Colin
was born in Edinburgh and lives in Leith. He has been an actor for
30 years and is now a producer of video films – amongst
his latest is Frae a needle tae an anchor, a highly-praised
documentary of Leith through oral history memories. Colin’s
credentials for guiding the Rebus walks are impeccable; he took
part in the
Rebus TV adaptation of Dead Souls (with John Hannah in the title
role).
Other recent shows include his own solo adaptation of the
Sherlock Holmes short stories and a stage version of the Para Handy
stories
by Neil Munro (with Colin playing the inimitable skipper of the
puffer).
He is a keen local historian and recently produced a walking
guide
to Leith. His leisure interests include music and bird-watching – if
a rare species is spotted flying over Salisbury Crags, your walking
tour may be delayed for a moment or two!
(John Skinner died unexpectedly in March 2006, but as he
was the founder of Rebustours we have decided to keep his details
here).
John
Skinner launched the Rebustours in Spring 2000 with the
endorsement of Ian Rankin and his publishers Orion Books Limited.
John was schooled in Edinburgh, studied German and European Studies
at university and was a qualified further education lecturer. After
some 20 years in journalism and public relations in London and
overseas, he returned in 1996 to his native city and re-trained
as a tourist guide, taking a further degree in Scottish history
along the way. John worked as a lecturer for Napier University's
Wider Access programmes, tutoring creative writing and journalism
to a variety of community and special needs groups in Edinburgh.
He also worked as a freelance journalist.
Like Ian Rankin, John’s interests included Edinburgh’s
nooks and crannies and classic and obscure rock music of the 60s
and 70s. John also enjoyed travelling, especially to France and Syria
in the Middle East. He lived in a small town near the
coast ten miles from the city of Edinburgh. John spoke German and
French and could guide the Rebus routes in German if requested.
Colin
was born in Edinburgh and lives in Leith. He has been an actor for
30 years and is now a producer of video films – amongst
his latest is Frae a needle tae an anchor, a highly-praised
documentary of Leith through oral history memories. Colin’s
credentials for guiding the Rebus walks are impeccable; he took
part in the
Rebus TV adaptation of Dead Souls (with John Hannah in the title
role).
John
Skinner launched the Rebustours in Spring 2000 with the
endorsement of Ian Rankin and his publishers Orion Books Limited.
John was schooled in Edinburgh, studied German and European Studies
at university and was a qualified further education lecturer. After
some 20 years in journalism and public relations in London and
overseas, he returned in 1996 to his native city and re-trained
as a tourist guide, taking a further degree in Scottish history
along the way. John worked as a lecturer for Napier University's
Wider Access programmes, tutoring creative writing and journalism
to a variety of community and special needs groups in Edinburgh.
He also worked as a freelance journalist.