Emma Dancer: Former Dundee shop owner and Fintry postie dies at 100

Former Dundee shop owner, postie and jute worker Emma Dancer has died aged 100.

Together with her daughter, Theresa, she ran Poppets children’s clothing and haberdashery outlet in Albert Street before becoming sole proprietor.

In earlier years, Emma worked in the Outpost chain of shops in Dundee, owned by her daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Sandy Copeland.

Emma Queen Dancer was born on May 18 1923 to second hand trader John McQueen and his wife, Emma.

She grew up in Brown Constable Street together with older brothers John and Rab before the family moved to the new development of Fleming Gardens off Clepington Road.

Second World War contribution

When she left school, Emma trained as a top winder in the Halley’s jute mill but during the Second World War she was transferred to work in munitions production with the Ransome and Marles company.

In her youth, Emma had met her future husband, Lawrence Dancer who lived down the road from her in Fleming Gardens South.

During the war, Lawrence was in the parachute regiment and latterly served in Palestine.

The couple married at St Mary’s Forebank Church in 1946 before Lawrence returned to civilian work as a coal carrier and then in the building trade. He also had a spell as a tram conductor in Dundee.

Married life began in Fleming Gardens before a move to the new Fintry scheme and the couple welcomed five of a family; Emily, Kathleen, Theresa and twins David and Stephen.

After raising her family, Emma went to work on the production line of the Coca-Cola factory in Clepington Road before a spell as a postie on a round in Fintry.

She then went to work in John Masterton’s shop opposite the Coca-Cola plant. This was a forerunner of the bargain chains of today and had a basement emporium stacked with unusual goods.

Business career

After working there, Emma joined Emily and Sandy at Outpost which sold crafts and Oriental wares from shops in King Street, Hilltown and Exchange Street.

She then went into business at Poppets with Theresa then sold up and retired in 1988.

Emma and Lawrence retired to Wellbank but sadly, Lawrence died the following year.

She joined the bowling club in Wellbank in retirement, enjoyed tea dances locally and at the Royal British Legion (Scotland) in Arbroath, and was a gardener of note.

Emma was also grandmother to four and a great-grandmother to five.

You can read the family’s announcement here.