Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
126th year No. 248 (New Series 115th year No. 239)
Vol 113 September 2010
The Magazine is published under the auspices of The Former Pupils’ Club each year
General Editor Brian K. Crookshanks, TD, MA, LL.B & Editor of 99 Fountainhall Road Notes etc. Aberdeen AB15 4EB
Secretary of the John F. Hendry, LL.B FP Club 36 Albyn Place Aberdeen AB10 1YF
Treasurer of the Alan W. Marr, CA FP Club 4 West Craibstone Street, Aberdeen AB11 6YL
Membership Douglas M Watson, LL.B Secretary 6 Bon Accord Square, Aberdeen Aberdeen AB11 6XU
The General Editor is happy to receive contributions for the next issue of the Magazine at any time before mid-May 2011
Former Pupils are encouraged to provide details about themselves or others for inclusion in the Notes Section of the Magazine Information may be sent by E-mail to editor@agsfp.com
In order to assist in the distribution of the Magazine, members of the Former Pupils’ Club are requested to advise the Membership Secretary promptly of any changes of address
OUR ADVERTISERS
As a Club we are most grateful to all our under-noted advertisers who have supported the production of this Magazine by taking advertising space. Club members are encouraged, in turn, please to patronise our advertisers who would value our members’ custom every bit as much as we value theirs.
Aberdeen Asset Management
Aberdeen Property Leasing
Adam Cochran
Atholl Hotel
Aberdeen College
Aberdeen Solicitors’ Property Centre
Anderson, Anderson & Brown
Bain Henry Reid
Brewin Dolphin Bower & Smith
F.G. Burnett
Country Ways
Michael C. Hastie
Campbell Connon
D.M. Hall
IFB Internet
Inchmarlo Retirement Homes Jamieson & Carry
Kenway Tyres
Langstane Press
MTM Construction Marcliffe at Pitfodels
Menstyle Hairdressing Michies the Chemist
Petrofac
N. Sainsbury & Sons
University of Aberdeen William Wilson & Co
Williamson & Dunn
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
Head Girl & Head Boy 2009-10
Stephanie Longmuir and Douglas Russell
School Section
Rector’s Report
This session we have benefited from further improvements to the School’s ICT equipment. Aberdeen City Council has purchased forty interactive whiteboards. Our open plan ICT area is to be rebuilt in July with teaching areas with thirty PCs in each being created. I am pleased that our brand new 17-seater school minibus was delivered to the School in September. The bus was purchased with money raised from our annual sponsored walks and it has been a great asset in transporting pupils on curricular and extra-curricular excursions.
I am pleased to report that our pupils continue to perform well in public examinations set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Aberdeen Grammar School is in the top 10% of the 350 state schools in Scotland in a range of measures of academic attainment in S4 to S6. In the so-called schools league tables created by newspapers, the Sunday Times places the school 10th overall of the state schools in Scotland. The Scotsman Newspaper placed the school in 8th position.
The national Curriculum for Excellence programme continues to be the main focus for development across the School. Over the next six years many aspects of the curriculum and learning in secondary schools in Scotland will change. The first year- group to fully experience the new secondary curriculum will be the new S1 pupils in August 2010. Our teachers have been working closely with primary school colleagues to plan curriculum structures and programmes of study. Our teachers have planned the new S1 subject courses and experiences in inter-disciplinary learning which they will teach next session. Curriculum for Excellence builds upon the good practice which exists in our schools. Where necessary, the curriculum, learning and teaching approaches and assessment will be updated. This is an evolutionary change not a revolution.
Like all Aberdeen City Council secondary schools Aberdeen Grammar School has started to introduce a new management structure. The school will have ten Faculty Heads, each with a responsibility for managing a specific area of the curriculum, for example Science or Humanities. The new structure is being phased in over a 3-year period and will be fully in place for August 2011.
A group of 36 pupils and four teachers are journeying to Costa Rica on an expedition organised by the “World Challenge”. The pupils will be involved in some community and environmental work, trekking and seeing the sights for four weeks in July 2010.
At the end of the 2009-10 session the School will experience a larger than usual number of staff changes. In total eleven teachers will leave, many of them retiring. Those leaving have given 190 years of service to Aberdeen Grammar School.
In November an enthusiastic cast and crew staged the musical ‘Grease’. All three performances were a sell-out. The senior Drama Club performed Willy Russell’s comedy “Stags and Hens”. The pupils directed, produced and managed all three performances almost entirely on their own without the need for staff support.
Aberdeen Grammar School GRAHAM LEGGE June, 2010 Rector
School Office-Bearers - Session 2009-2010
Head Boy: DOUGLAS RUSSELL
Depute Head Boys: HARRY JONES
S6 Prefects:
SCOTT BLAIR
MICHAEL BLUES
ANDY BURR
MICHAEL COBBAN
DAVID DIACK
RICHARD DUFFY
TIERNAN DUTHIE
MOLLY GRAY
Head Girl: STEPHANIE LONGMUIR
Depute Head Girls: KIRSTY CASSIE SAM KNUDSON BETH FIDDES
RACHAEL HADJITOFI
NICOLA HUME
FREDDIE KAYE
SOFIANE KENNOUCHE
JAMES LORD
DANIEL LYON
LAWRENCE McLELLAND
CALLUM McPHERSON
JONATHAN MATHERS
DUNCAN MEARNS
GREIG MORRISON
CHRISTOPHER MURRAY
NIALL RUNDLE
HANNAH WHITE
ALEX SHEPHERD
SARAH ROBSON
STEPHANIE BOTHWELL
EILIDH CRAWFORD
TAMARA WAKEFIELD
CLAIRE SOUTER
MHAIRI MARTIN
JAMIE SKINNER
GORDON BUCHAN
NICOLE PEDDIE
S5 Prefects
CATRINA BAIN
CAMILLE BLAND
SALLY CASSON
SIOBHAN COWIE
ELLEN CROCKHART
HELEN DARGIE
JAMES FINLAYSON
DARREN HANNAM
STEPHEN HARKIN
MAXINE KING
HANNAH KUNZLIK
ZOE MacANDREW
AIFRIC MULLER
BETH PATERSON
CLAIRE REPPER
GEORGIA ROSS
ANNA RUSHWORTH
KATE STEPHEN
GEORGINA STILL
CARLA VISOCCHI
NAOMI WATT
DUNCAN SAMUEL
RENATA KOSTER
SHONA McDONALD
SARAH MASTERS
CHRISTINA COBB
JONATHAN BEE
KEIR BELLAMY
JESSICA BRUCE
ALISTAIR GARDEN
ROSS CAMERON
JOE SUTHERLAND
Iain Ross, Catrina Cassie, Chelsea Gray, David McCreath, Andrew Milne, Emaline Kulasinghe, Chole Rayner, Andrew Sharples, Neil Stanton, Kirsten Stephen, Timothy Gillies, Sophie Mason, Martin Hammond, Michael Morrison, Monica Burns, Catrin Jones, Lewis Holmes, Shaun Patterson, Emily McDonald, Lia Garden, Chris Leiper, Craig Yeaman, Cameron Johnstone, Calum Hutcheon, Jennifer MacKay, Helda Chin
School Prizes 2009-2010
The Joyce Tease Award for excellence in Post 16 Modern Languages Erin McGowan
The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Administration Darren Hannam
The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Modern Studies David McCreath
The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Physical Education Michael Blues
The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Biology Charlotte Carruthers
The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Spanish Lisa Tretmanis
The Former Pupils’ Prize in Drama Rachel Campbell
The Former Pupils’ Prize in Home Economics Philippa Gerrard
The Samuel Pope Prize in Art & The Donald Paton Prize for Painting Lana Alldritt
The Sandy McIlwain Prize in Religious & Moral Studies Nicola Hume
The John Muir Robertson Prize in Accounting & Finance Jamie Skinner
The ALBA Trophy for Business Management Joint Darren Hannam Award Stephen Harkin Michael Morrison
The Gordon McMinn Prize in Computing Studies Alexander Walker
The Masson Bain Prize in English David McCreath
The William Brebner Prize in French Filippo de Fillipi
The German Consulate Prize Eileen Kuhl
The Charles Alexander Walker Prize in History Allegra Evans-Jones
The Campbell Connon Prize for Geography Iain Ross
The J. Mortimer McBain & George G. Whyte Prizes in Mathematics Iain Ross
The Gavin Falconer Memorial Prize in Music Emily McDonald
The Basil Emslie Memorial Prize in Technical Studies Tiernan Duthie
The CNR International Prize for Physics Peter Sclare
The CNR International Prize for Graphic Communication Derrick Chan
The Wellmac Ltd Prize in Product Design Christopher Clark
The CNR International Prize for Chemistry Iain Ross
The University of Aberdeen Prize for Human Biology David McCreath
The Caritas Cup for Contribution to Charities Group Activities Joint Emma Fiddes Award Sujauf Miah
The AGS Dramatic Society Award for Drama Christopher Murray
The AGS “Face the Music” Award for an outstanding Performance in the School’s Musical Production Joint Harald Jones Award Duncan Samuel
The AGS Junior Literary & Debating Shield Cameron Angus
The Rector’s Shield for outstanding contribution to the running of the Literary & Debating Society David McCreath
The Edith & David Bishop Prize for Public Speaking Iain Ross
The Andrew Middleton McLaren Prize for Enterprise Beth Paterson
The Montgomery Trophy Richard Duffy
The Philip Love Trophy Samuel Knudson
The Jamie Blair Fiddes Award Shona McDonald
The Pied Piper 2000 Award for outstanding talent and Commitment from a Cast or Crew Member Beth Paterson
Sports Awards
The Former Pupils’ Club S5/S6 Rugby Football Section Trophy Douglas Russell
The Arthur McCombie Senior Golf Trophy Cameron Howe
The David Swanson Junior Golf Trophy Anthony Harkin
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
The Isobel O Anderson Medal for Swimming Eilidh Thomson
The Fowlie Cup for Swimming (Girls) Eilidh Thomson
The Rector’s Medal for Swimming Suleman Butt
The Dr Morland Simpson Cup for Swimming Suleman Butt
The Damian Reidy Rugby Trophy Joint Award Tiernan Duthie Duncan Samuel
The Ronald MacKinnon Trophy for Athletics John Henderson
Inter-House Competition Awards
Junior Inter-House Debating Trophy Melvin Cameron Angus
The Inter-House Hockey Cup for Girls (Junior) Keith/Dun Morven Duff
S5/6 Inter-House Football Cup
Keith/Dun Iain Rodger
The Inter-House Hockey Cup for Girls (Senior) Byron Kirsty Cassie
S4/S6 Inter-House Boys’ Cricket
Keith/Dun Lee Calderwood
Iain Wolstenholme Inter-House Swimming Cup Melvin Eilidh Thomson
The Junior Inter-House Cookery Competition Melvin Emma Collins Anna McLeod
The AGS Inter-House Quiz Cup
The Inter-House Rock Climbing Cup
The Inter-House Challenge Cup
All-Round Awards
Keith/Dun Saraf Zahid
Keith/Dun Garrin Thomas Leo Stewart
Keith/Dun Beth Paterson Stephen Harkin
The Dr Alexander Cormack Prize to the best All-round Pupil in S1 Hannah Renton
The David Alexander Irvine-Fortescue Prize – S2 Horn Arnarsdottir
The Norman Mackie Memorial Award in S3 Georgia Smith
The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Award in S4 Geraldine Cooper
The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Award in S5 Iain Ross
The Former Pupils’ Club “1965” Award Richard Duffy
The Runner-up to the Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy for Girls Beth Fiddes
The Runner-up to the Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy & the Agnes Durward McDonald Prize Harald Jones
The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy for Girls Stephanie Longmuir
The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy & the John Ivo Dawson Prize Douglas Russell
School Cap for Hockey Siobhan Cowie
School Cap for Rugby Sam Knudson
Dux Award Duncan Mearns
Sport
Basketball Half Colours
Junior Colours
Cricket Full Colours
Half Colours
Football Full Colours
Half Colours
Junior Colours
Colours Awards
Mishkat Ahmed, Keir Bellamy, Redhwan Nacef
Bethany Lamont, Lucas Duncan, Matthew Henderson, David Hewitt, Kalle Leopoldt, Campbell McKendrick, Tommy Morrison, Andrew Pirie, Rachel Simpson, Ieuan Thomas
Sam Knudson, James Lord, Douglas Russell
Michael Blues, Alex Shepherd
Chris Eadie, Jonathan Mathers
Lana Aldritt, Liam McCall, Ian Roger
Johan Bracht, Grant Wright
Gym Junior Colours
Hockey Full Colours
Half Colours
Junior Colours
Lacrosse Junior Colours
Rugby Full Colours
Half Colours
Junior Colours
School Section
Danielle Garner, Rachel Gilmour
Kirsty Cassie, Eilidh Crawford, Beth Fiddes, Claire Repper
Stuart Christie, Chelsea Gray, Andrew Scrimgeour
Josh Biggs, Hugh Cruickshank, Michael Gordon, Jack Hughes, Meg Lough, Max McKay, Callum Michie, Tommy Morrison, Craig Walton
Helen Innes
David Diack, Tieman Duthie, Harry Jones, Duncan Samuel
Finn Blake, Andrew Doig, Graham Doig, Jim Gordon, Callum Hutcheon
Lewis Clark, Cameron Howe, Findlay Johnston, Tommy Morrison, Tom Perritt, Lawrence Sahebi, Campbell Simpson, Dominic Wallen, Ross Youngman
Bowling Half Colours Lisa Ross
Skiing Half Colours Kate Angus
Skating Half Colour Angela Boyne
Junior Colour
Squash Full Colours
Georgia Bland, Leah Hedger
Christ Leiper
Swimming Half Colour Lauren Kane
Tae
Kwon-Do
Tennis
Half Colours Mark Smith
Half Colours
Bruce Strachan
Junior Colour Callum Michie
Arts & Culture
Chess Half Colours Maryann McDonald
Junior Colours
Debating Full Colours
Half Colours
Junior Colours
Drama Half Colours
Hamish Olson
Beth Fiddes
Clare Armstrong, Richard Duffy
Alex Duncan, Mugdha Nagrath, Gordon West
Richard Duffy, Martin Hammond, Beth Paterson
Fairtrade Half Colours Angela Boyne, Phillippa Gerrard
Face the Full Colours
Music Half Colours
Ellen Crockart
Fiona Adams, Monica Burns, Sally Casson, Molly Gray, Lewis Holmes, Harry Jones, Stephanie Longmuir, Jennifer Mackay, David McCreath, Chris Murray, Shaun Patterson, Duncan Samuel, Junior Colours
Music Full Colours
Rachel Brown, Eilidh Crawford, Rachel Elliot, Eilidh McRobert, Emma Mason, Julia Stubbins, Siouxie Taylor
Duncan Mearns, Stephanie Longmuir, Zoe McAndrew Half Colours Clare Armstrong, Duncan Coghlan, Geraldine Cooper, Lia Gardne, Jessica Harrier, Helen Innes, Cameron Johnstone, Emily McDonald, Jennifer Mackay, Sophie Mason, Shaun Patterson, Chloe Raynor, Junior Colours Fiona Adams, Ewan Bain, Niall Ford, Amy Harrison, Rachel Matson, Eilidh McRobert, Rachael Robertson, Melissa Smart, Kirsten Urganci, Hannah Whitecombe
Wildlife Garden Half Colours Ellis Jamieson
Extra-Curricular Activities
School Sports Clubs
Cricket
The season started disastrously with a heavy defeat to a younger side at Huntly. On the journey up there rainstorms did not do much for the team’s morale, despite the presence in the team of a couple of the previous day’s successful rugby national winners at Murrayfield.
Skipper Sam Knudson, who lifted the rugby trophy in Edinburgh, was needed for his running skills by AGS FPs 1st XV and missed our game. Stand in John Lord lost the toss. The ball moved all over the place in the seamer friendly conditions. Our ‘powerful on paper’ top order failed and we were all out for a disappointing 31. The only plus points were that we batted 19 overs to get those runs, plus a few lusty blows by double try scorer at Edinburgh, Finn Blake
Despite an early wicket for Douglas Russell, the home team knocked off the runs in 9 overs. An understandably subdued return journey missed out on a chip stop as we arrived home a lot earlier than anticipated.
On Sunday 25 April we headed up to Gordonstoun in high hopes. After a light lunch the game began in somewhat overcast conditions. Perhaps not surprisingly, shortly afterwards the heavens opened. Restored skipper Sam Knudson and James Lord bowled four good overs at a South African cracker, a pupil at our hosts’ school, who is being chased by several English county sides. His father played for Derbyshire in the 1980s. We did manage to force him into hurried shots without taking his wicket. Whatever, the rains killed the game off. Ironically, we met up with sunshine again by Inverurie on the return journey.
Three days later at Countesswells we lost a tight game against Robert Gordon’s College. Their 120 from 20 overs should have been a few less as we lost our line and length in the final five overs when our opponents scored 60 odd. When we batted, Sam and James put on a second wicket partnership which gave a glimpse of hope. However, when they were both out we did not have enough overs left, even with wickets in hand, to win the game.. It was disappointing for the team to lose their penultimate school match, which they could have won, but that is cricket for you. It was a good team performance with two sharp run-outs and a tidy spell from Skipper Sam, at the start of their innings. Bowling too many wides and other loose balls cost us dear.
And so to Auld Reekie on Election Day, to the school which ex-PM Tony Blair attended – Fettes College. Our generous hosts batted first and scored 184 for 9 in their 35 overs. That score did not do justice to how well the team bowled and fielded. Sam Kundson’s figures of 0-27 were an outright lie. He bowled really well. Mike Blues also excelled with an impressive 4-28 and only a dropped catch stopped him getting a 5 for. In what was the last school match for seven of the team, the fielding and attitude were excellent.
When we batted the pitch forced a couple of batsmen to go through with their shots too early. Sam was one of them but his 22 was a real captain’s innings as he carried the top order. Jack Bruce came in at No 8 and played well for his 13. The scoreboard did not truly reflect how well we played. Their manager, another Mr Blair, commented several times how impressed he was with the approach, commitment and attitude of our boys. Mr Hutton, a real pillar of school cricket over the years, who is sadly leaving us in the summer, will confirm how well the boys played. So too will former RME staff member Mr Hardwick who came over to watch the game and help Mr Hutton with the scoring.
School Section
As far as the Manager is concerned, it has been a delight to work with such a talented and enthusiastic squad over the years as they have developed their skills and grown up in the sport. Thank you for all your effort and propagation of the good name of the school. By this stage in the season, it was time for the juniors to try and defeat the elements and get some cricket under their belts. The under-15 team played an evening league game at home -v- Banchory. David Blues bowled superbly as usual to finish with 4-13 from his four overs. However the other bowlers, being a bit rusty, sent down too many wides and our opponents finished on 59 from their 20 overs. We did not bat that well in changing light conditions and lost the match by 22 runs in the 19th over. We did not bat with a full team as a couple of our lads had to leave early. It was the first match of the season for the boys and there were a few good signs to build on in the rest of the season.
We made our first venture as a school into the Scottish Cup Junior Section against The Gordon Schools, Huntly on a gloriously sunny day at Rubislaw. Team-raising difficulties and late call-offs meant we were soundly beaten by a very well organised and determined Huntly side that went through to the next regional stage
Following the mid-season break for Activities Week, the Juniors played Robert Gordon’s College at Countesswells. Again team-raising proved to be difficult with six players calling off on the day before and day of the game. The seven lads we put out battled valiantly and gave a good performance in the field. When we batted Kingshuk Ghosh and David Blues, who played superbly for his 35, put on 39 for the third wicket. We were never to going to score the 132 we needed to win. Well done! to the boys who did play and gave their all.
Next came a Home Under-15 evening league game against Huntly. We bowled well at their top order. Their middle order picked off their 30s without too much difficulty and batted better than we bowled at them in this phase of the game. When we batted we hung in there for a while, but lost the game in the 17th over in the gloom at 9.15pm.
At the time of writing this report it has been something of a frustrating season. The unavailability of players has cost us sessions in matches we should have won at all levels. Players not able or willing to play also meant we had to scratch more games than we would have liked. The players who did turn up for winter nets, House matches, outdoor practice and the games themselves are to be highly commended. Others, including some obviously good players, did not give the sport the commitment it deserves, for whatever reason. For this the Manager must take a fair degree of responsibility for not motivating and inspiring pupils to represent their school. We will miss the attitude of people like Alex Shepherd – even although he did not have a great season with the bat. We should have a strong 1st XI next season but beyond that, apart from a few outstanding players in years 2, 3 and 4, it is difficult to see where the next generation of Grammar School cricket teams is going to come from. Kingshuk Ghosh in 1KD2 is a real find. So was Manoj Sanilommu in 2KD1 but he has gone back to India after starring in the House matches. Jeston D Costa in 2nd year and David Blues in 3rd year performed consistently well – but we need more like them to come through.
Thanks are due to John Lord and Ian Johnston from FPs who helped out with the evening teams and Alan, the Groundsman at Rubislaw, for his help with kit and pitches..
Football
Congratulations go to the Under16 Football Team, sponsored by Frankie and Benny’s of Union Square, who have won the CNR Aberdeen Schools Under16 Football League by winning all of their matches, and for reaching the Scottish Schools Football Association Shield Semi-Finals this season. They achieved these feats by scoring 54 goals and only once failing to score in their twelve matches.
Having been involved in the Fairtrade football match against the Senior football squad last year, which they narrowly lost by four goals to two, they are now really up for the
return leg in which they hope to improve on last year’s result by winning and becoming the Fairtrade Football Champions 2010. This match is scheduled to be played before the summer holidays.
The team did amazingly well by reaching the Cup Semi-Finals and in doing so causing a few upsets along the way. Their impressive run was started with the emphatic demolition of Robert Gordon’s College (who were beaten 12 – 0 at Countesswells) and then hammering Cults Academy 9 – 4 at Rubislaw. They then went on to beat far flung teams such as Thurso, Inverkeithing, Duncanrig and Preston Lodge High School before finally losing out in the semi-finals to a fantastic side, St Peter the Apostle High School, who eventually went on to win the competition.
The most memorable Scottish Cup match was the lengthy trip to East Kilbride to play a well-drilled and very physical Duncanrig Secondary School team. We conceded a goal in approximately 10 seconds from the kick- off, which we ourselves took, and the match looked dead and buried literally from the start. We battled hard to keep it at one-nil, with Duncanrig squandering a few chances along the way. After being very patient for long periods of the match we eventually scored a well-earned goal midway through the second half with great link-up play between Liam McCall and Greg Alexander; Liam jumped head and shoulders above the rest of the field to score the most perfect head flick into the bottom left hand corner of the net, well outwith the reach of their expert goalkeeper. It stayed one all until the final whistle, after which it went straight on to penalties owing to the fact that we had a four-hour bus journey back to Aberdeen after the match. All penalties were scored leaving the game poised at four goals to three in favour of the Grammar. Duncanrig’s fourth penalty kicker launched his kick well over the cross bar giving us the chance to win the match with our last penalty. Enter Seamus Duff. England’s World Cup Squad must wish they had as cool a customer as this. With a level head and his trusty right foot he couldn’t fail. And he didn’t. We had earned our place in the next round. Even although Liam scored our goal during the game and Seamus the winning penalty, this match was won by the sheer determination of every single player on the field playing his heart out. We battled hard and kept Duncanrig at bay when by rights they were definitely the better team and should have gone on to win the match. This was a very proud moment for both me and the players.
One player who must be given special mention is goalkeeper Grant Wright. If it were not for his heroics in this match, and also in the following game against Preston Lodge High School in which his outstanding goalkeeping kept us two goals ahead, we would not have reached the semi-finals at all. I think we can look forward to Grant being a first class goalkeeper in the very near future.
So on to this season. Unfortunately we lost one or two vital players who left School after the summer holidays, and as there is no under-17 team most of this squad will not play school football next session as the current sixth years have a strong squad to choose from. But the Under16 football team and I will always have this year as a lasting memory of a great squad with fantastic ability and possessing true grit and determination to enable them to gain the success that was celebrated by all - a true team in every sense of the word. Well done!
Congratulations must also go to the Under-14 Football team who won the CNR Under-14 ‘B’ League by winning all of their matches and by scoring twenty goals and only conceding two. Both of those goals came in the last match of the season which was an epic decider against Mintlaw away and which Grammar won 3-2. Well done to the whole team and I will see them again next season in the Under-15 League. Let’s keep up this winning streak into next season!
Barry Gibson
Under-15 Football
The U15 boys completed their season at the end of March. Although no silverware was collected, they have turned in some very impressive performances and were genuine title contenders right up until the last round of games. Notable performances were high-scoring away wins against Bucksburn and Northfield, the latter being reported in the local press.
