Nostalgic Wee Islay Guide

It's not a secret that I like old images, postcards and other Islay related bits and bobs from the old days. Ever since I started this blog I have tried to include a lot of such posts, often with help from the readers who pointed out interesting sites and resources. This week something similar happened again, much to my surprise.

Keith Faulks, who was responsible for the beautiful images from Islay last week, sent me some very interesting information yesterday for which I'm very grateful. Keith is the lucky owner of a wee Islay guide printed in what looks like the 1970s. The guide is called "Islay and the islands of Jura and Colonsay in Scotland's enchanting Western Isles" and was priced back then at 24p. The guide book was produced for Mid-Argyll, Kintyre & Islay Tourist Organisation and printed by Adcon Ltd of Edinburgh. This wee guide contains information about the islands and, perhaps the most interesting aspect of all, images and advertising from those days. Lovely nostalgic ads with black and white images from a totally different time and from businesses that sometimes no longer exist or have changed owners. Keith sent me a dozen of these ads and I have decided to post a different ad each week on Wednesday and include some relevant information. Continue reading....

I have decided to show the first image, an ad from Western Ferries, because of its relation with todays ferry news in Scotland. Today the EU approved the subsidies from the Scottish Government for Calmac to maintain the "lifeline ferry services" in the west of Scotland, following an enquiry which started a year ago. Western Ferries was one of two Scottish ferry companies who complained and who are afraid that they are being squeezed out by Calmac due to the fact that Calmac is state owned and heavily subsidized.

The ad below shows the Sound of Jura ferry, operated by Western Ferries in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Sound of Jura ferry replaced the succesful Sound of Islay ferry, the first drive-through ferry in the UK. The Sound of Jura was introduced on to the Islay service in 1969. After the Scottish Transport Group placed the new Pioneer on their Islay service, she was eventually sold to Mexican owners in 1976 and sailed under the name Quintana Roo.

Tag: history western ferries guide