Time Capsules - Old Photographs from the past

Thank you to whoever, for producing this photograph, this was our family home in the 50's till 1974 when the family emigrated to New Zealand, I remember the Bodmans, and have checked the original guest book and they didn't sign it, shame. The house has changed hands numerous times and is now owned by an American family, it has changed quite a bit.

For Kim and Richard Lacey. You might also like somewhat fuzzy picture #1211 and picture #1212, which were taken on the same holiday. I seem to recall Frank and Janet Bodman played Scrabble with Colonel Lacey and his wife - Euphemia? And a beach barbeque or something like it. Taking 12-bores looking for rabbits. Other guests appeared to be much involved with the advent of commercial television - a topic of conversation at breakfast. We came across adders in the heather and a bottle with a message in it that had washed up, having crossed the Atlantic. I think I'm right in saying that Colonel Lacey fought with General Wavell in the Western Desert in World War II. Best wishes, Martin Bodman

Frank Bodman, from my memory, was the ornithologist of this family, the Bodmans came from Bath or Bristol or that area of England, they drove the first Triumph Herald that I ever saw, I was all of about twelve and if this is all correct I would love to know because I can add to this!

The greenhouse was a great place to be when a young lad, warm and cosy, smelling of yummy tomatoes ( I always liked them best when they were very slightly green) and toads hopping about happily. It ended up, as Kim said, smashed to smithereens against the back of the house and my bedroom window in a ferocious gale one night. The winter gales had to be experienced to be believed and the poor old greenhouse suffered terribly. Many types of re-enforced plastic and other things were tried but they all failed in the end.Greenhouses and the west coast simply did not match

Thanks Kim for reminding me about the Triumph Herald: I couldn't remember what car came with us on the ferry from Oban. Frank was certainly keen on watching birds, but I'd have said he was more of a botanist: he loved orchids. Yes, we came from Bristol and I would have been a year older than you at the time. My younger brother Andrew was about eleven.
I remember Frank telling me that Colonel Lacey had a high regard for Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck (1884-1981). He was CinC Middle East theatre from July 1941 to sometime in 1942.

Now I remember, yes, we had Butterfly Orchids growing in the hayfield between the house and the loch, I was fascinated because through your father I discovered that they were extremely rare, I think maybe only found on Islay and our hayfield, I could well be wrong here! Interesting too because Sir Joseph Banks is an ancestor and he was fascinated with orchids!

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