Moorland and Meadow: Children of Portlethen

Description

Throughout the post-war years, the people living in the small farming and fishing community of Portlethen welcomed opportunities to forget recent hardships and come together to enjoy everyday activities and celebrate special events. Moorland and Meadow paints a picture of life in Portlethen at that time, seen through the eyes of the children who lived there.

Elizabeth Dodds was born in Portlethen in 1942, the eldest daughter of the minister, Rev. Alexander Dunn, and lived in The Manse until 1966.

Follow My Leader

Stuart and Elizabeth Dunn, by Sean Robertson, Portlethen Academy

It’s a fine summer evening and we’re playing up in Portlethen Moss. We know this place like the back of our hands and run along the tracks through the heather, jumping over the ditches, skirting round the deep dark pools and tiptoeing our way through the soggy sphagnum moss that carpets the low-lying areas where peat was dug out in days gone by. My brother, Stuart, leads the way as usual because he’s the oldest. I’m following close behind, with our little sister, Marilyn, trotting at my heels. Bringing up the rear are the twins, Kathleen and Sandy Milne, our friends from up the Manse Road in Gushetneuk.

We weren’t really expecting to be up in the Moss this evening. It was Stuart’s idea. We’d just finished a game of rounders in the courtyard back home at The Manse when Sandy said,

“What will we play at now?”

“Let’s go up to the Moss,” said Stuart.

Returns and Exchanges