Peebles from the Past

This photographs of Golliwogs has appeared on the Auld Peebles Facebook page.

More than a dozen youngsters dressed up as gollies during the Beltane Festival Centenary Fancy Dress Parade in 1999, despite concerns they are considered racially offensive.

However, this picture is believed to pre-date that.

Commenting on the website, Deb Sterricks said: “There’s loads on here. If you can get to a comp and use the search tool or photos tab you’ll find them.” Organisers withdrew the gollies from the parade in 1991 after a protest by Edinburgh teacher Margaret McIntosh.

She described how she was astonished to “see a lorry load of gollywogs come round the corner” when watching the previous year’s festival.

She claimed the word gollywog was extremely offensive and enclosed a cheque for £50 to pay for replacement costumes.

Red Dwarf star Craig Charles also featured the gollywog issue in a TV show at the time, which the people of Peebles claimed was slanted to make them look racist.

The gollywogs used to be included as part of the nursery rhyme section in the Crowning of the Queen ceremony.

However, some locals ignored the wrath of PC campaigners by allowing youngsters to don the outfits after an absence of eight years.

A High Street shop window was even devoted to gollywogs.

Speaking at the time, Festival committee joint secretary David Turnbull said: “Gollies are not part of the Beltane Festival.

“We have no say on fancy dress but if there was something which caused offence we would stop it. No one connected with the festival is racist.” Every week in the Peeblesshire News we print a photograph from a bygone era to give readers an insight into the area’s past.

Readers are invited to share with us their own photographs and memories of Peebles from the past.

They can be sent by emailing editorial@peeblesshirenews.com Alternatively, hand them in to our newsroom at 72 High Street, Peebles, EH45 8SW.