“La Cigale”

“La Cigale” from the book Solly’s Girl by Ros Collins

Amongst the thousands of LD 150 Lambrettas then in Britain in February 1957 was one special one named “La Cigale” (“The Cicada”) which was to be remembered at a recent celebration in Melbourne. The occasion was the launch of the memoir Solly’s Girl by Ros Collins. Her late husband, the Australian author, Alan Collins, had purchased the Lambretta direct from the Innocenti factory in Milan and ridden it to England via Italy and France – a feat in itself.

1957 Lambretta Motor Scooter

London-born Ros ultimately became a “Ten Pound Pom” and “La Cigale” accompanied the newly-weds to Port Melbourne aboard the migrant ship, the SS Stratheden, arriving in April 1957.

After many adventures (and run-ins with the authorities) in Melbourne, “La Cigale” was eventually sold to a farmer but maybe one day she might turn up as a ‘barn find’.
To do justice to the book launch, an LD 150 was sought from the Melbourne Scooter Community, and as luck would have it, Jim Wilson’s perfectly restored 1957 LD 150 mark 111 was selected as pictured. This late production LD was born in the Innocenti factory just as Ros and Alan were arriving in Melbourne.

Solly’s Girl (which has many illustrations) may be ordered through any bookshop or online via the usual distributors such as Amazon; also from the author. It is available as a paperback or e-book. ISBNs are: 9780994388612 (paperback), 9780994388605 (e-book).
Jim Wilson