The Kintyre Forum

Is there anything in Campbeltown that recognises he was born in Campbeltown? Just speaking about this on the way home from work and wondered if anyone knew? Search for James Gulliver Campbeltown just seems to acknowledge he was born here and attended Campbeltown Grammar School.

He's commemorated in the prize for Chemistry at the Grammar School prize-giving.

He also claimed to have attended Harvard University, but he did'nt......

I think my late Granny worked for him as I believe he had a grocer shop in the Main Street? Around where the jeweler's is?

Scottie wrote:I think my late Granny worked for him as I believe he had a grocer shop in the Main Street? Around where the jeweler's is?

I don't think he had a shop in the main street.

His father had a shop at the top of Saddell St, it became a Co-op.

dunc99 wrote:
His father had a shop at the top of Saddell St, it became a Co-op.

I think you will find that Gulliver's was the wee shop next to the Co-op.

I thought the shop was where Victoria Wine was on Main Street!
Pretty certain I was in there as a kid with my mother shopping.

Yes quite right Pete .They moved from Broom Brae(which became Finn's) to the corner of Main St/Kirk St.In fact it is possible the two shops were open simultaneously for a time.

Maybe WC1 could confirm this, but I seem to remember James Gulliver was guest speaker at a CGS Prizegiving in the late 60s/ early 70s. Am I correct here?

Thanks for confirming that Bill.I was beginning to think the grey cell loss was accelerating a bit when I read about his shop being on the other side of town.

Maybe WC1 could confirm this, but I seem to remember James Gulliver was guest speaker at a CGS Prizegiving in the late 60s/ early 70s. Am I correct here?

Sorry Maurice. Can't confirm that. I left CGS (as a pupil) in 1968 and returned (not as a pupil) in 1992. Between those dates my attention was elsewhere! However, I will make enquiries . . .

WC1 wrote:He's commemorated in the prize for Chemistry at the Grammar School prize-giving.

Why Chemistry?

He died in September 1996 so I think I must have been the (joint) last winner of this during his lifetime!

I afraid to say I didn't know anything about him until now, probably wrongly assuming he was a scientist. Facinating stuff though, tracing the origins of Argyll Foods up to its merger/takeover of and rebranding to Safeway.

On acquiring Allied Suppliers in 1982, Galbraith and Presto chains became part of the Argyll Foods group. Was Galbraith's on Main Street a chain shop - I always just assumed it was locally owned. Is this just conincidental?

In fact, I recognise the Presto brand - was Galbraith's actually a Presto?

Hume wrote:
I afraid to say I didn't know anything about him until now, probably wrongly assuming he was a scientist.

"He was a distinguished pupil and dux of Campbeltown Grammar School. At Glasgow University he graduated in civil engineering with first class honours and obtained a Fulbright scholarship which enabled him to carry on his studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "

"He and his sister both sang for the Campbeltown Gaelic choir and went with them to the National Mod on a couple of occasions."

Certainly a man the town can be proud of.Along with many others.

Another snippet of information is that his mother was a Lafferty so there are still family connections with The Wee Toon

Hume wrote:

WC1 wrote:He's commemorated in the prize for Chemistry at the Grammar School prize-giving.

Why Chemistry?

He died in September 1996 so I think I must have been the (joint) last winner of this during his lifetime!

I afraid to say I didn't know anything about him until now, probably wrongly assuming he was a scientist. Facinating stuff though, tracing the origins of Argyll Foods up to its merger/takeover of and rebranding to Safeway.

On acquiring Allied Suppliers in 1982, Galbraith and Presto chains became part of the Argyll Foods group. Was Galbraith's on Main Street a chain shop - I always just assumed it was locally owned. Is this just conincidental?

In fact, I recognise the Presto brand - was Galbraith's actually a Presto?

My first employer on leaving the "Grammar" was "Liptons" grocery shop (where Mc Kellars is now) and I'm almost certain he had something to do with that particular chain!