1960 (Feb)  Arbroath Amateur Operatic Society performs 'The King & I' at the Webster M. Theatre.

1960  The 'Switches', the forerunner of 'Pleasureland' is a prime entertainment spot.

1960  St Vigeans Pictish & Mediaeval Stone Museum opens, containing 34 early Christian

sculpted stones including the Drosten Stone.

1960  The fishing boat 'Endeavour' (AH38) is launched, Brian Bruce amongst the crew.

1960 (approx)  Willie Murdoch produces a silent colour 1:07 film of Smokie preparation at

Swankie & Smith fishmongers, High Street. The film is held by the National Library of Scotland.

1960   Angus Social Club is formed. An amateur & juvenile football club originally playing home

games at the Low Common , they will adopt junior status in 1973, changing their name to Arbroath

Sporting Club and gaining a new home ground at Seaton Park. ASC will play their last game on

the 22nd May 2011.

1960  Yule Newsagents open a shop at 256 High Street, this branch operating for about 40 years.

1960  Edmund Laskowski opens the Golden Lion Garage on Montrose Road.

1960  AGR Automation open Arbroath premises.

1960  A total of 9 bungalows are built during this year on East Muirlands Road & Gallowden Road  

(the site of Gallowden Farm & before that a place of execution).

1960  A row of cottages on Fisheracre is replaced by shops.

1960 (Oct 1)  The Arbroath Flower Centre is opened in Fisheracre by Jim & Bill McGugan.

1960  A Royal Marines Band is formed at HMS Condor where it will remain for 10 years.

 

'in the 1960s':  In James Street could be found Williamson's Bakery (on the corner) & Pop Allan's

pawnbroker's shop (nos. 3-5). The street is named after James Watson of Towerbank House.

From the 60s William Teviotdale (marine engineering) occupies the old lifeboat shed in East Grimsby.

 

1961 (Jan) Fergus Young, at the New Palace Theatre, introduces the new roller skating craze Mon, Tues & Thursdays.  

1961  (Feb)  Production begins at the Metal Box Factory, Elliot.

1961 (Mar) The harbour to Arbroath Station railway line is closed. It's

path is indicated by the lane known as 'The Linies'.

1961  'The Arbroath Affair', an account by Ian N. Fraser of his success  in

building a garden railway & engine shed within the grounds of his home in

Viewfield Road despite Council opposition, is published.

1961  Extensions are made to the nature path from Victoria Park.

1961  The construction of Westway begins.

1961  The fishing boat 'June Rose' (AH45) is launched.

1961 (?)  A shelter in Victoria Park, by St. Ninians Well, is built.

1961 (Jun 7) The New Palace Theatre, introduces bingo sessions

under the name 'Palais Bingo'. Films are still shown.

1961  (Jun)  Hugh Nelson of Hunter & Nelson's bus company (Victoria Garage, Union Street

East), sells his 18 buses to Tom D. Alexander (trading as Greyhound Luxury Coaches).

1961 (Jun)  Francesco (Frank) & Dorothy Orsi open the 'Cairnie Chip Shop' on Cairnie Street,

opposite the 'Corner Bar'

1961 (Jun 19)  The 'Portcullis' public house opens at 4 Conan Terrace.

1961  (Jul 8)  Children's boats are introduced at Keptie Pond.

1961  Alex Pert's 'wet fish' shop opens at 244 High Street.

1961 (Sep 24)  Inverbrothock Free Church at Hamilton Green is rededicated 'St Andrews Church'.

1961  (Sep 26)  The Maternity Wing of Arbroath Infirmary is opened by the Queen Mother.

1961 (Sep 30)  Grampian Television begin broadcasting to Arbroath.

1961  (Nov)  Rocker Gene Vincent performs at the 'Palais de Danse'.

1961  (Nov)  Demolition begins in Millgate Loan to accomodate the new telephone

exchange.

1961  (Nov)  The Webster Hall features it's first 'Black & White Minstrels' show.

 

1962  (Apr 12)  Lipton, grocers, open at 226 High Street.

1962  The 'Exchange Bar' at 12 Market Place closes when landlord Samuel Jack decides

not to renew his licence.

1962  Westway, linking Dundee Road to Keptie Road, is completed during the summer.

1962 (end Jun) The National Commercial Bank's new premises opens on Brothock Bridge.

