Invergordon Off The Wall - Invergordon off the Wall

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Good Day During the last two weeks I have been travelling around the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service area taking pictures of fire stations and their respective fire engines. When I was in Invergordon I was very interested to see the murals in your town and especially, of course, Fire! Fire! One of the fire engines depicted in the mural was a 1954 Dennis F8 that was actually delivered to the North Eastern Area Fire Brigade at Aberdeen although it was acquired by the Northern Area Fire Brigade in 1975 and subsequently restored and preserved by the Highland and Islands Fire Brigade. I assume that it was used as 'a model' for the fire mural. Unfortunately the vehicle fell into neglect and was sold at the Scottish Motor Auctions at Kinross in March 2008. Since then it has found a new home in Malta! I have been asked to forward my photograph of the mural to the Malta Historic Vehicle Society as they are very pleased that their fire engine is included in the superb painting. At some time in the future I will be producing a CD of my travels around the fire brigades in Scotland and I will include a picture of the fire mural in Invergordon. I would also like to include the details about the Fire! Fire! mural and regarding your fascinating project that I have found on your website so I would be most grateful if you would kindly give me permission to use the copyrighted information. Thank-you for an interesting diversion to my usual fire engine exploits. Best regards. Simon Rowley Fire Service Historian
From	Reply	Sent 12/07/2010

murals dvd was given to us as a present we watched it with great pleasure and look forward to seeing them ourselves. our favorite was the school and the fire station well done to all involved
From	Reply	Sent 01/07/2010

Really Interesting Murals My husband and myself recently called into Invergordon whilst on s cruise holiday. We duly visited Inverness, but were so very glad we had time to look around Invergordon. The murals are great and it's such a pleasure to turn a corner and see another one. Although we appreciate all the murals, we're so glad we called into the railway station, the murals there are a real gem. Thank you so very much for all your hard work and hope you'll soon be in a position to commission more murals.
From	Reply	Sent 20/06/2009

Re:- Really Interesting Murals Thank you for your kind comment - if you would like to become a friend of Invergordon off the Wall and receive updates of what we are doing, please let us know.
From Ann & Noreen	Reply	Sent 10/08/2009

murials I think that the murials make the street look really stupid to be honest i mean the street needes somnething but not this, i would concentrte on sorting out under age drinking before this you wonder why the kids are drinking and fighting maybe there nothing to do in this town its turning into a dive.
From david	Reply	Sent 23/07/2008

Re:- murials I totally agree. This is the biggest desecration I have ever seen in a town. I moved away from Invergordon and would be loathed to move back as the place looks so awful. I feel the best thing they can do is get a job lot of Magnolia paint (its cheap in Tesco) and paint over all the murals in the town. I respect the talent of the artist but not the desecration of my home town. WASTE OF MONEY IMHO!!!! Marina
From Marina	Reply	Sent 17/08/2008

Re:- murials I think the murals around the town are great, just wish the rest of it was...councillor and mp should show a bit more interest in what is an old if somewhat jaded little town.
From	Reply	Sent 15/03/2009

Well done! Well, the murals give me a buzz everytime I cycle past, regardless of whether I like the design - I know that each has been a labour of love and they tell me something about the people who made them happen. Standing on the lonely train platform makes me contemplate on life, family and friends. The only problem is the clock! We could do with a real clock as well - its very confusing, maybe I should contact network rail! Anyhow, everyone involved should be very proud of themselves.
From	Reply	Sent 01/03/2008

Re:- Well done! Thank you very much for your kind comments. It’s so rewarding when people appreciate the sentiment behind the murals and the dedication of all the people involved. Sorry about the clock but in an even more pressing situation it has been known for people in their hour of need to try the handle of the ladies!
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 02/03/2008

I wish the murals would be painted over, they have spoilt the look of the town and it makes me sad to see them.
From	Reply	Sent 19/02/2008

Re:-
We're sorry you feel sad about our murals, but we would refer you to our reply to 'Painting Pretty Pictures' and to the comment below.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators) Reply Sent 20/02/2008

Your Murals I love the Murals!! I especially love the one at your towns train staion. Its great work and I wonder if you plan to do anymore? I think it would be nice to see ALL the local schools paint part of their school to add into the spirt of the towns vision. Looking fwd to visiting again, perhaps you could provide some sunshine next time!
From Peter	Reply	Sent 29/01/2008

