The Skudgie - named no doubt by the swimming attire of the boys who swam there. I was a frequent visitor to this recreational hotspot, much to the dismay of my mother, who when I denied that I was there, would smell my hair, and knew that I had been swimming in the Clyde. Both sides of the river were used, boys from Eastfield would use the Eastfield (or Hoover) side, while myself and others from Park Street area would use the opposite bank. Eastfield side of the Clyde was very deep and slow moving. The opposite bank was shallower and faster moving. Near the middle of the river was a wall about 5 feet under the surface which the stronger swimmers used as a staging post when collecting tatties from the field on the Eastfield side. These were roasted on the slag heaps, to varying degrees of success.
The health and physical dangers were there. The one that I remember most was a boy from King's Crescent (Tommy Donnachie) who was drowned one evening in 1948(?).
My robust immune system I attribute to the taking to the Clyde's nectarine, akin to the waters of the Ganges.

Your location East Kilbride

James Harvey has also recorded his misdeeds doon the Skudgie...

http://www.edwardboyle.com/EB/cambuslang
/Barry%20James%20Harvey.htm

Your location Kilmarnock

Isn't it surprising how fearless we were as kids. The Skurlie (or, sometimes, 'Skudgie') was such a dangerous place, but we took no account of that.

We lived at the bottom end of Morriston Street, quite near the Clyde, and were always down there in the good weather. Older men also went swimming there. I remember Mr McShane liked a dip in the Skudgie.

Like, youuself, Phil, we, too, used to tousle our hair and dirty our faces (surprisingly cleaned in that murky water) on the way back home. We loved it when the molten slag was being deposited nearby -- we could run over, dry ourselves, and stop shivering near the glowing heat. But the smell was awful!

I remember Frank McGinty, a great friend from around the corner in Park Street, almost certainly saving the life of a wee fellow who was being taken away down the river -- Frank, a strong swimmer, went in pursuit and knew just how to get hold of the child and bring him to the bank.

One could go on . . . I remember that wall, too, Phil -- I had to hold my nose, go under, and drop onto it. Sadly, also, I remember Tommie Donnachie drowning and older men swimming around looking for the body. A child drowning there was not a rare thing.

Can you recall the big gambling ring of men that formed near there (the Tossin' School)? And the Black Mariah full of policemen pulling up on the bridge to try and round them up? The school usually had a look-out and all would scamper on the call; but some, inevitably, were always caught. I wonder what the penalty might have been at the Police Station?

Your location Orpington, Kent

Thanks for that Francie,

I remember a tossing school just up the river at the confluence of the Black Burn. 'heads a dollar' still rings in my ears.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mm?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.800651,-4.064941&spn=12.501051,28.256836&z=5

Your location Kilmarnock

Hello Ed

Thanks for your posting.

I remember well, Ed, that other 'school' you mention where the Black Burn met the Clyde. There was also, sometimes, quite a large group of card players there.

'Heads a dollar! Heads a dollar!' still rings in my ears, too. There was a powerful energy about it all. A dollar was five bob, wasn't it?

During our walks along by the Skudgie, my father would sometimes give me coins to take over to my Uncle Francie (same name) who was one of the regulars. Maybe my father was having a gamble for himself in this way?

Your location Orpington

hi francie,
i remember well the tossing school situated on the slag heap side of the clyde close to the skudgie,this was a large school and must have been the scourge of many a houshold, with the weekly wages often lost on the toss of 2 or sometimes 3 pennies.
the school proceedings were controled by the babber {or toller} and was a lucrative occupation,guarded with discipline and a strong arm,i remember one of main tollers a fellow from viewpark [fought as boxer jack kilrain} being seriously injured {allegedly in a controling dispute
at the school.
we, as boys were always hoping for a raid,as the bets lying on the ring would often be abandoned in the punters haste to clutches of the polis, best wishes are extende to you from the honourable john mckechnie of morriston street fame

Your location east kilbride

Hello Phil

Thanks for increasing my vocabularly surrounding that most important historical event.

There's still one technical matter left that you might be able to clear up for me: did some of the 'tossers' (the quotes distinguishes them from the more common type!) use a little rectangular slate or piece of wood to rest the pennies on before tossing them? I believed this was to demonstrate better that there was no cheating going on.

John (Jonie) McKechnie was a good friend from those earliest years, and later. The term 'honourable' you attach to him is fitting for one who lived up such a superior close, where teachers and other genteel folk resided, and the air smelled of Brasso and fresh pipe-clay.

