‘They bring back memories’ – Inverness Remembered books still going strong after 20 years
The annual picture books featuring life in Inverness and Caithness have become collector’s items over the years, according to their long-standing editor, Jim Miller.
Inverness Remembered marks its 20th anniversary edition this year, with Jim being at the helm for the last decade.
Jim said: “I took over Inverness Remembered from Willie Morrison for volume XI which would have been in 2015, so now I’ve reached my 10th volume.
“Ten years seems to have gone by in a flash.
“I think people like looking at old photos and it brings back memories, particularly if it’s from their younger days – I think that’s the main appeal really.
“It’s a popular Christmas gift and it sells an awful lot of copies; I’m glad that people like it.
“I have been surprised, actually, because I was thinking I might start running out of photos, but somehow I seem to find them every year. I tend to think of themes or anniversaries or anything like that, and then I’ll try and hunt down picture relating to those.
“But people do send me picture unsolicited, so to speak, in response to the adverts in the papers, and sometimes themes emerge from that as well.”
Meanwhile, Jim suggested that the inspiration for the book series may have had its roots further north…
“I don’t know where the idea came from to start the series in the first place,” he said. “It’s possible that the Courier got the idea from the John O’Groat Journal because Clive Richards in the Wick office started doing photo books quite a while ago, but with a different title every year, and they were very popular.
“So when the first edition in Inverness came out I think [former Inverness Courier editor] Jim Love edited it. I’m not sure if Jim did two or three years after that, then Willie Morrison did quite a few, and after volume X he asked me would I take over volume XI – I did, and I’m still here!
“The Caithness one is still going, too. We’ve now settled on one name so it’s the same every year - Let’s Remember Caithness. This year is volume VI.
“They are both very popular books. Some people proudly tell me that they’ve got the whole lot – which is fine, because I don’t! I think there’s a complete run in the library. Certain volumes are now, I understand, quite rare.”
• Inverness Remembered (£16.99) and Let’s Remember Caithness (£17.99) are available in bookshops now. They can also be ordered (subject to P&P) by calling 01463 233059.
