In Memory of Bob Haxton, died on Sunday 8th February (1917-2009)
02/03/09 17:41 Filed in: People
After the recent sad death of Bob Haxton, David Jones
was contacted by Sandy Haxton and George Gall
who gave him information about Bob. It seems
appropriate to share this story and reflect on Bob's
life and memories in Gateside, especially as Friday
6th March would have been his 92nd
birthday. Thanks to Sandy and George for giving this
information.
An Original Native - Bob Haxton - March 6th 1917, during a snowstorm, Mrs Haxton gives birth to twins at Bannaty Mill Farm just west of Gateside. Bob the younger twin by twenty minutes, lived in Bower Park, Gateside. He had a happy childhood on the farm with his brothers Jim and Joe (his twin) and sisters Jenny and Nessie. Bob attended Gateside Primary school and then went to Bell Baxter in Cupar where excelled in sports, playing rugby for the first fifteen.
But he has not always lived the quiet life as he did, he has had some adventures. While gaining his higher certificates he had signed up for the Royal Airforce and left school one day then travelled south to start his basic training the next. He was attached to the No 6 Squadron and he flew bi-planes, (not many readers will remember them) and was posted to Palestine. During his time in the Middle East he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. He was also shot down by Arab rifle fire, was captured by friendly Arabs who hid him from some unfriendly Arabs, then returned him to the British. His pilot that day was unfortunately never found. No doubt he had a 'goolie chit' which promised handsome reward for the safe return of serviceman.
Later, once the Second World War had started, he was in the western desert. A rapid German advance saw him captured in Libya, then sent as a prisoner of war to Italy. When the Italians surrendered he and some other service personnel were able to escape from the prison camp, climb over the mountains and eventually link up with the 8th Army who thought due to their dark skins that they were locals and told them (not so politely) to get lost. Bob used to laugh because, as he was in the RAF he was flown home after his escape which only took a couple of days, but the army personnel had to go by boat which took them several weeks. After that he flew on Wellingtons on bombing raids.
Bob's early memories of the Gateside area are interesting. His grandfather farmed Lappie and Bannaty Mill; there was considerable stock of sheep and cattle. The mill was still in use from time to time, usually grinding corn (i.e. oats). This mill had one of the biggest water wheels in the district; to regulate the water flow for the wheel there were dams and sluices upstream, including one on the burn which runs from Glenvale. This dam is about half way between the Dryside Road and the Eden. When the mill was about to be used, Bob, or one of his brothers, were sent to open the sluices. Bob's father was the last person to use that mill.
There is a track that runs from the A91 some half mile west of Gateside through Pitlochie ground, exiting on the A912 (Perth Road) at upper Pitlochie. This track is called the Belfod. It makes for a pleasant walk except that it joins two very busy roads. There is another track, now largely overgrown with whines, which runs from the A91 some quarter mile east of Burnside, across the Eden to Lappie. This track is called Sandy Loan. When Bob was young these tracks were in regular use for driving cattle and sheep. There were livestock marts in Milnathort, MacDonald Fraser in Milnathort station and Hay's Mart, which is now the headquarters of Sands supermarkets. Livestock walked to these marts from the farms in the Gateside area.
On occasion livestock was sent by train from Gateside station. Potatoes too were dispatched from there, and, of course, there were passenger trains. Timber came to Gateside Mill which had its own siding. Similarly there was activity at Strathmiglo and Auchtermuchty stations.
Two of Bob's brothers served their time in the grocery trade in the shop in Gateside. Grocery deliveries were made by pony drawn van. That shop was also the Post Office. Mail was sorted there, and delivered by three postmen, on bikes. Post Office bikes were sturdy, big and heavy. On occasion when there had been a big fall of snow, one of the postman, Jimmy Valentine, would borrow a pony to deliver to his round. A photograph of him on horseback in snow may be seen in the Gateside Inn, erstwhile the Edenshead Arms.
The first electricity in the area was a Corston Mill; the mill wheel was used to drive a dynamo. Later other farms began to put in generators driven by motors. This was years before the grid came into the area.
Bob and his brothers were christened in Edenshead Kirk. He can remember a minister, 'Daddy' Greenfield, a tall man, 6ft 6in he reckoned, who started a Boys Brigade company. Funerals all had to go to Strathmiglo cemetery, the hearse was drawn by black ponies and shiny black harness. The hearse was kept in Gateside in the hearse house which still stands. The hearse house was built by public subscription. Only men went to funerals, some walking, some by pony and trap. The chief mourner might walk in front of the hearse. Woman stayed at home to prepare a suitable meal.