Re:- Your Murals Delighted to hear you love the murals. A pat on the back makes all the hard work worthwhile, especially as we are all volunteers. ‘The Long Goodbye’ at the Railway Station is a spectacular tribute to the Seaforth Highlanders, many of whom never came home. At the moment the Invergordon off the Wall committee is taking a breathing space, but we have lots of ideas in the pipeline. However, the Albyn Residents Association is in the process of planning a mural at South Lodge Primary School. As we have no involvement in this project you would need to contact them to find out the content of the mural.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 20/02/2008

Painting Pretty Pictures It will take a lot more than murals, attractive though they may be, to paint over the empty shops and lack of "GET UP AND GO " that appears to be the trend in the Invergordon Business world.Take lessons from Alness,a town that's managed to keep it's head above water despite all the unemployment which hit both towns in recent years
From	Reply	Sent 09/12/2007

Re:- Painting Pretty Pictures We’re pleased that you think our murals are attractive. As public art is known to be a catalyst for regeneration we hope to emulate the success of the Chemainus model, a town in Canada, which had similar problems to Invergordon. They embarked on a mural project in the eighties and now have a thriving tourist industry. Take a look at the global arts website www.globalartsandtourism.net - it may change your mind on the impact public art can have on local economies. Well done to Alness on the turnaround of their fortunes. However, this has happened over a long period of time. The Mural Trail is still in its infancy and we are only now entering the marketing phase. If we are only partly as successful as Chemainus we will have realized our dream of regenerating our town.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 20/02/2008

Drummers I was happily suprised to see a familiar surname called Barr on your list of drummers. I'm doing my family history on my dad's side just now. He served in the QOCH during World War 2 in Burma. He died in June 1991. His name is William Hendry Barr after his father. Turns out dad was one of 10 children not 5 as I was led to believe. Those I knew are Stephen (oldest), Bessie, Angie,Richard (youngest). Have just learned in June of another brother called Thomas brought up by by dad's father's brother George and his wife Janet. I'm now in contact with his 2 children Allison and Heather and mother Margaret (Aunt Meg). Dad was born on the 9 March 1918. He lived in Bridgeton and Shettleson until his marriage to Isabella Webster Anderson in January 1953. I was born in November the same year. The three of us moved to East Kilbride where I still live. My mum died on 21 June 1963 from heart disease. She had the opportunity of an operation in Leeds which only extended her life span by 24 hours. I am wondering if there is a family connection however slight to drummer Bert Barr. Your website looks great. Thank you Edna
From	Reply	Sent 14/11/2007

Re:- Drummers I have only just accessed this part of the Invergordon web site and I wondered in which part the reference to drummers appears! I am originally from Invergordon but left in 1959 to join the army as a boydrummer in the QOCH.
From	Reply	Sent 23/07/2008

Re:- Drummers The mural entitled "Pipes and Drams" is a tribute to the Invergordon Distillery Pipe Band. If you click on murals and then "Pipes and Drams" there is a short resume of the band's history and a list of pipers and drummers. If you left in 1959 you must be about the same age as me and as I have lived in Invergordon all my life I'm interested to know if we were in school together. I was Noreen Macleod, now Kelman.
From Noreen & Ann (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 01/08/2008

query can you send me an application form? many thanks
From	Reply	Sent 19/10/2007

Re:- query At the moment our funding has run out, but you are welcome to leave your details for any future projects. Our address is in the contact us section.
From Noreen & Ann (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 01/11/2007

some questions 1) was it really impossible to find local artists who could do this? 2) is the brief still in the public domain? 3) how much were the artists paid? 4) did you consider commissioning more political and/or contemporary art? 5) the murals you have selected look safe in style and dated. Was anything more cutting edge considered? 6) how many entrants were there and how were the winning designs chosen?
From	Reply	Sent 19/10/2007

Re:- some questions In answer to your questions 1. Advertisements for the artists were posted in local newspapers, the a-n (Artists Newsletter), Hi-Arts and arts colleges including Dundee and Glasgow. Expressions of interest were noted by 40 artists, including at least 6 Scottish artists. When we sent out the application packs with the design briefs, 17 artists applied for commissions. Only 1 Scottish artist applied. 11 artists were short-listed, and they were interviewed by community groups for each commission. 2. The brief is no longer in the public domain as this project is now complete. 3. The artists were paid fees appropriate to the scale of the work and in line with other similar community mural projects and public artwork commissions. 4. This is a community led project, which is based on the heritage of the area. Topics were selected by community groups, who worked with their chosen artist on the style and design brief. 5. Please refer to answer above 6. The 11 artists who were on the shortlist were interviewed in a speed dating type system. All the community groups involved sat at separate tables and the artists spent approximately 15 minutes being interviewed by each group. They were asked to show their portfolios and a design idea for the High Street Mural. Every mural is led by one particular community group who liaises with the chosen artist to decide the style and content of the mural; each group therefore establishes ownership of their mural. To date representatives from 17 community groups have been involved in the mural groups process.
From Noreen & Ann (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 01/11/2007

looking forward to seeing hard work Really enjoy the website the pictures and murals look fantastic. Would love to pay you a visit to see all the changes and hard work for my self
From	Reply	Sent 19/10/2007

