Once Upon A Time In The Muirton

In this episode you will hear the voice from one of Muirton's most well kent people over the last 50 years - Pena Rylance. 

In 1962, speaking only Italian, Pena left her home village of Contursi Terme, in the province of Salerno, south-western Italy. Arriving in the middle of a snowy Scottish January winter.

Pena moved to 70D Malvina Place in 1971 and lived their until 1994/95 moving to Stanley Crescent where she is today.

Pena worked at Strathallan School as a cook - where she was 'taught' some of the more fruity words of our language as she began to learn English. 

She met Jimmy Rylance who would walk from Perth to the Strathallan School to see her (that's a 16 mile round trip). Some 18 months later Jimmy and Pena were married in 1964. Rosa, Peter and Robert were born over the next few years 1965, 1966 and 1969.

We hope you enjoy this episode as Pena shares some of her memories.

Ciao,

Dunks and Barney 

Welcome to this latest episode of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton.

I was lucky enough to meet Arthur and George Jenkins at the Northern Primary School exhibition a couple of months ago. The exhibition included display of the time capsule recovered from the demolition of the school after it was destroyed in a terrible fire June 2025. The school known in recent years as Balhousie Primary

It was at the exhibition we got talking about Muirton and I learned they are twins, born at home in Ainslie Gardens on 6th October 1943. Proper Muirton Bairns :-)

Then the family moved to 38A Ainslie Place 6 months later.

Arthur and George had 5 other siblings, Phylis, Avril, Laura, David (known by his middle name Barclay) and Billy. Dad William and Mum Mary-Ann.

You'll hear stories of the familys Italian connection, Family name Braccini from a small town in Italy called Lucca. Granpa Braccini was a bit of a character., and there are newspaper articles chronicling parts of his life and death.

I learned about The Woodcraft Folk which started in South London in 1924/25 which a few of you Muirton Bairns will have been involved with too. https://woodcraft.org.uk/about-woodcraft-folk/our-history/

This is another episode packed with stories of family, friendship and community shared by Arthur and George. And it was a pleasure to spend time with these two gents.

So, put the kettle on, have a cuppa, sit back in your favourite chair and Enjoy.

Happy Listening.

Dunks and Barney

A Fae The Scheme Production

Hello and welcome to this episode which may be familiar to many of you.

Join Dunks and Barney as they take you in a journey back in time. Sharing the history of a housing scheme in the 20th Century.

In January of this year we were lucky enough to be able to share this 30 minute film we made at a screening in the old Museum & Gallery.

It captures a little of the life and times of folks who lived in The Muirton across the decades. And we hope we have been able to give the essence of what it was like to live there.

We want to thank everyone for taking part. Thank-you to the people who shared their memories.

Thanks to you all for giving your time to listen and watch these episodes as they come out.

Thank-you for being the story tellers of our own history.

2,017 views since Jan 25, 2025

This film has been created with the support of Culture Perth & Kinross.

The premier of the film was held 23rd January 2025 in Perth Gallery to a full audience who in some way were connected with Muirton.Special thanks to everyone who has taken part in our podcasts and who appear in this film. Thank-you Robin Patel from CPK for supporting and enabling the production of this film and an Exhibition held at Perth's St Johns Campus.

Thank you to Nicola Martin and Red String Agency for their continued support ⁠https://redstring.agency/⁠

Thank you to you, for taking the time to watch this film. Which was made by the talented David Gillan of David Gillan Photography

We also remember fondly the people who are no longer with us. Friends and family who have taken part and supported Once Upon A Time In The Muirton. Those we have known, loved, laughed and cried with. Who will remain in our thoughts, forever Muirton Bairns.

Hello and Welcome to Once Upon A Time In The Muirton.

This is another belter of an episode.

Ramsay was born in his granny's house in Ainslie Place in 1969. The youngest of 3 brothers. His mum from Perth and his dad from Lebanon.

The stories he has generously shared with us for this episode are a mixture of funny, graphically honest and passionate.

The time we spent with Ramsay was special, from his sharing the items he has managed to keep over the years - each with a story attached - and the memories he has of living in Beirut, the USA and of course his love for Perth and how the trips 'home' to his granny's every year has led to lifelong friendships.

So, put the kettle on, have a cuppa and sit back in your comfy chair.

Happy Listening. Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney

Hello and thanks for tuning in to this latest episode of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton.

We had the pleasure of meeting Peter and his brother Ally at the November 2023 Muirton Reunion.

Peter was born in Muirton in the year 1940. One of the original Muirton bairns.

His recollections of the characters fae Muirton and Perth is vividly and fondly told.

His passion for Ice Hockey, originating at Dunkeld Road Ice rink, from when he was a young boy continues to this day in his 80's.

Put yer kettle on, grab your favourite packet of biscuits and happy listening. Enjoy.

Dunks and Barney

Welcome to your latest episode of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton.

Dunks and I recently had the pleasure of spending time with the wonderful Ally Stirton and Fiona Green.

They have been on our radar for some time and this episode is another cracker.

Two streets are represented - Ainslie Place and Malvina Place.

You will hear stories of large families, Chippie Vans, Knife Sharpeners,

Budgies, tropical fish, dogs, pigs head and tripe.

You'll get to hear about 3 lads from Muirton who saved a bloke from the River Tay. Ally received the Andrew Carnegie medal for his bravery (after some debate with the local polis about a missing carry oot)

We know you'll love this episode as much as we did spending time with them both.

Put the kettle on, grap your favourite packet of biscuits and Happy listening, Enjoy.

Dunks and Barney.

Welcome to our wrap up of the year.

2023 has had plenty of great memories and a few sad moments with the loss of some auld Muirton Bairns. We think we have captured the essence of the last 12 months in this final episode of 2023.

Thank-you to everyone who supports our podcast by taking part, listening and sharing the stories of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton. Your stories are important, deserving to be told and heard.

We are looking forward very much to more of the same next year.

Wishing you all the happiest of Christmas with peace and love for 2024.

Dunks and Barney

https://www.culturepk.org.uk/news/muirton-exhibition-given-new-home-online/

https://open.spotify.com/show/2z9Qnj7AI0xmW4bilmwvfW?si=bf01f07de443419a

Our latest guest is the wonderful John McCole.

The beginning of this episode is a 4 minute recording of a phone call with John recalling a memory with his mum before you get to the main episode which is another belter.

John has lived in many places around the world including America, Germany and now Australia is home. However his formative years are rooted in The Muirton from a new born in 1963 until the family moved to another part of Perth in 1971.

He tells the story of how his mum and dad as youngsters, traveled to Scotland from Ireland looking for work and eventually ended up in Perth. As the family grew the need for a bigger home eventually led them to 22D Ainslie Place in 1963 and John was born just a few months after.

John has many vivid memories from when he lived in The Muirton and he still has the same friends today that he made as a boy over 50 years ago.

John's humour and fondness for The Muirton is infectious in this episode and we're confident you'll be smiling and laughing along with us as you watch or listen.

Happy Listening, Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney