Author Topic: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)  (Read 26037 times)

Offline stirling76

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Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« on: Thursday 29 December 11 11:08 GMT (UK) »
How many people can remember Elvis walking around the streets of Stirling in the late sixties?
This was taken in Port Street at the bottom of King Street.

I am looking for any photo's of a character called Soapy Moray (Tam Murray) who was a local Tramp in Stirling in the 50's.

Also, I'm trying to find pics of, The Original Bar, The Argyle Bar and The Bush Tavern, exteriors.

Any help would be appreciated
Stirling in Scotland, Baker Street in Stirling.
Donaldson from Thornhill
Stewart from Whins of Milton
McAra from Whins of Milton

Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #1 on: Monday 02 January 12 20:18 GMT (UK) »
I think there will be a great deal of Stirling folks who remember Elvis.
I never gave him any money, and come to think of it, I don't recall him ever asking for cash, but if I spotted him near the tea stall at the bus station I always bought him a tea and filled (egg, sausage) roll.
While she can't recall exactly whether it was Soapy Moray or another guy called 'Doc'. my wife, in her days of managing the Crown Hotel in the Arcade, circa 1975, said he was allowed into the bar after all the customers had left. He sweep the floor and in return he was allowed to finish of any beer that had left on the bar (there was a pint glass laid aside for his use only) and he would be given any of the days unsold pies etc to take away.
I will ask about to see if anyone remembers more about Soapy.

Cheers.
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)

Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 10 January 12 19:07 GMT (UK) »
Sorry but it was'nt Soapy, it was 'Doc' Scott who swept the pub floor.

I have asked folks about Soapy Moray and while just about everyone recognises the name, they can't recall the man.
From snippets here and there, Soapy was a wee thin crabbit grey haired man who wore a greatcoat (possibly an ex army one) and always had a sort of kitbag slung over his shoulder.
Often seen in the town center and Drip Rd areas.
I will keep asking.

Cheers.
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)

Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 10 January 12 20:56 GMT (UK) »
Took this photo a couple of years ago.
what was the Bush Tavern is to the left of the photo.
It is now an office of the Alliance & Leicester Building Society.
The sculpture of a bush (or tree) can be seen on the apex of the gable.
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)


Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 10 January 12 21:06 GMT (UK) »
Seems there have been people at work who have made it impossible to lay out the photos and text the way we want them
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)

Offline stirling76

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 11 January 12 09:21 GMT (UK) »
Fergie, many thanks for that, I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked by that building and never noticed the bush on the apex, what I find!

Re. Soapy, my memories of him are from Baker Street, I remember him wearing the army greycoat, held together with a piece of twine around his waist, and a bunnet. I don’t think it was a kitbag, I remember Hessian sacks that he carried, that used to jingle, jangle with empty bottles that he collected.

But most of all, his stick! When us kids would shout out ‘Soapy’ at him, he would grab the stick at the end and hurl it at us running after us at the same time, I don’t recall him ever catching any of us.

My dad would occasionally help out in Dugald Campell’s or Cullen’s the butchers in Baker Street, and auld Tammie would come into these shops on the cadge for some scraps, which he would always get. My dad would always give him either a shilling or two bob whenever he met him in the street.

I can remember quite vividly one day my dad came round the corner from Friars Street into Baker Street and Tam was standing at the window of Paige’s bar (The Star), my father told me later he honestly didn’t notice him and crossed the street to walk up the Street. Auld Tam was furious, and shouted abuse at my dad saying, ‘Jock, if ye werna guan tae keep it gaunin’ ye should nae hae sterted it in the first place.’ My dad hadn’t given him his ‘tap!’

I remember some of the stories I heard about Soapy was that he slept rough out at the King’s Park Farm, I recall seeing him walking out Dumbarton Road, and it was said that he was very intelligent who had lost everything when he hit the drink. One story about him that was often repeated was that it was said that he could write the Lord’s Prayer on the back of a postage stamp, but these are just memories now.

I’m coming to Stirling within the next couple of months to catch up with some old friends, I’ll ask any of them if the remember auld Soapy Moray, a real Stirling worthy.
Cheers
Stirling in Scotland, Baker Street in Stirling.
Donaldson from Thornhill
Stewart from Whins of Milton
McAra from Whins of Milton

Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 17 January 12 10:36 GMT (UK) »
A wee bit of info that came via Friends Reunited saying that Soapy was last heard of as living in Orchard House.

Cheers.
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)

Offline DDJJake

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 02 February 12 10:49 GMT (UK) »
Hi Fergie,
Going back to my generation in the 1950s at the HS in Spittal Street, Stirling, we often had 'encounters' with a vagrant called 'Poko Moko' there, and up and down the Back Walk to the Corn Exchange.
Any ideas about who he was .. etc etc. ?

Aye
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Offline Fergie38

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Re: Elvis an Old Stirling worthy (pic)
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 02 February 12 19:04 GMT (UK) »
Hello John.

No, never heard that name before.
Perhaps it was a name for the likes of Saopy Moray or some other worthy,  that was used only by the pupils of Stirling High.

Cheers.
Ferguson (Stirling & Parish of Kincardine) Stevenson (Bannockburn) Cowan (Stirling) McLean (Glasgow,  Dundee & Skye)