Cromarty Archive

Albion House circa 1960

Albion House circa 1960

Date Added: 07 December 2003 Contributor: Calum Davidson Year: 1960 Picture No: 603

Interesting view of Albion House, Church Street in the late 1950's or early 1960's. It still has a front porch which was demolished about 1970. Anybody remember the truck? It's an Inverness (not Ross-shire) Registration EST 7??

Albums: Buildings

8 Comments

Yes Calum...I think I've solved the mystery of the AUSTIN Van ...Reg EST 783.....It looks like it was my Fathers ...John ( Johnny ) Macdonald ...we lived at 51 Church Street ..before moving to 17 high Street ...Where my Mum and Dad had a Shop ...I believe my Dad did buy it either in Fortrose or Inverness.
There is a good story to the Van ..When I left to go to New Zealand ..a few years before my parents in 1963 ..My Dad was the one that drove me to Dalcross Airport to fly out with another family from the Black Isle ..as we were a few miles from the Kessock Ferry ...when the car hit "black Ice' ...and we rolled several times across the road ..eventually ending up with the car on it's side ...leaving my Dad and I a wee bit worse for wear ..To cut the story short ..A passing car helped us right the car over again ..and we eventually went on our way ..the car getting us to the airport on time !...so you see this car is firmly planted in my memory ...It's good to see it again
A much better shot of it ...( with an added canopy can be seen in picture #201 )...Thanks Calum for the shot ..and Alblion House as well ...could this be old 51 Church Street ...our old house ???
Comment left on 20 July 2004 at 14:24 by John Macdonald
John - Thanks for that - Picture 201 also shows the old style AA badge on the grill. The van and the badge brings back memories for me as well, as my Father had the "Station Wagon" version of the Austin A-40 (the same as EST 783) complete with AA badge. We had just returned from a Holiday in Spain (a long drive from Caithness in 1963!) when one of the rear wheels came off on the Halkirk to Thurso road.......... I'll never forget looking out the side and seeing the wheel overtake us, and then bump we were in the ditch. Like your "roll" no damage done, probably as nobody drove very fast in those days.

Albion House is 47 Church Street. 51 is Buzancy - David Alston's house now. Church Street is a little bit wider in front of Wellington House, where the van is parked. Perhaps that is why it is there?

Comment left on 27 July 2004 at 11:38 by Calum Davidson
Thanks Calum ...of course that is Albion house ...got a wee bit lost there for a minute ...yes I knew David Alston was in our old house at 51 Church Street ...I can't remember what it was called when we lived there .....I knew of course ..our move to 17 High street ..where the shop was ....was called "Ellison House"...I was admiring the most recent aerial shots of the town ...and was hoping to see a bit of 51 Church St, and 17 high street ...but didn't know if there were any shots that included those sections of Cromarty from the air ? Comment left on 28 July 2004 at 15:46 by John Macdonald
John - Have a look at picture 857 "St Anns from the air". In front of St Anns (under it in the picture) is the Retreat, then Wellington House (set back from the road) then Albion House, then No 49 (which was called Waterloo House at one time, I seem to recall), then a bit of 51 - Buzancy, named after the famous WW1 battle in July 1918 - where the French Town was taken by the 15th Scottish Division.
Comment left on 28 July 2004 at 18:43 by Calum Davidson
ThanksCalum ......I did see that one ....but 51 ...not all visible in that particular shot ...thats why I wondered if there was another with the Church next door ....whcih we would see the house and garden ..as it is next to it ? maybe Kitty Gommers might know, seen she submitted the aerial shots ? Comment left on 29 July 2004 at 01:07 by John Macdonald
John - have a look at the new pics 919 and 922. Pete Clunas took me for a spin in the Air Ambulance this morning (28th August) and I got some shots of the east end of Church Street that I thought you might enjoy. Comment left on 28 August 2004 at 21:59 by Calum Davidson
We have been researching our family tree and have found that our great-grandfather was an Ellison who lived and had a store/shop in Cromarty. Do you think this would be the same Ellison House? Comment left on 31 March 2008 at 19:18 by M. Fraser
There are several properties mentioned on our deeds either because their owners witnessed wills or because they were curators bonis to minors inheriting property. Does anyone know where Salaga was or is, also a property called The Wavis? Comment left on 21 February 2009 at 19:34 by Ann Hill
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