WICK VOICES: An update on the Wick Society's online oral history project by Doreen Leith

Another significant milestone has been reached as there are now 300 Wick Voices interviews online. The diverse content of the recordings ensures there is something for everyone and this is reflected in the total number of individual plays which has reached 300,000.

In recent months Wick Voices has had the privilege of recording three remarkable musicians from Caithness who have travelled extensively in pursuit of their musical careers. They each talk about those who have influenced them and the positive impact that Caithness has had on their music. The playing of the accordion features in each of the three interviews.

James Ross recalls his early fascination with the accordion which led to him receiving a keyboard for Christmas with the proviso that, if he practised, he might get an accordion in the future. He also reflects on his successful musical career as a pianist and composer.

Frank Sutherland recalls how he developed an interest in music after his father bought him a mouth organ. By the age of 12 Frank had taken up the accordion and he went on to be a multi-instrumentalist on the busy local band scene in the late 1960s and the ’70s, playing a range of musical styles. He became a member of the Dynamos, performing at venues from local village halls to clubs in London and other cities down south.

Brandon McPhee talks about how he began playing with the Dynamos alongside Manson Grant and Robert Cameron. He reflects on some career highlights such as performing in Buckingham Palace; touring with The Sir Jimmy Shand Story, a tribute to the late accordion maestro which Brandon and his band took to venues across the UK and Ireland; and making the single Walking on the Waves with veteran Irish duo Foster and Allen.

In contrast, Wick Voices has also had the privilege of recording those who have travelled to Caithness and have played their part in the community.

In a recent interview Pradip Datta recalls that he had no idea where the Bignold Hospital was when he applied for a job there in 1980. But he came to Wick, settled, and has lived in the town ever since – a highly respected figure in Caithness and far beyond through his work as a consultant surgeon.

Pradip says: "I am very, very, very lucky to be in Wick and very grateful to the Lord for sending me up here."

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In a joint interview, Sheila Anderson and her daughter Pat Ramsay share a wide range of reminiscences of living in Staxigoe and Papigoe. The chat covers everything from school days to favourite recipes, from bloomers hanging on washing lines to Sheila's recollection of the first time she ever saw tomatoes and bananas… and how the soft paper in which oranges were wrapped was put to good practical use.

Margaret and Sandy Munro also recount some wonderful, humorous stories in two joint interviews. In addition to recalling school days, employment and the war years, Sandy describes his experiences of working with Bertram Mills Circus when he not only looked after the elephants but took part in a circus act when he was shaved by one of them.

Although capturing memories is at the heart of the Wick Voices oral history project, as the archive grows, common themes, coincidences and surprises emerge, and these can trigger personal memories for the listener. It is important that we capture those personal memories before they are lost forever.

• Wick Voices can be heard at www.wickheritage.org

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