I wonder if Jonie remembers the two of us going into Glasgow to attend a big meeting of Moral Re-Armament, an interesting sort of supra-relious movement of the time (just after the war) that seemed to make a lot of sense. Please give him my regards, Phil.

Again, so much more one could write.

Cheers for now.

Your location Orpington, Kent

hi Francei
The pactice of using oblong pieces of wood or slate to toss the pennies in the air, along with using 3 pennies in order to speed proceedings, although common in darkest lanarkshire.did not appear to have taken on at the scudgie school.
They appear to have maintained the tradition of being 2 finger tossers [not to be confused with politicians,many bankers, and public figures]to the end.
McKechnie [of the wally close and the Allt Dubh Beag][AKA the black burn]recounts a tale of Frank McGinty, falling off a wall into the dung midden at Wullie McGowans milking parlor,no doubt it was done with typical Gintz style and panache
Best wishes phil.

Your location east kibride

Hello Phil

Thanks for a good laugh! And thanks, of course, for the added technical information on the development in Lanarkshire of the double and treble disc-tossing devices that superseded the earlier digital (Index and Middle), Heads-a-Dollar, Cambuslang Skudgie System. It's all intriguing stuff.

I wasn't there when 'Gintz' fell into the dung midden, yet I can well imagine him coming out of it with dignity intact (just yesterday we got an Easter card from his son, Tom, in Cheltenham). One of my own vivid memories in the cowshed of McGowan's farm is of Wullie scattering a colony of rats while raking it out and then pronging them through with his pitch-fork. The vision of that frenzied pursuit of the critters still makes me squirm (I think I had a white mouse at the time). He used to keep a barrel of thinned treacle to mix with other things for the calves -- a big treat for us young humans, as well, when we could 'obtain access' to it. It's amazing to think that there was a farm jist roon the back.

I left Cambuslang in the late 50's, not long after doing two years National Service. As I seem to remember, Phil, you married Anne (McFadyean?), a couple of doors along from our house at the park gates. Then I thought you lived around the corner in the Crescent, but I feel that I'm wrong about that -- or about the sequence. My memories, 'unrefreshed' over the years, can be a bit defective in those earlier times. I was sorry to hear that Anne had died -- she was an outstandingly lovely girl. I believe that her sister (is it Betty?) still lives in the house there. I remember both of them regularly at the Holy Hour and Devotions when they used to sit just a few pews down from us.

Best regards also to Jonie. He was witty enough to be on the stage -- but he couldn't spell as well as Jimmy! Mr McKechnie was a man you remember with affection -- even to young people he was respectful and never spoke down to them. Jonie's mother was just like my own.

Cheers for now

Your location Orpington, Kent

Hi Francie just came upon yer info. How are you and Bridie doing, Joe and I are fine living in Rothesay and still have our Guest House the Lyndhurst overlooking Rothesay Bay. We are pensioners now so it great to use our bus passes and tour the island which has fantastic scenery. My how the years have flown we often think of you and you were always a very kind and patient person. You have a lovely Xmas and give Bridie our love. Theresa yer wee cousin

Your location Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Argyll

Just saw a photo on ebay of the floods at Youngs Farm and wondered where it was..

Your location United Kingdom

Where on Ebay?

Hi, Folks ... have been trying to find out about my Grandfather's side of the Family ... and I wonder if anyone can advise? ..He's the Frank McGinty you have mentioned. Thankyou 💚 💚

Your location east kilbride

I have just passed your message to Francie Reilly who knew your grandfather, and has posted previous messages in this forum

Ed....Thanks very much.....can't find anything on my Grandfather's side of the Family at all. 💚💚

Your location east kilbride

Hi! Elenor,
Just a brief reply at the moment,I remember your grandfather Frank, from,
having lived across the street from him, at the bottom end of Park Street in Cambuslang
in the 1940s,most of my personal memories are of his and my boyhood.
Other information is mostly anecdotal, and from other sources,whom i would have
to contact and reminisce with.
Another source (if he is still around)is Francie Reilly, location Orpington,
whom i last contacted in 2017 who i am sure will remember "Gintz" with boyhood and
youthfull nostalgia.
Please let me know what i can help you with.
Phil.

Your location east kilbride

I remember the bother i got into for going in the scudgie

Your location Hamilton