1952
Good reception of T.V. tests.A.B.
David Strathearn of George Street will be one of the crew drawing the gun carriage at the
Royal funeral of KIng George VI.
Piper J.Graham of Murihead's Pipe Band wins Cup, Plaque and
4 medals at Glasgow contest and the band visit Brittany.
"Dryburgh" the 500th ship launched at the
Dockyard.
10 reindeer arrive at Grangemouth Docks en route to
Aviemore, Rothiemurches Forest.
1953
4,000,000 tons of cargo passed through the Docks last year; the highest turnover
since 1926.
Scotland's first Catalytic Cracker begins production of
high grade motor spirit at the refinery.
Mr J.A. Penny retires from Soap Works.
Brenda Thomson, Sea Ranger, R.Neill of 1st
B.B.'s, Leading
Fireman J.McGibbon, and Sgt. J.Murphy, Cpl. D.R.McNab and Cpt. H.Reid (Army Reservists)
take part in Coronation in London.
1953
The grey horses that pulled the Queen's Coronation coach pull the coach of the
Children's Day Queen.
1955
Railway Club opens in Barrie Place and Zetland Club in Dalgrain Road.
The last plane takes off from the Airport.
Grangemouth Choral Society's 1st. Concert in Old Parish
Hall.
Muirheads Pipe Band win the World Championship in Stirling
and welcome the Queen and Prince Philip to the town on a visit to the Dyes and the
Municipal Buildings. They do a radio program and the A.T.C. appear on
T.V.
10 families evacuated from gale damaged tenement in North
Charlotte Street.
1956
New Salvation Army Citadel opened in Cunningham Street, and Newlands Community
Centre opened.
Forth Rangers and Grange Rovers amalgamate to become
Grangemouth United.
B.P.C. becomes British Hydrocarbon Chemicals.
P & O Shipping Line starts direct sailings to Far East.
Midges which have plagued the town for decades have been
eliminated due to the work of Sandy Barker and Tom Mabbot who had identified and destroyed
their breeding grounds.
1957
Strikes at Boatyard and on the buses.
P & O and Ben Line start joint Shipping Line to Far
East.
S.S.Vestra last of the Salveson Shipping Line to be
scrapped.
Opening of 1st. B.P. Coastal Oil Jetty.
Mahratta open in Bo'ness Road.
New T.A. Centre opens in Central Avenue.
1958
80 year old William Grossart saves 4 year old boy from drowning in the flooded
Burn.
Tommy Whittle and his Dance Band take over the Ballroom in
Dorchester Hotel in London.
Alan Davie's "Birth of Venus" hung in the Tate
Gallery.
Co-op Opens it's Central Avenue Shop.
Opening of 2nd. B.P. Coastal Oil Jetty.
The Queen invites Moorheads Pipe Band to appear at Braemar
and they broadcast again on B.B.C. Home Service.
1959
Further expansion of B.P.
34 new cranes and new Transit Shed added to the Docks.
Death of Jocky Simpson of Grange Rovers, Falkirk, Blackburn
Rovers and England.
Syndicate of 12 locals wins £2322 on the pools.
E.Easton, Scottish Youth Boxing Champion.
Opening at Finnart Ocean Oil Terminal of 57 mile Pipeline
from Loch Long to B.P.
New Beancross School opened.
Alan Murphy wins British Boys' Golf Open at Pollock.
1960
8 year old Cub, Wilson Murray awarded Scout V.C. for saving a girl trapped in the
broken ice on the canal.
Beancross School Percussion band win 1st Place at Central
Counties Music Festival.
Grangemouth Dramatic Club win Scottish Cup at Stirling.
Queen presents Championship Shield to Muirheadsa Pipe Band
at Braemar.
"Meals on Wheels" inaugurated for housebound.
1961
Jasmine Ure daughter of Baillie Ure meets Yuri Gagarin, the Russian Spaceman.
Irene McKechnie wins World Juvenile Highland Dancing Trophy
at Cowal.
