Kit's Memories

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Kit's Memories' page

Addiewell/Barbados

By Billy Kane

I lived in Loganlea from birth, in 1943, until 1968 when I left to live and work in London. I have lovely memories of my life in Loganlea; in those days there was very little to be afraid of except getting in trouble with your parents, so my childhood was idyllic. I attended St Thomas' Primary School and later St Mary's in West Calder. We had no gameboys or internet then so we all had to make our own entertainment and after coming home from school we were desperate to get outside and play and dreaded being asked to stay indoors. My cousin Catherine and myself use to jump the burn from Scolley Bridge up to Todd's Farm. We were a very close family and my cousins Catherine, Peter and Anne Cassidy were just like sisters and another brother- my brother Tommy died after an accident in his home. My wee sister Margaret joined me in London a few years after our mother (Kate) died and she now lives in France.

I married a Barbadian and eventually left London to live in Barbados. Alan died in 2002, but I am still in Barbados because I love the little island. I am still working and I am a Director of a Company which imports Lumber into Barbados. I enjoy my trips home and like to be kept up to date with all news from Loganlea. I should mention that during my years in London, I never missed a march against the Vietnam war, Apartheid and the hated Thatcher and her government. My cousin Peter was always with me as he worked tirelessly in support of the Labour Party.


The photos show some of my friends on holiday on the beaches and in the rum shops of Barbados.
The two pictures at the bottom of the page are from my birthday party a few years ago in Loganlea Miners Club, where I met friends I had not seen for years and we had a ball. I hope all my friends back home are supporting the addiewellheritage site, my kind regards to you all. Catherine Alleyne.

This page was added by Billy Kane on 16/10/2012.
Comments about this page

Looks like an beautiful place Kit. I too live next to white beaches (there's a bit of a shark problem at the moment.) We have great weather in WA but need more rain. I wondered who the other three were in your birthday picture. I remember you but can't place Anne- I knocked around with Esther Hamilton and Jean McKenna. Ellen Walker was my cousin...

By Margaret Foster
On 17/10/2012

Wonderful memories. Everyone who writes an article on here has different memories and they all bring back more memories to others. Well done. Love you, Anne

By Anne Cassidy Hamilton
On 17/10/2012

Love the pictures; love the memories; love the site

By Tommy Woods
On 18/10/2012

Margaret, the other 3 ladies are (from the left) Mattie Collins, Lena Kenny and Helen Kane -all from Bents. Helen has been married to Billy Kane for over 40 years. Anne is my cousin- her brother was Peter Cassidy, most people knew him he was a character. Ellen Walker was a great frind of mine growing up, we were at school together. Jean McKenna is one hour older than me! Nice to hear from you.

By Catherine Alleyne
On 18/10/2012

Margaret: You probably don't know me. I can't place you either. My parents were Pat and May Cassidy, I am their youngest child. I know who Ellen Walker is, she lived a few house down from my grandparents who lived in Moorelands at the top of Loganlea. I also know who Jean McKenna is, her sister was Moira and her brother Patrick. I am the same age as Patrick. In fact, the McKenna's are our relatives. Mr. McKenna was my mother's cousin, or maybe her uncle... I was never sure which. Her mother was Lizzie McKenna.

By Anne Cassidy Hamilton
On 19/10/2012

Anne, I probably don't know you as you would be just a young thing. I do remember Peter and your mum. I've heard her sing in the club. With regard to the ladies in the photograph, I don't know them, I was just wondering as people can change a lot in forty odd years.

By Margaret Foster
On 20/10/2012

My mother did have a lovely voice. She used to sing all the time around the house. I remember when the movie came out about Patsy Cline, the country and western singer of the fifties. I did not even know who Patsy Cline was but I knew the words to all the songs. Then I remembered where I had heard them. My Mother used to sing them around the house. My Dad was always so proud of her singing... in fact it was sometimes embarrasing because he would "shoosh" people who talked when she was singing. She would tell him later not to do that but it never stopped him :) I really enjoy your memories on here. I can't remember half of what you do about school days. Keep the stories coming. My cousin Catherine "Kit" will laugh when she read the "shoosh" part because we laugh about it all the time.

By Anne Cassidy Hamilton
On 21/10/2012

My uncle Pat would shoosh everybody around him but when others got up to sing- he talked all the time. I don't think he meant it but he could not stop it; he was a lovely man.

By Catherine Alleyne
On 22/10/2012
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