Spherical Planet
Well-known member
Haven't read that book, but know the story well and countless others with the same tale to tell, mate.
Dundee was/is a bit of a weird place in the sense that there were a lot of families raised by the menfolk due to the women working in the jute mills and at Levis.
Lot o' they lassies would get their head turned and do a bunk with a lad at work, or their lives were constantly in danger because of the risk attached to working in the Mills.
Quite a few boys I grew up with were raised by a single male parent and there was another common thread with the booze usually being involved.
Not condoning it, but there was violence everywhere back in those days - neighbours would take pot-shots, polis loved a wee beating, teachers used to warm up their belting arms in the morning and even the posties, milkies and scaffies booted your arse like it was a size 5 mitre.
Fuckers always used to forget though that wee boys often grew up to be big men