New Parish church for Bowhouse area, Kirk of the Holy Rood
holds an Inauguration Service led by Rev. I.Campbell in Moray School 70 people attended.
Muirheads again win the World Championship at
Murrayfield.
Alan Davie, local artist, to represent U.K. at the Carnegie
Prize Exhibition in Pittsburgh.
Census figures put the population of the town at 18,860.
1962
Irene McKechnie wins U.K. Championship for Highland Dancing.
"Dunera"" school trips take children on
Baltic Cruises. Tam Dayell M.P. went on one of them; he had proposed the cruises
while teaching at Bo'ness.
Grangemouth Industries featured on B.B.C.'s "Down your
Way".
The Moderator of the General Assembly lays Foundation Stone
for the Kirk of the Holy Rood.
Official opening of the award winning Charlotte Dundas
Shopping Centre.
Wm Bell of Wallace Street appears on T.V. in programme to
commemorate one of his ancestors, famous Henry Bell of the "Comet" steamship
fame.
Star Hockey player C.B. Donald of I.C.I. wins his 10th cap
playing against Germany; the first U.K. team to play there since the war.
Midnight 31.12.62 Forth and Clyde Canal closed to shipping.
The first sod was cut on 10th July 1768 (Grangemouth's birthday). The canal opened 28 July
1790.
All time record for turnover at Docks - 4,000,000 tons.
1963
Capt. T.Copeman appointed Commodore of B.P. Tanker Company.
Tom Dawson of Lime Street wins trophy for most outstanding
Speed Skater in Scotland.
Opening and Dedication of the Kirk of the Holy Rood, it now
has 334 members.
George Young retired after 56 years in Young's Shoemakers.
Sam Spowart - Boxing Club pioneer died.
Opening of new Sacred Heart Primary School in Bowhouse Road
it will accommodate 270 pupils in 10 classrooms. Each class will have underfloor heating
regulating to a temp. of 65 f. Each class has a loud-speaker system and there are 3
T.V. points!!
Another Dock record, turnover 4,408,000 tons.
1964
Joan Hammond - world famous soprano sings in Town Hall with The Scottish National
Orchestra.
Kingseat Avenue Bridge over the burn opened.
The body of Jessie Gibson missing for 2 weeks found in
manhole in Wood Street; a Dutch sailor, Hendrik Pals, arrested in Holland and sentenced to
12 years in prison.
Irene McKechnie Champion Highland Dancer on tour in Russia.
Brian Hatley of B.R.S. Depot is Scotland's "Lorry
Driver of the Year".
J.C. Swanson awarded M.B.E. for services to the Sea Cadets.
Mrs J.Burnett-White wins Concours d'Elegance in Edinburgh
Post Vintage Car Class.
Tom Dawson Winter Olympic Speed Skater entertained by the
Queen in Buckingham Palace.
Capt. T.Copeman, Commodore of B.P. Tanker Company died.
1965
"Manhattan" a tanker unloaded a record 100,000 tons of crude oil at
Finnart to be pumped to B.P.
Willie Stirling formerly of Kerse Road promoted to Pipe
Major of 2nd Canadian Guards.
"Sunday-half-hour" on the Light programme
broadcast from Kerse Church.
Grangemouth Savings Bank tops £1,000,000.
Alec Aikman and Adam McKerron retire from Boatyard.
J.Scanlan and G.Sutherland retire after 50 years in Soap
Works.
Mrs H.Troop becomes Provost.
Claire Whittle wins cup for Opera singing at Edinburgh
Music Festival and Margaret Newlands wins piano solo competition.
Donald Mackie wins Scottish Junior Youth Boxing Title.
Murihead's win their 4th Word Title.
400 fans compete in "Twist Competition" in the
Park.
The old Ship Inn closed in North Basin Street.
Bowhouse Community Centre opened.
Currie Line start new line to Mexico and U.S.A. Gulf Ports.
We'd like to thank Grangemouth
Heritage Trust for supplying the above information. |