The boys will be looking to improve on their league finish next season alongside making some progress in cup competitions – being dealt unlucky early exits in both the local and national competitions this year was disappointing for all.
The boys have worked well together as a team and have supported each other strongly throughout the season and will be looking to take that positive attitude into the beginning of their U16 season which starts in August.
The boys have also gathered quite a fan base with many pupils from the S3 and other years regularly turning up for home games.
Thanks go to the many parents, who have regularly turned up in all sorts of weather, for their support and encouragement (and bacon rolls!) throughout the season.
C. Smith
Cup-Winning Debaters
Beth Fiddes and David McCreath
School
Kate Angus
Kate Angus
Kate Angus
Girls’ Hockey
During the 2009/10 season the Grammar Girls’ Hockey coach was Sari Johnson, a Former Pupil and captain of AGSFP Women’s Hockey 1st XI. Weekly training sessions were well attended by 70-plus girls from all years. Active Schools was also involved in this and the sessions were open to P5-7 pupils from the School’s feeder Primaries in preparation for producing future generations of Grammar hockey stars.
Annual fixtures were played against St Margaret’s, Robert Gordon’s College, Albyn and Lathallan with varied results across the year groups. The trend continues that the younger years are mostly being beaten, but by S3 they are certainly pulling back and taking control!
As with most sports, weather caused a number of cancellations to weekly training and fixtures, which meant tournaments being re-scheduled. Unfortunately, the re-scheduled dates did not work to our advantage and none of our teams achieved the success which they hoped for in the S1, S3 or Senior events. However, one of our two S3 teams did reach the semi-finals.
In the North District Schools Cups the 1st XI played Robert Gordon’s College 2nd XI but it came down to the wire and they were beaten on penalty flicks. The S3 team were knocked out in the first round of their cup competition.
In the North District Indoor Competition, the School finished third.
A number of girls have been involved with North District squads over the last year, with selections made at U15, U16 and U18 level. Congratulations go to Morven Duff, Ellen Masters, Siobhan Cowie and Alice Geddes who all made the final selection. Siobhan has also been selected to represent Scotland at U18 level. The team will be competing in the Home Nations event in Cork, in Ireland, in July – Good luck!
Boys’ Hockey
The lack of senior boys playing hockey at the School has resulted in the Under16 team having to step up a level and play 1st XI fixtures. This team entered North District Men’s League Division 2, playing under the FPs’ Colts banner. They also competed successfully in Scottish U16 and U18 competitions, winning the U16 Scottish League and reaching the finals of two other national cups. They are currently one of the major forces in Scottish hockey at U16 level.
In School matches we lost 2-1 to Edinburgh Academy 1st XI in August, but then comfortably beat Robert Gordon’s College U-16s by 4-0. Towards the end of the first term the younger Colts lost narrowly 1-0 to the Senior Grammarians in the Grammarians Cup. The older boys then outplayed Grammarians for much of the annual game for the John Drummond Trophy, but poor finishing by the schoolboys and a couple of defensive lapses culminated in a 1-4 defeat.
Following a few games of indoor hockey during the bad weather in January, the School achieved their most remarkable result. The 6-2 away win against Gordonstoun 1st XI was remarkable not just for the score-line but also for the excellent display of counterattacking. Unfortunately at home they conceded a goal to Gordonstoun in the final minute and lost 1-2. School beat Lathallan 1st XI twice by 3-0 and 5-0.
In North District League Division 2 the boys’ results against men’s teams steadily improved throughout the season as skill, fitness and strength levels improved. The team undoubtedly benefited from playing against stronger teams and finished in a creditable fourth place.
In the League Cup competition they were winners of the North regional qualifier group. On Finals Day at Peffermill (Edinburgh) the boys snatched second place in a ‘round robin’ series involving Inverleith, Clydesdale, Kelburne and Strathallan by equalising in the final thirty seconds of the final pool game against Strathallan. They then lost 1-0 in the
final to a good Strathallan team. It was unfortunate that Euan Christie missed Finals Day altogether and Callum Michie, our Captain, missed the final, both through injury.
In the Scottish U18 Reserve Cup School finished second in a ‘round robin’ league to a very strong Perthshire side (0-7 was the season’s low point). We were under considerable pressure for most of the final, but a well organised and committed defence, with goalkeeper Tommy Morrison in great form, prevented the older boys from scoring. The full-time score was 0-0, but unfortunately we lost the penalty-stroke competition.
The benefits of playing against older opposition became apparent when the boys were comfortably the champions of the Scottish U16 League, with a 100% record. They had wins over Inverleith (6-1), Harris (5-0), Dundee Wanderers (12-2), Perthshire (4-2) and Clydesdale (4-2). There were concessions by Western and Grange.
During the course of the season Junior School Colours were awarded to all twelve S4 boys plus Euan Christie S3. Half-Colours were awarded to Stuart Christie, Max McKay and Andrew Scrimgeour.
Individual Achievements (all boys S4 unless stated)
Euan Christie S3
Grammarians Youth Player of the Year (2009); North U15 and U16; Scotland U16 Development Squad; AGSFP 1st XI and Indoor; Graham Fraser Trophy (2010)
Stuart Christie 2009 Captain; North U16; AGSFP 1st Indoor; Coaches’ Prize (2009)
Hugh Cruickshank Grammarians Medal (2009); Coaches’ Prize 2010); 49 goals. Jack Hughes North U15; Scotland U16 Development Squad
Max McKay Graham Fraser Trophy (2009); North U16; AGSFP 1st Indoor
Callum Michie 2010 Captain
Alex Morrison S2 North U14 and U15
Andrew Scrimgeour North U16
Prasanth Thangaraj S3 North U15
The boys have benefited significantly from weekly training sessions after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from the help of Senior Coach Dr Andrew Webster and Assistant Coaches Fred Lawson, Greg Anderson, Magnus Willett, Tony Duguid and Ben Johnson. Regular youth matches and competition on Sundays have also helped. Many of the boys have also played for the FP teams on Saturdays. Support from Aberdeen City Council and the groundsmen at Rubislaw, Alan Christie and Dave Harper, has been much appreciated. Regular use of the School’s new minibus has been invaluable, as has the generous financial contribution made towards youth hockey by Grammarians.
Senior Rugby
The 2009-10 season saw the Senior Grammar rugby team win the Scottish Bowl, after only reaching the quarter-final last season. After the departure of FPs’ 1st team coach, Mike O’Donovan, last season and the retirement of Mr. Montgomery at Christmas, the majority of Senior team training was organised by a few of the 6th years. Without their help the team could not have gained the success which it did.
The team captaincy was shared throughout the season between Doug Russell and Sam Knudson. In the earlier stages of the competition, Doug helped to lead the side to victories against Lathallan School, Meldrum Academy, Carnoustie High School and Kinross High School. This gave the Grammar School a four-game unbeaten run into the final, in which they would play Williamwood High School.
The final was held on the new artificial pitch at lesser Murrayfield, and the School brought a coach full of pupils and teachers to support the team. The final saw Sam Knudson back in the team after his return from playing for Scotland U18s in the Six
Nations in Wales. This meant that for the first time in the season the Senior team would be at full strength, with all players available. The final was a very close run thing with Grammar coming out on top 25 - 21 through tries from Finn Blake, Lawrence Sahebi and Sam Knudson. Andy Doig won man of the match with a fine performance in the centre.
The season saw Tiernan Duthie, Duncan Samuel, David Diack and Harry Jones each receive full colours, and Andy Doig receive half colours. Special mention must be made of Sam Knudson who, after playing in the Tri-District tournament for Caledonia U18, was selected to play for Scotland U18. Sam was awarded a School Cap.
In all, this season was a more successful one than last, with great dedication shown by all the players. Many thanks go to Mr. Montgomery for all the hard work which he put in towards the team, and also to those who provided support for the team during the final in Edinburgh.
Golf
This year, the School’s Golf Team managed to qualify for the Semi- Finals of the Aberdeen Schools League. In an exhilarating semi-final, played round the challenging Murcar Links, the Grammar team lost 2-1 to the eventual winners, Robert Gordon’s College.
At the annual Aberdeen Schools Golf Championship, an impressive round of 69 scratch for Anthony Harkins would put him in 3rd place for the players of handicaps between 13 and 24. A young squad of promising individuals also played at Craibstone, and we can expect some more like Anthony in the coming years
In the School’s Golf Competition the David Swanson Memorial Shield, played for at the Aspire Golf Centre, for S1-S3 pupils, was won by Anthony Harkins, and the Arthur McCombie Trophy for S4-S6 pupils played this year at Peterculter, was won by Cameron Howe.
Ski-ing
It was a busy season last year – trying to fit in training and racing with the Scottish Ski Team and the small matter of Standard Grade Exams. It was also my first full year as a ‘Junior’, which meant that I moved up a category in ski-racing, with longer skis and larger and older girls to race against!
It was decided that I should cut back on training abroad and concentrate on my school work by staying in Aberdeen as much as possible. I managed to fit in training in Switzerland on glacier snow in the summer, followed by training in France in the October holidays and racing in Norway during the Christmas holidays.
The Norway races were really tough, with strong opposition from Norwegian and Swedish racers and exceptionally low temperatures. The average temperature was minus 25 – and it was only light for four hours each day. Luckily the Norwegians were all geared up for racing in these conditions – the pistes were solid ice and races were held under floodlights.
The extreme cold finally worked its way in through my ski boots and layers of socks, and I ended up with bad frostbite on my toes. A trip to the local hospital meant the end of racing for that trip and I hobbled back to Aberdeen and more snow and wintry conditions. A&E in Aberdeen hadn’t seen many cases of frostbite!
In March I was selected to represent Scotland in the World Schools Ski Championships in Folgaria in Italy. This is the third time I have raced for the Schools Team and the last, as next year I will be too old to compete. There was a great welcome from the little ski resort of Folgaria, with locals lining the streets to welcome the teams from all over the world. We paraded through the streets in kilts and tartan hats with the
saltire painted on our faces – it was quite a sight! The girls’ team did quite well, coming 4th in our category.
Back in Aberdeen, I concentrated on building up my fitness for the big event of the ski-racing calendar – the British Land Races in Meribel, France. These take place every Easter and the town is taken over by lots of racers and their families.
The conditions were very tough, with strange weather. It was a mixture of brilliant sunshine, fog, ice and very late snow. I completed fourteen races in all, including the Super G on skis that were very much larger than me – 2metres. Quite difficult to manoeuvre whilst hurtling down a mountain very fast in a lycra catsuit!
After Easter I was selected again for the Scottish Ski Team and I hope that this next season is just as exciting, but maybe without the frostbite!
Kate Angus
Squash
Chris Leiper of S6 is currently ranked number 1 at U17 level in Scotland and number 34 in Europe.
He was selected to play at No. 1 and Captain in the European Team Championships in Prague in May, but the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud dashed their hopes of getting there. He was third in the Harrow Junior Open in Exeter in June and looks forward to competing in the Dutch Junior Open in July.
Clubs and Societies
Chess Club
The Chess Club meets on Monday lunchtimes and members have had a successful session. Younger pupils keen to learn the game or to improve their skills are welcome at a Junior Chess Club on Thursdays where some of the gifted older pupils give coaching.
Maryann McDonald of S5 was a member of Scotland’s Faber Cup team which won the British U18 girls’ championship at Strathclyde University, beating England in the final.
Ian McDonald of S3 was top board for the U14 boys’ team which finished third and was top FIDE grade improver at the Scottish Championships in Edinburgh, where his FIDE grading performance was over 1900. Hamish Olson, S4, was the top grade riser in Scottish chess last year.
Ian and Hamish recently returned victorious having represented Aberdeen in the twin cities chess competition in which they played teams from Aberdeen’s twin cities of Clermont Ferrand in France and Regensberg in Germany. Last November, Maryann and Ian played for Scotland at the World Junior Chess Championships held in Turkey. In the 2010 Law Society Chess Championship the School came third, with Hamish and Maryann winning prizes for the highest scores on boards 2 and 3 respectively. In the Scottish Schools team championship – The Scotsman Trophy – the Grammar were knocked out again at the semi-final stage by Dollar Academy.
School Debating Senior Debating Society
Our Senior team of David McCreath S5 and Beth Fiddes S6 have been making their mark throughout the year at debating competitions across Scotland. They have engaged in thrilling finals in both the Edinburgh and St Andrews University debating competitions, and emerged as triumphant winners of the Aberdeen University Debating Competition in November. Further afield, our senior debaters have won through the Scottish heats of both the Cambridge and Oxford University Schools Debating Competitions with Beth Fiddes
School Section
and Clare Armstrong S4 forming the team which headed south to the Cambridge Finals Day, while Beth and David travelled to the dreaming spires of Oxford for the Finals Day held there.
In May, the team travelled to their final debating competition together, the Ross Cup, held in the prestigious Parliament Hall of St Andrews. Having taken part in a debate of high quality consisting of the top four Scottish teams from the past year, David and Beth were crowned winners of the competition, thus providing a fitting end to a year involving much success.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone, both staff and pupils, who put so much energy into running and participating in the debating society all through the year and allow us to achieve all that we have in debating. Judging by the Primary Seven induction days, which took place towards the end of the session, we can expect the success of the Aberdeen Grammar School Debating Society to continue throughout the next year and beyond.
Junior Debating
Debating remains a popular extra-curricular activity at Aberdeen Grammar School, not least among younger pupils. This year we have had around thirty S1-S3 pupils who attend our debating club on a weekly basis. We were extremely fortunate to have the help of our top debater, David McCreath who, in addition to organising the debating programme, ran fortnightly coaching sessions for debaters who were keen to become involved in competitions.
This year we were successful in a number of national and international competitions. We had two teams in the English Speaking Union Competition 2010. Eilidh McCreath S1 and Euan Christie S3 competed alongside Finlay McRobert S1 and Peter Morrow S2. Brodie and Heather West S1 did incredibly well getting through to the second round of the East of Scotland Debater 2010. The girls also represented the school at the ‘Auld Hoose’ Debating Competition at Robert Gordon’s College in May.
The highlight of the junior debating year has to be ICYD (International Competition for Young Debaters) which was held this year at Oxford University. Our team, comprising Eilidh McCreath S1 and Clare Armstrong S4, were placed as the top Scottish team and came 6th overall. This was a superb result, as they were competing against some of the best independent schools in the world!
The session ended with the traditional Inter-House Junior Debating Competition. All three houses were represented, with participants debating compulsory voting in the first round. The top six went on to the final in which the discussion was about space exploration. The difficulty which the judges faced in reaching a decision reflected the high quality of debate demonstrated in the final. In the end Cameron Angus of Melvin won, with Emma Anderson of Keith/Dun in second place and Eilidh McCreath of Byron in third.
Music
It seems a long time since the School Concert back in the Winter term, which was followed by our input to the ‘Face the Music’ production of Grease. Come the New Year and the Department embarked on a very busy term, with a variety of musical events.
Interested in creating new opportunities for pupils to win house points for musical activities, some of the S6 House Captains took on the job of organising Aberdeen Grammar School's first ‘Young Musician of the Year’ competition at the end of February. They sat through a number of auditions and deliberated for some time before putting through four S1-4 pupils and six S5/6 pupils to the final, which was held in the school hall. An independent judging panel of experienced musicians, including retired Principal Teacher of Music, Jean McLeod, listened to four Junior Section performances from
An Expedition to Nepal Support for “Future for Nepal”
Nepal – a small, yet remarkable, landlocked country located in eastern Asia between India and China – is home to a diverse population from many different ethnic groups and cultures. It offers many new and exciting experiences. To the north of the country lies the awe-inspiring Himalayan mountain range, where eight of the fourteen mountains in the world over 8,000 metres can be found. To the south, Nepal offers an entirely different experience, in particular the fascinating Chitwan National Park where an exciting array of wildlife can be seen.
During my summer vacation from Durham University I was lucky enough to visit this wonderful country as part of a Durham University Charities Kommittee (DUCK) six-week expedition. The trip was primarily a fund raising exercise, with each expedition member required to raise at least £1,050 for Future For Nepal (FFN), a charity founded by Thomas Wells, a former Durham student. FFN is an ever-expanding charity, conducting vital work to improve the standard
of living of disadvantaged children in Nepal, in particular through the medium of education. Current projects which FFN is carrying out include sponsoring impoverished children through school, supplying local schools with teaching and extra-curricular equipment, and funding a drop-in centre and half-way home for street children living in the capital city, Kathmandu.
The trip itself consisted of three main phases. The first was focused around a two week trek to the Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m) and South Annapurna Glacier (around 5,000m) which is located at the heart of the Annapurna Range in the Himalayas. This proved to be a challenging, yet thoroughly memorable experience, giving me the chance to experience a wide range of landscapes from dense rainforests to barren glaciers and towering mountain peaks.
The second phase enabled expedition members to add their own personal contribution to the work of Future For Nepal by volunteering in schools located in the Kathmandu Valley, teaching primarily English and Mathematics. During this time we were living with Nepalese families which meant that we could experience local customs, lifestyle and cuisine first-hand.
My particular school was a small government-run establishment with roughly 160 pupils ranging from about five to sixteen years old. Primarily, I was responsible for teaching Classes 2 and 3 which were between nine and twelve years old. As the students’ command of English was fairly limited, my teaching was focused towards basic vocabulary, such as days of the week and the weather. I also introduced basic number recognition and arithmetic, adopting Bingo as a valuable teaching aid!
Some of the pupils from Class 2
Interestingly, my school had been selected, along with twenty-six other schools in Nepal, based on academic and teaching record, to pilot a “one child, one laptop” scheme. This scheme was implemented by the Nepalese government with the help of international monetary and technical support, to help promote ICT-based learning. Each laptop was geared to teach three subjects, Nepali, English and Mathematics, with the help of internally stored encyclopaedia, and internet connection. If the pilot testing proves to be successful then the scheme could be adopted on a national basis. I was informed by the school coordinator that Nepal was the first country to test such a scheme, and thus being able to witness it in operation first-hand was rather special!
The final phase involved visiting Nepal’s first national park – Chitwan National Park. Located in the park is an elephant sanctuary which is home to the first twin baby elephants to be born in Asia, as well as the spectacular, yet extremely reclusive, Bengal Tiger!
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Nepal and I will cherish my memories and numerous (about 1,400!) photos for years to come. However I would not have been able to participate in this expedition without the kind support of the Aberdeen Grammar School Former Pupils’ Club. I greatly appreciate the generous donation which it made towards my travel expenses to Nepal. Not only has it enabled me to complete a once in a life time trip, but I would like to think that through my volunteer work, it has helped to improve the lives of at least a few Nepalese children as well!
Chris Ballard (2002-08)
Chris Ballard is studying for a degree in Economics at Durham University and has just completed the second year of the course.
Lochnagar
A Hillwalking Re-union
With the inevitable diminishing athletic horizons that accompany the ageing process, a collection of the old guard AGS Hill-walking Club was invited to assemble at the Lochnagar Car Park on the morning of 12th September 2009. The brainchild of Andy Martin, there were to be just ten of us on this occasion, and as Mike Davidson (Spike) drove me, Andy and James Dalgarno out there, I was filled with intrigue as I anticipated the reunion – and wondered if my greater anatomical ‘upholstery’ would render me unrecognisable by those I hadn’t seen for the 33 years since I left School.
There awaiting us in the car park on a matchless and clear day were Neill Montgomery – the last of the teachers whose efforts were perhaps not altogether wasted on us, together with Kenneth Nisbet, Mike Rust, Ian Morrice (Moggie) Stephen Lynch and Zander Milne. There was a rare welcome for our car load, but the midges ensured that we were quickly on our way, retracing the route which we all had trodden so many times under the watchful eye of Ian Spence and others, sadly no longer with us.
Hill-Walking Reunion on Lochnagar
Rear : Zander Milne, Andy Martin, Mike Davidson
Middle : Ian Morrice, James Dalgarno, Mike Rust, Stephen Lynch. Neil Montgomery. Arthur Stewart
Front : Kenneth Nisbet
Donny Innes
With the Six Nations Championship Trophy With the Six Nations Championship Trophy
As the heat of the day shimmered across the grassland at the head of Loch Muick, an adder was coiled lazily by the path. It seemed oblivious to the stream of walkers passing by within a few feet of it until one of our number proffered a camera when, overcome by shyness, it slithered away amongst the heather. On we tramped through the cool shade of the woodland, and slowly re-acquainted ourselves with this place and with one another. I, for one, savoured the relative cool of the forest, knowing that the sun-baked path beyond would slow our steps and enforce an inevitable de-layering of our autumnal apparel. Although we were already spreading out, it didn’t matter, for this was a grand day to be waiting. As a group of competent adults, we did not need a leader – we needed a system for making decisions. It was a different story back in the 1970s, when our teachers were in loco parentis when they took us to the hills. We reflected on the leadership which had under-pinned our walks while at School and how our disparate speed (or “mixed party factor”) would invariably split us up over a large distance. And yet, back then, we were blissfully unaware of the angst that our leaders must have suffered over our disarray. Only now, with Mike Rust and others’ lifetime of leading others in wild places, were we able to appreciate the quality of authentic and unobtrusive leadership, which enabled us, within those invisible boundaries, to discover a true sense of adventure which had propelled us, since then, beyond our native Scotland to far flung places the world over. And as we listened to one another’s stories, I think we were all convinced that not one of us had lost that discovery.
Following the day of the Cairngorm disaster in 1971, when six schoolchildren died on Ben MacDhui, Ian Spence led me and others over Broad Cairn, only 15 miles away from the accident site, on a day windy enough to blow an ice axe away end over end. Decades later, we came to a slow realisation that more than self-belief and ignorance kept us alive that day. And there were many more less tragic stories that stirred the strings of our memory as we padded up past Foxes’ Well and Jacob’s Ladder and onto the plateau.
And so to the summit. No doubt it would see the soles of 200 feet today beneath such an azure sky. After Spike’s team photo, we descended and moved south-east across the plateau, over Cuidhe Crom and off the beaten track. As we scrambled over the waves of boulders, again we split up, each according to his sure-footedness, differentially grateful or unappreciative of Mike Rust’s wild route choice. I was equally taken by his local knowledge and the professionalism of a lifetime given to mountain rescue, as I was with Kenneth Nisbet’s stoicism, while he cautiously descended the rougher terrain, safe in the knowledge that we would wait for him to take his own time.
Such a differential in speed enabled easy conversation which ensured that we were up-dated with each other’s news. Although we were in no danger of breaking any speed records as the afternoon wore on, what struck me more than anything, was that here was a group, in or entering its sixth decade, which was still actively walking, climbing, kayaking, sailing and diving! When so many lose touch as their paths inevitably diverge after leaving school – and we had –by 4pm it was as if the intervening two generations had simply not happened. Here we were, by and large successful professionals in IT, medicine, accountancy, academia, engineering, photography and commerce, laughing our
way homeward, amused by the same idiosyncrasies which had amused us all those years ago. There was a deeper spirit of mutual care than I remembered at school, as if we recognised the missing part of the experience the teachers alone shared back then. In the wild places lay the opportunity not only for geographical discovery and physical challenge, but for interpersonal awareness and a team spirit. And Neill Montgomery, only six years my senior – was not the lofty academic we once took him for – he was just the same as us, and his transition from mentor to peer was a powerful lens through which the rest of us saw what the hills had done for us.
As we dined in Ballater later, we mused over the three Munros Ian Spence would have chosen as favourites. We passed around old photographs, and our laughter, like memories, ricocheted around the room. We were tired and deeply content. It was as if, from where they are now, Ian Stephen and those like him could see our common appreciation that the great outdoors was perhaps the best classroom we would ever discover. Their collective legacy – that we may learn a great deal more from our glorious hills than merely the journeys they would witness – was something which I was only just beginning to appreciate. Our table laughed together in that discovery, as, no doubt, our absent friends were laughing too.
Arthur D. Stewart (1963-76)
Arthur Stuart is a Reader at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, and is Deputy Director of the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology.
The Six Nations Trophy
The Championship Trophy was taken around Scotland during this year’s competition by sponsors, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and put on display at selected branches of the Bank in various towns and cities. One such display was in Aberdeen’s St Nicholas Branch and, as European Golden Oldies Rugby President, I was able to arranged for it to have an extra display at the Club Centre at 86 Queen’s Road before being taken back south. This was a great opportunity for photography, as will be explained.
The winners of the Six Nations are presented with the Championship Trophy. This was originally conceived by the Earl of Westmorland, and first presented to the winners of the 1993 championship, France. It is a sterling silver trophy, designed by James Brent-Ward and made by a team of eight silversmiths from the London firm of William Comyns. It is valued at £55,000. Although it was originally silver on the inside, the trophy became so corroded through celebratory champagne fillings that it is now plated with 22 carat gold for protection. It has fifteen side panels representing the fifteen members of the team, and three handles to represent the three match officials. The cup has a capacity of 3.75 litres – sufficient for five bottles of champagne. Within the mahogany base is a concealed drawer which contains six finials, each a silver replica of one of the team emblems, which can be screwed on to the detachable lid.
