Charlie Bootland

When I set out today, camera in pocket, I had no idea I would end up posting this blip.

I had spent this morning finalising papers for distributing by hand about a church meeting which is coming up shortly. With a colleague’s help we got them printed and ready for distribution to those not on the Internet. Another colleague took a bundle to hand in and I did the few remaining.

With entry door systems – and no letterboxes – I had to ring to gain access to several homes. In those circumstances was usually invited in (suitably masked). In one house we got talking about a football shirt hanging in the hall. It belonged to Charlie Bootland a relative of the person I was visiting. He had played for Scotland as an amateur in 1938 and there were various memorabilia on the walls. The jersey is to the left. In the foreground is a picture of Charlie painted in a prisoner of war camp in Poland where he was held for several years during WWII. The “canvass” was some bedding.

When in the camp he helped organise with an English footballer an international match between England and Scotland. The extra shows a poster of that event. Charlie scored twice and heled Scotland won 4-2.

It made for a fascinating interlude in a busy day which would probably not have have happened if there had been a letterbox!