Page 125 - Microsoft Word - Guiding lights final version 1127 0707 big print.doc

and so had been on countless tours as ship’s escort elsewhere in the world, but was not a guide. She had retired to Aberdeen/Deeside and she gave Shirley and me excellent tips and guidance about what our visitors would be expecting. Once, when I was upset I had forgotten to tell my group something which I thought was important, I remember Alix telling me that the group didn’t know I’d forgotten anything and so it really wasn’t important at all. I’ve remembered that many times since and have also passed it on to other guides. Of course, this took Shirley and me away from our ‘real jobs’ and so Gordon Henry determined Aberdeen must have qualified guides and Shirley was tasked to make this happen, with a little help from me,’ Elma added.
At this time, Aberdeen was being promoted as “The City for Lovers” ... of History, Flowers, Sport etc, but without a major ‘must see’ attraction, guides found that opportunities for guiding tourists were limited and many turned to local residents’ groups and corporate tours to provide work. Yvonne Cook recalls that one of the first activities of the Aberdeen branch was to set up the Old Aberdeen guided walkabouts, twice a week, on a Sunday and an evening mid-week. ‘I instigated them and co- ordinated them as Secretary/Bookings Secretary,’ said Yvonne. ‘Tickets were sold in the TIC or from the guide at the start of the walkabout. Based on advance ticket sales/weather/booking patterns we fielded one or two guides for each walkabout and I recall putting together the rota for the guides/standby guides. We pooled all the income and split it up at the end of the season based on the number of walkabouts each guide undertook. It was all very low tech and simple! Enjoyed by locals as much as visitors.’
Meanwhile, Aberdeen’s full-time guides were also attending training courses and sitting exams to allow them to guide in other parts of Scotland. At that time, everyone’s results were sent to all guides - not pleasant when not all guides passed first time! Elma had to wait until 1985 for the next course and it was then being run jointly by the STGA and the University of Aberdeen. ‘The course consisted of lectures on two evenings per week during the academic year and several full days of practical coach work,‘ Elma explained. ‘Others who attended that course included Charles Anderson, Pam Connor (later Pam Wells), Walter Duncan, Rina Grant, Jim Grant’s wife, and Janet Maclaren, who worked with me at (by then) Aberdeen Tourist Board. The existing local guides took an active part in our training and practical assessments, including Lesley Miller, Anne Sinclair and Isobel Moir who were real branch stalwarts at that time. We also had written practical project work to complete and submit as well as written exams and of course the dreaded practical assessments and exams. One evening we had to attend the College of Education instead of the University, because they
125