Visit to Stornoway 1959
Visit to Stornoway 1959
Visit to Stornoway 1959
This video was taken by my father on his super 8mm cine film camera. It records our family visit to his sister’s family who lived in 38 Newton Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
The opening sequence is at Glasgow airport. It seems unbelievable nowadays, but we just stood out on the tarmac and waited for the plane to taxi up to us; just like waiting for a bus.
The plane was a de Havilland DH114 Heron Series 1, which was regarded as underpowered. Later models had four engines and a retractable undercarriage. I do recall that rather too many of the passengers got closely acquainted with the paper bags in the seat pockets in front of them. We stopped at Benbecula and passengers seemed eager to get off the plane for a breath of fresh air.
We were met at the airport by my father’s sister, my Aunt Jessie and Uncle Alex. You will see me, in a red blazer, with a red cap and a bright red coat. My mother had scrubbed me up and dressed me in my Sunday best, but I discovered later that my Dad had got it in the neck from his sister for dressing me in bright red on the Lord’s Day. You will also see my cousin John Murdo MacLeod, dressed appropriately in his Sunday best kilt and my sister, Jennifer, wearing her brown school blazer.
It reminds me of the occasion when Jessie came to visit us in Bath and we took her into the City Centre (on a Sunday). The city was heaving with shoppers and tourists drinking beer in street cafes and my aunt was open-mouthed. I will never forget her saying “Oh, my goodness me, wait till I get home and tell the Minister about all of this.” But, she seemed quite happy to join in all the fun.
You will also see my mother wearing a long coat and sunglasses, and Jessie wearing a brown “flower pot” hat. My father, sadly, was always behind the camera. We had a great holiday and I was very fond of my aunt, who never ever took it out on me for wearing red on the Sabbath!