Bob got married in 1994 at Strathmiglo to Betty Gibb and had two sons, Sandy and Stewart and a daughter Carol. Stewart unfortunately died in 1975. After his demob from the Airforce, Bob started work at Gateside Mills working as a kiln operator and eventually ending up as Foreman before retiring due to ill health at 59. Bob and his family moved from Strathmiglo to Gateside in 1949 and although Betty died in 1992, Bob still lived there until entering Strathview Care Home in Auchtermuchty last November.
On moving to Gateside, Bob became involved in village life. He was an elder of the church for a while and an active member of the community association organising activities such as a youth club and helping to run dances in the hall (although Betty told him he had two left feet!).
The Memorial Hall - Bob Haxton had in his possession two account books for the hall transactions covering 1923 to 1960.The books started in 1923, judging by the first entry there must have been a previous record of the money raised by public subscription and how it was spent on building work. Payment for electricity first appears in 1936 and then oil and mantles is an entry in 1935. So far the date of mains water arriving has not been ascertained, but it’s known that the well behind 'The Cottage' could be used by other people when their wells went dry. During the war the hall was used from time to time to billet troops, and on occasion to store certain rationed foodstuffs and later still it was used by the Women’s' Land Army. As Bob was overseas during the war he had no first hand knowledge of what happened in that time.
Bob was also well known in the area for walking his dogs, first Patch then Prince, but Betty often found the dogs waiting to get in the house without Bob – he would usually meet someone to talk to and the dogs would get fed up waiting and just go home.
Bob was also well known for his local knowledge and history of the village and used to reminisce about the old days. He was often approached by people wanting information and was more than glad to share what he knew with them. He was especially interested in local Rights of Way and several times had locked gates reopened.
Bob was a loving father, granddad and great-granddad. Latterly, as he was getting frailer, he was in his own words, spoiled and pampered by his family, home carers, friends from the beild organisation and finally carers at Strathview. Bob was a bit thrawn and if he got a telling off doing things like walking without his zimmer or not pressing his buzzer for help, he would just look at you with, as Carol says ‘his teddy bear brown eyes’, and say ‘aye your right enough, I wont do it again’. But he always did and you had to laugh.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
An Original Native - Bob Haxton - March 6th 1917, during a snowstorm, Mrs Haxton gives birth to twins at Bannaty Mill Farm just west of Gateside. Bob the younger twin by twenty minutes, lived in Bower Park, Gateside. He had a happy childhood on the farm with his brothers Jim and Joe (his twin) and sisters Jenny and Nessie. Bob attended Gateside Primary school and then went to Bell Baxter in Cupar where excelled in sports, playing rugby for the first fifteen.
But he has not always lived the quiet life as he did, he has had some adventures. While gaining his higher certificates he had signed up for the Royal Airforce and left school one day then travelled south to start his basic training the next. He was attached to the No 6 Squadron and he flew bi-planes, (not many readers will remember them) and was posted to Palestine. During his time in the Middle East he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. He was also shot down by Arab rifle fire, was captured by friendly Arabs who hid him from some unfriendly Arabs, then returned him to the British. His pilot that day was unfortunately never found. No doubt he had a 'goolie chit' which promised handsome reward for the safe return of serviceman.
Later, once the Second World War had started, he was in the western desert. A rapid German advance saw him captured in Libya, then sent as a prisoner of war to Italy. When the Italians surrendered he and some other service personnel were able to escape from the prison camp, climb over the mountains and eventually link up with the 8th Army who thought due to their dark skins that they were locals and told them (not so politely) to get lost. Bob used to laugh because, as he was in the RAF he was flown home after his escape which only took a couple of days, but the army personnel had to go by boat which took them several weeks. After that he flew on Wellingtons on bombing raids.
Bob's early memories of the Gateside area are interesting. His grandfather farmed Lappie and Bannaty Mill; there was considerable stock of sheep and cattle. The mill was still in use from time to time, usually grinding corn (i.e. oats). This mill had one of the biggest water wheels in the district; to regulate the water flow for the wheel there were dams and sluices upstream, including one on the burn which runs from Glenvale. This dam is about half way between the Dryside Road and the Eden. When the mill was about to be used, Bob, or one of his brothers, were sent to open the sluices. Bob's father was the last person to use that mill.
