How would you like a “Deluxe Estate Car” for £933? That was the price quoted for an “incredible” 4 door Cortina in the programme for the Saxa Gala Day. The Gala was held to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund and for the RAF Museum. The programme contains a number of insights into the way life was then. For example, Conachies Newsagents in Commercial Street, Lerwick advertised with the Telephone Number Lerwick 67. Automation was in its infancy – the local Telephone Exchange for Unst was in the Baltasound Post Office.
Unfortunately I have no idea how much money was raised on the day – perhaps there is someone out there who was on the committee which arranged the event. A copy of the programme is attached below but it is preceded by a clip from the Press & Journal Newspaper to show the type of dubious advertising which was used to encourage the public to attend. The information below came from the scrapbook left by the late Hughie McMeechan.(
Left click on photos to enlarge)
CONTENTS LIST
