Retired blacksmith Colin Taylor, who has died aged 79, spent most of his life living on a smallholding at Burnside of Gagie, Dundee.
These were plots of agricultural land and bungalows created in the first half of the 20th century as part of land reform, originally promoted by then Prime Minister David Lloyd George.
Dozens were created north of Dundee, and west of the city at the likes of Errol and Kinfauns.
In Colin’s case, his father, George Taylor, had moved to Burnside of Gagie from Fowlis aged nine when his father, David, took over the smallholding. Colin grew up there with his sister, Anne (Scott) and attended Murroes School.
Anne said: “At that time, Murroes was a combined primary and secondary school and Colin left aged 15 to begin his apprenticeship as a blacksmith with William Scott and Son at Kellas smithy.”
At the five-acre Number Four Holding, in their youth Colin and Anne were involved in the poultry business run by their parents, George and Mary.
“My father reared chicks and sold these in boxes by the dozen. I can still remember the lorry from Mitchell’s of Letham picking them up. He also sent the chicks to places throughout the country,” said Anne.
“Another part of the business was taking live hens into a poultry shop in Dundee, which was either in Union Street or Crichton Street.
“We had to carry them in one by one and I think they must have been dealt with in the back shop. You wouldn’t get away with that nowadays,” said Anne.
After he qualified, Colin had spells with various firms in the area including Robertson blacksmiths of Dundee and at Cunmont Quarry before a long spell working with the local authority in Dundee.
Colin never married and enjoyed a quiet and settled life at Burnside of Gagie, said Anne.
“He was very, very quiet; a typical bachelor who lived his life the way he wanted to.
“Fortunately, when he moved to Tigh Na Muirn about a year ago, a fellow resident was a neighbouring farmer and they shared their experiences.”
Anne said the smallholding had been part of the Gagie estate and a cottage called Dry Doors had sat on the land set back from the burn which she believes gave rise to its name.
Colin’s funeral service will take place at Sturrock Comb & Davidson, Broughty Ferry, on Monday October 23 at 10.45 am followed by internment at Murroes Churchyard.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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