Whisky Bond Workers

After reading recollections of working in a whisky bond, Bryan Gourlay sent the photo above of the VAT 69 whisky bond workers at Leith, taken probably in the 1930s

Bryan wrote:

"I’m as sure as I can be that the attached photo is of  Whisky Bond girls in the 1930s.  The cases look about the right size for whisky bottles – and there are a few barrels at the back left of the picture.

The way they are wrapped up, it looks as if heating for workers wasn’t a priority 70 years ago."

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland:  April 30, 2007

The lettering on the cases reads:

-  Peter Stubbs:  May 3, 2007

Reply

1.

George Smith

Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to George T Smith for sending me the following observation on the photograph above.

George wrote:

An Observation

"It's interesting that the girls all share similar facial construction,  high cheek bones and rounded cheeks.

Could they all have been saying  'Cheese'?"

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada:  May 3, 2007

Reply

2.

Nicole Azzalini

Tasmania, Australia

Thank you to Nicole Azzalini, Tasmania, Australia, who wrote:

VAT 69 Girls

My Grandmother

"I was looking up the net for my grandmother's ancestry in Scotland and came across this photo that  you have on your site of the whisky workers:

©

 I was quite shocked and excited to see my grandmother in the middle row, second from the right with the white collar on the wrap around top, as you look at the photo!

I have a another photo of the same VAT 69 girls with my nan in it, her name was Sarah Dickson (née Goodall).

The family migrated to Fremantle, Western Australia in the 1950's on the 'Ten Pound' fare."

Nicole Azzalini, Tasmania, Australia,:  September 28, 2012 (2 emails)

Reply

3.

George Smith

Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

George Smith replied:

VAT 69

"Mention of VAT 69 reminded me of the reference to some brands of whisky when I was involved in the whisky industry.  VAT 69 was often referred to as "The Pope's telephone number".

George Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada:  March 8, 2013

Reply

4.

Nicole Azzalini

Tasmania, Australia

Thank you to Nicole Azzalini, Tasmania, Australia, for sending me two more photos of the workers at the VAT 69 whisky bond at Leith:

-  Photo 2 (below) - another formal photo similar to that at the top of this page

-  Photo 3 (below) - a less formal moment, including 'VAT 69' bottle!

Nicole believes that Photo 2 and Photo 3 (below) would probably have been taken at around the same time as Photo 1 above.

Acknowledgement:  Nicole Azzalini, Tasmania, Australia,: March 9, 2014

Enlarge this photo

   ©

Reply

5.

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland, who wrote:

Our Relations in the Photos

Nicole's Grandmother

"It was good to see that Nicole Azzalini spotted her grandmother Sarah Dickson (née Goodall) in the VAT 69 line-up in Photo 1

My Great Aunt

When I sent you Photo 1, nearly seven years ago, I forgot to mention my great aunt, Mary Roberson, was on the far right in the back row. She is also right at the back of Nicole's Photo 2, peeking through between the girls third and fourth from the right in the back row.

Mary was born in 1915 and lived at Kemp's Corner, Restalrig Road South, when she worked at VAT 69. She was still working at the whisky bond when she married in November 1937.  She lived to the ripe old age of 91.

I'll make sure Mary's son and daughter see Nicole's photos."

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Leith

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