1962  Comedian Jimmy Tarbuck is 'discovered' while in a show at the Webster Theatre.

Whilst at Arbroath, Jimmy (who had trialled for Liverpool FC) is approached by, and

temorarily signed by Arbroath Sporting Club to play in their semi final of the cup tie. At the club's annual dance Jimmy also does

a comedy spot at the Windmill Hotel.

1962  (Sep)  The new Angus Technical College on Elliot Place accepts it's first pupils.

1962 (Oct 12)  The Red Lion Bar is demolished.

1962  (Oct 25)  Wm. Low open at 162-164 High Street.

 

1963 (Spring) Arbroath TC consider a 3 lane inner relief road, as a a dualled road would cause excessive demolition. (See 1973).

1963 (May)  A Pitch 'n' Putt course opens in Springfield Park. It will cease to be used in late 1990s.

1963  Abbey Theatre is founded.

1963 (Jul 4) 'Mace' open at 27-29 Montrose Road.

1963  (Oct )  The Palace Cinema is taken over by JB Milne.

1963  An upgrade of the A92 Dundee-Arbroath road to dual-carriageway is considered. See 2003 !

1963  An 11 minute colour film 'Lifeboat Coming', by William Guild, Dept. of Agric., Univ. of Edinburgh, is produced. It demonstrates a rescue from the Abertay Lightship, the Lifeboat's coxwain being Hew Smith. Film held by NLS - click here :

1963  Houses now fill the triangle of roads comprising Westway, Arbirlot Road & Emislaw Drive. Immediately west, just across Westway, the streets also in place include Fraser Path, Newton Avenue, Rosefield Place, Newbigging Drive & Spitalfield Place.

1963  Arbroath Town Council are planning to build 105 houses at East Muirlands: 32 of 4 apmt 2 storey terraced, 15 of 2 apmt 1 storey cottages, 32 of 3 apmt 2 storey, 12 of 3 apmt 2 storey cottages & 14 of 4 apmt 2 storey cottages, between Bloomfield House, E. Muirlands Road & Arbirlot Road West.

1963  Some houses at Hamilton Green are being demolished.

1963  A major imrovement scheme for Brothock Bridge commences during which the granite fountain (which had been donated to the town by William Gibson of Maulesbank) is removed. The Sea Cadet Hall (previously the Good Templar Hall) at the corner of Hume Street & Arrott Street is demolished.

1963  (-1964)  Arbroath FC finish 3rd in the 2nd Division.

 

1964 (Jan 4) Abbey Theatre's first performance: "The Four Poster".

1964  (Jan 22)  Coopers shop opens at 207 High Street.

1964  New lighting mechanism installed & living quarters improved on Bell Rock Lighthouse.

1964  (Apr 6)  In Brothockbank House, Gourley McBain is formed when two firms

of lawyers,'J & W MacDonald Gourley' and 'McBain & Anderson' are amalgamated.

1964  The gas works chimney is demolished.

1964  Lowdens open at 281 High Street.

1964  Tom Swankie sells the 'Oriental Bar', High Street to Wm. Coutts. The pub will be demolished in 1966.

1964  The Viewfield Hotel receives it's full hotel licence.

1964  The Wardmill Bleachfield closes after being operational since 1807.

1964  Niall Benvie is born in Arbroath. He will become a respected landscape

& wildlife photographer & writer.

1964  George Grove opens his florist business at 78 Marketgate.

1964 (-1973)  Robert Ritchie Spink is Arbroath's 13th Provost.

1964  William Saunders, Special Class "A" Station Master at Arbroath Railway

Station since 1953, retires. During his service the station's goods yard has handled the

transportation of cargo as diverse as Shanks' vitreous enamel products and Billy Smart's

Circus. His career has encompassed being relief Station Master in every main line

station in Scotland. Road haulage is now taking much of the business from the railways.

1964  The 'Harbour to Station'  railway line (closed in 1961) is uplifted.

1964  Peter Rowling meets Anne Volant on a train journey from London to a military

posting in Arbroath. Their daughter will be be JK Rowling of 'Harry Potter' fame.

1960 - 1964

Arbroath Academy

under construction

1960-61

Bella Paterson, Airlie Crescent, July 1963