General Section
I asked Scotland’s oldest surviving Rugby captain, John Robert Stephen (Donny) Innes, if he would like a photograph alongside the Trophy, which did not exist in his playing day. He is one of the few players in International Rugby who played both before and after the Second World War. His illustrious Rugby career included being capped for Scotland eight times plus two Victory Internationals. He was first capped in 1939 against Wales, going on to play against Ireland (scoring a try) and England. The two Victory matches in 1946 were against England (a try) and Wales. In 1947 he was captain against Australia and in 1948 he was captain in all matches. He was the winning captain in the Calcutta Cup match and his name is engraved on the base of that Cup. When his playing days were over Donny went on to be a respected administrator, representing the North District on the committee of the Scottish Rugby Union for many years and becoming President of the Union in 1973-74.
Last year I had been able to arrange for Donny to be photographed with the Calcutta Cup, along with local man, Stan Rothnie, who is a direct descendant of the creator of that Cup, Captain Rothnie. This year, Donny accepted my invitation, and we met at the Club Centre when the photograph which appears elsewhere in this Magazine was taken. It was a quite remarkable occasion.
Afterwards, Donny made a very generous donation towards my work in promoting Golden Oldies Rugby. This has been used to purchase perpetual trophies for the Scottish Golden Oldies Rugby Festival, with the “Dr Donny Innes Cup” going to the oldest player taking part in the Festival. At this year’s Festival it was won by Alistair Urquhart of Aberdeen Strollers, who is aged 82 and had scored his first try…in thirty years.
David
McDonald (1961-67)
Former Pupils’ Club
Founded 11 September 1893
Club Office-Bearers, 2010-2011
Honorary President: GRAHAM LEGGE, BEd, MEd (Rector)
Honorary Vice-Presidents:
JOHN W. CRADOCK (1941-46), CA (President, 1977-78)
T. GORDON COUTTS (1938-49), QC, MA, LL.B (President, 1980-81)
JAMES A.N. WATT (1927-39), CA (President, 1982-83)
BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46), TD, MA, LL.B (President, 1983-84)
ERIC D. WATT (1937-50), BEd. (President, 1984-85)
Prof. PHILIP N. LOVE (1952-58), CBE, DL, MA, LL.B, LL.D (President, 1987-88)
W. MORRISON BROWN (1933-46) (President, 1988-89)
T. IAN MORRISON (1934-47), TD, BSc, MSc, CChem, FRSC, (President, 1990-91)
DR. J.R.S. INNES (1923-35), MB,ChB. (President, 1991-92)
A. KEITH CAMPBELL (1944-53), TEng (CEI), FInst AEA (President, 1992-93)
IAN M. DUGUID (1938-43), OduM, MD, PhD, FRCS, FCOpth, LL.D, DO (President, 1993-94)
JAMES C. LYON (1953-59), RIBA, FRIAS (President, 1996-97)
J. EDWARD FRASER (1936-49), CB, MA, BA, FSA(Scot) (President, 1997-98)
RICHARD H. CRADOCK (1940-51) (President, 1998-99)
RICHARD F. TYSON (1944-49) (President, 2000-01)
STEPHEN A.C. ROBERTSON (1939-51) MBE, MA, LL.B, MUniv. (President, 2001-02)
DOUGLAS G. FOWLIE (1950-64) MB,ChB, FRCPsych. (President, 2002-03))
IAN H. McLEOD (1951-55) (President, 2004-05)
GORDON G. MILNE (1950-61) MB.ChB (President, 2005-06)
DAVID L. ALLAN (1945-58) QPM, LL.B, MPhil, FCMI (President 2006-07)
GARY J.G. ALLAN (1963-76) QC, LL.B (President 2007-08)
JAMES M. CLARK (1947-59) (President 2008-09)
NEIL BORTHWICK (1952-65) BSc, PhD (President 2009-10) (Specially Elected)
ARTHUR L. McCOMBIE, MA, FSA(Scot) (Deputy Rector, 1973-90) (Elected 1991)
ALISTAIR M. NORTH (1937-50) OBE, BSc, DSc, PhD, FRSE, FRIC (Elected 2004)
WILLIAM J. JOHNSTON, BSc, DipEd (Rector 1987-04) (Elected 2005)
J. PETER JEFFREY (1944-59) MSc, ARGIT, CEng, MICE, PEng (Elected 2010)
President: DONALD A. LAMONT (1952-65) MA
Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive: W. ROBERT HUTCHESON (1962-68) LL.B, C.A.
Secretary: JOHN F. HENDRY (1951-65) LL.B
Treasurer: ALAN W. MARR (1969-75) CA
General & Notes Editor of Magazine: BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46) TD, MA, LL.B
Regional Centres
Edinburgh: President – W. MORRISON BROWN(1933-46)
Secretary – JAMES H. RUST (1963-71) james.rust@btconnect.com
Glasgow: President – STEFAN COLLING (1990-96)
Secretary – MARGERY TAYLOR (1975-81) m.taylor@lomond-school.org
London: President – A. GRAHAME B. YOUNG (1940-47)
Secretary – SANDY NICOL (1962-71) anicol@lineone.net
Yorkshire: President – DOUGLAS SKENE (1959-64)
Secretary – DAVID GALLOWAY (1976-82) davegalloway1964@hotmail.com
Canada: President – KENNETH E. PIRIE (1948-57)
Secretary – R. HALSEY G. BRADFORD (1951-65) halsey_bradford@hotmail.com
Secretaries
of Sections
Cricket – RICHARD S.T. FERRO theferrofamily@lineone.net
Curling – IAN P. SOUTER (1947-61) ianpsouter@aol.com
Football – RICHARD NICHOLSON (1975-81) richardn@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Golf – PETER M. ROBERTSON (1967-73) pmrobertson@adamcochran.co.uk
Men’s Hockey – DUNCAN HARRIS (1985-91) dharris@technip.com
Women’s Hockey – ANGIE TAYLOR smange13@yahoo.co.uk
Pétanque – JOAN COMBER r.comber@sky.com
Rugby – GORDON THOMSON g.thomson@talk21.com
Executive Committee
W. ROBERT HUTCHESON (1962-68), Chairman DOUGLAS McALLISTER (1961-74) Vice-Chairman
The Secretary, the Treasurer and the General Editor of the Magazine, ex officiis The Rector of the School, ex officio
NORMAN K.B. EDWARDS (1959-64) LAURA JARRET (1982-88)
RUSSELL GRAY (1951-65) LUCY MITCHELL (1985-90)
H. ALAN S. HAMILTON (1943-56) HARVEY E. MORRISON (1951-65)
GRANT A. HAMILTON (1988-94) BARRY J. SHEPHERD (1988-94)
DEREK A. HARLEY (1974-80) KIM STUART (1988-93)
IAIN S. HOPKIN (1962-68) ANGUS J. THOMPSON (1969-75)
Section Representatives
Club Centre – DALLAS G. MOIR (1969-75)
Cricket – JEREMY D. MOIR (1969-75)
Curling – MARIO L. VICCA (1952-56)
Football – RICHARD NICHOLSON (1975-81)
Golf – DALLAS G. MOIR (1969-75)
Hockey –Pétanque – RONALD R. COMBER (1947-52)
Rugby –
Women’s Hockey – GILLIAN M.E. GRAHAM (1991-97)
Staff – JANET C. ADAMS (1980-86)
Auditors
Messrs. BOWER & SMITH, C.A
Club Centre Committee
DALLAS G. MOIR* – Chairman BRIAN DEIGHTON* – Secretary HARVEY E. MORRISON – Treasurer
K. BARNETT, K. DOUGLAS, N. GARDEN, L. GEDDES, A. HAMILTON, D. HARLEY, P. HENDERSON*, J.F. HENDRY, I.S. HOPKIN*, R. HUTCHESON, D. INKSON, L. JARRET, C. PHILIPS, J. RICE, K. STUART, D. WATSON*, J. WILLIAMS, D.YOUNG* (* Denotes member of Management Board)
Club Consuls
Australia – JIM W. HOWISON (1937-50), 98A Hull Road, West Pennant Hills, New South Wales 2125, Australia, E-mail: howison@tech2u.com.au Tel. 00 61-2-9875-1296
Australia – Dr. FORBES J. SMITH (1945-57), 242 Main Creek Road, Main Ridge, Victoria, 3928, Australia E-mail: forbessmith@alphalink.com.au Tel. 0061-3-5989-6234
Canada – GORDON B. SINGER (1949-50), 2421 Erlton Street SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2S 2V9 E-mail: singsing@shaw.ca Tel. 00 1-403-266-6448
Canada – PETER J. GREEN (1946-57), 506 Slater Road, RR#2, Kemptville, Ontario, Canada, K1G 1J0 E-mail: chantagrie@sympatico.ca Tel. 00 1-613-989-3940
Canada – DAVID R. AULD (1947-61), 2187 Lafayette Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8S 2P2 E-mail: davidauld@shaw.ca Tel. 001-250-595-0616
Corsica – IAIN WARES (1941-52), Via G.M. Angioy 34, Cagliari 09124, Sardinia, Italy. Tel. 0039-070-652508
Hong Kong – MARSHALL H. BYRES (1960-69), 2A Hatton House, 15 Kotewall Road, Hong Kong E-mail: marshall.byres@hk.ey.com Tel. 00852-2846-9878
Ireland – ANDREW M.M. STEVEN (1936-50), 5 Beechhill Avenue, Saintfield Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT8 6NS. Tel. 028-9070-2315.
New Zealand – MICHAEL B. THOMSON (1938-51), 39 Jubilee Road, Khandallah, Wellington 4, New Zealand E-mail: thomson.wgtn@xtra.co.nz Tel. 0064-4-479-5678
Thailand – Prof. ALASTAIR M. NORTH (1937-50), 79/78 Soi 7/1 Mooban Tararom, Ramkhamhaeng Road Soi 150, Saphan Soong, Bangkok 10240, Thailand E-mail: amnorth@ksc.th.com Tel. 0066-2-373-2818
United States – Michael G. King (1951-60), 806 Northpointe Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103-3346 USA E-mail: michaelking806@comcast.net Tel. 1-801-363-3097
Annual General Meeting
The One-hundred and eighth Annual General Meeting of the Club was held at the Club Centre in Aberdeen on Monday 29 March 2010, with Mr Bob Hutcheson, the Vice-President, in the Chair. The Chairman reported as follows: One year into my two year stint, I have now got to grips with most aspects of the role of the Chairman. As several of you will know, I took over this role without having the benefit of an ‘apprenticeship’ in Club and Centre matters, other than one year as Membership Secretary. There are pluses and minuses in being in
this position, but it has made me particularly indebted to others to keep me right. Jock has been very helpful as always, but I would also like to mention and thank Doug Watson, my predecessor, who has helped me enormously. I trust that I will give the same support to my successor, should he or she need it.
Finance
Alan Marr will present the Treasurer’s Report as item 5 on the Agenda. Without stealing his thunder, could I just say that it is very pleasing to note that the Accounts for 2009 indicate that the Club’s finances are in good shape, and the same comment applies to the finances of the Club Centre. Both sets of figures are underpinned by the income from the commercial rental of Bayview Road. Whilst it is very pleasing to be able to report this positive message, I suggest that an issue for the Club Centre Management Committee going forward is to consider whether it is appropriate that we balance the books only with the cash injection from the Centre’s share of the property rental – should our objective not be to generate a profit from trading alone? This, of course, raises the difficult issue of whether subscriptions for the Centre are set at a commercial level.
Membership
Having streamlined the membership records last year and invested much time in setting out the spec. to convert our spreadsheet data onto a Database system accessible on-line, we have not yet taken the final step to complete the conversion. We have continued with the team approach which we started last year. Doug Watson, Membership Secretary, with excellent back up from Kim Stuart, has maintained our records in excellent order. However Doug and Kim are not yet satisfied that the Database designer has built in the flexibility we need to run our membership records – this reflects the complexity of our systems caused by the multiple categories of membership and different payment dates. If we were starting from scratch our present system is not the one we would end up with; the practical problem is that we have what we have and changing it to a simpler system is not an easy task, particularly if the most obvious solution is to round upwards some of the current subscription rates. Reports like this should naturally focus on positive aspects of the Club. However there is one issue I do feel I need to share and seek help from both FP and Centre members. Subscription notices are issued with the Magazine in August in the case of FPs and well in advance of the start of the new calendar year for Centre members who are not FPs. Whilst many members pay promptly, we find it necessary to chase slow payers. Further to this, we have recently issued a second reminder to Club and to Centre members. Were the non-payers inactive and disinterested members we would understand this reluctance to pay, but a sizeable number of the slow payers are active members of the Club and/or the Centre. For an organisation that is largely run by volunteers to expect the membership team to issue up to three communications to obtain payment for modest subscriptions for two membership groupings is unreasonable. I hope we can count on better support from certain members going forward. Winge over! When does a non-paying member cease to be a member? Looking only at ‘active’ members we currently have 1084 active Club members and 464 active Centre members. Doug Watson has highlighted two interesting statistics based
on current fully paid up members. There are now more non-FPs than FPs who are members of the Centre. We all know that our Club membership is aging –30% of the members are over 70 and 80% are over 50 – these are a couple of points to bear in mind when considering our strategies for the future.
Website
The website is up and running and fully supported by Grant Hamilton, whom we thank again. Grant is pleased with the current usage, particularly from the Centre. All Members are encouraged to make maximum use of the Website.
Communication
My closer involvement in the activities of the FP Club brought home to me the huge amount of work done by Brian Crookshanks in producing and distributing the Magazine. I occasionally receive communications from members and a common theme is how important the Magazine is to them, particularly those who live away from Aberdeen. Our thanks go again to Brian for all his work on the Magazine and also on the newsletter which is issued at the turn of the year.
Club Centre
Dallas Moir will report on the activities of the Club Centre elsewhere. However, I would like to report on the progress we have made to obtain funding for the renovations and improvements to the Club Centre, which is of course an asset of the Club. Our appeal has raised more than £15,000. Not only does this give us some cash to make a start with our plans but it has also made a significant difference in encouraging the support from RBS to offer an additional facility of up to £60,000 to assist us. You will recall from the January Newsletter that I reported that our current bankers, Bank of Scotland, were not prepared to assist us. RBS have made an offer in principle but, interestingly, it is based on our property income and not on our current and prospective trading performance. There are two points of relevance. Firstly, this reinforces the importance of the property income generated from Bayview Road and secondly, it reminds us that we still have some way to go to demonstrate both to ourselves and to the providers of finance that we can service further borrowing from enhanced trading income. The ball is in our court to go back to RBS with our detailed plans.
Rubislaw
As was fully reported in last year’s Magazine, the fabulous new facility at Rubislaw was opened in May 2009 and is now in use. There were some initial teething problems to do with the more formalised booking system, but now that these are understood and it is recognised that the Sports Sections have no option but to adapt to them, any issues are well behind us.
Dinner
We held our Annual Dinner last Friday. We were pleased with the numbers attending and we trust that those who were there had a good night. The highlight of the evening was the address by Bill May. Bill was in fine fettle and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself; those who attended certainly thoroughly enjoyed themselves listening to Bill. Thanks again to Laura Jarret for leading the organisation of the event.
As I have indicated elsewhere, I needed to take on the role of Chairman to fully appreciate the time and effort put in by so many to keep the Club and the Centre ticking over. I have mentioned certain of these individuals in this report; there are many others and, on behalf of the members of the Club, I would like to thank them for all that they do on our behalf.
General Business
Section Reports
Reports were submitted by representatives of the various Sections and of the Club Centre, and similar Reports appear elsewhere in this Magazine Accounts and Treasurer’s Report
The 2009 Accounts (reproduced at the end of this Magazine) showing a surplus of £4,795 were submitted and approved. The Treasurer explained that the change from deficit to surplus reflected the fact that the property at 1 Bayview Road had now yielded a full year’s rental. The Balance Sheet confirmed, as before, that the Club is in a healthy state.
Election of Office-Bearers
Officials of the Club were elected in accordance with the list published elsewhere in this Magazine. Notable among these is the appointment, on the proposal of the outgoing President, Neil Borthwick, of J. Peter Jeffrey, recently retired Secretary of the Canadian Centre, as an Honorary Vice-President.
Auditors
Messrs. Bower & Smith, CA, were unanimously re-appointed Auditors of the Club and Section Accounts for the coming year.
In terms of the Club Constitution, the Annual General Meeting is always held on the last Monday in March.
The 2011 A.G.M. will therefore be held on Monday, 30 March at 7.30 p.m. in the Club Centre, 86 Queen’s Road, Aberdeen
President’s Report
Like many previous Presidents of the Club, I have to admit that it came as something of a surprise to me to be nominated to take on this position considering the large number of my contemporaries who have done sterling service, in various capacities, for the Club over the years. Although I am the first President from the class of 1965, I sense that I will certainly not be the last from that illustrious year.
After taking over from Jim Clark in March 2009, my first official function was the Edinburgh Dinner in April when I was still the Secretary of the Centre, and so I was able both to organise the event and invite myself to reply on behalf of the Parent Club. This was a most enjoyable evening under the chairmanship of James Rust, who succeeded me as the Edinburgh Secretary.
It was a great pleasure to be invited to the official opening of the new Sports Pavilion at Rubislaw in May. This project has been on-going for a number of
years and many Club members have given an extraordinary amount of time to it but the end-product is absolutely magnificent. For all FPs who can remember the somewhat primitive changing rooms – and that means each and every one of the Club members – the new facility is truly up to 21st century standards. It is a great credit to the local authority that it was able to contribute a substantial amount to this project at a time of economic cut-backs.
An invitation to attend the School Prizegiving in June in the Music Hall was a most interesting experience, with the proceedings run to a strict timetable by the Rector, Graham Legge, and Deputy Rector, Helen Innes. Prior to the presentation of certificates and prizes, Tracey Menzies delivered an excellent and very inspirational Keynote address. It is over 40 years since I last attended such an event, then as a pupil, a very different perspective, and there now seems to be an enormous increase both in subject matter and style of awards available. It was my pleasure to present the Former Pupils’ All-Round Trophies for the year.
Reunions of individual Class Years have become well established ever since the class of 1965 initiated these events in 1975 and the continuity of these was held together by the late Dave Yule, a great servant of the Club who is sadly missed. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Class of 1965 Reunion in June owing to a prior family commitment. This is the first of these events which I have missed, ironically in the very year that I was the first of the 65ers to hold the Presidency. I would like to record my gratitude to all those former classmates for their good wishes to me during this past year.
It is well known that the central events of the Presidential year are the Centre Dinners and my wife, Gail, and I were delighted to accept the invitation to the Canada Reunion on Vancouver Island in September. In 2008 I had attended the Canada Dinner in Toronto to see my friend Halsey Bradford assume the onerous role of President of the Centre, but never expected to see both the beginning and end of his term.
Peter and Judy Jeffrey provided excellent hospitality throughout the weekend of the Reunion, held in Qualicum Beach, and it was a great pleasure to become re-acquainted with some former class mates, Sandy Shearer and Alan Thomson, whom I had not seen in over 40 years. In addition I had the opportunity to meet again with some familiar faces from the previous year in Toronto and also the great privilege of meeting the oldest member of the Club, George Rickart, who went to School in 1923, the same year as the original pavilion at Rubislaw was opened. The Canada Centre is justifiably proud of its contribution to the new pavilion in the form of the Canada Clock and I was pleased to see Ken Pirie again as he had represented the Centre at the official opening in May.
The commitment of the members of the Canada Centre in travelling vast distances to attend their annual Reunions is quite outstanding and puts our attendances in the UK to shame. Much of the credit lies with Peter Jeffrey, who stood down this year as Secretary of the Centre after eighteen years and who has done a fantastic job in organising East/West Canada events over this period. His election as an Honorary Vice-President of the Parent Club at the AGM in March was a well-deserved recognition of his service to the Club.
The trip to Canada also allowed for some time for wine-tasting in the Okanagan region of British Columbia before driving through the Rockies to Calgary to return to the UK in time for the busy schedule of autumn Dinners.
After fighting off the jet-lag, Yorkshire was first on the list and as ever Doug Skene presided over another enjoyable Dinner which is unique in its relaxed style among the Club Centres. This was followed by the Glasgow Dinner in October where Stephan Colling once again provided excellent hospitality and a familiar mix of chat and nostalgia.
In addition to the Club Centres, I have also been able to represent the Club at various functions organised by other FP Clubs in Aberdeen namely Aberdeen Academy/Hazlehead Academy, Albyn School, St. Margaret’s School, the Gordonian Association and Aberdeen Watsonians. It is a striking feature that at most of these events, including our own Centre Dinners, the numbers in attendance are decreasing each year and, with some exceptions, the age profile is increasing. We have seen that the London Centre has been moribund for a few years and must guard against the same happening to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Yorkshire.
The highlight of every President’s year in office is to host the Parent Club Dinner at The Marcliffe at Pitfodels in March. As someone who benefited from the teaching of Science at school, it was a particular delight to have Bill May, the former head of Chemistry, as the principal speaker. With over forty years experience in the school, Bill delivered a most entertaining series of anecdotes and reminiscences of his time at the Grammar.
The presence of the Head Boy and Girl at all the Club Centre Dinners is greatly appreciated by all those who attend. I would like to thank both Douglas Russell and Stephanie Longmuir for their confident presentations of an up-todate view of life at the School throughout the year, showing great credit both to themselves and the School.
I was fortunate that my last act as President, at the AGM, was to pass the President’s medallion to a very worthy successor and friend from the class of ‘65, Donald Lamont. Donald, a former career diplomat with experience of several fascinating posts around the world, will literally be an outstanding ambassador for the Club.
Finally, I would like to thank the self-styled ‘Clerk’ of the Club, Jock Hendry for all his help, advice and support through the year. It would be impossible for a non-Aberdeen based President to function effectively without support from home-base and thanks are also due to the Rector, Graham Legge, and Executive Chairman, Bob Hutcheson.
At the outset of the year Jock told me, as he does with all new Presidents, that the year would pass quickly, and it certainly has done so. I would like to thank Gail for sharing this adventure with me. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to meet both old friends and some new. It has been a tremendous honour to have been Club President.
Neil M Borthwick (1952-65)
Donald A. Lamont (1952 - 1965)
President 2010-2011
Presidential Profile
Donald Alexander Lamont MA (1952-65)
Donald is the second of the Class of 1951-65 to serve as President of the Club, following in the illustrious footsteps of Neil Borthwick, an exact contemporary who, it might be said, has been grooming him since 1952.
Anyone else harbouring aspirations of academic stardom had surely picked the wrong year, for Donald and a couple of others consistently made off with all the prizes and medals. He was very good at all subjects, but it was in languages that he was unbeatable. In our final year, he carried off the honours in English, German, French and Russian, but had to be content with proxime accessit in Latin and in the overall Dux award.
Fortunately this pre-eminence didn’t extend to Rubislaw, where the brainboxes were more modest in their achievements, although Donald was quite a stylish left-handed batsman in the Monty Panesar mode and played hockey for the 3rd XI. He also has the distinction of being the first person ever rescued from the School swimming pool.
In addition he was President of the Debating Society, Deputy Senior Prefect, and All-Round Trophy runner-up.
Aberdeen University provided a First in Russian Studies, and the whole world believed Donald was about to become a diplomat or spy. He decided instead to explore the world of computers, and went off to streamline the processes of British Leyland. Successful as he may have been as an industrialistin-training, he eventually recognised what had been obvious to everyone else four years prior, and joined Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was to be Donald’s home for the next thirty-three years. He had postings in Vienna, Moscow, Berlin, Uruguay, Bosnia, the Falklands and Venezuela, with spells in Whitehall in between. His early responsibilities ranged from being the expert in manganese nodules to negotiating with the International Atomic Energy Agency to developing the UK’s external policy on drug trafficking and HIV/AIDS.
Of his many subsequent appointments, the following five gave Donald particular pleasure and satisfaction in one way or another.
He was sent to Moscow in 1980, shortly after the foolish Soviet Union thought they could win a war in Afghanistan and invaded it. The West thought this was scandalous and imposed a trade embargo, rather taking the wind from the sails of the new First Secretary of the Commercial Section. This left time to pursue other diversions, in particular his future wife Lynda, also working in the Embassy. After amusing one another through a long Muscovite winter, they married in 1981.
They went to Berlin in 1988, now with two children, Louise and Ian. It was a momentous time to be there, what with the Wall business and the subsequent re-unification. It even gave him a photo-op on BBC-tv, apparently directing operations from the top of said wall.
