Post by Waverley on Apr 23, 2014 11:48:29 GMT 1
Bought this book when I was up in Oban at the weekend. I must say I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the author's take on things especially in regards to the late Billy Fullerton leader of the Billy Boys. He does not make Fullerton out to be some kind of a anti-hero but paints a slightly different image not normally associated with the ex- Billy Boys leader...in fact he makes him out to be human. I am sure that many of the trendy leftie liberal anti-bigotry crew will be raging to learn that someone dares to dispel the normal mythical portrayal of Fullerton. Yes , he was a gang leader and involved in many anti-Catholic demonstrations but so was half of Glasgow whilst the other half was involved in anti-Protestant street gangs. I have met two older guys of the Roman Catholic persuasions who were former members of an east end street gang and they have nothing but praise for Fullerton and what he managed to achieve in regards to his involvement in the street gang culture. In fact they both paid him the ultimate Glesga compliment by saying 'Billy Fullerton...he was a good c--t'! Davies also quotes another compliment if you want to call it that from another unlikely source by none other than Percy Sillitoe, the former Police Constable of Glasgow. In his memoirs he says 'Fullerton, I must say, was never a criminal in the accepted sense of the word. He was a fighting man ,who left the thieving to others, and his only conviction was for assault'. Strange praise indeed from an unlikely source.
My only complaint re the author's writings are he calls the Billy Boys the 'Billies' and the Nunny the 'Nunney' of 'Nunnies'...other than that from what I have read so far a well research and factual book.
My only complaint re the author's writings are he calls the Billy Boys the 'Billies' and the Nunny the 'Nunney' of 'Nunnies'...other than that from what I have read so far a well research and factual book.