HE was a lovable little bear, the cuddly toy Patricia Simpson’s granny bought her in Woolworth’s.
“I loved him, I named him Woolie,” recalls Patricia (nee McBeath).
“Then one night, I gave him a bath and sat him beside the electric fire to dry. He got singed – so I renamed him Skittery and that name has stuck. It is definitely more appropriate now...”
Patricia is one of many readers who got in touch to share her fond memories of Woolworth’s, the shopping institution which had branches all over Scotland until its demise in 2009.
We told you last weekend all about the devastating fire in 1960 which reduced the Argyle Street branch to a “smouldering ruin”.
Patricia’s mother, Rosie McBeath (nee Innes), and gran Rose Innes, worked in the Paisley Woolworth’s on High Street around 1963.
“Gran was a supervisor at the lighting counter and mum was a floor supervisor,” she says. “I was four years old.
“I loved the Beatles and got a plastic Ringo Starr wig. It had to be the Ringo one... to be honest, I think all the wigs were the same.”
READ MORE: Drama that turned Glasgow Woolies into a 'smouldering ruin'
Barbara McKechnie sent us a fantastic photograph of her mum, Reta Swanson (top-right), who grew up in Partick with her 10 brothers and sisters.
“My mum worked in Woolworth’s at Charing Cross when she left school in 1930,” says Barbara.
“She was very shy and one day, she was asked to hang a display of chamber pots.”
Barbara smiles: “These were, of course, a necessity at night in Glasgow as toilets were shared on the half landings of the tenements.
“The other assistants were so amused by her red face.”
Betty Russell, nee Queen, has fond memories of the staff from Woolworth’s in Glasgow enjoying a September weekend trip to Blackpool in 1960.
Betty explains: “It was not long before the fire covered in your article. I worked there from 1956 until the time of the fire – afterwards, we were farmed out to other branches like Union Street, Parkhead, Dumbarton Road, Sauchiehall Street and Shawlands.
“A temporary store was opened at the corner of Albion St and Argyle Street eventually, but personally, I didn’t feel as happy there.
READ MORE: 'I got a speeding ticket 10 minutes after passing my test' - memories of 1970s Glasgow
“Even when we returned to the old site, where a new building had been erected on the same spot, it had lost the wonderful atmosphere of the original store.”
Betty says most of the original staff returned to the rebuilt store, but she left in 1963 to start a family.
“I returned a few years later but not for too long,” she says. “Our staff supervisor was Mrs Simpson and she made sure female staff wore nylons or tights – bare legs or trousers were not allowed.”
Do any more of our readers have favourite memories of wonderful Woolies? Get in touch to share your stories and photos by emailing ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow East Investment Park, Glasgow G32 8FG
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