His favourite UK assignment was as Head of the Republic of Ireland Department. This was soon after the 1994 IRA ceasefire, which had opened the door to significant progress in Northern Ireland and to a much more healthy
relationship with Dublin. Some welcome creativity was even allowed, including the setting up of the “Irish Scottish Academic Initiative”, a far-reaching scheme of co-operation between Trinity College Dublin and the Universities of Aberdeen and Strathclyde.
In 1999 Donald went off to the South Atlantic as “Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands”. Here he achieved an ambition to have his own Land Rover. It was not just the rugged terrain that made driving a real test – it came too from the awkwardness of full gubernatorial uniform - sword, plumes, high-heels and all. Diplomatically, he was heavily involved in initiatives that saw the greatest progress with Argentina since the fateful invasion of 1982.
Donald had long since become fluent in Spanish, and was again able to exercise this skill when appointed Ambassador to Venezuela in 2004. He played a central part in negotiating a number of agreements in the difficult environment of the recalcitrant Mr Chavez. Of particular, and personal, interest was to secure special access to the Venezuelan market for the Scotch whisky industry.
He retired from the FCO in 2007 and became the Chief Executive of the related Wilton Park, an institution which organises conferences on a wide range of international policy issues. Its management structures and practices needed a good shaking-up, and Donald gave them just that before retiring again in 2009.
After a long and distinguished career Donald settled down to do absolutely nothing in his new home in Sussex. Nothing, that is, apart from one or two major diversions. He is a (founding) Board Member of “Sistema Scotland”, which has brought to Scotland the successful Venezuelan scheme of classical orchestral education for disadvantaged children. He is a Trustee of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. He is on the Committees of the FCO Association (retired diplomats), the Anglo Venezuelan Society and the British Uruguayan Society. He is active in Rotary. He thinks daily about running, swimming and weightlifting.
After all these diplomatic challenges, we find Donald in the most important and difficult job of his career – President of the Aberdeen Grammar School Former Pupils’ Club. I am sure he will shine once again.
R.H.G.B. (1951-65)
Retiral of Founder Member and Secretary of Canadian Centre
J. Peter Jeffrey (1944-59)
Last September, at the annual Reunion Weekend in Oualicum Beach, British Columbia, we reluctantly accepted the fact that, after seventeen years, Peter Jeffrey was to stand down as Secretary of the Canadian Centre.
Along with the late Douglas Menzies (1934-44), Peter formed the Canadian Centre to coincide with the celebrations of the F.P. Club Centenary in 1993. The inaugural dinner took place in Edmonton, Alberta on September 18th, and was held in the Jasper House Hotel on "1885 Street” at Fort Edmonton Park. As that was the year in which the Magazine was first published, this gave an added significance to the location of the dinner.
Thirteen FPs, including Ian M. Duguid (1938-43), the President of the Club, attended the dinner at which Douglas Menzies was installed as the first President of the Canadian Centre. At the end of a most enjoyable evening, President Duguid presented the Canadian Centre with a very fine Edinburgh Crystal decanter, engraved “AGSFPC” and “I.M.D. 1993”. An invitation was extended to all FPs and their spouses, whether resident in Canada or in transit, to attend the annual Centre Dinner in Toronto on October 1st 1994.
With Peter's dedication, this was the beginning of what has become the annual Reunion Weekend. Over the course of eighteen years the Reunion Weekend has alternated between Eastern and Western Canada. The Dinner has been held in restaurants, Golf Clubs and Military Museums. Twice it has been held on board the SS Princess Victoria in British Columbia. Once it was held at the top of the 90-metre ski jump in Calgary, Alberta.
With Peter as a very able and willing secretary, Canadian FPs have been encouraged, and gently persuaded, to attend these Reunions. With the event being held over three days, friendships have time to be made and renewed each year. At the end of the weekend everyone finds themselves looking forward to the next one. It is not only the Canadian FPs and their spouses who make the effort to travel many miles and time zones to attend our Reunions. Starting with Ian Duguid in 1993, many Club Presidents have come across the Atlantic to join us. In 1996, in his capacity as FP Club President, Jim Lyon presented the Canadian Centre with a beautiful President’s Badge of Office as a gift from the parent Club. This badge is now presented at the annual Dinner to the incoming Canadian Centre President along with the Ian Duguid Decanter which, depending on the venue, may or may not be filled with fine Scotch whisky.
In 2005 Peter retired after a career of thirty-eight years in the Aerospace and Defence Industry. He and his wife Judy have spent the last thirty years in Canada and are now resident on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In the eighteen years since forming the Canadian Centre, due to work transfers, Peter and Judy have been able to host the Reunion Weekend in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver Island. In 2002 when work took them to Wales for a year, Peter was certainly not going to let that stop them from attending the Reunion in Ottawa that year.
At the dinner in 2006 Peter talked about the Club's plans to renovate the Rubislaw Pavilion and proposed that the Canadian Centre add to the tradition of the Shanghai Clock and the Malay Clock at the School by raising the funds to donate a Canada Clock for the Pavilion. In May of 2009, with our current Canadian Centre President Ken Pirie (1948-59) in attendance, the refurbished Pavilion was officially opened. A prominent feature of the building is the new clock which was made possible by generous donations from the Canadian FPs to the 1256 Appeal. As a token of thanks, a symbolic maple leaf appears on the clock face.
The Canadian Centre now has over sixty members. Most contact has been made by email, but for those without email Peter has kept in touch by letter or phone call. Even those of us with email have had phone calls from Peter, usually in the spring when he has been keen to get us geared up for the September Reunion.
At this point our thanks must also go to Peter's wonderful wife, Judy. Over the years Judy has supported Peter's passion for the Grammar School, the FP Club and his involvement with the Canadian Centre. Whether entertaining at their home over a Reunion Weekend or helping to write the annual report for the Canadian Centre, Judy has gone above and beyond the call of duty. As our new secretary Halsey Bradford (1951-65) so aptly put it when he informed us that Peter was to become an Honorary Vice-President of the FP Club, “Judy should receive The Order of Canada”!
We cannot thank Peter enough for what he has done for the Canadian Centre. It is no exaggeration to suggest that without his energy and efforts over the past seventeen years the Canadian Centre might not now be in existence, far less the strong vibrant organisation which it is today. As we look forward to this year's Reunion Weekend in Ottawa, we are confident that Peter's efforts over these years will ensure that the tradition continues for many years to come.
Peter now has the time to indulge his other passion which is Historic Car Racing. This morning, when I spoke to him, he was putting the gear-box back into his race prepared Triumph TR3 for the fifth time this year. There is no need to worry that Judy is without a part in this new stage of Peter's life. I have heard from a good source that she now is officially Peter's 'Pit Crew'. I join with my fellow Canadian Grammar FPs in wishing Peter and Judy all the very best in their retirement.
Gillian Thomas (1975-80)
Club Centre 40th Anniversary
Friday 16 October 2009 was the occasion of a celebration of the Club Centre’s Ruby Anniversary and this was done in style. The Centre is so much part of the Club that it is hard to imagine the Club without it and still harder to accept that it is forty years since the bold decision to buy 86 Queen’s Road for the Club was taken.
There was a good attendance of young and not-so-young to mark the occasion, including several members who have in recent times been only occasional visitors to the premises. There was a happy party atmosphere and a first-class buffet of some magnificence was provided by our caterer. The company was entertained in the best Scottish tradition by the Rubislaw Pipe Band under John Lawson and his bandsmen certainly made the rafters ring.
A selection of slides of the various rooms in the building photographed at the time of its purchase in 1969 and before any alterations had been begun had been converted to digital format and were played on screen throughout the evening to the intrigued interest of the many who had not been around in 1969. Also on display were some artefacts, including the list of the 25 “original” members whose names were submitted in support of the application for a Club Certificate. One disappointment was that very few of these members were present. All credit goes to the Centre Manager, Maggie Tirey, for her role in organising the proceedings and to those Committee members who assisted in making this such a memorable occasion. Next milestone 2019!
Centre Reports
Club Centre
This year has seen a continuance of the previous year’s developments, set in place to attract continued, and improved, utilisation of the Club’s facilities by our membership and their guests. Last year it was decided that the major, allembracing refurbishment of the Club Centre could not be considered, but that a gradual refurbishment would be the way to go. To this end the Management Board has been working to identify, prioritise and cost this staged refurbishment in order to enable the necessary funding to be put in place and the work to be commenced. After lengthy negotiations between the FP Club and the banking community, we are now in a position to proceed with the first stage of this refurbishment. In addition to new bank funding we will utilise the funds raised from the recent Anniversary Appeal. The Committee is appreciative of the response of so many who contributed to the Appeal. Without such generosity, our plans to refurbish the premises would certainly not have been so far advanced and might, indeed, have stalled.
Our turnover has increased over the past year, which is a considerable achievement considering the prevailing economic conditions during that time. Ours is one of the few clubs in Aberdeen, if not the only one, to have achieved such an upturn in 2009/10. We must congratulate our Centre Manager, Maggie Tirey, our Bar Manager, Andrew Garden, and all their staff for their excellent contribution during the year. The amount and variety of new functions held in the Club Centre this year have in no small way contributed to our increased turnover. These functions ranged from monthly quiz evenings, a successful reintroduction of the Guy Fawkes night fireworks display, the 40th Anniversary party of the Club Centre (again highly successful) to the ever popular Hogmanay event. We need to continue to find new and innovative ways for our membership to enjoy their Club Centre, and the Committee will do their utmost to provide us with opportunities so to do.
We have undoubtedly benefited this year from the rental income realised from letting out our Bayview Road property. This source of income is set to continue, and indeed increase, over the next few years. We must not become complacent about this source of funds, as it forms the backbone of our ability to service the increased borrowings which are necessary for our refurbishment plans to go ahead. The committee is aware of the need to obtain ever diversifying means of attracting new income to the Club, and is at present negotiating the use of part of our car park for commercial let. This should not impinge on the car park being available to club members, as the arrangements would mostly come into effect outwith our operating hours.
These two avenues of income, together with future revenues from the letting of vastly improved meeting room facilities (after stage one of the refurbishment is completed), should help to put the Club in a position where it is not directly dependant on bar income to survive.
We must acknowledge the continued use of the Club Centre by all our sports sections. The Centre is here to be used by all our members, whether as organised groups, or at an individual level. Please continue to use it.
Finally, acknowledgement must be made of the part played in the running of the Centre by certain individuals, in particular Brian Deighton, who puts in a power of work, mostly behind the scenes, and the Management Board of Derek Young, Iain Hopkin, Peter Henderson, and the Membership Secretary, Douglas Watson.
Canada
The 17th Annual Reunion Weekend of the Centre was held in Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island on 11-13 September 2009. We were delighted to welcome the FP Club President, Neil Borthwick, and his wife, Gail, who had travelled from Edinburgh to join us. Other attendees came from the United States – Michael and Margaret King and Bill and Barbara Wolkoff – not to mention the half dozen who travelled even further – from Ontario. We were particularly pleased to see some new faces – Alan and Lucille Webster, Ian and Cathy Annand and Sandy Shearer
On the Friday evening we assembled in The Old School House in downtown Qualicum Beach for a "Meet and Greet", as these evenings are quaintly called. This historic building is now an art gallery and contains many varied works by local artists. Not only had Peter and Judy selected this appropriate venue but they had railroaded the volunteer staff into manning the bar. Before long even the most esoteric art was understood by all, and we left glowing in the knowledge that we were cultured after all.
On Saturday the formal dinner was held in Giovanni's Ristorante, also in Qualicurn Beach. George Rickart, the senior member of the FP Club (worldwide) said Grace before we tucked into a wonderful dinner, the most popular dish being osso buco, a local speciality.
Halsey Bradford, the outgoing President, installed Ken Pirie as the new President, and presented him with the Badge of Office and the Duguid Decanter. Later in the evening Ken gave his President's address and proposed the Toast to the Club and School, laced with his customary dry wit. Uber-President Neil Borthwick replied giving an update on the Club and the School as well as some personal reminiscences and more dry wit,
Ken then appointed our two senior members, George Rickart and George Warrack as his Honorary Vice-Presidents.
Peter Jeffrey wrapped up the speeches with the Secretary's report, which again featured the Canada Clock, and concluded with the Toast to ‘Absent Friends’.
On Sunday we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Jeffrey’s lovely steading in suburban Qualicurn Beach. Again they outdid themselves with fantastic food and drink. The recollections and reflections continued long into the afternoon, tentative plans were made to have the next two reunions in Ottawa and Calgary, and another memorable Canadian Centre reunion weekend came to a close
Thirty-four people attended the reunion, including the following FPs (in the customary order of year of entry to the School): George Rickart (1923-30) , Vancouver, BC; George Warrack (1924-27), Comox, BC; Bill Wolkoff (194253), Jefferson City, MO; Alan Webster (1943-56), Surrey, BC; Peter Jeffrey (1944-59), Qualicurn Beach, BC; David Auld (1947-61), Victoria, BC; Phil Barron (1948-56), Kanata, Ontario; Ken Pirie (1948-57), Sidney, BC; Gordon Singer (1948-49), Calgary, Alberta; Halsey Bradford (1951-65), Toronto, Ontario; Mike King (1951-60), Salt Lake City, Utah; Alan Thomson (1951-64), Victoria, BC; Neil Borthwick (1952-65), Edinburgh, Scotland; Ian Thomson (1952-60), Nepean, Ontario; Ian Annand (1953-60), Vancouver, BC; Bob Scace (1954-60), Calgary, Alberta; Peter Edwards (1956-64), Calgary, Alberta; Sandy Shearer (1959-65), Surrey, BC; Gillian Thomas (1975-80), Calgary, Alberta.
This year’s reunion will be held on 10-12 September in Ottawa, and is being organised by Peter Green and Phil Barron. It will be on the usual lines, and the Dinner on the Saturday will be held in the Royal Ottawa Golf Club.
Edinburgh
The Centre held its Annual Dinner on Friday 23rd April 2010 in the Clubhouse of the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. President W. Morrison (Morr) Brown welcomed the company of twenty-nine members and guests, including Past President of the Parent Club, Gary Allan, who was the principal guest, the Rector, Graham Legge, the Head Girl, Stephanie Longmuir, the Head Boy, Douglas Russell, the recently installed President of the Parent Club, Donald Lamont, Doug Skene, the President of the Yorkshire Centre, Stefan Colling, the President of the Glasgow Centre and Doug Morrice, the President of Edinburgh Gordonians. We were also pleased to have in our company, Bob Hutcheson, Chairman of the Club’s Executive Committee and Neil Borthwick, immediate Past President of the Parent Club.
We had hoped to have Kenneth Pirie, the President of the Canadian Centre with us, the first time the Centre would have been represented at the Edinburgh dinner, but very unfortunately Kenneth had to cancel his trip at the last minute, owing to the air traffic disruption caused by volcanic ash. The President of the London Centre, Grahame Young, also sent his apologies and his best wishes for an enjoyable evening, despite it being St George’s Day!
Gary Allan, calling on his vast experience in such matters, regaled the company with an entertaining address, concluding his remarks by proposing the toast of “The School and the Club”. Replies were made by the Rector, Stephanie Longmuir and Douglas Russell on behalf of the School and by Donald Lamont for the Club, in his first function as President.
The Centre AGM was held during the evening, when Morr Brown was reelected as President and James Rust was re-elected as Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, despite reporting an accounting deficit!
Last August the annual golf match with the Glasgow Centre was played at Harburn. The match ended in a win for Glasgow, as a consequence of which Glasgow retained the trophy which they won back last year.
Next year’s Annual Dinner is scheduled to be held in the Clubhouse of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society on Friday 22nd April 2011.
Any FP who has recently come to the Edinburgh area and who has not received a communication from the Edinburgh Centre is invited to contact James Rust at his home address, 19 Denham Green Terrace, Edinburgh, EH5 3PE (Tel. 0131 552 6603) or by email to james.rust@btconnect.com.
The following FPs attended the Dinner (in order of entry into School): W. M. Brown (1932-46), J. S. Fowlie (1935-42), J. E. Fraser (1936-49), D. G. Kilgour (1938-50), T.G. Coutts (1938-51), D.A. Brittain (1943-49), A. H. Cairns (1943-56), W. A. Steele (1945-51), R. S. Rilley (1947-55), D. A Lamont (195165), N. M. Borthwick (1952-65), B. S. Allan (1953-58), D. Skene (1959-64), R. Hutcheson (1962-68), N. G. M. Watt (1963-69), G. J. G. Allan (1963-76), and S. Colling (1990-96).
Glasgow
The Glasgow Centre held its annual dinner on Friday 30th October 2009 at a new venue – Lang’s Hotel in the centre of Glasgow. The change of venue was generally well received and felt to be an improvement in various ways. Unfortunately, our numbers continue to decline and this year the committee welcomed thirty members and guests. The guest speaker was George Dunwoody – a retired senior police officer and an entertaining speaker. Neil Borthwick replied on behalf of the Club and the Rector, Graeme Legge, was assisted by Douglas Russell, Head Boy, and Sam Knudson, Depute Head Boy, in replying for the School. James Rust represented the Edinburgh Club, Doug Skene the Yorkshire Club and Kathleen MacPherson the High School.
This year’s dinner has been provisionally booked for the same venue on Friday 29th October 2010. We have not yet confirmed our guest speaker, but anyone interested in finding out more please get in touch at the details given below.
Our curling team had another “mid-table” season, which we were pleased with. Malcolm Gauld continues as our non-playing captain and Jim Leask has ably taken on the role of Skip on the ice. The rest of the squad is Alistair Fyall, Gary Allan and Stefan Colling.
The annual golf match against Edinburgh was a success for the Glasgow team and this year’s match will have been played just prior to this Magazine going to print.
A joint outing with the local High School FPs and Gordonians is being planned by the High School. The plan is for a lunch at Ross Priory, on the shores of Loch Lomond, on Sunday 10th October 2010. Any FPs interested in attending should please get in touch.
We would be delighted, as ever, to hear from any FPs interested in becoming involved in any of our activities or even just going onto our mailing list to be informed of future events. Please contact Stefan Colling on 01415813451 or at stefancolling@hotmail.com.
Thanks, as always, to our local committee of Stefan Colling, Malcolm Gauld, Peter Cairns, Margery Taylor, Jim Leask, Malcolm Daniel, Gary Allan and our new member, David McNay.
The following FPs attended the annual dinner (in order of entry into School): Hunter Cairns (1943-56), Peter Cairns (1945-57), David Allan (1945-58), Neil Borthwick (1952-65), David McNay (1956-69), Douglas Campbell (1958-64), Douglas Skene (1959-64), Jim Leask (1960-66), James Rust (1963-71), Margery Taylor (1975-81), Malcolm Daniel (1975-81), Douglas Watson (197985) and Stefan Colling (1990-96).
London
Even the best laid plans are subject to the vagaries of circumstance and so it is that the anticipated 2009 programme for the London Centre had to be deferred. Our first priority will be the AGM and the formal election of the new president in succession to Grahame Young. In the meantime, we shall be seeking nominations for committee members, in particular candidates who will be prepared to take on the duties of office bearers and actively assist in reviving and developing the London Centre with particular reference to the needs of younger FPs.
Although 2009 may not have been as active as we would have wished, we did in November have the opportunity to entertain to lunch one of our longest-serving and supportive members, John G. C. Brown. Also with us on that day in the Caledonian Club was Donald Lamont who is, of course, now the President of the Parent Club.
The AGM, details of which should be circulated in September, will be held early on a weekday evening in the Caledonian Club and will be followed by supper for those who wish to stay on after the formal proceedings. It is our hope that a further function or outing can be arranged for late this year or early 2011.
Yorkshire
The Centre Dinner was held on Friday 25 September 2009 at the now traditional venue of The Grange Hotel in York. There was an attendance of 21 FPs, guests and friends.
Our focus this time was on the history of the School, its development over the centuries, through to the current experiences of the Head Girl and Head Boy. The toast to ‘The School and the Club’ was proposed by FP David Galloway, a language master at Pocklington School in North Yorkshire and, with his own family connection with the Grammar School, he was able to provide a perspective on his own education and his involvement with the FP Club.
In his response our Rector, Graham Legge, provided a potted history of the School both from its foundation, through its development in curricular and outside activities, the move to Skene Street and right up-to-date, whilst resisting name-changes, and being able to maintain its long-standing reputation for educational achievement. The endorsement for this history and tradition was exemplified in a polished presentation from Head Girl, Stephanie Longmuir and
Head Boy, Douglas Russell, each displaying an engaging and energetic approach to recollections of time at School and the excitement of moving on to University.
The final presentation of the evening was from Club President, Neil Borthwick, a particular friend of the Yorkshire Centre and an excellent host at Edinburgh Centre dinners for a number of years. Neil provided a very entertaining response on behalf of the Club, with random recollections of his time at School, through his professional career and his long-standing relationship with the FP Club. His address was described by one of our senior Yorkshire members as ‘the best speech by any Club President’ and this was the view of the whole company. Neil is able to provide a light-hearted approach to his presentations but is still able to inject a serious message in terms of the support we all have to provide to maintain the FP Club and its purpose of supplying advice, financial help and encouragement to the generations which follow our own.
This year’s dinner will be held in the Grange Hotel, York on Friday 24 September 2010.
Former Pupils attending the Dinner (in order of entry into School) were:- Wilson McIntosh (1932-45), Dick Tyson (1944-49), Michael Walker (1946-57), Brian Bruce (1947-51), John Wilson (1949-52), Neil Borthwick (1952-65), Douglas Skene (1959-64), David Galloway (1976-82), and Martin Coulter (1983-89).
Section Reports
Cricket
First XI
Overall 2009 was an excellent season in Grade 2, with the First XI gaining promotion to the top division as champions. It was a great achievement to bring some long-awaited silverware back to the Club trophy cabinet. Close neighbours, Queens Cross, were also promoted and were chased all the way by Methlick who are still trying to get to the top flight for the first time in their history.
We had a reasonably settled XI throughout the season, with the usual ups and downs of the football and holiday seasons. Our season summary was:-
Played 13: Won 8: Drawn 4: w/over 1: Void 4: Points 352: Overall
Percentage 90.25%
It will be a sterner test in Grade 1 in the 2010 season and we hope to recruit some new faces to the squad.
Despite the success, the 1st XI still struggled to progress in the cup competitions. Our Bon Accord Cup run ended at the second hurdle away to Fraserburgh, and we were well beaten by St Ronald in the Turriff Cup due to having to field an under-strength team. We had a good run in the Thistle Sport Sevens with a defeat to Cults A in the semis of the plate competition.
Everyone contributed wholeheartedly once again and enjoyed their cricket in grade 2. Martin Budd topped the batting averages with 44.8 from 8 innings, followed by captain Roland Knudson with 30.38 from 11 innings. They were ably supported by John Eagles, Jerry Moir, Glen Miller and Chris Clelland.
The season’s bowling was keenly contested by John Eagles (18 wickets at an average of 7.17), Glen Miller (19 wickets at an average of 8.00) and captain Roland Knudson (19 wickets at an average of 10.05).
The catching cup was secured by Ian Johnston with 6 and Chris Clelland took the wicket- keeping honours once again with 15 dismissals. Chris also shared the Grades wicket-keeping trophy.
On the youth front Sam Knudson and James Lord continued to develop in Grade 2 and should easily cope with the step up to Grade 1 in 2010. Doug Russell also featured prominently in the Grade 4 side with bat and ball. We managed to arrange a few junior fixtures at under-15 and under-17 year levels in conjunction with the School over the summer with mixed success, and hope to develop the youth section further over future seasons.
Another highlight of the 2009 season was the opening of the new Rubislaw changing facilities, and we managed to get a few cricket teas out of the new kitchen before the season’s end. The new facilities are superb and can only aid our efforts to develop the club and attract new players.
Our goal for the 2010 season is to replace the artificial wicket, and we will be seeking funding support from the Lords Taverners and other charitable bodies over the close season.
2nd XI
The Second Eleven finished a close third in Grade 4 at the end of season 2009, but for the second time in three years gained promotion to Grade 3 via the back door, on this occasion the reason being that two teams in higher grades had amalgamated. FPs played 10 matches, won 5, drew 1, and lost 4. We were eliminated from the Johnston Cup in the first round.
It was a wet start to the season with only one game completed in the first three, and that was a defeat. But FPs won four of the next five matches, including the only defeat of the season suffered by near neighbours Queens Cross, and for a spell we topped Grade 4. The highlights of the victories included schoolboy Doug Russell taking 4 – 6 and a great catch on his debut against his old team, Queens Cross, and match-turning last wicket stands by Magesh and Houghton against Dunecht, and by Russell and Rizwan against Portcullis. Nick Blyth scored 53 not out against Mannofield, and John Youles hit 68 in the abandoned match at Huntly.
