butter, 2 ounces of cheese and 2 ounces of bacon. Other goods which were

in short supply were sold on a points system.

‘In May 1949, each person received a new ration book and it was only

at this point that they were allowed to change their grocer if they so wished.

It was then that the number of registered customers shot up to 230 (approxi-

mately). Things were looking up at the village shop!

‘This increase in turnover continued due to the loyal support of villagers

and customers from surrounding areas and allowed us to extend the premises

at a modest rate. As the years went on, an off-licence for the sale of wines

and spirits was added and in 1962 we were successful in our application for

the Sub Post Office agency.

‘Facilities in the village in 1949 were rather primitive to say the least.

No-one had yet enjoyed the luxuries of regional water supplies or a proper

sewage system. In the early 1950s however, these services came to the village

and from then onwards, it started to expand. Kitchens and bathrooms were

being installed in most of the existing houses and the authorities started build-

ing projects such as council housing at Church Road, Bonfield Road, High

Road and Sunnyside. Previously these areas had been open fields.

‘Next door neighbours to the shop were the late Willie and Mary Bethune.

Some years after our arrival in Strathkinness their cottage was put up for sale

and we bought it with the long term plan of eventually converting it into a

new shop as our existing premises were becoming smaller due to the installa-

tion of such modern items as refrigerated counters, display units and other

equipment.

‘In 1979, therefore, we obtained planning permission for the conversion of

the cottage and the finished result was the shop as it now stands.

‘In September 1981, we retired from business to Balmullo and took with us

thirty-two years of interesting and happy memories of our life in Strathkinness

and of our many friends there’.

At a gathering of the Mudie family not very long ago they recalled thefr

memories of the village in the 1930s. The following is a digest of thefr recol-

lections as contributed by Mrs. Ethel Mudie:

‘They lived in School Cottage (the home of the school caretaker) on Main

Street which is now called “Gowanbank”. They recall walking down the den

from the High Road to go shopping at the Co-op in Guardbridge, or occa-

sionally getting the train at Guardbridge for Dundee or Edinburgh.

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