The University Years

October 1965 A letter arrives at my home offering me a place at the University of St. Andrews. I accepted without reading the letter fully , thinking (as a keen football fan ) that it was in Birmingham. My friends soon put me right.

A further complication arose later because I hadn't read the letter and failed to notice that the place to read History was at Queen's College - in Dundee. When I turned up in St. Andrews people were amazed that they had offerred such an idiot a place .

Dundee became my home for the next 5 or 6 years and I love it to this day. The town, the people and the University of Dundee which it became in 1967.

I first stayed at 105 Magdalen Yard Road with Mrs. Bissett and several people. I have only kept intouch with Ian Findlay from those days and in our second year we moved into the luxury of 6 Hyndford Street.

With us were the super John Clossick and Geoff Martial.

Then in Years 3 and 4 I was in 14 Petersen with Don Roxburgh , Gus Scott and the world famous criminal Benny Anderson. I still see them all regularly.

This is getting boring but the stories that could be told. Maybe that is what I'll do next as I develop this site.

• We listened to many acts at the Union including the Humblebums - made up of Billy Connolly and various others.

The Spinners

My own favourite was Tom Paxton who I met personally with the Spinners and we went to the Allnight Bakery on Hawkhill. Later I saw Tom at Edinburgh who said his main memory of Dundee was the bakery.

Last updated

08/05/2003

brianburrows@blueyonder.co.uk