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She delivered 300 leaflets about guides to 25 hotels in and around Edinburgh and was surprised to find that many had never heard of the STGA and were delighted to learn how to contact it.
A major corporate event was organised for the Mobil oil company in Scotland and four Blue Badge guides were involved in the project. They were Ginette Batholomew, whose husband was director of the famous Edinburgh based map company, Jane Orde, the future chair of the World Tourist Guides Association, Mrs Marion Balderstone and Jean Duncan.
The editorial in a publication celebrating the event said that what had brought the four guides together was their love of history and of meeting people.
‘They are members of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association which consists of some 150 people who take a stiff three month course and pass an examination before qualifying,’ it said. ‘Many of them are housewives, other retired teachers as well as teachers on vacation.’ Edinburgh guides extended their talents in 1978 by starting to hold regular ceilidhs for visitors at the Carlton Hotel on North Bridge. The ceilidhs were organised by Elizabeth Seton, Ann Lister and Jean Duncan. Elizabeth acted as compere and sang along with Bill Combe. Elizabeth was born as Marion A J Barra and, after being educated in Glasgow High School for Girls and Glasgow College of Domestic Science, she did war service as a Voluntary Aid Detachment member in various parts of Scotland including Edinburgh Castle.
After the war she trained in London as a singer and performed in opera and musical comedy under the stage name Elizabeth Seton. Later she specialised in lecture recitals on international songs, particularly Scottish music and song and frequently appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She became a Scottish Tourist Guide in 1973 and in the winter produced musical comedies, operas and plays with various amateur groups. She served as chairman of the Edinburgh Branch and was very much involved in guide training with Ann Lister.
Alan McDonald played the pipes and new guides and others were roped in to join the chorus and help with the dancing. The Ceilidhs which were held at the Carlton Hotel after guests were taken on a guided walk on the Royal Mile.
‘They came back and got a dram of whisky and we had friends who were highland dancers and they would come and dance and sing, said Alan.
The initiative, which also involved a walking tour of the Royal Mile, won an award with a Come to Britain trophy given by the BTA for promoting new ventures in tourism.
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