The second half of the season was not so successful with FPs winning only one of the four matches, and losing two. Notable performances from these games came from Geoff Morrison, scoring 70 runs against Huntly Highlanders, and schoolboy Mike Blues taking an outstanding 4 wickets for 1 run against Dunecht. The final match of the season was a winner-takes-all promotion showdown against St Ronald, when we lost an exciting match by 11 runs.
We lost the cup tie by 20 runs in a fluctuating match against our close rivals St Ronald, despite Karthik taking our only five-for of the season, 5 – 32.
Our top run scorer this season was Karthik with 142 runs in league and cup; top of the averages was Muthu with 24.7, followed by Nick Blyth 23.8, John Davey 17.8 and Karthik 17.7, our run scoring not being helped by the early wet weather and, at times, the long outfield at Rubislaw. It was good to see more of
the batsmen contributing vital runs during the season, and not having to rely on only one or two players. The running between the wickets was better, but there is still room for match-winning improvement.
Karthik was top-wicket taker with 17 wickets at 16.05 in league and cup, followed by Rizwan 15 at 7.2, Magesh 13 at 14, Mike Phillips 12 at 13 and Doug Russell also 12 at 13. The bowling overall was good, and against Portcullis eight batsmen were out-bowled or LBW, highlighting the need for a consistent line and length.
We had two excellent wicketkeepers this season in Muthu and Craig Fraser who both helped keep the bowlers extras tally down to a reasonable level. They also held some great catches, Muthu taking 6 and Fraser taking 5 catches. The fielding was excellent throughout the season with some fantastic catches from Karthik, Rizwan and Russell to name only a few.
We were without one or two regular batsmen during the season, but new man Davey looks like he will score heavily in future seasons. Schoolboys Russell and Blues also look very promising bowlers and we hope to see them play regularly next season. The nucleus of the team is there and we look forward to remaining in Grade 3 next season, ending our run of relegation following promotion.
Curling
The Section continues to curl with Rubislaw Curling Club with the teams now mixed to provide more challenging curling. Norman Patterson skipped one of the mixed teams to victory last autumn.
The European Championships were held in Aberdeen last December and the general reaction to the facilities and city were very positive. As well as the new Curl Aberdeen facility, teams played at the modernised Lynx Centre at the beach.
Our numbers continue to be depleted and we would welcome anyone connected with the Former Pupils’ Club to come and try the sport. Please contact Ian Souter as below or any other member of the Curling Section if you are interested.
Ian Souter Secretary
01224 867000
ianpsouter@aol.com
Golf
We had two outings to Braemar, one at the start of the season in May, and we returned in October to complete the season. We also had outings to Huntly and two mid-week outings to Alford and Kemnay, all of which were well attended. We had our annual trip to Taymouth Castle which turned out to be a very competitive event resulting in a tie amongst Andrew Garden, Jonny Anderson and Doug Watson, with Andrew Garden triumphing in a sudden death play / putt off.
We played in the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Schools Trophy at Barnton and met a strong side from Hutchisons Grammar which featured an exinternationalist, an ex- Walker Cup player and an ex- professional.. Our team of Steve Buchan, James Williams, Colin Shaw, Peter Robertson, Alan McKay and Dallas Moir were beaten 2.5 / .5, with Shaw and Robertson recovering to earn the half point having been five down after six.
Similar outings are planned for 2010 and new members are always welcome.
Men’s Hockey
1st XI
In the 2009/10 season the First Eleven played a lot of good hockey, but failure to convert chances resulted in a disappointing season. Sam Perry stepped down as Captain at the end of the season and thanked Malcolm Ewen for his hard work and dedication. Sam emphasised the need to strengthen the 1st XI squad and develop a strong 2nd XI. A greater commitment to training and fitness is required if FPs are to achieve their goal of returning to National League 2. Dave O’Gorman was awarded the Williams Trophy as the 1st XI Player of the Year.
2nd XI
Seconds had a poor season; an unsettled team generally played well at home but struggled away. The most reliable member was umpire Bob Dickson.
3rd XI
The Third Eleven had a better season, finishing 4th in North District League 1. The squad, organised by Andrew Webster, contained several ex-1st XI players and several promising U-16 members.
4th XI (Grammarians)
Our Fourth Eleven had a good season, finishing third in North District League 2, with Murray Bissett and Geoff Weston frequently amongst the goal-scorers. The Grammarian Cup was retained by the senior Grammarians in the annual match against the School Colts, while the annual game between the School 1st XI and a younger group of ‘Grammarians’ for the John Drummond Trophy was also won by Grammarians. This last match was followed by lunch and socialising at the FP Club, an event which continues to be a successful fundraiser for Youth Hockey.
Veterans
The following senior players competed in Over-60 Internationals (Home Nations and European Championships): Ron Fraser, Ian Downie, Tony Duguid and Kieran McLernan (all Scotland) and Ben Johnson (Wales).
Youth Hockey
FP Hockey members continue to organise hockey for the School and, although there is a good Under-16 squad, there is a lack of both senior and junior schoolboys playing the game.
The U-16 team won all their matches in the inaugural Scottish Hockey Under-16 League and were runners up in the both the U-16 Scottish Cup and the U-18 Reserve Cup. The team finished 4th in North District League 2 and the U-16 team (Colts) was awarded the Stronachs Trophy as FP Team of the Year.
Euan Christie is in the Scottish U-16 development squad and three others (Stuart Christie, Max McKay and Andrew Scrimgeour) represented North District in the regional competition. Euan was awarded the Graham Fraser Trophy as FPs’ most improved player for the season, and Hugh Cruikshank received the Coaches’ award.
Alex Morrison and Ryan Morrice both played for the North District under-14 team.
On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons Andrew Webster (Senior Coach) with assistance from Greg Anderson, Magnus Willett and Tony Duguid, gives coaching to U-16s. The P6/S2 group trains on Thursdays with Fred Lawson and Ben Johnson.
Club Colours were awarded to Duncan Harris for his long service with both the 1st XI and as Secretary; an award which is several years overdue. Dave Beattie was awarded colours for his willingness to support the Club both on and off the field, often at extremely short notice.
Finances
Howard Smith (for the umpteenth year) continues to do sterling work in keeping the Club finances in order, while the fund-raising efforts of Nick Blyth and Greg Orrell made a significant contribution, and Malcolm Ewen’s persistence has been rewarded with a lottery grant to assist with indoor hockey equipment.
Umpires
AGSFPs are most grateful to a dedicated and skilled group of umpires who regularly operate at international, national, regional and local level on our behalf, namely David Wallis, Bob Dickson, Dave Beattie, Malcolm Ewen and Kevin Pope. Many others have helped on occasions.
Richard (Dickie) Wallis retired from umpiring at the end of last season and gifts were presented by both the Ladies’ and Men’s sections in gratitude for his service over many years.
Committee
The FP Men’s Hockey Committee has worked hard and effectively, with the efforts of Duncan Harris (Secretary), Howard Smith (Treasurer) and Malcolm Ewen and Andrew Webster (Youth Coach) deserving special mention.
Petanque
The results of the 2009 competitions were as follows: Peter Tawse Memorial Trophy
Winner: Graeme Craig
Runner up: Stephen Forbes
Singles Championship
Winner: David Young
Runner-up: Philip Henderson
Doubles Championship
Winners: Peter & Philip Henderson
Runners-up: Nicola & Scott Hunter
Triples Championship
Winners: Keith Douglas, David Young & Derek Young
Runners-up: Magnus Brown, Graham McWilliam & Sheila Ritchie
Maurice Chevalier Trophy
Winner: Magnus Brown
Runner-up: Peter Henderson
The annual dinner was held in the Atholl Hotel on Friday 22nd January 2010, during which the presentation of trophies was made. As always, this was a most successful evening enjoyed by all.
Normally, the Triples Competition is held at the end of our season when it has often had to be cancelled because of bad weather. We therefore started the 2010 season with the Triples on Saturday 8th May and had a very much better turn-out than usual. We had seven new members who all enjoyed themselves thoroughly and are looking forward to the rest of the 2010 competitions. The results were as follows:
Winners: Peter Henderson, Nicola & Scott Hunter
Runners-up: Alistair Ritchie, Jenny & John Ferguson
We are having two barbecues this year, one on Saturday, 19th June when we hold the singles competition for the Peter Tawse Memorial Trophy and the other on Saturday, August 14th when we hold the Club Championships (singles and doubles). The final competition of the 2010 season, for the Maurice Chevalier Trophy (singles), will be held on Saturday, 11th September.
Our Annual Dinner and Presentation of Trophies will take place in the Club Centre on Friday 29th October and we hope that all members and partners will be able to attend.
Office Bearers:
Captain: Peter Henderson
Secretary/Treasurer: Joan Comber
Trophy Convenor: Philip Henderson
Rugby
For the new season Alex Duncan was appointed head coach with Mark Borowski as assistant coach. Alex and Mark were assisted by Alan Hardie and Mike Avis who was appointed as the second XV coach. Rob Currie was also appointed as the strength and conditioning coach. We are grateful to all of them for their hard work and dedication in what has been a long season, with many postponed matches over a particularly horrible winter period.
A number of new players were recruited to our playing squad this season. Billy Russell continued for another season with the Club, while Mark
Bennedick, Peter Nelson and Ryan Strelow were recruited from Brisbane. They were joined by a number of new players who have moved to work in the area or are attending one of the Universities in the City.
At long last the redevelopment works on the pavilion were completed in time for the start of the new season. In addition, during the season the Club installed new training lights at Rubislaw which have substantially improved the training facilities at the ground. However the use of field for training over the winter months was very limited due to the extremely adverse weather conditions but we were fortunate to have some use of the Sports Village facilities over part of this period.
1st Team Squad
This season in Premier League 2 we finished in sixth place as compared with fifth position last season and seventh place two seasons ago. While we had a promising start to the season, winning six out of the first eight games, we then had a desperate run of games, losing eight out of the next ten league games.
This is a very similar record to last season, where a decent start was followed by a long run of poor results, mainly through the winter months and in the poorer playing conditions. This is something we must surely address for next season – how to play the elements and grind out victories.
League record: Played 22, Won 11, Drawn 0, Lost 11 Points For – 539; Points Against – 438 Bonus Points – 12
Total Points 56
This gave us one more point than last season.
In the new National Cup format we were beaten at home at the first time of asking by Ardrossan RFC from Premier 3. This was a disastrous result for us, given that we had drawn another home tie against Gala in the next round. (Last season we progressed to the last 16 in the tournament, eventually losing out to Melrose).
During the season we have used a total of 48 players in all 1st team games, compared with 43 last season and a mere 35 two seasons ago.
The top try scorer in the league was Colin Philips with 13 tries, followed by Peter Nelson with 11 and Ryan Strelow with 10. The top points scorer in the league was Rob Lawson with 177 points.
2nd Team Squad Performance
The Seconds had a mixed season but ultimately achieved their goal of retaining their place in National Reserve League Division 1. They have a record in games played of won 7, lost 12. However in the late weeks of the season three matches have seen the opposition withdraw, giving an effective record of won 10 lost 12, lifting them to sixth place in the league.
A poor start saw the side lose their opening five games, which meant it was always going to be a struggle to get back up the league. However, a strong recovery saw the side win seven of their next eleven matches and although the last two games played resulted in defeats, these have been balanced by the three withdrawals.
The turnaround in results can be mainly attributed to some very strong performances from the forwards, ably marshalled by Thomas Pinet, and given the number of influential forwards missing with injury throughout this recovery period we should be pleased with the depth we had in this area.
A highlight amongst the results was gaining home and away victories over Boroughmuir.
Mike Avis, who took over this season as 2nd XV coach, should be congratulated on the effort and commitment which he showed to get their season back on track. Mike is now moving on to a position with Ellon RFC and we wish him well there.
Junior and Youth Sections
The club maintains a strong representation in Caledonia at U-18, U-16 and U-15 levels. Both the S1s and S2s field teams in the local area Friendlies and the minis attend tournaments and festivals throughout the year from August through to May. In total around 260 young players are coached at the club on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesday evenings. This is the largest group of players in the North of Scotland.
The U-18 team had a successful campaign, winning the Caledonia League Cup in November having played all their pool games undefeated, and then proceeded to a three-way cup final with games at home to Glenrothes and away to Moray, respectively the winners of the Midland and Highland leagues. Grammar defeated both teams by large margins and lifted the trophy in Elgin.
In total eight players in the squad made the Caledonia select teams at U-17 and U-18 level from a squad of twenty-six.
In the Scottish Cup the team made it to the semi-final which they lost to Currie 22-10, having lead at half time. Currie went on to lift the cup at Murrayfield the following week with a 27–10 victory over Dumfries. In the Caledonia Cup they faced Moray in the final at St. Andrews on 9 May and emerged victors by a good margin.
Special mention should be made of John Adams and Sam Knudson who have made appearances in the first XV this season.
The U-16s had mixed results during the season, narrowly losing to Mackie in the Caley U-16 League to finish second – losing to Musselburgh 17-10 in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals and losing to Ellon 5 - 0 in the quarter-final of the Caley Cup. Overall it has been a disappointing season not fulfilling expectations. On the plus side, we had four players in the Caledonia U-16 Select squad, and have some promising players moving up to U-17 and U-18s next season.
The U15's had a pretty decent season albeit heavily interrupted by weather. They reached two semi-finals of the cup competitions. In the Scottish Bowl they beat Perthshire, Clackmannanshire Colts and Kilmarnock before being knocked out by Kirkcaldy. This game ended as a draw and was even on try count, but Grammar were eliminated as the home team. In the Caledonia Shield they were
beaten 32-24 in the semi-final by Highland in a close fought game. Playing numbers and availability have been a bit of an issue, with a few games, including the recent Highland game, played with a squad of only fifteen players
S1 & S2 both had great success in the inaugural "NE 6 Nations" at the start of the season, both teams winning their competition. Unfortunately the long winter took its toll on the planned re-run of the local competition, which was ultimately abandoned. Both S1 and S2 came out on top when the visiting Highland teams came down. S2's hardest fought victory was against Deeside at Rubislaw, in which they were down for much of the game but ultimately ground out a one point victory with a converted try in the dying seconds of the game.
A Y R A
Aberdeen Grammar Rugby continues to support the rugby development work carried out by Aberdeen Youth Rugby Association in schools and clubs. The project is funded until next January, with Colin Philips being the full time Rugby Development Officer. AYRA run holiday camps at Easter, in the Summer and in October and coach rugby at over twenty schools in the Aberdeen area
Notable Achievements this Season
Congratulations are due to Steve Aitken on selection for the Scotland 7-a-side team in the IRB Sevens (LA), and to Sam Knudson on his selection for the Scotland Under-18 squad.
Leaving / Retiring
A few of our players will be leaving us at the end of the season to seek pastures new or further their careers. We thank them for their dedication over their time with us and wish them the very best for their future.
Vote of Thanks
We must place on record our thanks to all the coaches, team managers et al in both the Senior and Junior Sections for their hard work and commitment throughout season. These volunteers give up a considerable amount of their own time and turn out in all kinds of weather to help with the furtherance of the game of rugby football. Thanks also to our physios, Julie and David, and to our Team Doctor, Louise McCullough, for their valuable assistance over the season.
Awards for Season 2009/10:
Colt of the Year
2nd XV Player of the Year
Young Player of the Year
Press Player of the Year
Holden Trophy (top try scorer)
Player’s Player of the Year
Sam Knudson
Dave Harrity
Stevie Aitken
Colin Philips
Colin Philips
Tony McGinness
Women’s Hockey
Once again the hockey girls can reflect on another action-packed and entertaining season. The number of people attending training was a bit mixed this year, although it was great to see so much interest and enthusiasm from the school girls – a big well done to Sari for her integral role in facilitating this!! Big thanks to Sari, Mo and other team members who helped coach this season –training was varied and effective, despite low numbers at times! The number of younger members coming through and training regularly bodes well for the future – bring it on girlies next season!!
For the purposes of this season’s report we thought it would be helpful to explain a couple of changes the Women’s Section has gone through over the last little while. The Women’s Hockey Section has now merged with the Men’s Section to give AGSFPs one Hockey Section. However, for the purposes of the general organisation of matches and the finances, the Men’s and Women’s Sections still take ownership of their own halves of the responsibilities. The Sections now work together on social events (although many would contend that side of things has always been organised together under most circumstances), and on matters of sponsorship and coaching in particular. Many Clubs in Scottish Hockey now operate as combined Clubs and we took the decision to merge while keeping the administration side of matches separate after long and careful consideration. This seems to be working well.
The Women’s Section has seen a significant dip in their playing members this season which has been disappointing. However, as many of those not playing this season gave birth instead the Club more than forgave them! The Club hopes several of them will return to action for next season in some form or another. In their place a number of younger schoolgirls have started attending training so the future is indeed bright.
Another complication for this season was that the newly appointed President from the 2009 AGM had to resign before really getting started as she got an international work opportunity which she could not turn down. In fact, her successor then also received a significant promotion and also needed to step down. Hence third time lucky Kim Stuart took on the role of President and ably guided the Committee through this season instead, for which the Club thanks her.
On the pitch the Club still managed to rustle up three teams who all play in the North District Leagues. The First and Second XIs both play in Division One while the Third XI plays in Division Two.
The highlight of the season was the indoor 1st team winning Division One of the North District Indoor Leagues with the last shot of the season. In Roy of the Rovers style the girls went into the final match of the season in the final session of the season ahead of their opponents on goal difference. Both sides were unbeaten and so the match was very significant for both of them. The team were 4 - 0 down at half time and knew they had an uphill struggle ahead. With two minutes to go in the game Kim Stuart scored a lovely goal to bring the score up to 4 - 3. No-one would have predicted what happened next…....with only seventeen seconds to go the ball was played to Lindsay Geddes who managed to
win a penalty corner. The umpires then signalled the end of the game and as per the rules of hockey the team were allowed to take their penalty corner. Geddes fired the ball to Emma Mair who shot and scored (completing her individual hattrick) with the last move of the match. The team were ecstatic having won the league in thrilling style!
Outdoor Update
The 1st XI has been outstanding again this season, thanks to the dedication of each and every member. Sari has led the team from the back of the pitch with her enthusiasm and encouragement. The team finished the league in third place and played some very attractive hockey along the way. Sari had her work cut out for her with respect to consistency of playing personnel as players stopped playing for a variety of reasons, thus narrowing the pool of playing staff from which to choose (gap years and pregnancies again!).
The team were unfortunate in this year’s Scottish District Cup (losing to the eventual winners) but, as always, played their hearts out – so well done everyone! As for the League, the team played well but, as in previous seasons, dropped a few vital points in a couple of crucial games in the second half of the season.
Results: Played 18 Won 13 Drawn 2 Lost 3 Goals For 56 Goals Against 14 Points 41
The 2nd XI can be very proud of their performances this season as they have battled on in North District Division One. As ever, work commitments, holidays and injuries took their toll on the ability of the players to be available every week but Elaine Yeoman organised the squad well and, even more impressively, managed to play every game wearing her trusted leather gloves – hats off! Once again the squad had a good mixture of ages which has allowed some of our younger players to experience the playing standard of Division One at an early age. The team will move down to Division 2 for the coming season. The decision was largely based on the lack of consistent numbers (many players having to slug it out in three matches!), poor weather and another season at the bottom of the league, so it was deemed that a battery recharge was required! Let it be said, though, that the girls will be raring to go and will give the Division 2 teams a real run for their money!
Results: Played 18 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 17 Goals For 9 Goals Against 64 Points deducted 6 Points -3
The 2009-10 season was thoroughly enjoyed by all those who played for the 3rd XI. The team is renowned for its teamwork and fun-factor on and off the pitch and this season was no different. The team utilised the skills of some of the more seasoned members of the Club both on and off the playing field and this resulted in some very good performances. The team, led by Nat Fisher and Jess Knight, enjoyed a successful season, however, plagued by illness and the lovely Scottish weather, there were a few outstanding games which needed to be squeezed in at the end of the season! Well done to everyone who helped make this a great season for the 3rds, especially the patience and perseverance of the Captain and Vice! Unfortunately we will be unable to enter a 3rds team this coming season due to a dip in numbers, however the continued support,
enthusiasm, team spirit and commitment will be welcomed in the Firsts and Seconds this year! Attend as much training as possible, ladies, to ensure that you don’t miss out on consistent match play!
Results: Played 14 Won 5 Drawn 2 Lost 7
Goals For 16 Goals Against 27 Points deducted 2 Points 15
Indoor Update
The 1st VI had an excellent run in the indoor season, and finished top of the League, thanks to some silky smooth skills in the dying minutes of the final game!!! What a way to keep things exciting – we know that was the game plan all along!
Results: Played 7 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 0
Goals For 40 Goals Against 13 Points 19
The 2nd VI really enjoyed their indoor season and had every right to be proud of their performances, despite the disappointing results! The team were in Division Two of the North Leagues and suffered mostly due to lack of consistent team members, however fun was still had by all! Notably, a few of the younger members took part in the indoor games this year which gives hope for the future.
Results: Played 8 Won 1 Drawn 1 Lost 6
Goals For 11 Goals Against 31 Points 4
Based on the vast number of people wishing to play indoor, and on the feedback from last season, a third team was entered and had a cracking first season in indoor! Finishing third in the league is a real achievement and the girls should be very proud!
Results: Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 3
Goals For 20 Goals Against 20 Points 13
Following last season’s successful reinstatement of the School versus the President’s XI fixture the teams took to Rubislaw early in March. Luckily the weather was kind and the match was played in a great atmosphere and was thoroughly enjoyed by players and spectators alike. Again the President’s XI was triumphant, but the School team gave the team plenty to think about and created some great chances.
At this point in the report the hockey girls move on to thanking those without whom the matches and the organising of all the matches simply would not be possible. The committee this year has been truly tested!! With many of the group taking on a role for the first time there were moments when many were seriously wondering what they had let themselves in for! Thankfully, through dedication and team-work, by mid-season things were moving along smoothly, with particular thanks to Kim for stepping in as President! Her patience and funny chat made the meetings much more relaxed, organised and fruitful – on many levels!
The Club are forever indebted to their band of volunteers who assist, most notably with coaching and umpiring. This season the Club wishes to thank Mo Rose, Sari Johnson and Rebecca Lovie for their coaching input for AGSFPs and the School and in particular Andrew Wadsworth, Dave Beattie, Peter Williams, Simon Tomkins, James Williams and Sari Johnson for their umpiring efforts. Their input is very much appreciated.
As ever if you are keen to take up hockey again (or even if you have never played before) you are very welcome to come along to training to see how you get on. Training is on Tuesday evenings at Rubislaw from 6.00pm – 7.30pm and starts on the first Tuesday in August. For further information contact: Angie Taylor, Secretary – smange13@yahoo.co.uk
Annual Dinner
Annual Dinner
The Annual Dinner was held in the Marcliffe at Pitfodels on Friday 26 March 2010 when a company of around 115 FPs and their guests attended. As customary, there were representatives from the regional Centres of the Club and guests from local Former Pupils’ Clubs. Also present were the Rector, Graham Legge, along with the Head Boy, Douglas Russell and the Head Girl, Stephanie Longmuir. Several of the Club’s Honorary Vice-Presidents were also among the company.
The President of the Club, Dr Neil Borthwick, was in the chair and brought his own charm and humour to bear on the proceedings which moved along smoothly. The hotel provided a meal of the usual high quality and the service by its staff was courteous and efficient.
The Club’s invitation to Bill May, formerly of the School’s Chemistry department, to propose the traditional toast to “The School and the Club” was a singularly happy one, for Bill was in reminiscent mood and held his audience captivated by his recollections of his time in the School. He recalled the reaction to his appearance in drainpipe trousers and winkle-pickers when he first joined the staff after a mere six weeks of practical teaching. He was proud of having set up extra-curricular chemistry and took pride also in the fact that he was one of the first link teachers with industry. In 1964 there were plans for a school dance – in an all-boys’ school – and there were no girls. He made telephone calls to the nurses’ home at Foresterhill and to the College of Commerce and behold, there were girls. There was no school football when Bill arrived in the Grammar, but under him a team was established and it wasn’t the end of the world, but it took another thirty-three years before the School footballers won the Scottish Cup. There had been many successes with his pupils and lots of fun; he claimed that it is best to create a good spirit both in and out of the classroom. Bill was impressed by the close contacts which the Former Pupils’ Club has with the School and he himself keeps in touch with many of his former pupils. Replying to the toast on behalf of the School, the Rector picked up on Bill May’s point about the importance of spirit in a school, and remarked that the Grammar is a duller place without him. He rejoiced in the completion of the refurbishment of the Rubislaw pavilion and confirmed that pupil attainment is still good, with the School listed as 10th out of 400 in the Sunday Times Schools List and 8th out of 400 in the Scotsman. He made reference to the coming introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence and the new Faculty structure which would see ten Faculty heads by 2011. Head Girl Stephanie Longmuir gave an account of School activities ranging from music to drama to debating and girls’ hockey, while Head Boy Douglas Russell spoke of the School’s
Pupils’ Section
prowess on the rugby and football fields and on the cricket pitch and the success of the School’s team in the final of the Worldwise Quiz Challenge.
