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Past Times

Pictures magic you back to Dundee’s 1994 Christmas festivities

There's plenty of tinsel, Christmas jumpers, bewildering haircuts and jazz hands in our festive gallery.
Graeme Strachan
pictured on the dancefloor are Levi's and TVI Europe staff enjoy a Christmas night out in 1994.
Levi's and TVI Europe staff enjoy a Christmas night out in 1994. Image: DC Thomson.

These pictures capture the magic of Christmas in Dundee in 1994.

They feature nativity plays, Christmas concerts and a range of Dundee work parties from names long gone from the city like Levi’s and William Low.

So what was happening 30 years ago?

Mid Craigie pensioners were pulling crackers in Happyhillock.

Student nurses were partying in a pub that was a shrine to Marilyn Monroe.

But There’s No Business Like Show Business.

Beauty and the Beast were bringing the magic of panto to life and Dundee entertainer Doug Mitchell was bowing out in a blaze of glory at the Jimmy Shand.

Can you spot anyone you know in our gallery?

There’s plenty of tinsel, Christmas jumpers and some bewildering haircuts.

These images are sure to bring back memories of Christmas past.


Beauty and the Beast

the cast pose for a pic, in costume, on the stage
The cast getting ready before the run at the Little Theatre. Image: DC Thomson.

Beauty and the Beast was the pantomime from Dundee Dramatic Society.

The clever reworking of the fairytale was set in the French village of Cabaret with a host of unusual characters and plenty of opportunities for the audience to join in.

All seats at the Little Theatre were £3.

Broughty Castle Bar

Pensioners, some wearing paper hats and some seated at tables with food and drink, pose for a picture while they are treated to a party at the Broughty Castle Bar.
Pensioners were treated to a party at the Broughty Castle Bar. Image: DC Thomson.

Party time at the Broughty Castle Bar in Erskine Lane.

Pensioners were treated to a party by mine hosts Michael and Roy McIntosh.

The upstairs lounge was popular for family parties on a Friday and Saturday night.

Dundee College

Dundee College staff and students in fancy dress in December 1994.
Dundee College staff and students in fancy dress in December 1994. Image: DC Thomson.

Students and lecturers from Dundee College’s hairdressing and beauty therapy section were in fancy dress to raise funds for charity.

Santa was holding the collection tin for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Can you spot anyone you know?

Glebelands Primary School

Pupils from Glebelands Primary School pose for a picture while visiting the Post Office.
Pupils from Glebelands Primary School visiting the Post Office. Image: DC Thomson.

All smiles from this line-up in December 1994.

Primary 3 pupils from Glebelands Primary were visiting the Post Office.

They were pictured alongside artwork they had produced, which was being displayed in the building to wish customers all the best for the festive season.

ABB Nitran and RS McColl

Staff get in the festive spirit at Lodge Camperdown, posing for a picture on the dance floor at their Christmas party
Staff get in the festive spirit at Lodge Camperdown. Image: DC Thomson.

A joint Christmas party was held for ABB Nitran and RS McColl staff at Lodge Camperdown in Wellington Street.

The ABB operation in Dundee was first established as Bonar Long in the 1930s and the Kingsway East factory closed in 2003 after being hit by massive debts.

The RS McColl name has also gone after being taken over by Morrisons.

Broughty Ferry Scouts

Broughty Ferry Scouts, in uniform and in their Scout hall, getting ready to deliver Christmas cards.
Broughty Ferry Scouts getting ready to deliver Christmas cards. Image: DC Thomson.

Broughty Ferry Scouts were offering a Christmas card delivery service.

The Scouts were charging 10p to deliver a card locally, which was cheaper than paying 19p for a second-class stamp from Royal Mail.

The annual Scout Post event was a major fundraising initiative.

Ninewells Hospital student nurses

Student nurses at their Christmas party smile for the camera in Monroe's Music Bar in Dundee
Student nurses in Monroe’s Music Bar. Image: DC Thomson.

Spot the jazz hands.

Student nurses from Ninewells Hospital enjoyed a Christmas night out at Monroe’s Music Bar in South Ward Road.

The pub was the latest addition to the city’s nightlife and featured paintings of the Manhattan skyline and Marilyn Monroe by Dundee artist Caroline Cooper.

