Dear Neighbour,

We moved to Albert Drive in 1963, when I was 9 years old. We moved from England where we had been living since I was a baby, although I was actually born in Glasgow. 

My Mum was very sociable and quickly made friends with neighbours on all sides. Things didn’t go so well for me at my local girls-only school. I was bullied by the other pupils and some of the teachers because I had an English accent. 

In order to help me make friends, Mum said I could have a party for my 10th birthday and I invited everyone in my class. Some of the girls weren’t allowed to come because there would be boys there! (I have two brothers)

We moved from our first house in Albert Drive to a flat further up the road, but still in Albert Drive. It was much easier to manage and had central heating! So Mum didn’t have to light fires every day. But she did have to go back to our first house every night to collect the cat who didn’t quite realise we had moved. 

There was a lot of religious tension here back in the 1960s and 70s mostly between the Protestant and the Catholic communities. A person’s religion was usually identified by which football team they supported – Rangers or Celtic. We always said we supported Partick Thistle because we didn’t want to be branded one way or another.

I moved to London in 1976 and have lived and worked there for the last 30+ years.

But last Autumn I decided to move back to Albert Drive to look after my Dad who has dementia. Some of our neighbours are the same as they were when I lived here almost 50 years ago, others have moved away or died. And we have some new neighbours, all of whom have been fantastic. 

Albert Drive has changed hugely since we first came here – in some good ways and some not so good ways. But I couldn’t wish for better, kinder or more generous neighbours. I hope they feel the same way about me and Dad. 

Your neighbour,

Gillian