On the track of local socialists

I am still on the track of some Shetland socialists of the past. In 1954 Sam Anderson, a Shetlander in New Zealand, wrote as follows to Peter Jamieson: “I wonder what became of Willie Leask. I knew him in Leith after the first world war – and Barrel (Willie Anderson), he was in Glasgow. He was on John McLean’s election committee. I often wonder about them all.”

Does anyone know who Willie Leask and Willie (‘Barrel’) Anderson might have been?

And in a letter of 1960 Sam refers to Jimmy Fraser, who “went to Peterhead as a prison governor”, presumably after world War I. If anyone can identify these people I would be very grateful.

Brian Smith
Weisdale