The Scottish Tour
I am not sure this ‘tour’ has anything to do with Albert. It comes out of box ‘su’, the most intriguing of the small boxes. It includes a 14 page report of the trip tucked inside with the glass slides. One of tourists may have been Albert. The box contains only 54 labelled slides of a tour to Scotland in 1921. Some are shown here. The report of the journey names 119 slides. There are also some unmarked negatives. The four people on the trip are only given role names. The picture at Gretna, I think, shows 2 of them. Is one, or the photographer, possibly A D Chambers? Is he also the writer of the journey? I am afraid it’s all speculation. I think the notes were written for a presentation to be given at a Kidderminster Field Club Meeting, or it’s forerunner. Whoever wrote the notes knew about photography; and was rather absent minded too.
Extracts from the Travel Notes
In the early part of 1925 the secretary told me that he should put me down for one of the evenings of this session. I agreed, subject to my getting some negatives during the summer to supplement those I already had.
– – After carefully preparing for the trip last summer, I found at the end of the first days run, I had left plates, film, film pack holders and most of the dark slides at home.
– – I came back with a lot of exposed film which yielded very few useful negatives.
– – Here again I met trouble; a box of 40 or 50 film negatives (made in 1921) been put away so carefully that they could not be found. Hence many of the slides I shall show are not of my making.
– – In the Autumn of 1920, four of us solemnly pledged ourselves to have a summer outing together in 1921, and after various suggestions it was decided that John o’Groats should be the objective.
sl4 On the evening of the 7th July 1921 we assembled at Kidderminster and resolved ourselves into a Committee of Ways and Means. We appointed a ‘Chancellor of the Exchequer’ and arranged a start at 2.30. p.m.the following day
su2 The party consisted of ‘Daddy’, ‘The Chancellor’, ‘The Mechanic’ and ‘The Shuvver’. Promptly at 2.30 on Friday, 8th July, we let go the painter, glided out of dock and commenced one of the most glorious trips it has been my fortune to have.
su3 Gretna. Old Blacksmith’s Shop. Of course we must stop and visit this and make an exposure. Ecclefechan (used as a swear word). Tyre went again. Going up could beat train easily. Over summit and down to Clyde Valley
su6 Glasgow. From Flagstaff. South Side Park Earlier at Carlisle ‘Daddy’ gave a solemn warning that as we were going into a ‘Foreign Country’ there must be no misbehaviour. He had a hefty slipper and would use it if necessary.
su7 Glasgow. Morning on the Clyde. New road just opened, first part of new Main Road to Inverness. Over the route we go.
su8 Dumbarton. Rocks and Castle. We now leave Clyde and turn north for west side of Loch Lomond
su9 Steamer Pier. Loch Lomond. Third Night. Here we lost the ‘mechanic’ and he turned up about midnight. Said he had been up one of the mountains
su1 Ballachulish Ferry
su4 Then on to Fort William. The fort was built by General Monk to keep the Highlanders in order. Fourth night. Here the Mechanic did another climb and was striking matches on the top and the Shuvver had to strike ’em lower down for him to find the way
su10 In Glen Nevis. Upper Falls. Came back to Fort William. Crossed Suspension Bridge over R. Lochy. Long John Distillery.
su11 Lochs on Caledonian Canal Neptunes Staircase, to pass steamers from canal to L. Linnhe
su12 Banavie Hotel Burnt out May, 1924 when fully booked for season Not expected to be rebuilt.
su13 Summit of Ben Nevis. The Snowfield
su14 Fort Augustus. Some of the old houses. Stands at the head of Loch Ness Built by General Wade after rebellion of 1715. Accommodated 800 officers and men. In 1876 a Monastery and College erected on the site
su15 Loch Ness One of the largest freshwater Lochs in Scotland. Very trying drive. Road narrow and few places where two vehicles can pass. Scenery all along magnificent, but a strain on the driver.
su16 Drumnadrochit Hotel. I wanted the village but had to be satisfied with this. SHIRLEY BROOKS wrote; “If there were many places like Drumnadrochit, persons would be in fearful danger of forgetting that they ought to be miserable.”
su17 Beauly Small town at head of Beauly Firth. Population about 1000. Then on to Dingwall. Fifth Night. SHUVVERS BIRTHDAY
su18 Bonar Bridge We were advised not to take this road but we found it quite good and the Austin 20 made no fuss about it
su19 Helmsdale Fishing village, population under 1000. Entrance to the northernmost county of Scotland, Caithness
su20 Berriedale Small fishing village. Steep descent to bridge over Berriedale Water and stiff climb out.
su21 John o’Groats. Modern Hotel Beach consists of broken shell, looks like sand. Boat came in with seal shot on one of the small islands in Pentland Firth. Sixth night at Wick. A grand ride back to Dingwall. Seventh night. Returned to –
su22 Inverness. Flora Macdonald Monument. South of Inverness crossed the River Nairn. Then reached the Spey. We follow the valley. Kingussie, Glen Garry, Blair Athol, and on to
su23 Killiekrankie Village. Nearby the Pass from Soldiers Leap. A friend of mine who was there recently expressed the opinion that the soldier who leapt the gap must have been very reckless. He was answered, ‘If you had a wild Highlander with a Dirk after you, you would be reckless.’
su24 A few miles down the Tay Valley arrive at Dunkeld. The final scene in Macbeth is laid near here at Dunsinane Castle 8th night at Dunkeld
su25 Perth
su26 Dunblane Cathedral. 9th night at Edinburgh. On starting the next morning the Shuvver announced that things were not satisfactory. The engine wanted de-carbonising. Drew up in farmyard and Daddy elected himself foreman and overlooker –
su27 – and said he would not be expected to dirty his hands. The cylinder heads were taken off, pistons and heads cleaned and assembled, and we were on the road again under two hours. The engine ran beautifully on top gear for the rest of the day. On to Galashiels, then Melrose Abbey above
su28 Dryburgh Abbey. About 4 miles S.E.of Melrose
su29 Langholm. Here the only application of slipper. Celebrated tweeds made here Tenth Night.
su30 One of the unmarked negatives. Is this the Shuvver? Or Daddy, keeper of the Slipper! Or just put in this box for somewhere to keep ?
