Tain Museum Image Library

Picture No 253. Courtesy of Paul Donnachie.
Year: 1932

The Chocolate Shop

This was taken outside the Chocolate Shop, which my grandfather Leo Pieraccini ran, in 1932, and from left to right the subjects are;
Peggy Shearer; Hugh Duff; Nellie Findlay with Ida Donnachie; Leo Pieraccini; Bobby MacLean; "Jumbo"; Andrew Gardner the Chemist.

Picture added on 08 March 2005.

Comments

My grandfather Leo Pieraccini had the chocolate shop for 50 years till he died in 1978.
Added by Katherine Donnachie on 11 April 2005.

The lad to the far right of this photograph is indeed my father Andrew Fraser Gardiner who died in January 1972 at the age of 55. As Dad was born in December 1916 this would have put him about 15 years of age! and still in short pants! I remember both Leo and Peggy very well and Davie Peters and Geordie Forsyth as I spent happy times in the cafe as a teenager drinking cokes bought for me by my dear uncle Wallace Benson (Mum's brother) Leo had Citroen cars which fascinated us all as they 'went down' when the engine was swiched off. Is the Hughie Duff in the picture the infamous Hughie who never joined up during WWII and who latterly worked for Urquhart's the Butchers? I will be retiring in 2006 and intend to have a good sort out of all my old family photos dating back to the 20s and 30s and moreso the 60s when we four Gardiner girls were growing up.
Added by Vi Symons nee Gardiner on 13 November 2005.

I really enjoyed looking at this photo, everyone I speak to has fond memories of the Chocolate shop. It's nice to see photos of the family. The chocolate shop is now the Bookies there's been a lot of work going on there recently but I think it's open for buisness now.
Added by Claire Pieraccini on 21 June 2007.

Great picture, it brings back fond memories. My first ever ice cream soda. I was very sad to see it had gone when I visited Tain last.
Added by Pat Fraser on 22 August 2009.

I remember going down on a Saturday morning to spend my pocket money at Pieraccini's in the 1960's. My granny was Margaret Davidson of 6, Ross Sreet and I remember she was friends with Andrew Gardiner. My dad was Alistair Davidson and his brother, Allan was the saddler in Tain.
Added by Lizanne Longmuir on 14 September 2009.

I'd like to get in touch with Lizanne Longmuir as I remember her grandmother and uncle Allan. My grandmother Agnes Gardiner, Andrew's mother visited Ross Street at east once a week.
Added by Vi Symons on 18 September 2009.

What a great man Leo was. Being from Edderton, Leo used to give me and my mates a lift to Tain. At the 30mph zone he used to switch his engine off and it used to free wheel up to the Cchocolate Shop. Leo was allways taking home movies Does any of his grandchildren know what happened to them? Being a bit into photography I would love to know.
Added by Roddy Matheson on 27 September 2009.

The museum has a copy on video cassette of some of Leo's movie films.
Added by Margaret Urquhart, Tain & district Museum on 29 September 2009.

Roddy- I am putting all the local films my grandpa shot onto DVD; the museum has most on video as margaret said, but there is some more which i'll send them when i get it done! I didnt know he "Frewheeled" into tain- the devil!- he used to do that in edderton coming down from balaharn though!
Added by Paul Donnachie on 29 September 2009.

I bought the flat, 6 Lamington Street in 2009 and have completely renovated it. I found inscriptions on the walls, under the wallpaper, "Pieraccini Bros May 1931" To see pictures of the work please go to www.tainflat.co.uk. It was clear during the work that the staircase which now leads up from the main door between the two shop fronts was a later addidition. There where blocked up doors over it, which would suggest the original staircase was curved, leading to a hallway where one or other (most likely the chip shop) is now.

Added by Barry Turner on 05 December 2009.

The woman with the child in front of her is my late aunt Nellie Finlayson, nee ( Findlay) who passed away in 2000; her father worked at the railway station at Tain, Wm Findlay Snr who lived with his wife Alexina and family members at Railway cottages.
Added by Brian Findlay on 16 February 2010.

Anyone know about "the infamous Hughie"?
Added by Hugh Duff Eaton - Ashburton, New Zealand on 18 February 2010.


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