Levi’s and TVI

Levi’s and TVI Europe staff having fun. Image: DC Thomson.

Staff from Levi’s and TVI Europe Ltd enjoyed a night out in December 1994.

At its height, in the mid-1990s, nearly 600 people worked at Levi’s on Dunsinane Avenue, and a million pairs of jeans were leaving the plant every week.

TVI was formerly Veeder-Root and then became part of Stoneridge Electronics.

Jessie Porter Nursery School

The cheque presentation at the Jessie Porter Nursery School, with children in costume for their Nativity play
The cheque presentation at the Jessie Porter Nursery School. Image: DC Thomson.

Children at Jessie Porter Nursery School took time away from their nativity play to present the Dundee branch of Save the Children with £174.

William McCandless, chairman of the Dundee branch, received the cheque from Mary and Joseph who were better known as Lisa Duffy and James Ritchie.

The three to five-year-olds raised the cash with a cake and candy and toy sale.

William Low

William Low head office administration staff pictured on the dancefloor in the Hubara.
William Low head office administration staff in the Hubara. Image: DC Thomson.

The defunct supermarket giant William Low disappeared from high streets after being taken over by Tesco in September 1994.

Some of the 300 staff, past and present, from its Dundee headquarters got together for a Christmas party at the Hubara on Broughty Ferry Road.

William Low staff were kept on during the acquisition process until January 1995.

Competition winners

Three youngsters, who were the winners of Dundee Rep's Beauty and the Beast design-a-programme competition, receiving their prizes from The Ugly Sisters
Mark, Tracy, Calum and Colin receiving their prizes. Image: DC Thomson.

The winners of Dundee Rep’s Beauty and the Beast design-a-programme competition received their prizes from the Ugly Sisters.

First prize of a large encyclopaedia went to Calum Duffy of Blackness Primary.

Mark Roberts, Tracy Kippen and Colin Holmes were runners-up and received a £10 gift voucher for the James Thin Bookshop in Dundee.

AT&T

Staff from AT&T's cafeteria in December 1994 pictured at their Christmas party in Dundee
Staff from AT&T’s cafeteria in December 1994. Image: DC Thomson.

Staff from AT&T’s cafeteria held a Christmas get-together in O’Brien’s.

No expense was spared on the Christmas decorations.

AT&T took over NCR from 1991, a move that brought a name change, and they designed and manufactured cash machines at the company’s Gourdie plant.

Mid Craigie pensioners

Mid Craigie pensioners, wearing party hats and seated at tables, pulling Christmas crackers in the Midlands Tavern.
Mid Craigie pensioners in the Midlands Tavern. Image: DC Thomson.

A party was held in the Midlands Tavern for pensioners in Mid Craigie.

They wore party hats and pulled Christmas crackers before enjoying a meal.

The party was organised by the pub’s dominoes team.

Discovery Point

Adults and children are treated to the sounds of a traditional Scottish Christmas, as two people play guitar and children look on.
Discovery Point was filled with sounds of a traditional Scottish Christmas. Image: DC Thomson.

Sheena Wellington blended folk songs with Christmas carols at Discovery Point.

Youngsters were in full voice during the Christmas event, which was organised by the Traditional Music and Song Association.

Sheena would go on to sing at the Scottish Parliament’s opening in 1999.

Doug Mitchell

Doug and his band performing a Christmas show at the Jimmy Shand in Menzieshill
Doug in a dickie bow and his band at the Jimmy Shand. Image: DC Thomson.

After well over 1,000 shows spanning 37 years, Dundee entertainer Doug Mitchell was taking his last standing ovation before bowing out of the limelight.

Doug and his band were performing a Christmas show at the Jimmy Shand in Menzieshill, which he decided would be the last one.

He was 72 and wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren after a musical career that started in the 1950s.

Forthill Primary

Pupils at Forthill Primary on stage in an array of colourful guises.
Pupils at Forthill Primary took to the stage in an array of colourful guises. Image: DC Thomson.

A Christmas concert at Forthill Primary in Broughty Ferry in December 1994.

The children warmed up for the colourful performance by putting on a show the previous week at the Central Baptist Church in Rattray Street.

It’s the final image in our Christmas 1994 gallery.

Did they get you in the festive mood?

Let us know.

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