suit.”

“Did everyone have a new suit to get married?”

???????

“A fine blue suit it was. Jimmy something you called him. The tailor. Wife bides on her own now.

The Govals … the cottage. No, nearer the village than that. The one on the left. Where Kelman

was – that’s what you called the tailor. Aye that’s right. But he didn’t work in Lumsden. He worked in

???”

“Not the Govals, the one before the Govals – Parkneuk.”

“Davidson’s shop – that was another tailor. What was the title of the tailor? Oh that boy said to me –

“you’d better get a good suit now – it’ll be the last thing you’ll get.” “

“Where did you get married?”

“Kildrummy Hotel. There was no minister in Kildrummy at that time, so I says to myself, “where will

I get a minister?“ And an old boy says to me,”I’ll easy come for you, the minister, ???? from Alford.

Took down the car for him. Put him back again after we were married – the same day.

Oh, we had some great times.”

Transcription:

One farmer used to take land girls on only for 6 months as you got money for the first 6 months to train them. He would

shout and howl at them. In 6 months he would get a new lot. The land girls were mainly local. Some came from Orkney.

A number of people married land girls. Lumberjills cut the wood.

“Used to take the lassies that worked in the fields…. the land girls. Took them for six months – you

used to hear him howling at them. Just took them for six months – he got paid for six months and

then away they went.”

“Were there a lot of land girls came?”

“There was a few, ken – Jimmy – oh my memory’s all to hell. You’re needing a dram!

Jimmy McConnachie married a land girl – twas Jimmy was married to Hettie (Hetty?).”

“Oh that’s right.”

“And Mrs Henderson was a land girl – Jock Henderson’s wife. She was a land girl. Aye, she was an

Orkney lassie.”

“Where did they come from?”

“Orkney, or all mair or less round about. Some of the quines from Strathdon, they were land girls.

“They brought in the wood. Fiona Coutts Smith was a land girl – they were lumberjills.

“Lumberjills?

“Lumberjills. ??? wood at side of Kirkhill ???? There’s a man dragged the wood out with horse, out

of the woods and the lassies cut them all.

“Your pal Sherwood? She worked at Drum Castle. So she did.”

Transcription:

Bill and Mary married in Lumsden Church, had their reception in the hall and went to stay near Westburn Park in

Aberdeen for their honeymoon. Wullie was married in the manse next to the church. No-one knew which church the old

manse was for. They thought it might be Auchindoir.

“So did you get married in Lumsden?”

“Yes – Lumsden Church.”

“And where did you have your reception?”

“In the old hall. Old hall all done away with now. Completely gone. That’s were we had the dance.

And then we went to Westburn Park at Aberdeen for our honeymoon. And Selina. And Selina’s

Mum and Dod were there. “

“For a few days?”

“??? Kicked me out again. We bided at Queensbriggs when we were married. Put in a bed up the

stair. ??? You’re wrong there Bill!”

“And did you get married in Lumsden? In the church there?”

“The Minister’s house.”

“The manse? The one next door or the one down the hill?”

“The one right beside the church.”

“So you got married in the minister’s house. The one right next door. They always call the other

one the Manse as well- down the lane.”

“That’s the Old Manse”

“Was it a manse? Do you remember it being a manse?”

“It was a manse I think for the old kirk down at Auchindoir. An old ruin.”

[Bits missing from the end of this}

Transcript:

Rattled over them when ploughing

“There was pict houses up there” [WHERE?]

“Never go – way down in that place.” ??????

Edinbane ?

“Just a wee hole about that size where ???????.

“Oh, there’s Pict houses all over Wester Clova. I used to plough down there and ye ken fine when

you go over them – they rattle all the stones. “

“See, they were all over – they were supposed to ????? to the castle.“