Fergie,
that's a wonderful photo, just as I remember her, never without a heidscarf and a pinny, I knew her and her son very well, I'm sure after the fire they moved to Dalgleish court just round the corner.
I can't wait to forward the pic to my sisters.
Now Annie's son Jimmy, although everyone knew him as Chang Cowan, he was some character! and that's an understatement! Chang was some man.
I remember being a young child and my mother took my sisters and me to the regal to see Annie Get Your Gun, when we got home, the door was locked and father in a drunken sleep and no amount of knocking would waken him. Mum said to me, go across to Mrs Cowan's and tell Jimmy we were locked out!
Off I went across the road and told Chang what had happened and he came back with me. Out of his pocket came some tool, I think it was a long chisel, 10 seconds later the door jamb was prised out and the yale latch pushed in and the door opened and we got in. I think you can tell from that what profession Chang was known for, he was our local burglar! But what a nice man, years later whenever I met him he would always have time for me and have a chat, he was a pal of my brother.
I met him many years later in the 70's and he told me a great story,
do you remember when Johnny Ramensky fell of the roof when trying to break into the strongrooms in Stirling. Well, he wasn't alone, Chang was keeping the look out down below when Johnny fell, Chang checked he was breathing and scarpered, what the books don't tell you was that someone phoned the polis to tell them a man was hurt.
Seemingly Chang knew Johnny from old, probably met him in Jail somewhere, and told him about this safe waiting to be opened!
Poor Chang he had a hard time with his own family years later, it really broke his heart, but that's another story.
Stewart