Replying for the Club, the President reflected on his year and commented on his pleasure at being able to attend the functions of the various Centres. He made particular reference to his visit to Vancouver Island to attend the Canadian Centre Reunion Weekend, remarking on the vast distances which their members have to travel in order to attend the weekend. He felt that there was a message here for UK members for whom it is a relatively simple matter to join in Club activities but whose numbers are declining.
Executive Chairman, Bob Hutcheson, expressed thanks to Laura Jarret for her work in organising the evening.
The following FPs attended the Dinner (in order of entering School): J.R.S. Innes (1923-35), W.M. Brown (1932-46), A. Stuart (1932-45), B.K. Crookshanks (1934-46), J.A. McGregor (1935-44), C.L. Forbes (1938-51), A.G. Nicol (1939-52), S.A.C. Robertson (1939-51), J.W.Cradock (1940-46), J.H. Duncan (1941-50), H.B. Paterson (1941-50), J.M. Jeffrey (1942-57), A.D. Johnston (1942-54), R.H. Cradock (1943-51), H.A.S. Hamilton (1943-56), A.H. Cairns (1944-56), A.K.Campbell (1944-53), A. Cromar (1944-50), R.L. Cromar (1944-49), W.L. Sleigh (1946-54), J.C.A. Michie (1944-58), N. Edward (194855), G.W. Glentworth (1948-61), M.S. Webster (1949-57), R. Rennie (1950-64), R. Gray (1951-65), J.F. Hendry (1951-65), I.H. McLeod (1951-55), H.E. Morrison (1951-65), R.C. Shirreffs (1951-65), N. Borthwick (1952-65), I.W. Douglas (1952-57), S.J.C. Esson (1952-64), H.R. Millar (1952-65), M.R. Carry (1953-66), DA. Lamont (1953-65), J.C. Lyon (1953-59), K.G. Jones (1957-66), F.I. Lloyd (1958-65), M.A. Batchelor (1959-65), A.G. Campbell (1959-65), B.M. Drummond (1959-65), N.K.B. Edwards (1959-64), D. Skene (1959-64), S.L. Forbes (1960-66), D.N. Yule (1960-66), J. Main (1961-63), G. Archibald (1962-68), K.C. Carter (1962-68), I.S. Hopkin (1962-68), W.R. Hutcheson (1962-68), J.H. Rust (1963-71), G. Yule (1963-69), G. Hardie (1964-69), S.W. Cummings (1965-69), A.J. Thompson (1969-75), G.C.C. Henderson (1971-77), D.A. Galloway (1976-82), G.K. Crookshanks (1979-85), D.M. Watson (197985), H.C. Bruce (1981-87), L. Jarret (1982-88), W.A. Bradford (1984-90), E.A. Mair (1985-91), S.J. Colling (1990-96), A.J. Henderson (2000-06)
In addition to the Rector, Mr Graeme Legge, former Rector W.J. Johnston and Staff member W.S. May were present.
RE-UNIONS
Club ‘57
About two years ago, a few of us who had left School in 1957 thought that it would be interesting, and a bit of fun, to see if we could establish a little “Club” which would give us an excuse to get together from time to time. And so “Club ‘57” came into being. There are currently sixteen members in the group and we meet every three or four months for a chat and a relaxed lunch. We meet at a number of different locations, but try to hold every second lunch at the Club Centre. Very occasionally we add an extra element to the gathering and these
Front Row: Martin Jffrey, Ernie Sutherland, Malcolm Webster, Ronnie McKay, Graeme Crai g, John Park
Back Row: Ian Kennaway, John Barbour, Alan Wright, Ian McLeod, Barrie Harper, Barton Brown, Alastair Mathieson, Donald Fowlie
Club ‘57
have included a tour of the new Pavilion and a tour of the School. Russell Gray very kindly led the tour of the School, including the old Lower School. Russell has a unique knowledge of the School as a former pupil and then teacher and Deputy Rector, and everyone enjoyed the occasion enormously. Some of the members of the party had not visited the School since they left more than fifty years ago. Russell was unanimously appointed an Honorary Member of Club ’57 at the Lunch afterwards!
Club ’57 has been a great way to get back in touch with former classmates with whom we had lost contact. Virtually all the current members live in Aberdeen or area, but our numbers include Ronnie McKay from Elgin and Alan Wright from Broughty Ferry. The full list of names at the moment is: John Barber, Barton Brown, Graeme Craig, Donald Fowlie, Barrie Harper, Martin Jeffrey, Ian Kennaway, George King, Alastair Mathieson, Ron McKay, Ian McLeod, John Park, Sandy Still, Ernie Sutherland, Malcolm Webster and Alan Wright.
We would very much like to make contact with the many others who were part of the year of 1957 at some stage. Club ’57 offers the opportunity to get back in touch with old friends; join us for the occasional Lunch (John Munro –Devon and John Raitt – Perth, Australia are planning to join us at our July Lunch); or simply meet with a few of us if you are back in town for any reason. I am gradually compiling a list of contact information and hope to send emails to as many as possible over the summer. However, I would encourage all 1957’ers to get in touch with me by email or telephone. I look forward to hearing from you all.
Martin Jeffrey (1942 – 57)
Email: martin.jeffrey@btinternet.com
Tel: 01467 - 622330
The Class of 1949
The Forty-Niners held a reunion in the Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen on 14th and 15th May when thirty-two were present.
The secretarial arrangements on this occasion were made by Martin Wagrel, who was very disappointed when illness prevented him from attending. Local arrangements were made by Ally Hume, Campbell Murray and Fred Lynch.
After an informal get-together on Friday afternoon the Dinner was held in the evening. Fred Lynch welcomed the class, the Rev Peter Gordon said Grace and Brian Gray gave the Toast to the School. One minute’s silence was observed in memory of classmates who had died and those whom illness prevented from attending.
After dinner, Walter Kress, who was attending such a reunion for the first time, and whose family escaped from the Holocaust in 1939, recited a poem which he had composed about his time in Aberdeen during and after his schooldays here.
Leave-takings were made on Saturday morning and a unanimous vote was made to repeat this very happy and cordial event in two years’ time.
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
David Birkbeck, Michael
Rollo-Stuart, John McLaren, Andrew Walker
Kneeling: Frank Cowie, David
Murray-Smith, John Sinclair, Mike Wood, Nick Valentine,
Logan, Peter Stevenson, Robert Whyte
David Birkbeck, Michael
David Birkbeck, Michael
Kneeling: Frank Cowie, David
Kneeling: Frank Cowie, David
Jeffrey, Jim Lyon, Dick Kitson, Gordon Massie, Ken Ewen, Ian Yeats, Graham Whyte, Ian
Milne, Ivor Douglas, George Graham, Stephen Kinnaird, Willie Kemp, Jack Donald, Peter
Murray-Smith, John Sinclair, Mike Wood, Nick Valentine,
Murray-Smith, John Sinclair, Mike Wood, Nick Valentine,
Logan, Peter Stevenson, Robert Whyte
Standing: Simon Pratt, David Parkinson, Derek Cox, Clement Stewart, David Henderson, Bill Milne, Ivor Douglas, George Graham, Stephen Kinnaird, Willie Kemp, Jack Donald, Peter Jeffrey, Jim Lyon, Dick Kitson, Gordon Massie, Ken Ewen, Ian Yeats, Graham Whyte, Ian Logan, Peter Stevenson, Robert Whyte
Standing: Simon Pratt, David Parkinson, Derek Cox, Clement Stewart, David Henderson, Bill
Jeffrey, Jim Lyon, Dick Kitson, Gordon Massie, Ken Ewen, Ian Yeats, Graham Whyte, Ian
Rollo-Stuart, John McLaren, Andrew Walker Class
Rollo-Stuart, John McLaren, Andrew Walker Class
Simon Pratt, David Parkinson, Derek Cox, Clement Stewart, David Henderson, Bill
The members of the year present were: David Brittain, Sandy Cheyne, Harry Connochie, Bill Coutts, Peter Cromar, Robert Cromar, Ian Donald, Keith Farquharson, George Fraser, Edward Fraser, Peter Gordon, Brian Gray, Kenneth Haining, Myron Hampton, Alastair Hume, Patrick Innes, Walter Kress, Albert Lawrie, Fred Lynch, George Macdonald, Bill Moncur, Bill Morrice, Brian Morris, Campbell Murray, Hamish Paterson, Ronnie Sangster, Moray Slater, Arthur Tough, Graeme Wilson and William Wood.
Class of 1959 Re-union
After two years of planning by the committee – David Henderson, Peter Jeffrey, Ian Logan, Jim Lyon and Mike Wood – our Class of 1959 Reunion Weekend was a great success, with nearly fifty class-mates and many of the wives/partners attending the events.
The programme started on Friday evening with an informal ‘meet and greet’ at the Club Centre. This was a wonderful way to get the weekend going, as some people were – understandably – apprehensive about being able to recognise their classmates after fifty years. However, it certainly did not take long to get the evening going – large-print name badges were a great help!
On Saturday morning Russell Gray, former deputy Rector and himself an FP, took us on an excellent tour of the School. The tragic fire of 1986 has allowed extensive changes and modernisation to be made and the school is now very well equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century, with computer aids in all classrooms and first-class computer labs. Since our time a superb new sports complex has replaced the old gymnasium and a swimming pool and new assembly hall have been added. It was quite nostalgic to see that the old Lower School building looks exactly as it did fifty years ago – even the Lower School Headmaster’s sign is still on his office door! As an appropriate finish to the tour a group photograph was taken round the statue of Lord Byron. We are very grateful to Russell Gray for this excellent opportunity to see the School fifty years on.
That evening we all gathered for the formal dinner which was held in the magnificent setting of the new Deeside Golf Club House. The meal and service were outstanding and it all made for a wonderful evening of memories, stories, friends and laughter. Ian Logan welcomed the Rector and guests and Peter Jeffrey recalled some of the memories of our school years and proposed the toast to ‘Absent Friends’.
One special touch was a table with a single candle and a list of our departed classmates. We felt that it was very important that they were all remembered on this occasion.
On Sunday morning we met back at the Club Centre for brunch and another welcome opportunity to circulate, catch up on yet more stories and memories, and make plans to meet up again.
Michael Wood published a Reunion booklet containing a collection of biographies, personal memories and photos of our year – a grand memento of the weekend.
The following comment by a classmate summarises this happy reunion very well – “definitely the best and has provided a rich collection of memories to take home with us”.
The class photographs and details of classmates are all available on the excellent 50th Reunion website (http://www.ags1959.com/) created by Peter Jeffrey. Please take time to look through it and provide any corrections or additions you can offer. We would like to keep our website current so please use the ‘Notice Board’ to leave any messages or information about any of our classmates. Please also forward any interesting photos to Peter who will post them on the News Page.
The following members of the class were present at the reunion (all from Aberdeen unless specified): David Birkbeck, Inverness; Ken Campbell, Malaga; Frank Cowie, Edinburgh, Derek Cox, St. Lambert, Quebec; Jack Donald, Chesterfield; Ivor Douglas, Alveston, Gloucestershire; Nick Ducat, Inverbervie; Ken Ewen; Doug Fettes, Dalkeith; Charlie Flynn, Tadcaster; George Graham, Aboyne; Mike Hardie, Almonte, Ontario; David Henderson; John Hutchison; Peter Jeffrey, Vancouver Island; Willie Kemp, Bracknell; Stephen Kinnaird; Dick Kitson, Ingatestone, Essex; Bob Lamb; George Lawrence; Joe Leiper; Stan Leslie, Peterhead; Ian Logan; Jim Lyon; John McLaren, Edinburgh;Gordon Massie, Romsey, Hants; Bill Milne; John Murray, Anstruther; David MurraySmith, Glasgow; David Parkinson; Simon Pratt, Garton-on-the- Wolds, Yorkshire; Michael Rollo-Stuart; George Scott; Alan Silver; John Sinclair, Bedford; Eddie Slater, Cannes; Ian Spiby, Kirknewton, Midlothian; Peter Stevenson, Perth; Clement Stewart, Stonehaven; Nick Valentine; Andrew Walker; Mike Walker, Edinburgh; Bob Whyte; Graham Whyte, Andover, Hants; Mike Wood; and Ian Yeats, London.
Class of 1975 - 1981 Reunion
On Saturday 1st May 2010 members of the Grammar School class 1975-81 held a reunion day to celebrate (for many of us) thirty years since leaving school and fifteen years since the last reunion in 1995. The day began with a tour of the School, ably hosted by our tour guide Mr Russell Gray (former Geography teacher and Deputy Rector). This was followed by an impromptu lunch at the FP Club Centre, and the day was completed with an evening reception at the Tree Tops Hilton Hotel, Aberdeen.
An email (ags1975@live.co.uk) and website page (ags1975.741.com) had been set up and many of those unable to attend sent messages wishing the organisers success for the event, some notable of mention – John Stevenson who was running for Conservative MP in Carlisle, David Reid (President of the Glasgow FP Club) and Phil Brown for whom we wish a speedy recovery from recent corrective transplant surgery.
The tour itself was attended by sixteen former pupils including head girl Fiona McCombie and reunion committee organisers Graham Smith, Carole Fiddes, Karen McLennan and Steve Christie. Other FPs who enjoyed Mr Gray’s company on the tour were Gillian Crookshanks (travelling from Calgary, Canada and a member of the Canadian FP Centre), Karen Jeffrey (travelling
from Limoges, France), Malcolm Daniel (a former President of the Glasgow FP Club), Susan Martin (travelling from Edinburgh), Francesca Naughton (travelling from Norwich), Christine Howie (travelling from Louth, Linconshire), Henry Houston, Julie Falconer, Steve King, Anne Wilson and Keith Sutherland (all Aberdeen). Also joining the tour was Midge Millar (former PE teacher). The Library and Art Block were of particular interest due to the attendees’ memories of school dating pre-fire. Everyone agreed that, although the School was more suitable now for modern teaching and learning, it had perhaps lost a bit of its old-world charm, missing the balcony in the library and the flagstone floors.
The evening reception began at 7.30pm in the Sycamore suite of the hotel, with fifth committee member Pam Innes attending. Entertainment was provided by a 70-80s Disco (to which little dancing was done due to everyone being far too busy catching up with old times and old friends), a bits n’ pieces quiz designed by Steve with tasty prizes of two each of the following – choc rings, fruit slices, cream and jam doughs (reviving fond memories of the bun queue) and a photo presentation in which archive photos from former pupils, the Evening Express and the Press & Journal were displayed to bring the memories rushing back. An excellent buffet was provided by the hotel and £300 was raised for Cancer Research and the Transplant Support Network.
Several former teachers attended the event and everyone agreed that the whole day was a huge success. A complete list of those in attendance is as follows: Margaret Allsop, Leah Barnett, Graeme Booth, Hilary Bowling, Mike Brands, Marion Brown, Iona Bruce, Nicola Brunt, Steve Christie, Alan Clark, Brian Cooper, Margery Coutts, Gillian Crookshanks, Ann Cruickshank, Malcolm Daniel, Derek Dargie, Anne Duffy, Gillian Duncan, Ian Duthie, Susan Ewan, Julie Falconer, Charles Forbes, Gordon Fraser, Alan Geddes, Margaret Gordon, Alistair Grant, Louise Hannan, Henry Houston, Christine Howie, Lynne Hutchinson, Pam Innes, Karen Jeffrey, Janice Joiner, Simon Kilkerr, Steven King, Judith Leslie, Catriona Lynch, Fiona McCombie, Karen McCombie, Deb McGunnigle, Tim McKay, Karen McLennan, Susan Martin, Aileen Masson, Anne Mathieson, Mark Melling, Stuart Morrison, Francesca Naughton, Alan Pedelty, Graeme Petrie, Louise Petrie, Alison Reid, Elena Richardson, Caroline Smith, Graeme Smith, Graham Smith, Heather Smith, Margaret Sprunt, Keith Sutherland, Andrew Swinton, George Urquhart, Carole Walker, Anne Wilson and Ros Wilson.
From the 1976-82 year group – Susan Armstrong, Anne Fiddes and Shona Littlejohn.
AGS Football members – Mike “Chopper” Cheyne and David Sinclair.
From the School Staff – Brendan Adey (PE), Alfie Cruickshank (French), Robert Duncan (Maths), Russell Gray (Geography), Arthur McCombie (Deputy Rector), Neil Montgomery (Chemistry), Sandra Ramsay (PE) and Alan Smith (RME).
FUTURE REUNIONS
School Leavers, 1951
Richard Cradock is considering organising a re-union tying up with the Annual Dinner on 25 March 2011 if he receives enough interest. Anyone interested in participating in such an event should contact:
R.H. Cradock, 11 Links Place, Cruden Bay, Peterhead AB42 0RP or e-mail to richardkath.cradock@btinternet.com
Men’s Hockey Section Centenary 1911 – 2011
During 2011 the FP Hockey Club will be marking its Centenary with a series of projects and events. We invite everyone who has had contact with hockey through FPs and/or Aberdeen Grammar School (past and present) to take part in these celebrations.
The main events are listed below, and we are looking for stories, photographs and articles for inclusion in our Centenary Book. For further information on any of these events please contact Ben Johnson – email: drbenjohnson.asl@tiscali.co.uk.
2011 Hockey Centenary Programme
January
Easter
Dance / Ceilidh
Youth Tour Holland & Club Tour Dublin
10th/11th June Youth Hockey Tournament (U-18)
Fri 24 June Golf Tournament
Civic Reception at the Town House
Informal Social at the FP Club Centre
Sat 25 June Vets Tournament Over-35s and Over-55s
AGSFP 1st XI v Scottish Hockey XI
Banquet at Aberdeen Douglas Hotel
Sun 26 June Vets Tournament Over-35s and Over-55s
Closing Ceremony at the FP Club Centre
July 30/31 1st XI Tournament & BBQ
November Grammarian Cup – Grammarians v AGS Colts
December John P. Drummond Trophy – Grammarians v AGS 1st XI
Centenary Christmas Social
Centenary Projects
AGSFP Hockey Club History Collection of Memorabilia
F.P. Club Membership Subscription Rates
The current policy of the Executive is to review Subscription rates annually, but in normal circumstances we hope that it will only be necessary to amend them every 5 years. The last increase was applied in 2005, so the next increase will hopefully not be until 2010. The Life Member “Top up” scheme – which has been hugely successful – currently involves a payment of £20 to cover the fiveyear period 2005 to 2009 inclusive. The Life Fund is looking stronger, but still requires further “topping up”. The £20 “Top up” works out at just £4 per year for the 5-year period. We also draw down 5% of the Life Fund each year and this works out at roughly £1 per Life Member, so that, when this is added to the £4 from the “Top up”, the Club receives £5 per Life Member in total each year. This doesn’t yet match the £10 or so we receive from Annual Members, but we are moving in the right direction and we are certainly much better off than we were before the “Top up” scheme was introduced in 2000. We had a tremendous response to the introduction of the “Top up” scheme, which is voluntary, and the vast majority of Life Members responded very positively. The response to the “Top up” appeal for 2005-09 has also gone very well, but there is still time to make a payment if you have not already done so. These payments are a vital part of the Club’s income.
Subscription rates for 2009 are as follows:-
Life Membership:
New Life Members: £100 plus a £20 “Top up” every 5 years, the first “Top up” being payable 5 years after Life Membership is taken out.
Existing Life members: £20 “Top up” every 5 years
Annual Membership:
Ordinary Members: £12.50 by cheque or £10 if paid by Standing Order
Under-25 Members: £6 (Members must be aged under 25 on 1 January of Subscription Year)
School Leavers: £5 (covers remainder of year of leaving plus 1 year)
School Leavers –(Extended): £20 (covers remainder of year of leaving plus 5 years)
Note: School Leavers also become Members of the Club Centre when they reach the age of 18, for the same periods as defined above, for their Membership of the parent Club.
Special Notes for Members over 75:
All members of the FP Club become “Long Service” Members from 1st January in the year following the year in which they reach the age of 75. Life Members over 75 are no longer expected to make “Top up” Payments.
Ordinary (Annual) Members over 75 no longer have to pay any Annual Subscriptions.
NOTES about FORMER PUPILS
Keith Alistair Angus (1993-99) LL.B , who is a member of the corporate solicitor team with McGrigors in Aberdeen, last year took part in a weekend Three Peaks Challenge in aid of the PSN Bangladesh Appeal which plans to build a monsoon refuge in Chittagong. The three peaks were Ben Nevis, followed by Scafell Pike in the Lake District and finally Mount Snowdon in Wales. Keith commented that it was quite an effort, given that there was a 500mile drive between the three mountains. Helping him to raise £500 were twins Andrew James Smail (1993-99) and Keith Alistair Smail (1993-99).
Michael Raeside Auld (1945-58) after a career in insurance retired in 1994 as head of public relations at Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance in London and went into business as an independent public relations consultant. He is now fully retired and free to engage in his many interests and hobbies which include the Pony Club with which he has been associated since 1958.
John David Simpson Birkbeck (1949-58) retired ten years ago from his post as an agricultural adviser in Orkney and then in Caithness. Since then he has acted on a number of occasions as a business adviser volunteer with Voluntary Service Overseas first in the Philippines and then in Mongolia, in which last he also acted for Mercycorp.
Alexander Roy Burnett (1948-59) on leaving School joined his father’s newly formed insurance broking company, A.G. Burnett & Partners in Aberdeen. The firm subsequently became Collins Halden & Burnett Ltd in 1962. At that time he trained with the Norwich Union Assurance Co. in Aberdeen until 1964, after which he returned to the Company. On his father’s retirement in 1977 he became chairman. The company steadily expanded and became one of the leading insurance broking houses in the north-east. Roy retired in 2008 and enjoys playing golf at Deeside Golf Club which he joined as a junior in 1954 and of which he was president in 2004. Also a keen motorist, he enjoys touring with his wife, Agnes, in their classic Jaguar XK140.
Norman Kenneth Campbell (1952-58) trained in audit, accountancy and tax work and was with various firms in the Aberdeen area until 1972 when he joined the John Wood Group. He was latterly accountant for the General Industries Division of the Group, while at the same time running his own limited company until 1997. He retired to Spain the following year. He was an active member of several shooting clubs, taking part in many competitions.
James Cogle (1953-59) joined HM Land Registry in Nottingham as a clerical officer and by 1975 was a Higher Clerical Officer. The following year he was accepted for a post in Registers of Scotland. He was involved in the introduction of a Property Title system there and, after further promotions, he had responsibility for production and policy of Title Deed Plans for the Registers of Scotland. He took early retirement in 1995.
Derek Roy Cox (1953-56) completed an apprenticeship in naval architecture before emigrating to Canada in 1962. After spells with Canadian Vickers and Rolls Royce he was involved in space research at McGill University and then the Space Research Corporation. He later worked for Atomic Energy of Canada and various aerospace companies, including one in which he worked with Peter Jeffrey (1944-59).
Frank Gardiner Cowie (1953-59) has retired from Falkirk Council with whom he had been an architect for twenty years.
John William Curran (1963-69) LL.B is now head of law firm McGrigors’ UK house-building unit. A partner in Aberdeen law firm Ledingham Chalmers (formerly Edmonds & Ledingham) from 1977, he became closely involved with the City of Aberdeen Land Association which was moving into land acquisition and house-building. He was head of land development with the firm until a demerger in 2006, when he joined McGrigors. The son of a former Dons player, he himself had a successful ten-year footballing career with Highland League club Keith, scoring over a hundred goals. He is now a member of Aberdeen Youth Development Board, generating revenue to develop young football talent, and he is chairman of Northsound’s Cash for Kids charity which provides help for deprived children in a part of Scotland often ignored by larger and better-known charities because of the perceived affluence of the area.
Philip Dawson (1925-37) BL whose war service saw him as a pilot in Bomber Command, and who post-war was for six years a gliding instructor for the Air Training Corps at Dyce, returned to the airport there last Remembrance Day to accompany the Lord Provost for the unveiling of a war memorial to commemorate the site’s wartime history, when it was taken over by the RAF, and to honour the fliers who did not return.