Fire mural To brighten up the town of Invergordon is an excellent idea I must admit...and some of the murals are nice to look at...but dont want to put down good aristry in any form. It is really concerning that one mural in particular is a wee bit disturbing 'Fire Fire' I hate it and i am sure I am not alone on this comment. Why make a tourist attraction out of a disaster that lost lives!? Very little thought was put into this mural...and no feelings where thought about it. Would you paint a mural of the twin towers?...no dont think so..You spent money on this? and expect everyone to love it?. All I can say is Some memory to a hotel fire...a bit sick dont you think!
From	Reply	Sent 17/10/2007

Re:- Fire mural We are sorry you feel so strongly about the Fire! Fire! Mural, but all the themes for the murals were chosen by the community and taken forward by a community group. Fire! Fire! was the 5th most popular topic nominated by a community group in the community voting round . We realise that it is a very emotive topic. The community group involved considered the sensitivity of the subject and this was also discussed in the workshops with the Academy pupils. The mural tells the history of the Invergordon Fire Brigade (each fire fighter has a uniform from a different era and the fire engines are also from different times), and one of the most remembered fires in Invergordon is the one at the Royal Hotel so this formed the context for the story.
From Noreen & Ann (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 01/11/2007

Princess Ann Delighted to see the pics Of Jimmy Campbell and Davy Ross in the local press both gentlemen and ambassadors of our wee town.The pics at the train station are great an awful bother trying the handles though!!.
From RockJock	Reply	Sent 06/10/2007

Cruise Passengers It was excellent to see how much the cruise visitors are enjoying the murals; studying them carefully and taking numerous photos of them. Well done to all of you for making Invergordon more interesting for them!
From	Reply	Sent 16/07/2007

Re:- Cruise Passengers Our aim is to put Invergordon on the map, so a pat on the back never goes wrong. It encourages us to keep going. Thanks Rona.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 22/07/2007

Dissertation Fascinating stuff. I am just finalising a dissertation around very similar issues based on Dingwall...after 6 weeks of hell maybe I should have chosen Invergordon! I find the R&C region and the small towns within it fascinating as a geographer though, and it is great to see so many initiatives in place to support the history of the area and integrate this alongside contemporary change. Please get in touch if you would like to hear anything more of my findings. Jon Goodall
From	Reply	Sent 26/04/2007

looking forward to seeing it in person If Chemainus is 'the little town that did' then Invergordon will be known as 'the little town that did better'. Just wanted to let you all know how proud and amazed I am at how far the project has come from such humble beginnings, you are all a credit to Invergordon, its wonderful to see the town developing and developing its heritage. Well done and from an Invergordon lass overseas thank you very much!! See you all soon, can't wait to see them in person, Rach
From	Reply	Sent 27/01/2007

Re:- looking forward to seeing it in person Thanks for the morale boost, Rachel. We're sure you'll be even more impressed when you see them in reality.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 29/01/2007

I love Scotland Your website is wonderful! I really enjoy the pictures! I love Scotland and I would like to visit Invergordon one day! I think, I lived once in Scotland in a former life ;-) How can it be, that I have such a longing for Scotland! Best regards from Iris (An Italian who lives in Germany ;-)
From	Reply	Sent 10/12/2006

Homesick I love the pictures you have of Invergordon on your website. I'm from Invergordon but have been living in Aberdeen for the past 10 years. I do try to come home a few times a year and seeing the beautiful pictures especially the one of the sunset just makes me slightly homesick!!
From	Reply	Sent 21/09/2006

Re:- Homesick Pleased to hear you enjoy looking at the photographs on our site. The sunrises and sunsets can be really spectacular. You will just have to come home more often to curb the homesickness!
From	Reply	Sent 10/09/2006

murals Think that the site is great ... but just have to point out few negative thoughts about "the murals" ... was in town recently and overheard some German tourists talking about how dirty and poor Invergordon looked ... and I must say I agree. Although there is no doubt as to the quality of the artwork on display, can't really say that it is an improvement to the town's appearance. The weather here is far too dreicht and grey that far from brightening up the place it just makes it look (now I dont mean this in a bad way) ... it looks cheap !!! Tourist coming here want tartan twee and Invergordon doesn't do that ... with one exception there are no nice tea-shops or cafe bars ,nor bureau de change facilities, nor any more elegant welcoming shops ... I fully understand the need for local shops for local people but there is also need for supporting visitors ideas of a "wee Highland town" ... have any of the people involved in the various projects to improve the town ever visited Strathpeffer, Dornoch or even Luss ... for some reason these little towns have managed to improve with a little style. Come on Invergordon ... lets have some quality and panache !!!
From	Reply	Sent 24/07/2006

