Barry huts not for war veterans

RE: YOUR article on the huts at The Downs, Barry (News, 11 April). The huts have nothing to do with veterans returning from the First World War although there might have been a few houses at Barry or Buddon Army Camps used for that purpose.

In the early 1930s, the first hut to be erected at The Downs was put up by Mr Andrew Jackson. Soon others came asking for sites so ground to the east was opened up. Mr Jackson relocated and kept an eye on things. A water pipe was put in and a big brick rubbish bin was built.

At the request of the campers (they were always called campers) my mother opened a small shop which sold sweets, ice cream and basic tinned goods. We never had any trouble with vandalism as in those days nearly everybody came from Dundee and were known to each other.

I cannot remember what my father charged for renting a site but I remember there was a lot of ill feeling when Angus County Council decided to rate the huts as permanent dwellings and my father collected the rates for them along with the rents. There must be a record of that in Forfar.

In conclusion, may I repeat that the huts at The Downs, Barry were never in any way connected to war veterans returning home.

Doreen S Paton, Monifieth