Born in Bathgate

My Dad was born in a house on this corner in Hopetoun Street, Bathgate, Scotland, in 1923. The house was eventually demolished and now it's the site of this flower display which seems to have impressed the judges of the Scotland in Bloom competition.

Bathgate has had to bear its fair share of hardship as mines and industries have come and gone. It's special to me and I have visited it since my early childhood, sometimes travelling up to Edinburgh on the famous Flying Scotsman and Royal Scot steam trains. There is some beautiful countryside behind the town in the Bathgate hills and not far away are the Forth road and rail bridges, always worth a visit.

Sadly my Dad died 25 years ago but his sister (95) and brother (87) still live here and I love to visit them and connect once again with my roots.