Festival of Britain 1951 – Local event tree planting at Knapdale Forest
The images are courtesy of Janet Quarton of Cairnbaan who worked for the Forestry Commission in that area.
The 1951 Festival was a post war event to try and talk up and lift the mood of the British people following a long period of war and severe austerity. There was a nod to the enormously successful Festival of Britain one hundred years earlier in 1851 but the situation that the UK found itself enduring in 1951 may have been a reflection of but, in reality, was a shadow of its former Imperial position. The event centred in London but there were many local and national events, apparently. This series of images in the attached PDF records one only of the weeklong events organised by the Lochgilphead Town committee in this case held in Knapdale Forest in June 1951.
The first image is of a view from the Cairnbaan Camp across the Crinan Canal
Next is of Provost A MacKellar and Balfour Brown Town Clerk
Next of Provost A MacKellar beside a planted tree.
Next of David Hannah, School Captain, beside a planted tree
Next of Mary Grinlaw, School Captain, beside a planted tree
Next of Mr M Dyer a Forestry Commission representative (may actually be H V S Dier, Divisional Officer, based in Glasgow but with management responsible for the locality).
Next a more general view of the tree planting site beside a ruined building and mentions name of T White Honorary Secretary.
Next a group photograph with names from left of some of the people but not the two School children captains. Provost A MacKellar, Mrs Baxter, Mrs Brown, Mr D MacBrayne, Mrs D MacBrayne Mr D MacKellar, Mrs Dyer (or Dier) Mary Graham and Mr Nicol. Not named but Mr HVS Dier, David Hannah and Mary Grinlaw plus a number of others are also present.
Any updates on any of the people would be very welcome and also is the location remembered?
Please open the PDF below.
Groups: Forestry Areas, Groups of people