Photos and verse of Falkirk area.

Photos and verse of Falkirk area. I’m setting up this page to show my personal photos and poetry of Falkirk and the surrounding area.

27/08/2025

Bootpolish made to put the shine
On shoes to keep them smart
Newspaper laid upon the floor
Before you had to start.
Motorbike boots
Doc martins too
Lots more to remember
For me and you.
Nail polish at end of laddered tights
That’s what we had to do.
Hand cream rubbed on knees to stop
Skirts clinging to tights for me and you.
And mind the segs the cobblers put
On heels of shoes
Not to wear down, but last longer
As they’re meant to do.
And newspaper stuffed inside the top
Of shoes that got wet
To dry overnight after rainy days
And yet.
There was that old saying
With a buttercup under chin
Yes, you liked butter
If it reflected, if not then try again
Remember transistors
No mobile phones
No computers, made our own fun
Face to face or letters, never moaned.
Rollar skates
Not like the ones nowadays
Made of metal, had straps
Never threw them away.
Hollyhocks, lupins
Sweet william’s adorned
The front path where we walked down
Don’t pick them we were warned.
Remember the daisy chains
We made, they were fun
Splitting stalks to push each through
To join up all as one.
She loves me, she loves me not
True love was tested here
With the w**d we called the ‘time clock’
Never always very clear.
Just some more thoughts
Reminders too
Of life back then
For me and you.
With many more
To share and see
If you remember
Just like 👍 me.

BP From The Motorway.
19/01/2025

BP From The Motorway.

Another wee trip roon the toon after Christmas.
26/12/2024

Another wee trip roon the toon after Christmas.

21/11/2022.Victoria Park, at Thornhill Road.Last picture looking 👀 towards the old Falkirk College.Ahhh! Those great mem...
30/11/2024

21/11/2022.
Victoria Park, at Thornhill Road.
Last picture looking 👀 towards the old Falkirk College.
Ahhh! Those great memories at the college, so sweet.
Happy Days.

Took these last year at Park Street.Beauty in the eye of the beholder.
23/11/2024

Took these last year at Park Street.
Beauty in the eye of the beholder.

07/11/2024

The spirit of Remembrance.

Watching the crowds
All gathered today
Standing in silence
Heads bowed now to pray.
Tears fill my eyes
That I cannot take part
I stand here just watching
It's breaking my heart.
So much pain, so much suffering
So much sadness, such fear
Fills the air, time stands still
For all those they loved dear.
Sad memories cling
In the atmosphere there
Friends, families and comrades
Left behind, who still care.
So many still mourn
For those no longer here
Who fought for our future
Sacrifice made so clear.
They stand, show respect
And remember those
Who gave of their lives
All brave comrades too.
I slip away now
But no one can see
I've paid my respects
And I'm sure you'll agree.
That all I desired
Was to come one last time
To represent those
War cut off in their prime.
For I am long gone
Just a spirit of those
Who died to save all
In your heart, keep us close.
Lorna Johnston

My idea, when I took these photos, was to leave them as they were in full when captured.The sky was opening up and seeme...
28/10/2024

My idea, when I took these photos, was to leave them as they were in full when captured.
The sky was opening up and seemed ideal.
But on editing them, I began to think about contrasting and comparing how recent and old style have been incorporated into the layout of the High Street.
Looking closer at the old buildings got me thinking, as I am sure others would too, about how detailed the old ones are to the new ones.
The intricate architecture that speaks volumes of how dedicated they must have been to make it stand out in the past.
How much time and energy went into these old ones compared to the new sections that appear more plain with less going on in their style.
Yet how many really look up and take notice.
I marvel at how everything has moved on at such a fast pace but yet we look to these old buildings and they are monumental in how they have survived all the elements etc.
Moving into the future, who knows how it will all be like but for now it’s nice to 👀 look, admire and respect what was there when growing up and still stands and let the future look after itself.

Took these recently.The demise of Callendar Square.
12/10/2024

Took these recently.
The demise of Callendar Square.

Kemper Avenue leading to alternative entrance to Callendar Park.
06/10/2024

Kemper Avenue leading to alternative entrance to Callendar Park.

30/09/2024

Growing up, back in the day.