John Henry Donald (1953-59) BSc(Eng) after graduating from Aberdeen University played a major part in designing and developing the first magnetic card cash dispensers. He next went into the field of contract research and development, and built up several groups in electronics and real time computing in the UK and Europe before moving to Brussels where he assisted the European Commission in managing their large information system and business information centres in Europe and beyond.
Thomas Nicholas Ducat (1946-59) MA, after retiring in 2001 as principal teacher of history at Harlaw Academy, ran a small second-hand bookshop, dealing mainly in military history, for six years.
Gordon Normandale Edwards (1968-74) has taken early retirement from Aberdeen City Council after thirteen years as Director of resources management. He began his career as a trainee accountant with the former Grampian Regional Council, going on to become its assistant finance director in 1992. Four years later he was appointed finance director of the newly formed Aberdeen City Council, and moved into the re-structured role of resources management director in 2005. He has been elected as honorary treasurer of the University Alumnus Association.
Iain Esslemont (1939-50) MB,ChB, DObstRCOG, FRCGP, whose National Service was spent in the Far East, including service with the Ghurkhas, was then for seventeen years in medical practice in Malaysia. He migrated to Australia in 1977 and was then a principal in general practice in Huntingdale/Thornlie in the southern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. Having been involved with the training of medical students and then of trainee general practitioners he became, after retiring in 1999, an external clinical trainer for the Australian College of General Practitioners.
Norman Esslemont (1948-52) took part last summer in a triathlon in Bermuda held to raise funds for Quarriers, a charity providing help to sufferers from epilepsy. This is an annual event held in the capital, Hamilton, and Norman’s part was the first leg, a swim of 1 kilometre, for which he had been training regularly.
Corrie James Ewart (1983-88) has graduated as Master of Science (M.Sc) from Robert Gordon University. After leaving School he studied quantity surveying at the former Robert Gordon’s Institute of Tehnology, qualifying in 1993. Five years later he changed to subsea engineering in the oil and gas industry. In 2005, while working full-time for BP, he decided to take a distance learning course in oil and gas engineering which culminated in the degree which he has now received.
Kenneth McCallum Ewen (1945-59) trained in statistics at the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen before moving to NCR (Manufacturing) in Dundee. Redundant following decimalisation he joined the National Health Service as a group medical records officer at Perth. He studied to become an Associate of the Institute of Health Record Information & Management. He then became district records officer for West Lothian before moving to Grampian Health Board, where he was involved in the introduction of computerised patient management systems and the creation of management information systems.
Douglas James Fettes (1953-59), after studying at Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities joined the British Geological Survey based in Edinburgh. He worked throughout the UK but particularly in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Latterly he was manager of the Onshore Surveys. He retired in 2000 but still has a research post.
Brian Finnie (1948-59) BSc, PhD has had a career in the electronics and computing industries, firstly in research and development in manufacturing companies and later in software consultancy. His last post before retiring in 2000 was in the Far East, but he is now living in Blairgowrie.
Francois Louis Pierre Fouin (1944-47) MB,ChB has recently published his second book, Glen Tanar, Valley of Echoes & Hidden Treasures tracking the history of the Glen Tanar estate from the Bronze Age to the present. His first book, Glen Tanar Exile, recounted his experiences growing up on the estate, his father having been butler and valet to the Lords Glentanar for over fifty years until 1956.
Colin Furnival (1953-58) MB,ChB, PhD after surgical training in Cardiff and Glasgow emigrated to Australia in 1975 and has lived in Brisbane since then. He was an academic surgeon at the University of Queensland for nine years and then in private surgical practice and a visiting surgeon at the Royal Brisbane &
Women’s Hospital until 2009. He has been closely involved in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and has written and published extensively on the subject. He retired in 2009 and is now consulting and involved in undergraduate teaching as an honorary professor at Bond University, Queensland.
David Brian Galloway (1944-58) MB,ChB is leading research by Aberdeen firm Cytosystems to develop diagnostic tests for bladder and other urological cancers. The firm has secured exclusive worldwide licence rights to develop this procedure with a view to its use in place of invasive and distressing investigative procedures currently is use.
Bruce Knight Gardiner (1961-67) MA, BD, PhD was inducted to the charge of Oldmachar at Bridge of Don, Aberdeen in May. He had previously been minister of Channelkirk and Lauder in the Borders.
Colin David Hall (1945-58) MB,ChB completed a residency in Neurology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then joined the faculty there in 1972. Apart from two six-month sabbaticals he has worked there ever since, including seven years as Department Chair. He is now semi-retired but still conducts NeuroHIV studies in resource-poor countries around the world.
David Andrew Henderson (1945-59) spent five years with the Bank of Scotland, the last of them at Head Office in Edinburgh where he was one of fifteen in the then embryonic computer division. He returned to Aberdeen in 1966 to take over the running of the family retail jewellery business where he remained until retiring in 2007. He is a member of the Hammermen Trade of the Seven Incorporated Trades in Aberdeen and is both a Burgess of Trade and a Burgess of Guild.
Kenneth McKenzie Hutcheon (1947-59) started a career in computing with the Standard Life Assurance Company as an actuarial student before moving to the Hydro Electricity Board. He was eventually in management with the Board and became chairman of a Data Management User Group, organising conferences, seminars and exhibitions. After taking early retirement he became a senior lecturer at Robert Gordon University. He is now fully retired.
Graeme William King (1966-72) MA, ACII, FCILA, FUEDI-ELAE, FIFAA, the former Club Consul for Malaysia, relocated in September 2009 to Brisbane, Australia after almost 24 years of living and working in the Far East in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, but predominantly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is a Chartered Loss Adjuster and Chartered Insurer and was country manager for Malaysia as well as Regional Technical Director for the ASEAN countries. Among his most memorable work experiences was attending to insurance losses in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Graeme’s account of that experience appeared in the Magazine of September 2005 (Vol. 108, 43). He is a keen squash, tennis and bridge player, and invites any FP in Brisbane or Queensland to get in touch with him at graeme26@gmail.com
Norman Law (1962-67) has joined the Aberdeen office of Rathbone Investment Management, one of the UK’s largest discretionary investment management companies. He was until recently a director of Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen.
Amy Lennox (19 - 20 ) secured the part of Margot in the west end production of Reese Witherspoon’s hit movie Legally Blonde, but was also cast as the understudy in the role of Elle Woods, the character made famous by the Oscar-
winning Hollywood star. A few months into the show’s run the actress playing Elle began to lose her voice and Amy was asked to step into the lead role. Amy trained at the Guildford School of Acting.
Stanley MacDonald Leslie (1953-59) MA, took up a post teaching English in Peterhead Academy in 1964. He was promoted to Assistant Principal Teacher in 1973 and finished as Principal Teacher, Curriculum Support. He retired in 2004. A former FP Hockey player, he started boys’ hockey at the Academy. He is still active in Trade Union work, having been branch secretary of Voice for ten years and field officer for Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Ian William Logan (1945-59) LL.B, CA qualified as a chartered accountant in 1966 and after seven years with J & J Crombie, woollen manufacturers he was for twenty years Financial Controller and Director with Bon-Accord Sparkling Drinks. He was then for ten tears General Manager of the Royal Aberdeen Workshops for the Blind. He is a member of Aberdeen Weaver Incorporation and a keen Rotarian.
Neil William McDowall (1972-78) LL.B , who has been Director of Law and Administration with Aberdeenshire Council, and before that with Grampian Regional Council, retired on health grounds last year. He has now been appointed chairman and general counsel to Deancourt, a property development company based in Portlethen.
Barry James McGlashan (1986-92) recently held an exhibition of fifty new paintings at Aberdeen’s Rendezvous Gallery under the title ‘Somewhere in the North’. While the subject matter of the paintings varied widely, the solo figure dwarfed by a remarkable landscape is a recurring theme.
Lori Manders (McKenna) (1979-85), who is head of development and external affairs at Aberdeen University, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Case – the Council for Advancement and Support for Education, an association of educational institutions which offers help with marketing and fundraising.
Gordon George Massie (1953-59) spent his entire working life in insurance, mainly with Cornhill, which latterly became Alliance, a German-owned but leading insurer. Prior to his retirement in 1999 he was the Southampton-based manager for the South of England. He has since obtained a degree in History from the Open University which has led to his being a local speaker on historic and gardening topics. His management skills have led to his involvement on a number of local committees.
John Charles Alexander Michie (1944-58) has been appointed to the board of Aberdeen City & Shire Economic Future (ACSEF), a public-private partnership driving economic development in the north-east and which also serves as the regional advisory board to Scottish Enterprise. He is chairman of the Aberdeen City Centre Association and is working with the City Council in establishing its business improvement district initiative. He is a founder member, and former chairman, of Satrosphere, Scotland’s first hands-on science centre.
William Hendry Milne (1956-59) MA was briefly a clerk with the North British & Mercantile Insurance Company before graduating in 1966 with an honours degree in History from Aberdeen University. After teacher training he taught at Ellon Academy for seventeen years, for most of that time as principal teacher of History. In 1984 he moved to Aberdeen Waldorf School as a class-teacher of 7-
year-olds. He saw them through the eight years of the Lower School Curriculum. Since retiring in 2001 he has pursued his interest in local history.
David James Murray-Smith (1947-59) BSc, MSc, PhD retired in 2005 from the personal Chair in Electronics and Electrical Engineering which he held at Glasgow University. He is now Honorary Senior Research Fellow there and holds an honorary position as Adjunct Research Professor at California State University. He attributes all his success in his career to the teaching of 6th year maths by Archie Baxter.
Peter Scott Noble (1945-52) after graduating in Modern Languages from Cambridge University taught briefly at Reigate Grammar School before becoming lecturer, and later professor, of French at Reading University. He retired in 2007.
Derek Ogston (1937-47), CBE, former vice-principal of Aberdeen University, is the co-author of a book displaying images of King’s College over the past five centuries to mark the Quincentenary of King’s College Chapel.
Murray George Pittock (1973-78) has been appointed head of the College of Arts and Vice-Principal of the University of Glasgow from August this year.
John George Rennie (1965-71) has been honoured by Aberdeen Journals on completion of thirty years’ service with the company. He started his career in information technology designing air traffic control systems in Surrey before returning to Aberdeen to work in IT at Mugiemoss Paper Mills. He later joined Aberdeen Journals as accounting services manager before appointment as computer services manager.
Charles Duncan Rice (1949-60) KB, MA, PhD, FRSE, retired at the end of March from the post of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Aberdeen University which he had held since 1996. Renowned for his fund-raising skills, having been instrumental in generating substantial sums for the University, and for Yale and New York earlier, he has agreed to act as a part-time consultant to the University for this purpose for the next year.
Michael Rollo-Stuart (1945-57), after a short spell as a junior technician in the Natural Philosophy department at Aberdeen University, joined the RAF as a radar technician. He left in 1968 and joined Marconi Space and Defence Systems as an engineer, retiring as group manager in 1999.
Alan John Sangster (1953-59) BSc, MSc, PhD spent four years with Ferranti plc in Edinburgh doing research into wide-band travelling wave tubes followed by three years with Plessey Radar Ltd at Cowes investigating and developing microwave devices and antennae for air-craft landing systems and frequency scanned radar systems. In 1972 he joined the staff of Heriot-Watt University, becoming Professor of Electromagnetic Engineering in 1989. Now retired, he is a consultant in this field to local industries. He is still involved in research in his area of expertise, has authored over 230 papers and has a book “Energy for a Warming World” shortly to be published.
David Scott (1987-93) LL.B has been assumed as a partner in Aberdeen law firm Ledingham Chalmers. After graduating from Aberdeen University he went on to receive awards in international law from Nottingham University and environmental law from Natal University in South Africa before taking his diploma in legal practice at Aberdeen. His current area of work has an emphasis
on planning law, with concerns in all aspects of the planning process including planning agreements, objections, appeals and local plan enquiries.
Bertram Spence (1932-45) reports that after national service with the 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery in Palestine in 1946-48 he returned to Aberdeen and joined the family shoemaking business. He became a Burgess of Trade and was later Deacon of the Shoemaker Incorporation of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen. He retired from business in 1972, moving south to join the Audit Commission in Cambridge the following year. He finally retired in 1987 to enjoy bowls and bridge.
Ian Gillespie Spiby (1953-59) after qualifying in civil engineering joined Aberdeen City Engineer’s department and was involved in the construction of the then new sea defence works from the Beach Ballroom to the Bridge of Don. He joined William Tawse and worked on the building of Cruachan Dam, leading to more building works in Argyll, Ardnamurchan and Mull. After moving to Miller Construction in Edinburgh he was involved in road and bridge construction in Inverness, Aviemore, Craigellachie and then the Borders. He then took up the post of estimator which he still holds.
Andrew John Stevenson (1975-81) was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament for Carlisle at the General Election. This was a gain in what had been a Labour-held seat. John is the son of Andrew Stevenson, formerly of the PE department at School.
Innes Taylor (1974-80) is currently in the process of completing his Level 2 Hockey Coaching Badge with Scottish Hockey. Innes is to continue for the third season as Scottish Hockey North District Under-18 Boys Lead Coach. His son Thomas Scott Taylor (2002-07) is also to continue for the third season as Assistant Coach of the same group. Innes has now retired from playing competitive hockey at the age of 48 and is concentrating on coaching at North District and Club level for the next two seasons.
Nicol Stuart Valentine (1948-59) was a clerk for six years before training as a primary school teacher. After teaching for two years he became manager at Campbell & Sellar, taxi hirers, and on that business being sold on the retiral of the owners in 1976 he set up his own chauffer drive company. He retired in 2009.
Michael Walker (19 -59) CBE qualified as a chartered surveyor before moving to Edinburgh in 1966, where three years later he started as a private house builder. The company, Walker Group (Scotland) Ltd and Associated Companies, encompasses residential and commercial development activities. He was for four years chairman of a Local Enterprise Company.
Nigel George Morley Watt (1963-69) WS, former President and former long term Secretary of the Edinburgh Centre, left the Law two years ago, after over thirty years practising in Edinburgh, and is now a professional golf referee. He has served on both the Rules Committee and the Championship Committee of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews for four years respectively. During that period he refereed at eight Open Championships, numerous R&A Championships and also as a guest referee at many European Tour tournaments. Turning professional in 2008 he worked with the Ladies’ European Tour for a season and for the last two years he has been working with the PGA, mainly on
the Europro Tour. During the winter he is engaged occasionally by the Asian Tour. He has refereed in twenty-seven countries on six continents. Earlier this year he accomplished a rare achievement, when he completed a tour visiting every football league ground in both Scotland and England.
Robert Clark Whyte (1945-58) CA joined his father in his accountancy practice and eventually took it over. He retired in the mid-90s when ‘computers became more important than common sense’. Always interested in music, he was for fifty years organist at Kingswells Church.
William W. Wolkoff (1942-53), having long planned to walk the 95-mile West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William, laid his plans from his home in Jefferson City, Missouri for the undertaking in May last year. Initially it was to be a real ‘Wolkoff’ outing with his two sons and with his younger brothers Michael (1947-59) and Ian (1942-55). Ian dropped out at the planning stage, claiming arthritis, and the two sons pleaded pressure of work, so it was left to Bill and Mike.
They took what was claimed to be the easy way – eight days, staying at B&Bs with their luggage transferred by an itinerary company. Kitted out in shorts, Tshirts and anti-midge cream they trudged through almost continuous rain for the eight days. It was challenging for a 71- and a 66-year-old but they made it on time. Bill has taken up competitive 5k walking in his age class.
Ian Martin Yeats (1946-59) MA, BA, BCL was called to the English Bar (nonpractising) in 1972. He has been a senior lecturer in Law at Queen Mary University of London and in 1974 was a visiting lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Marriages
Hendry (1988-94) – At Haddo House, Tarves on 29 August 2009 Philip Fraser Hendry, son of John F. Hendry (1951-65) and of Mrs Margaret Hendry, 25 Gladstone Place, Aberdeen to Julie Angela, daughter of Mr & Mrs Robbie Munro, 31 Boarstone Avenue, Inverness
Obituaries
Alfred Herbert Alexander (1930-36) MA, BSc died peacefully in hospital in Aberdeen on 19 December 2009 aged 91. He attended Aberdeen University before World War II but left to join the services. He served in the RAMC, but on demobilisation decided to go into the butchery trade. It was not until the 1990s, having retired, that he decided to return to higher education. He graduated MA in 1996 with honours in Geography and then, in 2001, BSc in Ecology. After further study he obtained a degree in Sociology last summer, and was then planning to embark on a fourth degree. He campaigned vigorously on student rights. He described his outlook as, “think young, act young and mix with young people, and you will never feel old”. He was predeceased by his wife but is survived by his two daughters and two grandchildren.
Colin Graham Anderson (1966-72) died peacefully in hospital in Aberdeen on 7 October 2009 shortly after collapsing at the wheel of his car in the city. He
was aged 55. He joined the Norwich Union Insurance Company in Aberdeen after leaving School and continued in their service until 1989, at the time of the birth of his eldest child. In order to support his wife, a chartered accountant in a growing practice in Aberdeen, Colin took on the role of house-husband, and went on successfully to bring up a family of three. He is survived by his wife, Sheena, and the children.
Ian Mackintosh Brooker (1934-45) MB,ChB died peacefully in hospital in Aberdeen on 17 November 2009 aged 81. Born in Calcutta, where his father was an engineer, he came to Aberdeen as a young boy. He went up to Aberdeen University, graduating in Medicine in 1950. After hospital posts in Aberdeen he joined the RAF and was posted to Germany where he was promoted to Squadron Leader.
As a schoolboy and student he was a keen climber, regularly scaling the Cairngorm peaks. After eighteen months in Germany he was asked to join an expedition to South Georgia to map previously uncharted areas of the Antarctic. He was one of a party of six explorers, all of them experienced climbers, who braved freezing temperatures, blizzards and 100 mph winds for nine months to explore the remote island. The group scaled several mountains which had never been tackled by anyone before. On 31 March 1955 (co-incidentally the day on which his first son was born) Ian made the first ever ascent of an 8000 feet high peak, subsequently named Mount Brooker by the Royal Geographic Society. An article about the expedition appeared in the Magazine of June 1956. On his return he gave a series of lectures on ‘winter survival’ to helicopter pilots who were to find a way through to Fuch’s ship Theron which took a later party to the Antarctic.
On demobilisation Ian was briefly in general practice in Alford and then Culter before moving to Shetland in 1958. He spent seven years as community doctor on the island of Yell and twenty years in Levenwick, on the mainland, with responsibility also for Fair Isle. In the week of his retiral he was in a helicopter rescue of fishermen from a trawler lashed by gales and heavy seas seventy miles from Lerwick. He was a veteran of such rescues. He returned to Aberdeen in the mid-80s and was for some years a medical examiner for the Civil Aviation Authority. In retirement, he and his wife travelled extensively.
He is survived by his wife Marie, to whom he had been married for almost sixty years, and by three sons. His younger brother is William Dixon Brooker (1938-50).
Hugh Sinclair Clark (1951-65) DSC, BSc, MNI died peacefully at Bath, Avon, on 29 April 2010 after a short illness. He gained a scholarship to the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, opting not to take up a University place. After training he served as a Watchkeeper and Diving Officer on the frigate HMS Lincoln until 1970. He then underwent flying training, and on qualifying in 1972 served in 824 Naval Squadron on the old Ark Royal. He later qualified as a flying instructor, before being given his first command, the coastal mine-hunter HMS Wilton, which was the world’s first major vessel made from fibre glass, and during a two-year appointment was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
After a return to flying he completed advanced staff training at the RAF Staff College and became commander of 706 Naval Air Squadron, the Sea King training squadron. Shortly thereafter the Falklands conflict broke out and, using 706 NAS as a nucleus, he formed 825 Naval Air Squadron. The unit was based at San Carlos in the Falklands acting in support of the Royal Marines and the Army, and providing most of the daylight helicopter heavy-lifting capacity ashore.
Lieutenant Commander Clark chanced to be at Fitzroy in East Falklands when he observed the landing ship Sir Gallahad being struck by bombs which set the vessel ablaze and exploded her ammunition. He summoned every available helicopter and within minutes his aircraft were winching men from the burning and smoke-filled decks and hovering low over the water to use the downwash of their rotors to blow life rafts away from the stricken vessel. For his gallant and distinguished service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and also received the Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award. The citation to his DFC reads as follows:
“Lieutenant Commander Clark commanded 825 Naval Air Squadron during the assault on Port Stanley. His unit had been hastily formed from an anti-submarine training squadron and arrived in the Falkland Islands with no military operational experience and little training in the support helicopter role. Short of equipment and expertise they landed and set to work to form an effective and efficient organisation.
“The Squadron was immediately used to support ground forces in the front line and, by wise direction, Lieutenant Commander Clark ensured that they rapidly learned the necessary skills to produce creditable results. His exemplary leadership in the air in the face of ground and air attack was reflected in the performance of his crews.
“Lieutenant Commander Clark showed total disregard for his own safety in rescuing survivors from the blazing wreck of R.F.A. Sir Gallahad, hovering in dense smoke amongst exploding ammunition. Responding to such example, his Unit made a major contribution to the support of the troops engaged in the presence of the enemy which was in the highest traditions of the Service”.
The citation to the Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award reads:
“To Lt. Cdr. Hugh Clark, D.S.C., Royal Navy, for the rescue of servicemen and civilians trapped aboard the Sir Gallahad at Bluff Cove, while Commanding Officer of 825 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service.
“Lt. Cdr. Clark showed total disregard for his own safety in rescuing survivors from the blazing wreck, hovering in dense smoke among exploding ammunition. Responding to such an example, his Unit made a major contribution which was in the highest tradition of the service”.
Promoted to the rank of Commander in 1984, Hugh was appointed chief instructor at the RNA Station at Culdrose, Cornwall. He then held posts which took him to Muscat, Hormuz and the Strait of Hormuz before appointment as Commander (Air) at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. After a move to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet he had responsibility for all strategic aspects of amphibious, joint and combined warfare. He was then seconded to the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office as British Naval and Air Attaché at the British Embassy in Muscat, Oman.
He retired from the Navy after thirty-three years’ service in 1998. Having, as he has said, run away to sea from school in 1965, he ran away to sea again on retirement by going into the luxury yacht business. As a part-time sailor and yachtsman of long standing he was now a fully qualified commercial yacht captain and worked for the owners of large superyachts, based mainly in the Mediterranean for several years. By 2003 he reported that he was captain of the motor yacht Sarah and sailing the world’s oceans.
He also found time in retirement to obtain a degree in Earth Sciences from the Open University. He told the Notes Editor some years ago that this might be traced to Rector John Vass Skinner’s stern comment about wasted opportunity when Hugh decided on a naval career instead of going to University – a view which was moderated a few years later when Mr Skinner became one of the Headmasters on the Admiralty Review Board and graciously pointed out that for the young Clark perhaps it had been a wise decision.
Hugh is survived by his second wife and by two sons of his first marriage. His brother is Michael Peter Clark (1948-56)
David Low Cowie (1942-44) died at Stracathro Hospital on 24 January 2009 following a short illness. He was aged 82. A resident in the Boarding House while at School, he was the winner of the All-Round Trophy in 1944. He went on to study medicine at Aberdeen University, but after three years left to join the family business in Montrose. He then joined the Mercantile Bank of India and spent a year training in their London office before moving to the Far East. He served in Singapore, Calcutta, Bangkok, Thailand and Hong Kong before appointment as accountant in Colombo. After service there and in Mauritius he retired to Edinburgh in 1979, where he took up a post in the head office of the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children as officer in charge of Finance and Administration , from which he retired in 1991.
He was involved with the Edinburgh Centre of the Club, serving on the Committee for a number of years before becoming Vice-President to Morr Brown in 1981. He continued in this role for seven years before himself serving as President in 1988-89. He later returned to live in Montrose. His first wife died a number of years ago. He is survived by his second wife and by two sons. His younger brother is James Alexander Cowie (1944-46).
Distinguished Stage & Screen Actor
Iain Cuthbertson (1946-48) MA, LL.D died peacefully in Glasgow on 4 September 2009 at the age of 79. He came to the Grammar from Glasgow Academy when his biochemist father took up an appointment in Aberdeen, and in his final year played a full and active part in School life. He was a Prefect, President of the Literary and Debating Society, President of the Rambling and Mountaineering Club, Secretary of the Scripture Union branch and one of the School editors of the Magazine. He graduated from Aberdeen University in 1952
with honours in French and Spanish before completing his National Service, when he held a commission in the Black Watch.
Determined not to follow his father into science, he resolved on a career in acting. He was a freelance actor, writer and lecturer for a number of years, lecturing on Scottish subjects at the Glasgow college of Dramatic Art from 1954. He was a member of the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre from 1958, where he played a hugely impressive Othello, and was its general manager and director of productions during 1961-64. He was assistant director of the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1965-67 and then director of the Perth Theatre in 1967.
