| Description | Tape 1 Side A: JOHN HENRY (SONNY) PRIEST born 4 November 1955 Baltasound, Unst, Shetland. Paternal family from Norwick, Unst, fishers and crofters. Mentions earlier invasions of Unst, German bombing RAF base. Details re grandparents names. Grandmother was a Gray. Maternal grandfather, Scott, a seaman, grandmother's family from South Shields. Is one of 9 children, most still in Unst. Details re their occupations. Describes Unst during childhood, changes to RAF camp. RAF children at school. Father's income from land. Children had to help him. Details re property, stock. Parents' names, years of death. Mother died early from MS. Details. Recalls daily work routine as children, working with crops, stock. Parents were strict. Place of church in community. People worked, shared together more then. Importance then of potatoes, salt mutton, fish. Recalls first electricity, 1967, reaction to first television. Compares medical facilities with today. Recalls childhood remedies, eg iodine. Little alcohol in childhood home, no car. Details re transport, schooling arrangements in Baltasound, later Lerwick as boarder. Young RAF men brought modern fashions to Unst. Recalls old crofter, Wally Sutherland, reddin up kin, ie older people talking about old times. Disliked school. Explains. Served time as joiner at Inverness Technical College. Left school at 15. Served apprenticeship with firm with maintenance contract at RAF Saxavord. More social life then than now. Details. Recalls shops in Baltasound. Describes attitudes of people from different Shetland islands, earlier ferry services, nicknames, e.g. Midden slews, sheep-tiefs. Attitude of town people to Unst folk. Interested in joining Navy, father refused. Spent 2 years fishing. Reference to herring fishing. Joined building trade, redundant after 10 years.
Tape 1 Side B: Went fishing for 2 years. Reaction of parents. Details re them, siblings. Married 1984. Details. Recalls development of airport, arrival of oil flights late 1970s, introduction of Dash 7, helicopter hangar, base, extension of runway. First sign of oil industry was seeing oilrigs, survey ships. Details re Shell plan for oil base in Unst, stopped by Council. Explains need for employment opportunities then. Some people sceptical re possibility of development. Mentions past flows of people through Unst, e.g. RAF, earlier large numbers of boats in Baltasound. Attitude of Council, landowners to possibility of oil base. Mentions plans for additional airport cross-runway which was never made. Shell gave up on development, Chevron developed runway originally put in by Royal Engineers in 1960s. Reference to Ninian field. Airport recently closed. Recalls first encounters with oil people. Lot of speculation about oil base possibilities, high pay. Details re Dash 7 aircraft, helicopters using Unst in increasing numbers. Reference to Logan Air. Got job at airport as Fireman/baggage handler 1984. Explains air schedules. Impact of helicopter noise. Details re duties at airport, training in Teesside. Recalls numbers of airport workers, routines. Mentions BNOC maintenance work 1984-5, resulting duties at airport including fire cover, long working hours. In 1992, Unst handled over 200,000 passengers. Impact of fog on routines, need for accommodation. Mentions hotel that blew away in a hurricane. Reference to Plessey radar installation. Some shift workers came to dances etc. Few problems, workers were self-policing. Explains. Recalls airport emergencies, closest call involving a helicopter, own role. Chinook that crashed at Sunburgh should normally have come to Unst. Details.
Tape 2 Side A: Explains reason for Chinook that crashed at Sunburgh not coming to Unst, likely cause of disaster. Recalls other scares, recurring problem of magnetic switches. Extra safety equipment put into helicopters. Situation hyped up by media, reaction of pilots, airport staff. Initially employed by Airwork which went into partnership with Council as TSS (Technical Support & Services). Details re Council prevention of development of Unst airport, feelings in Unst about this. Reference to Shell, BP, Sunburgh. Recalls encouraging attitude of Council Convenor, his later negative casting vote, Council promises of help. Background to starting brewery business. Busy time for Unst airport 1984-96. Natural harbour could have been developed, runway could have been developed. Details re own work as Fire Officer Manager, staff. Mentions Bristow Helicopters engineers and other companies working at airport. Impact of industry on Unst, financial details, example of an enterprise. Road to airport improved. International flights came to Unst. Mentions Customs staff, security. Details re capability of Dash 7. Recalls decision by Chevron, Council to end Dash 7 operation. Reference to Oryx. Unst stabbed in back by Council 1996. Mentions own continuing employment at airport, being made redundant. Reference to development of brewery. Details re current healthy school situation in Unst. Never thought of leaving. Logan Air continued to use Unst but services reduced. Unst became diversion airport for British International Helicopters for a year. Details re last years of Unst airport, Council refusal to Shell re-application for use. Current situation - back to situation of 1960s. Explains decision to establish brewery, its operation. Possibilities for Unst in retrospect. Situation now, prospects.
Tape 2 Side B: Blank |