A Prisoner Christmas

  I received a number of presents connected to ‘the Prisoner’ this Christmas. The Prisoner LP record produced by Networkair is white and has no record label, representative of the Guardian as it is. When I placed the record on the turn table I thought is it turning, as there was no record label to indicate this! Also the music tracks are identical to the other Prisoner LP record also produced by Networkair, which I found surprising, I would have thought the music different.

   I was also sent a selection of unique Prisoner postcards, they make a fine addition to my collection. And mentioning cards, there was an exchange of Christmas cards with the Supervisor-No.106 Earl Cameron. I would have reproduced the card here, only it is far too personal to be shared.

  An unusual item, a Prisoner fridge magnet. Its not so much the magnet that is unusual, only the subject!

   ‘In my mind,’ the Prisoner documentary arrived just in time for Christmas, also The ‘Tally Ho’ {the colour supplement and programme guide for FALL IN the 50^th anniversary event hosted by Networkair in Portmeirion on September 29^th} which, if you have not read it, contains a number of articles, the most interesting of which I found to be is ‘Local Service’ regarding the restoration of the Village Mini-Moke HLT 709C. I had always been under the impression that the four Mini-Mokes used in ‘The Prisoner’ series were specially adapted for the series. But I have learned that HLT 709C was originally used for advertising purposes, photo shoots and the like, and publicity material for the Hilton hotel. A member of the production crew for ‘the Prisoner’ spotted the Mini-Moke as being something they needed for the up and coming series. It was the first of the four Mokes, and therefore the template for the other three. Which makes me wonder what vehicles might have been used as a taxi in The Village, and what they might have looked like, had the Mini-Moke HLT 709C not been spotted that day? It appears that at times, things associated with ‘the Prisoner’ happened quite by accident to help bring the whole series together! Thanks go to Phil Caunt for the restoration of the Mini-Moke, and for the information he provided.

  Not forgetting the Penny Farthing tie pin, and the Prisoner gift card. All are valued gifts, and make fine additions to my collection/archive.

Be seeing you