Down memory lane
MORE than four decades ago a teenager returned home two hours later than her alloted time from a Victoria hall disco. Diane Barros’ mum was a bit put out till her daughter said: ‘Jamie Black gave me a lift back in his white Hillman Imp.’ Her mum was relieved. On Monday Mrs Prince, 60, née Barros, returned to Campbeltown for the first time in 45 years, since leaving in 1972, when her serviceman father was posted away. Mrs Prince said: ‘Staying at the Royal was a birthday present from my husband Dave. It is very exciting but a Dickens of a long drive from Cheltenham. ‘I have been telling Dave that Kintyre is such a beautiful place.’ The Barros family came to Campbeltown, in 1969, when Diane’s father was posted to RAF Machrihanish and almost immediately her mother Dorothy began doing the accounts for the Courier. ‘We moved every three years during my dad’s service life,’ said Mrs Prince, ‘When we left 14 Cnoc Moy Gardens, Machrihanish, he was posted to Little Rissington, Gloucestershire. He retired and that is where we stayed.’ Mrs Prince, who is a mum to two boys and a grandmother added: ‘One of my abiding memories is swimming lessons at Campbeltown Grammar school. ‘We went down in a bus, changing en route and then plunged into a freezing Campbeltown Loch - maybe that is why I am not a good swimmer.’ As well as a full career and raising a family Mr and Mrs Prince have both served as independent councillors on Gloucestershire county council and Cheltenham borough council. Mr Prince was mayor of Cheltenham in 2008 and Mrs Prince was his deputy mayoress.