There is a track that runs from the A91 some half mile west of Gateside through Pitlochie ground, exiting on the A912 (Perth Road) at upper Pitlochie. This track is called the Belfod. It makes for a pleasant walk except that it joins two very busy roads. There is another track, now largely overgrown with whines, which runs from the A91 some quarter mile east of Burnside, across the Eden to Lappie. This track is called Sandy Loan. When Bob was young these tracks were in regular use for driving cattle and sheep. There were livestock marts in Milnathort, MacDonald Fraser in Milnathort station and Hay's Mart, which is now the headquarters of Sands supermarkets. Livestock walked to these marts from the farms in the Gateside area.
On occasion livestock was sent by train from Gateside station. Potatoes too were dispatched from there, and, of course, there were passenger trains. Timber came to Gateside Mill which had its own siding. Similarly there was activity at Strathmiglo and Auchtermuchty stations.
Two of Bob's brothers served their time in the grocery trade in the shop in Gateside. Grocery deliveries were made by pony drawn van. That shop was also the Post Office. Mail was sorted there, and delivered by three postmen, on bikes. Post Office bikes were sturdy, big and heavy. On occasion when there had been a big fall of snow, one of the postman, Jimmy Valentine, would borrow a pony to deliver to his round. A photograph of him on horseback in snow may be seen in the Gateside Inn, erstwhile the Edenshead Arms.
The first electricity in the area was a Corston Mill; the mill wheel was used to drive a dynamo. Later other farms began to put in generators driven by motors. This was years before the grid came into the area.
Bob and his brothers were christened in Edenshead Kirk. He can remember a minister, 'Daddy' Greenfield, a tall man, 6ft 6in he reckoned, who started a Boys Brigade company. Funerals all had to go to Strathmiglo cemetery, the hearse was drawn by black ponies and shiny black harness. The hearse was kept in Gateside in the hearse house which still stands. The hearse house was built by public subscription. Only men went to funerals, some walking, some by pony and trap. The chief mourner might walk in front of the hearse. Woman stayed at home to prepare a suitable meal.
Bob got married in 1994 at Strathmiglo to Betty Gibb and had two sons, Sandy and Stewart and a daughter Carol. Stewart unfortunately died in 1975. After his demob from the Airforce, Bob started work at Gateside Mills working as a kiln operator and eventually ending up as Foreman before retiring due to ill health at 59. Bob and his family moved from Strathmiglo to Gateside in 1949 and although Betty died in 1992, Bob still lived there until entering Strathview Care Home in Auchtermuchty last November.
On moving to Gateside, Bob became involved in village life. He was an elder of the church for a while and an active member of the community association organising activities such as a youth club and helping to run dances in the hall (although Betty told him he had two left feet!).
The Memorial Hall - Bob Haxton had in his possession two account books for the hall transactions covering 1923 to 1960.The books started in 1923, judging by the first entry there must have been a previous record of the money raised by public subscription and how it was spent on building work. Payment for electricity first appears in 1936 and then oil and mantles is an entry in 1935. So far the date of mains water arriving has not been ascertained, but it’s known that the well behind 'The Cottage' could be used by other people when their wells went dry. During the war the hall was used from time to time to billet troops, and on occasion to store certain rationed foodstuffs and later still it was used by the Women’s' Land Army. As Bob was overseas during the war he had no first hand knowledge of what happened in that time.
Bob was also well known in the area for walking his dogs, first Patch then Prince, but Betty often found the dogs waiting to get in the house without Bob – he would usually meet someone to talk to and the dogs would get fed up waiting and just go home.
Bob was also well known for his local knowledge and history of the village and used to reminisce about the old days. He was often approached by people wanting information and was more than glad to share what he knew with them. He was especially interested in local Rights of Way and several times had locked gates reopened.
Bob was a loving father, granddad and great-granddad. Latterly, as he was getting frailer, he was in his own words, spoiled and pampered by his family, home carers, friends from the beild organisation and finally carers at Strathview. Bob was a bit thrawn and if he got a telling off doing things like walking without his zimmer or not pressing his buzzer for help, he would just look at you with, as Carol says ‘his teddy bear brown eyes’, and say ‘aye your right enough, I wont do it again’. But he always did and you had to laugh.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.