This is the introduction of something I wrote some time ago about my childhood at the Buttercup. It is unpublished, since I assumed that nobody would be interested, outside of my family. However, since a number of people have asked me what life was like at Clermiston Mains in the 1950s I thought I would post it here. The whole item runs to about 3000 words and if there is much interest I will post some more. I wrote it in the third person since I wanted it to read more like a story than a biography.

'During the 1930’s and 40’s the Buttercup Poultry Farm stood at the top of Clermiston Hill, in the western suburbs of Edinburgh. It had once been one of the largest poultry farms in the world but after a major fire in 1936 it was now laid out to pasture.

The main entrance to the farm was at the East Lodge, where there were three cottages and a large formal gate with two large pillars, each with a huge light globe on top. Through the gate was a tree lined avenue which led to the mansion of Clermiston Mains. The smallest of the lodge cottages had one bedroom, a living room, scullery and lavatory and was occupied by William and Annie Scott, following their marriage in 1943. William, known as Willie, was formerly an engineering officer in the Royal Navy but after the war he worked as an engineer at Duncan Flockart a pharmaceutical company, based in Leith. Annie had lived and worked at the Buttercup since 1934, when she moved there with her parents.

It was into this world that Annie and Willie’s only son was born on 8 August 1949. As is often the case, his parents couldn’t agree on the choice of Christian name. Annie wanted to call him Ian but Willie was insistent that he should be called William, after his paternal grandfather. Willie eventually prevailed, but Annie didn’t like the name, so it was agreed that he would be known as Billy. This disagreement on names was not new for the couple. Exactly the same thing had happened three years previously when Billy’s elder sister was born. Willie, ever the traditionalist, insisted that she should be called Agnes, after her maternal grandmother: Annie didn’t like the name, so she was known as Nancy.

According to Annie, Billy was "in something of a hurry to come into this world" and was almost born in a taxi on the way to hospital! Much to Willie’s relief, however, Annie managed to hang on until they reached the hospital but it was “touch and go”.

Living conditions at East Lodge, Clermiston Mains were cramped for a family of four. The whole family slept in one bedroom which had two double beds with one on each side of the bedroom: Willie and Annie slept in one and Billy and Nancy in the other. Since there was no bath or wash hand basin the family washed themselves at the kitchen sink. Despite its small size, however, the cottage was comfortable and had a cosy living room, with a coal fire, table, three piece suite and radio. There was also an organ, which was operated by two foot pedals. Later, in around 1956, a twelve inch television was added, which sat in the corner of the fireplace wall'The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company. See also http://www.buttercupdairycompany.co.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/BillScott10