Orkney Image Library

Jimmy Shand toured Orkney on at least two occasions, once in the late 50's and again in the late 50's or early 60's. Maybe that's something to do with it.

Mind it fine, JMF's mobile shop, I used to buy wagon wheels when they were aboot 6 inces across, lol, well thet seemed that size then..

My dad had a black labrador in the 50's or 60's and Jimmy Shand got one of her pups. (I don't know which tour that would have been on... way before my time!). There's a photo somewhere in among my mum & dad's things.

Jimmy Shand was a great friend of James Sinclair, photographer who arranged all the entertainer's concerts in Orkney. Jimmy's family came up to Orkney when he was on tour and his son went to Kirkwall School, he was in my class at this time. Added by Phil Brough.

Yea thats right Jimmy this wiz one o' J M F Groat & Sons mobile shops or the "van" as they were referred to. The converson from dance band bus to mobile shop was one of the many jobs done here on Hoy by Ikee Waters, Ikee contracted polio when he was a teenager and spent a long time in recovery before training as a cabinet maker and joiner at a rehabilitation centre in Nottingham. The Austin bus carried all the requirments for a houshold at that time, including paraffin oil in a tank straped unernieth the chassis and pumped to a tap in the front port side. When we see the choice of goods on offer today in our supermarkets you wonder how did whur folks manage wae what was taken tae the road ends by these "Vans".

Oh,and anither thing they bought eggs butter and cheese fae some o the customers, and that had tae be found storage aboard in the limited space as well.

Yes this is Jimmy Shand's band bus, I met a chap with an Albion Reiver lorry from Auchtermuchty at the NCB stores at Alloa one day when I was delivering some mining machinery from Workington, chatting to him I discovered that he used to drive Jimmy's band bus, when I suggested that it woul;d be a cushy job compared to driving the wagon Heavens No he replied driving the band bus entailed long journeys to the far north and the deep sooth with Jimmy encouraging him to drive up an doon in a oner, in other words return home immediatly after a dance albeit 300 miles away.Driving the lorry was a piece of cake.

Nice story Gerald ,I have heard that Jimmy never liked to be away overnight and would drive all night to get home . Of course he had a disabled son and perhaps he did not like leaving him for his wife to look after to much.