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Chapter 12
Guiding Characters – past and present
Inevitably in a profession where your personality plays a key role in your success as a guide there have always been – and still are - some very strong characters. Before becoming guides many of them did extraordinary things ranging from being a zookeeper to a prisoner of war in Burma. This chapter profiles just a few Scottish Blue Badge Guides who have made their mark over the years and the main sources are Guidelines and Branchlines newsletters. I would be glad to hear about other guides who made their mark or who had interesting backgrounds for an updated edition of this history. And, of course, you can read profiles of all current working guides on the www.stga.co.uk website.
One name which is still well remembered is Archie Roy who was a founder member of the STGA. Archie, who was born in Edinburgh, conducted Cooks Tours during the long vacation when he was studying engineering at Edinburgh university. He rapidly transferred to Mackay Brothers as they paid 25 shillings for a half day instead of 15 shillings. Later he joined the police and worked as an officer for 25 years. On retirement he took up full time guiding and acted as agent for other guides, organising city tours for tour companies coming regularly to Edinburgh. His wife Maureen Roy was also an STGA guide. Archie died on 23 April 2006 after a short battle with a brain tumour.
Another founder member of the STGA was Kenny Robertson who was educated at George Watson’s College and served as a soldier during the Second World War.
Afterwards he returned to Edinburgh and worked in forestry but later, because of his love of animals, he got a job in Edinburgh zoo. He formed a close rapport with Suzie the Elephant and for many years afterwards she recognised her former keeper whenever he visited the zoo. Kenny also had a love of history and became a tourist guide. He was honorary secretary of the Association from 1967 to 1976. He always proudly wore the Grant kilt which his mother’s clan gave him the entitlement to wear.
Fellow founding member Willie Simpson worked at an early age down the pit at Newtongrange then ran away from home to join the army. He served in Burma during the Second World War and was captured by the Japanese until they surrendered to Lord Mountbatten. He possessed two Sumarai swords as souvenirs of that time.
On returning to Edinburgh he became a bus driver and was one of the first to train as a driver guide. He later trained guides and was also treasurer of the Association from 1972 until 1980 and later Honorary Vice President.
Over on the west coast, Cherrie Donald qualified in Glasgow as a BBG in 1970 when she was 56. She kept guiding until she was 78 and one of her most memorable guiding experiences was taking French President Jacques Chirac and his wife on a tour of Glasgow. Another early STGA member was Helen Murdoch who became a Blue Badge guide after a successful career in education and the theatre. She was born in Glasgow and worked as a teacher and later as a lecturer at Hamilton College of Education. But she also wrote children's plays which were published and performed in the Edinburgh Fringe. Before becoming a guide she worked for the Lyceum theatre. She died in 2016 aged 84.
Margaret Butcher qualified as a guide in 1978 and became a stalwart of the STGA. Ros Newlands said Margaret’s favourite wry comment when she was on the STGA Edinburgh committee was: “I like to throw a pebble in the pool and see where the ripples go”. ‘She then followed up with ideas, solutions and campaigns,‘ said Ros. ‘Before I’d even heard of the STGA my EF? students had Margaret as a guide on a Trossachs tour. I sat at the back awed by her knowledge. She asked me if I was taking notes to do the tour myself next time!! The very idea horrified me - I knew nothing!! But it inspired me to find out and take the STGA training and become a BB guide in 1983. Margaret was an advisor and support in everything I did in the STGA thereafter including when I was Edinburgh chair and a board member. She never sought the limelight - just worked tirelessly away in the background, although she did reluctantly fill in as Edinburgh chair for a year.’ Ros continued.
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