Wide bell bottomed trousers
Scorching hot pants and more
Skimpiest of mini skirts
While walking out the door.
High fashion clumpy platforms
So easy to fall over
Wide frilly hats
Countless fields of clover.
Long hot summer days
Walking through cornfields
Corn lice, so vicious
Red raw marks revealed.
Rock and pop music
Transistors loud and clear
Couldn’t ignore them
Wasn’t easy, not to hear.
Plastic gummy sandals
Almost melting with the heat
Better than barefoot
No red, sunburnt, blistered feet.
Stilts and table tennis
Putting, cartwheels and handstands
Open air music
Playing at bandstands.
Paddling down the local burn
Picnics on a Sunday too
Playing hide and seek
Not short of things to do.
Chalking beds on pavements
Or anywhere we could
A shoe polish lid was kicked
Winning would feel so good.
Had to redo it all over again
When the next shower of rain would fall
Never bothered us though
As I recall.
Made holes in dirty old tins
To put some string through
Makeshift stilts to walk with
That’s what we used to do.
And don’t forget the bogeys
Made out of old pram wheels
And bits of wood was not so bad
The real deal.
What a time we had to try
And ride a bike, not half
But eventually it came just right
With equal measures of screams and laughs.
And what about the trees to climb
Like monkeys, it was fun
Until you snagged your trousers
Buzz word, when mum found out, run.
We had the swings
We had the chute
The seesaw, cheesecutter
But mind your foot.
Who would take risks
And dodge the swing
With someone on it
Many dangers it would bring.
We took many risks
In hindsight now we know
It was stupid, crazy and daft
Learnt our lesson blow by blow.
Looking back we had no fear
But freedom by the bucket load
That’s because we all shared
An unspoken code.
We’d go out, was warned
Don’t get into trouble
And sometimes on the television watch
Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble.
Tom and Jerry they were great
But not so highly thought of now
Too violent, but we didn’t know that then
And what about that programme ‘How’
We’d get our Bunty, Jackie, Diane
The boys their Victor, Valient
Dennis the menace, Minnie the minx
All these comics were great, heaven sent.
Yes it’s good to take a minute
To think back to those times
And remember and record it all
Here In retro rhyme.
Lorna Johnston.

29/09/2024

Looking through my notes on my phone and came across this.
Aye guid times.

Remember the old shops
Alexander’s and Youngs
Burtons and saxone
And others far flung.
HB Watson and Goldbergs
Dillons and more
How many remember
Your more store.
At the east end York Cafe
Scotch shoe shop was there
I worked as an assistant
Selling shoes by the pair.
There were platforms and wedges
Sandals dainty heels too
I don’t know how they managed
To walk in those shoes.
One man even walked out
And left his old ones
Said ‘no point in wearing them
They’re done’.
So we threw them in bin
As he walked out the door
And just stood there laughing
Thinking what else was in store.
Never dull was it back then
When walking into Youngs
Through the China department
So many heroes unsung.
How the parents managed
To keep children away
From the China all sitting
On shelves each day.
Monumental achievement
Should have gave out awards
Cause the way that the china shook
Made you gasp ‘oh my Lord’.
Doesn’t bear thinking
About the damage accrued
If the China came clattering down
Would not be so good.
But I worked in Bank Street
With furniture and prams
Thoroughly enjoyed it
No qualms.
Had plenty of laughs
And it all worked out well
Was devastated though
More than tongue can tell.
I was transferred across
To the big shop to work
Down under the stairs
Where the plastics would lurk.
I watched all the people
Go up, down the stairs
And thought to myself
This is really not fair.
Stuck in this corner
Where time went so slow
I made the decision
To change jobs and go.
Was a decision I did not take lightly
I loved the job I had
In the furniture, pram department
To be leaving, just made me sad.
I then worked in Carrs and in Tandems
Mathiesons, McVittie Guest too
In McVittie I learned to serve up
A really great brew.
In those days there were plenty of jobs going
In the Co-op Woolworths and Muirhead’s
What Every Woman Wants and Inglis
So many now I’ve said.
But can’t forget one more shoe shop
Easiephit for really good shoes
And also the old style newsagents
That brought us all the news.
The Manor and Broadway cafés
And Bishops was for real
The best at that time
The real deal.
I really need to finish
This epic verse or will
Go on forever and ever
into massive overkill.
Just add at the bottom
Ones I have missed out
That’s what this is
All about.
To bring back beautiful memories
To share at this awesome time
Bringing us all together
In rhythm and rhyme.
Lorna Johnston
August 24th, 2017.

11/09/2024

There wis nooks and crannies
An’ grannies an’ granpaws
There wis bools an’ schule
An’ skint knees when ye fa’
There were coos an’ doo’s
Yin flys ither disnie
An’ guid snawba fichts
Especially when ye missed me.
There were red hot pavements
Ye cuid fry a bloomin’ egg oan
An’ dinnie say it wisnie you
That chap door rin, wis loads o fun.
Aye even wis guid Hogmanays
Danced an’ sang the auld year oot
Guid memories to keep close to
Oor herts, nae doot.
Bit least the hoose goat scrubbed
Within an inch of its feckin life
Never underestimate
A determined wee wife.
There were scary daddy long legs
Wee jenny as weel
Ghost stories galore
Incredibly unreal.
There was hopscotch an’ marbles
A muggie in the middle
Soaking wet claes
Rinnin’ thru muddy puddles.
Handstands and cartwheels
Chinese ropes an’ chalked beds
No tae sleep in
Tae jump oan instead.
Whit! dinnie be daft
Oan the pavement wi’ a tin
Shoe polish yin did the trick
Goat scuffed, whit a din.
We made arrows an’ hideouts
Covered ower wi’ fern leaves
Aye they were sich guid days
Ye widnie believe.
An’ the youth o the day noo
Miss oot sich a lot
That’s why the country’s defo gone
Tae blooming pot.

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