Re:- murals Thank you for the vote of confidence in our website. We are sorry you don’t approve of our murals, but we wanted to do something that little bit different from other Highland towns. Please come along to the Invergordon Arts Centre at 7.30 on Friday 11 August. Karl Schutz, the founding father and inspiration behind the mural trail in Chemainus Canada is to give a talk on the benefits mural art can bring to our town. He may even change your opinion of mural art. After all, Chemainus, “the little town that did” created over 200 businesses over a 20 year period, run an annual 12 week arts festival and attract 400,00 visitors each year.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 26/07/2006

High Street Great website but what does anyone else feel that the town is becoming more and more empty by the day. There are no shops open beyond 9pm, the pubs are completely empty and we used to have such a lovely wide High Street and now you can hardly move or get parked - what a nightmare - when you do go down to the high street in the evening it is full of teenagers who are just throwing rubbish around, drinking and fighting which can be quite intimidating to some. Of course there are hardly any police around because we now have one police station between the two towns. I must admit I am shopping more and more in Alness now.
From	Reply	Sent 21/07/2006

Re:- High Street Glad you like our website. Our aim at Invergordon off the Wall is to create an outdoor art gallery, and promote the town as an arts venue, but there are other groups in the town who are working hard to address some of the issues you raised.
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 26/07/2006

Good website I liked the website and would look into visiting up in your area.
From	Reply	Sent 04/07/2006

Re:- Good website This is a beautiful part of the country and we are trying to encourage more visitors to the area with our murals. We are pleased that you might pay us a visit thanks to our website and hopefully we will have a few more murals to see later this year.
From	Reply	Sent 04/07/2006

Best wishes for the future Your town is lovely were sure you love living there,we did 35 years ago.Looks great and cannot wait to visit again to see even more changes,great webpage
From	Reply	Sent 23/05/2006

Re:- Best wishes for the future Lovely to hear from you both. Glad to hear you like the site. Can't believe you left here 35 years ago. When are you coming over for a visit?
From Ann & Noreen (Administrators)	Reply	Sent 23/05/2006

good web site What a fantastic site,a credit to all who have worked on the project and of course the Wonderful Murals.It will be interesting to have another look in the future to see how Invergordon has changed. We will hopefully be paying a visit at some point. P Mallabone. Hinckley, Leicestershire.
From	Reply	Sent 13/04/2006

Murals & Website Just wanted to say how great it is to see the community coming together with regards to the murals, they look fantastic and the plans for future ones sound exciting. Also want to say congratulations on the website, I loved the pictures of the murals and the old photos of days gone by in particular. Keep up the good work and I hope the murals will attract many new people to the town.
From	Reply	Sent 04/04/2006

Re:- Murals & Website Thank you for your support. It's always helpful to find out what other people think of the murals, as we are obviously biased. Delighted you are impressed with the website.
From	Reply	Sent 04/04/2006

Re:- Murals & Website Hi, I would like to congratulate Invergordon on their murals and the changes made to the High Street. The Lifeboat Mural is especially fetching and I have seen tourists getting their photos taken beside the lifeboat man. Here's hoping they tell their friends to make a trip to Ross-shire.
From	Reply	Sent 04/06/2006

Looking great! I grew up in Invergordon and its great to see the town looking so good and something so interesting going on.
From	Reply	Sent 26/03/2006

Re:- Looking great! Thank you for your comment. We hope that our town will be even more interesting and attractive when the next 8 murals are completed.
From	Reply	Sent 27/03/2006

Re:- Looking great! hi good site i went to school there in the 70"s i live in grimsby now hope to come visit sometime and look up old school friends such as james wares abby macpherson lorna davidson to name but a few
From	Reply	Sent 11/12/2006

murals as an artist i was very impressed with the work of Ken when i come up there i'll make a point of viewing his work more closely regards Robert Lodge.
From	Reply	Sent 26/03/2006

Re:- murals Thank you Robert, Invergordon off the wall was certainly fortunate in getting Ken for our first murals. We are presently commissioning artists for a further 8 murals - watch this space.
From	Reply	Sent 27/03/2006

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