It seems bad news doesn’t always travel fast, as reports of the closure of a Perthshire care home in April have only just reached the other side of the world.
After spotting a story about Belmont Castle on this website, a former resident got in touch with his memories of the building.
Although he now lives in New Zealand, Robert Collins spent two years in Meigle as a youngster and counted the grand building as his home.
He moved to the village at the end of the Second World War with his parents Roberta and Richard, who jointly managed the Church of Scotland-owned property.
“Jobs were hard to find so, combining their talents, they became managers of Belmont Castle,” he said.
“In 1945 I moved into a retirement home at the age of four; a young age, perhaps, but my recollections are many and vivid of my years there. Life was just fantastic and I have wonderful memories.
“It was only in later years that I boasted about living in a castle and I still find it a good topic of conversation today.”
Mr Collins lived at Belmont Castle with his parents, sister and grandfather, as well as a new addition to the family in 1947, when his younger brother was born.
Although he was only based there for a short time, he told The Courier he still managed to get into plenty of scrapes.
The 72-year-old, a retired oil worker, revealed the quiet village held untold dangers for a small boy.
He added: “I have two clear memories: one is of getting my head stuck in the railings outside the school. The other is of being unable to walk home over the fields because of a huge beast standing in my way. It was only a sheep but, to me, it was very large.”
The elderly residents of the Meigle care home took a shine to the young Mr Collins, teaching him how to play dominoes and instilling him with a sense of adventure.
In 1947, however, he left the village and moved to Lanarkshire with his family.
At the age of 22, Mr Collins emigrated to New Zealand, eventually settling in Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands, but has never forgotten his home at Belmont Castle and has returned there twice.
“I brought my daughters and wife with me to tell them all that I know,” he said.
“I was made most welcome when I visited and really enjoyed the wonderful experience of remembering the good times.”
Mr Collins said news of the care home’s closure had left him feeling “rather sad”.
He continued: “My brother and sister felt the same and my sister was so upset that she remarked: ‘I wish we could tell mum and dad’.
“After a while, however, I realised that the building is still there, but the staff and residents will go and life at Belmont Castle will change.
“There is so much history in Belmont Castle it should be preserved.”
Mr Collins has been inspired to track down more stories about the care home and is appealing for people to come forward.
“I have a number of photographs taken there,” he said. “One has always intrigued me: a group of severe-looking people posing outside the castle in 1945 or 1946.
“I know two of the people are my mother and father but the remainder are a mystery and I’d be delighted to find out their identities.”
Anyone with any information on the photograph can contact The Courier on 01382 575868.