From his stage career, in which he gave many strong performances, he is best remembered for playing the title role in Sydney Goodsir Smith’s controversial The Wallace at the Edinburgh Festival in 1960. Iain’s performance was described at the time as ‘magnificent’ as his huge frame (he was 6 feet 4 inches tall) commanded the stage. He also played on a number of occasions at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
From the late 1960s he concentrated on television, his first major appearance being in The Borderers, followed shortly afterwards by Budgie in which he took the role of Charlie Endell (a rough but likeable Glasgow gangster) alongside Adam Faith. He was Dr Brown in Tom Brown’s Schooldays and played in series such as Z Cars, The Avengers, Inspector Morse, Dr Who and The Onedin Line. He was well known in the title role in Sutherland’s Law, the fictional account of the life and work of the Procurator Fiscal in the fictional fishing port of Glendoran on the West coast of Scotland.
Iain had parts in many films, notably The Railway Children, Scandal, in which he played the part of Lord Hailsham in a film based on the Profumo affair, Gorillas in the Mist and Let Him Have It
He suffered a major stroke in 1982 which ought to have ended his acting career, but he was determined not to give in. For eighteen months he was unable to speak, but sheer force of spirit saw him return to the screen, although stage acting was impossible. His television appearances increased, starting with the villain, Scunner Campbell, in children’s favourite Super Gran
From 1975 to 1978 he was Rector of Aberdeen University, a role which he fulfilled with the same diligence as he brought to his professional acting career. He was recognised as a hard working Rector with a keen interest in student welfare. On one occasion he drove through the night in order to defuse a student protest. At the end of his term of office he was rewarded with an honorary doctorate of laws.
It is interesting to note that on the obituary page of The Times alongside the paper’s tribute to the actor there appears an anecdote by Hugh Clark (1951-65), whose own obituary appears above. Hugh recalled that Iain had a love of sailing and in the late 1970s, when Hugh was commanding the mine-hunter HMS Wilton he was berthed one evening alongside the ferry terminal at Tobermory. He was hailed by an approaching well-found, trawler yacht with Iain Cuthbertson on board single-handed. Hugh wrote, “He asked if we would mind him lying alongside overnight as that would be more convenient for shore access. I replied that he was very welcome, especially as we were both former pupils of Aberdeen Grammar School. After he had secured I invited him to the
wardroom for a dram before he went ashore, and a very engaging raconteur and companion he was. More than one dram was consumed, and as I recall he never did make it ashore”.
Iain’s first marriage was dissolved. He is survived by his second wife. His younger brother is Alastair Cuthbertson (1946-54)
Brian A. Dickson (1959-64) died peacefully in a hospice in Aberdeen on 27 December 2009 following a long illness. He was aged 62. In 1967 he achieved his boyhood dream by joining Aberdeen City Police. He served in the various divisions, in the traffic department and in C.I.D. In 1977 he was promoted to sergeant and later to inspector. He worked in the Force Control Room for a time and was noted for a refreshingly direct form of supervision. He retired in 1997. His knowledge and expertise have been harnessed by Stewart McBride, a local crime novelist, who has used him as a consultant, and the main police character in his novels has the same name as one of Brian’s grandsons.
Brian is survived by his second wife, by two daughters and by two grandsons.
Graham Findlay (1940-43) MB,ChB, DObst, RCOG died in a nursing home in Ferndown, Dorset on 25 December 2009 aged 83. His entry to University was delayed by War service, but he went on to graduate in Medicine from Aberdeen University in 1953. Two years later he added a degree in Obstetrics. He was briefly a junior doctor at Wanstead Hospital before joining his father in 1954 in the general practice which he had founded at Barkingside, in North London. He lived in nearby Chigwell. On retiring in 1991 he moved to Ferndown. He enjoyed visits to his daughter in Sydney, and in retirement he and his wife spent about three months of the year there. He also enjoyed playing bridge and was a keen golfer until the onset of Parkinson’s Disease around 2002, after which he slowly became less able. He spent the last three years of his life in a nursing home.
He is survived by a son and daughter and by four grandchildren. His wife died in 2001.
Edgar Alexander Fox (1926-37) MB,ChB has died at his home in Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, aged 89. He was one of the last survivors of Classical V of 1936-37, a group which remained in touch and who marked the fiftieth anniversary of their leaving school with a reunion dinner in Aberdeen in 1987. He studied Medicine at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1949. He was a house physician at Ormsby Hospital, Middlesborough before returning briefly to the North-east as an assistant general practitioner at Meikle Wartle, Inverurie. After a short time at Falkirk Infirmary he went into general practice in Bishop Auckland in 1951, remaining there until retiring in 1988.
James Garden (1930-37) CA died in a care home at Aberdeen on 30 July 2009 aged 90. He served in the Royal Air Force during 1939-45, being a pilot at one time with 602 Spitfire Squadron. After the War he returned to Aberdeen to train as a chartered accountant, qualifying and being admitted to the Aberdeen
Society in 1948. He spent his entire professional career in practice in Aberdeen. He is survived by one son and a grandson.
Douglas Thomson Gordon (1935-44) MB,ChB, DPH, MD died peacefully in hospital in Plymouth on 28 January 2010 aged 82. After graduating in Medicine at Aberdeen in 1950 he spent a year as house physician at the City Hospital before undertaking national service in the RAMC. He served as medical officer to the Royal West African Frontier Force in the former Gold Coast. He was then resident medical officer at Otley General Hospital, at which time he gained his Diploma in Public Health. After four years as resident assistant physician at Ham Green Fever Hospital near Bristol he became, in 1960, senior hospital medical officer at Scott Fever Hospital in Plymouth. While there he gained his doctorate for a thesis on tetanus. In 1967 he moved into general practice in Plymouth, retiring thirty years later, although continuing to do locum work. He is survived by his wife, to whom he had been married since 1956, a son and daughter, and by two grandsons.
David Rollo Grieve (1939-52) MB,ChB, MRCGP died peacefully in Aberdeen on 1 April 2010 after a long illness. He was aged 75. After graduating in Medicine from Aberdeen University in 1958 he spent a year as a house officer in Aberdeen hospitals before serving as a medical officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force. On his return to Aberdeen in 1962 he joined his father’s medical practice in Aberdeen where he continued as a popular general practitioner until retiring in 1990. A capable and enthusiastic skier throughout his life, he was awarded a half blue in skiing at University. He was also a keen swimmer. After retiring he and his wife spent a lot of time at their house in Speyside and also travelled widely throughout the world to visit their children and their families. He is survived by his wife, to whom he had been married since 1959, and by three sons and a daughter, all of them FPs – Michael David Grieve (1972-78), Peter Grieve (1974-80), Danielle Madeleine Grieve (1977-83) and John Charles Grieve (1979-85).
Ian Drysdale Halliday (1952-58) CA died peacefully at his home in Aldringham, Suffolk on 11 March 2010 after a long illness. He was aged 70. He served an apprenticeship with James Milne & Co in Aberdeen, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1963 and being admitted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He moved to London to work for Price Waterhouse before joining a merchant bank. For a short time in the early ‘70s he worked for the World Bank in Cuba, after which he was head-hunted by several international companies to solve a variety of problems. The most interesting of these was in Doha, Qatar, which took eight years to resolve. In 1981 he was appointed Finance Director of Ghanem Al-Thani Holdings in Doha, this being a company controlling the business interests of the ruling family. Having been Treasurer of Doha College from 1982 he was in 1987 elected chairman of the College’s Board of Governors.
He made his home in Crieff, Perthshire, before retiring to Suffolk. He retained a life-long interest in music, in the Church and in politics. He is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.
Distinguished Neurologist
Donald Gavin Jamieson (1944-52) MB,ChB, MRCP(E), MRCP(L), FRCPE died in hospital in Birmingham on 26 March 2010 aged 73. A Prefect at School, he went on to Aberdeen University where he graduated in Medicine with honours in 1958. After hospital posts in Aberdeen and Edinburgh he went to the Midland Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Smethwick in Birmingham. After two years as a senior medical registrar in Dundee he returned to Birmingham as a consultant neurologist with the West Midlands Regional Health Authority. As such, he had clinics in numerous hospitals in the Midlands as well as working in the Midland Centre in Smethwick and other hospitals in Birmingham. He had a reputation as a first class clinical neurologist with rare gifts. He was involved on a part-time basis in the teaching of medical students. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter and by a grandson. His elder brother was Michael Sutherland Jamieson (1936-49).
Herbert Douglas Jamieson (1922-34) TD, LDS died peacefully in hospital in Edinburgh on 14 December 2009 aged 92. He was named after his father Douglas Jamieson (1895-03) who was killed in action at Ypres in 1917 and his uncle Herbert Jamieson (1894-98) who died of wounds at Gallipoli in 1915. At School he was a member of the 1st XV and of the 1st XI, head of Melvin House, and set the High Jump record in 1934 (later broken by Phil Love). At St Andrews University, where he studied Dentistry, he was an Athletic Blue and again set a High Jump Record (also since broken). He was awarded the Prain Cup as the best athlete at St Andrews in session 1936-37. In 1938 he received his diploma in dental surgery. As a Territorial he was mobilised in the RAMC and posted to France with the British Expeditionary Force to serve with 13 Field Ambulance. He was involved in the retreat to Dunkirk and the subsequent evacuation. He later served with 7 Field Ambulance in the 9th Armoured Division.
On demobilisation he entered dental practice in Edinburgh which continued until retiral in 1985. He was a member of the Edinburgh Centre of the Club and was for a time a member of its committee. He is survived by his wife, whom he married in 1941, by two daughters, four grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
John Gareth Watkin Jones (1937-47) BSc, PhD, CBiol, FIBiol died peacefully at his home in Dolgellau on 20 March 2010 following a short illness. He was aged 80. He was born in Aberystwyth and came to Aberdeen aged 7 when his father was appointed to a lectureship in Aberdeen. At School he was a Prefect, Secretary of the Literary & Debating Society and President of the Dramatic Society. He went on to Durham University where, following in his father’s footsteps, he graduated in Agriculture in 1951. He returned to Aberdeen to do post-graduate study at the Rowett Institute and obtained his doctorate in 1954.
Having been awarded a King George VI Memorial Scholarship he spent a year in further studies at the University of Missouri, after which he was commissioned in the Royal Artillery for National Service in the UK and in Singapore.
He became a lecturer at Wye College (University of London) near Ashford before being appointed a principal scientific officer at the Grassland Research Institute at Hurley. From 1970 he was a senior lecturer in Agriculture at Reading University. Always a fluent Welsh speaker, he returned to Wales on retirement in 1995.
John is survived by his wife and two sons. His younger brother David Martin Jones (1937-47) died in 2004.
Alistair Kenneth Gordon Lamont (1952-65) MBE, FIWM died suddenly on 23 June 2009 aged 62. After leaving School he went to Napier College in Edinburgh to study mechanical engineering and his interest in student life led to his becoming President of the Students’ Union. He then completed a postgraduate course at Derby Technical College. He worked in England for several years before coming to Dundee as engineering services manager in the District Council’s cleansing department in 1974. Following an accident at work he underwent a total leg amputation. He was closely involved in the setting up of the first municipal incinerator and in the introduction of wheelie-bin collection in Dundee.
Despite his disability, Alistair lectured for eighteen years on Engineering in Waste Management at Stow College in Glasgow in addition to being a visiting lecturer at four other colleges. He was at one time a key figure in Round Table, a member of the Royal Tay Yacht Club and a founder member of the Tayside Amputee Support Group.
For twelve years he served as a member of the Scottish Council of the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management, ultimately as chairman in 2002-04. After fourteen years on the Scientific & Technical committee as leader of the working group on composting he served as president of the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management in 2004-05.
Alistair took early retirement from the Council in 1997 which gave him the opportunity to realise a long-held ambition to set up his own business, Wamcal Ltd, providing advice, training and consultancy in waste management. His vast experience in this field, coupled with a highly energetic work ethic ensured the success of this venture. Always working to develop his environmental interests he set up his composting business, Sustainagro. He was treasurer of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group for wastes management, and was appointed to the East Region board of SEGA in 2007. His services to sustainable wastes management was recognised by the award of the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2004.
In recent years he and his wife ran an antique shop in the village of Abernyte, and spent as many of their off-duty weekends as possible in their caravan at Kenmore. A man of many interests, he had a wide-ranging stamp collection, was an avid photographer, loved music of all sorts, especially jazz, and was a life-long supporter of the Labour Party.
Alistair is survived by his second wife and two daughters. His brother is John Keith Lamont (1956-66)
Peter Kelly Leatham (1938-49) died peacefully on 9 May 2010 at Rogue Valley Medical Centre, Medford, Oregon aged 78. He had been in poor health for a few years. He became an indentured apprentice with the City Line of Glasgow, joining his first ship, the City of Calcutta in July 1949, just a matter of days after leaving School. His first trip was with newsprint from Newfoundland to Australia and New Zealand. Four years later he came ashore to sit examinations and gained his Master’s “ticket”. Later, in 1960, while sailing on the RMS Queen Mary, he met his future wife. They were married in New York in 1962, and at this time he left seafaring. He worked at first in Montreal. Later, after a period working for a firm of steamship agents in New York, he moved to California where he remained until retiring in 1986. At that time he returned to Scotland but, having forgotten the nature of the Scottish climate, found that he missed the sunshine too much and went back to America. For the past several years he lived in Medford in southern Oregon. He re-established connection with the FP Club eight or nine years ago and was in contact with the Canadian Centre, but his dependence latterly on a wheelchair prevented him attending any of their reunions when held in the West.
Gordon Forbes Lindsay (1931-39) CVO, MB,ChB died peacefully at Aboyne Hospital on 17 December 2009 aged 87. After graduating in Medicine at Aberdeen University in 1944 he spent a year as a house doctor at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield before military service in the RAMC. On demobilisation in 1948 he joined William Baxter Brodie Brown (1915-18) in general practice at Aboyne, first as an assistant and later as a partner. He was a popular physician and described by one former patient as “very erudite, holding a good conversation with everyone, and great fun too”. In 1973 he was appointed as the Queen’s doctor at Balmoral and looked after the health of the members of the Royal Family on their annual stays at the Castle. In recognition of this service he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. He retired from practice in 1982. He is survived by his wife Mary, whom he met at Medical School, and to whom he had been married for over sixty years. He also leaves a son and two daughters as well as five grandchildren.
Renowned Mineralogist
Harry Gordon Macpherson (1938-44) BSc, MA, PhD died in Edinburgh on 13 December 2001 at the age of 76. After leaving School he was called to the Forces and served in the Royal Engineers as a topographical draughtsman in South East Asia Command. He then studied at Aberdeen University, graduating with honours in Geology in 1952. He spent the summer of that year as a geologist in the Ontario Department of Mines before embarking on further study at Toronto University which lead to an MA degree and a doctorate. Later he worked in Labrador searching for copper with the American Exploration
Company, and did similar prospecting work with other companies. He returned to Scotland in 1958 as a scientist with the National Coal Board in New Cumnock.
Two years later he was appointed Curator in the Geology Department of the Royal Museum in Edinburgh. A major refurbishment of the Museum allowed for the creation of a new Mineral Hall which was opened in 1975. Harry had a leading role in this development and was instrumental in the creation of attractive, easily understandable educational displays. Keenly interested in the identification and collection of new Scottish minerals, he strove to increase the research capability of the Museum. He introduced new techniques and gave supportive encouragement to younger colleagues, whom he inspired with his enthusiasm. He worked closely with the Edinburgh Geological Society, forging closer links between the Museum and the Society.
In 1984 the mineral Macphersonite, which was discovered in Leadhills in Lanarkshire, was named after him. It is a cousin of the more well-known although still scarce leadhillite. Both are diamorphs; they share exactly the same chemistry but have different structures. He retired in 1987 but went on to publish a book on Agates in 1989.
Dr. Macpherson is survived by his wife and a daughter. His brother George John Macpherson (1933-40), a sergeant in the RAFVR, was killed in 1944 while serving with Bomber Command.
George Murray (1946-53) DA, died peacefully at his home in Aberdeen on 8 September 2009 aged 75. From School he attended Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and after graduation taught for a time as an Art supply teacher. He then decided that he wanted to work with children with learning disabilities and underwent further specialist training. His first post was at Linn Moor School at Peterculter after which, in 1966, he was appointed head teacher of the newly opened Woodlands School in Aberdeen. He continued in that post until retiring. Considered to be one of Aberdeenshire Cricket Club’s best ever bowlers, his cricketing skill was apparent while he was still at School. He captained the School 1st XI in 1953 and played for ‘Shire in a County Championship match that season as a schoolboy. In 1955 he and Dugald Euan Baird (1942-55), who succeeded him the previous year as School Cricket Captain, both played for ‘Shire. He was vice-captain of Aberdeenshire in 1958-60 and captain in 1961-62 and again in 1971-72. In 1968 he took on what was a new role as club coach and for the next thirteen years supervised the introduction of countless boys to the game of cricket, many of whom went on to play for both Aberdeenshire and Scotland.
George is survived by his wife, with whom he had celebrated their Golden wedding six months earlier, by two daughters and two grandsons.
James Henry Robertson Nairn (1929-38) died very suddenly on 31 July 2008 aged 83. He was in business for many years as a watchmaker in St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen. He was named after a brother Henry James Robertson (191922) who had died following a cliff accident at Cove when he was a 7-year –old pupil in the Lower School.
Dennis Gerald Norrie (1946-52) died peacefully on 14 February 2010 after a short illness aged 76. Initially he went to the Far East and in the late ‘50s was a tea planter in Kandapala in the former Ceylon. In later years he was in business in Sweden, where he was for a period the British Vice-Consul in Gothenburg. On his return to the UK in 1981 he became appeal director with a leading company of fund-raising consultants. He retired to live in Evesham, where he involved himself with the community. He suffered from Non-Hodgkins lymphoma (leukaemia) for the last sixteen years, but apart from occasional setbacks kept in good health. His daughter writes that he was always a fighter, which kept him going, until the last month before his death.
Ivor Erroll Phillips (1937-44) died peacefully in Swanage, Dorset on 5 September 2009 aged 80. He was a fish merchant in Aberdeen, having joined the family business after leaving school. He was a keen and very successful golfer. He is survived by a son and two daughters. He was one of three brothers who all attended the School, the others being Ian George Knox Phillips (1936-43) who died in 2006 and Alistair Phillips (1937-42).
Douglas Stuart (1929-43) MB,ChB died peacefully in Nottingham on 26 January 2010. He was aged 85. He was called up to the R.A.F. in 1944 and served until 1947, after which he studied Medicine at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1954. A keen sportsman at School, he played rugby for the University and at Easter 1948 was one of ten FPs who were members of a touring side in London. He played cricket for FPs being vice-captain in 1948 and captain in 1950. After a year as a house officer at the Royal Mental Hospital in Aberdeen he was a house surgeon in Glasgow Royal Infirmary before becoming a trainee general practitioner in Oxford. He was then in practice at Rainham, Essex and in Aberdeen before settling in Nottingham where he was in general practice from 1960.
He is survived by his wife, Hether, and by two sons and a daughter. His older brother Forbes Stuart (1928-37) died in 1995. His younger brother Ian Stuart (1933-46) is a retired general practitioner in Arbroath.
Jamie Tate (2005-09) died suddenly while on weekend exercise with army cadets of the 2nd Battalion of the Highlanders on 14 September 2009. Jamie had only recently left School and had begun a course on electrical engineering at college.
Andrew Frost Taylor (1929-35) died peacefully in a care home in Aboyne on 18 May 2010 aged 93. He had been in failing health for some time. On leaving School he joined the former Motor Union Insurance Co. in Aberdeen as a junior clerk. After war service with the Royal Engineers he returned to the company, became an inspector and then, in 1956, manager. Five years later, following a merger, he became manager of both the Motor Union and the Car & General
Insurance Co. In 1964 he became manager in Aberdeen of the Royal Exchange Group of five insurance companies and later, when the Guardian Royal Exchange Group was formed, he was appointed manager of underwriting and administration in their Aberdeen Office. Retiring in 1972, after thirty-seven years in the insurance industry, he took up a post as a rent officer with the Scottish Development Department’s Registration Service. He was involved in the monitoring of fair rents in the private housing sector, determining disputes between landlords and tenants, mainly in the Moray and Deeside areas. He retired for the second time in 1982 to devote time to golf, bowls and gardening. He was for a number of years a member of the FP Club Executive and more recently was proud to be listed among the Club’s distinguished nonagenarians. He is survived by his wife, a son and daughter and by seven grandchildren.
Leading Scottish Liberal Politician
Roy Henry Thomson (1941-50) KCStJ, DL, MA, MLitt died suddenly at his Aberdeen home on 29 November 2009 aged 77. He graduated with honours in Psychology from Aberdeen University in 1955 before his call up for National Service. He was commissioned in the Gordon Highlanders and served in Cyprus during the EOKA rebellion as an intelligence officer working with Special Branch. On his return he took a post in York with Rowntree Macintosh before moving into market research at St Albans.
When his father became ill Roy returned to Aberdeen to run the garage business founded by his grandfather. He was a director of Roy Thomson Ltd., Thomsons of Cults and two other car businesses in Aberdeen until the loss of the VW dealership in 1986 and the firm went into liquidation.
Roy took an active interest in politics from an early age, and in 1974 was elected as one of only two Liberal councillors on Aberdeen City Council, representing the Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber area. He was later appointed leader of the City Council. He spent fourteen years on the Council. He was a former Chairman of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland and at the time of his death he was convener of Aberdeen South Liberal Democrats and the Scottish representative on the party’s UK executive.
In addition to his business and political commitments, Roy was a founding member of the Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Association and chairman of Mental Health Aberdeen. He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St John in recognition of his work for the Order in these two fields of public service. He was chairman of the Friends of Aberdeen University Library and was active in Rotary. He was a former chairman of Aberdeen Children’s Festival, chairman of the Scottish Ballet, a governor of BBC Scotland and played a major role in the setting up of the dance summer school at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, one of the event’s major successes. Before retiring in 1995 he was for several years the Festival’s marketing director. In 2005 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Aberdeen.
With a self-confessed desire to keep his mind active, Roy returned to Aberdeen University in 2005 to study politics and international relations and graduated Master of Letters with distinction in July last year.
Roy is survived by his wife, Nancy, by three daughters and by seven grandchildren.
Ian Allan Watt (1931-43) MA died in a care home in Surrey on 17 March 2010 aged 83. After School he went up to Aberdeen University to read History, but soon he was called up for military service in the Army. He served with the Gordon Highlanders from 1944 and was commissioned in 1946 to be an Intelligence Officer at prisoner-of-war camps in Egypt. Demobilised in 1947 he returned to the University and graduated with first class honours in History. He then proceeded to Merton College, Oxford to obtain second class honours in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. After a year teaching history in a Cambridge school he became a ‘civilian’ tutor in the then recently established Police Staff College at Bramshill, and over the next thirty years rose to be Dean of Academic Studies, responsible to the Commandant for the contribution of the academic staff to the work of the College. He formed close links with American institutions doing similar work. Although retiring from his post as Dean in 1986, he continued to contribute to all aspects of the life of the College until ill-health forced him to enter the care and nursing home where he died.
Ian was married and is survived by his brother James Allan Newton Watt (1927-39), who is an Honorary Vice-President of the Club, and his family. An older brother was Robert Allan Stewart Watt (1924-36) MB,ChB, who in 1943 was asked to act as medical officer on a troopship sailing from East Africa which sadly was torpedoed in the Indian Ocean with the loss of all on board.
Hugh Andrew Willox (1928-35) died suddenly, but peacefully, in an Aberdeen nursing home on 21 November 2009 aged 92. Born in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, he returned to Scotland for his education coming to the Grammar at the age of 8. On the outbreak of World War II he was called to military service, initially with the Royal Engineers. He later served with the 8th Ghurkha Rifles and saw action against the Japanese in Burma. He was promoted to Captain and was mentioned in despatches for his bravery in action in the London Gazette of 9 May 1946.
On his return from the War he joined the family printing business, the Waverley Press in Crooked Lane in Aberdeen. He later took over the business and ran it until he retired. He was an enthusiastic outdoor sportsman. He was a former commodore of the Stonehaven Sailing Club and a scratch golfer at Deeside Golf Club of which he was a former Captain and President. He was a passionate salmon fly fisherman, enjoying some of the finest beats on the River Dee and on other rivers in the north and north-east. He was predeceased by his first wife, but is survived by his second wife, by two daughters, a son and four grandchildren, as well as by a step-daughter and stepgrandson.
Abstract of Accounts for Year ended 31 December 2009
EXPENDITURE
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
Abstract of Accounts for Year ended 31 December 2009
Account
Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine
