New School Science Laboratory

Iain S. Hopkin (1962-68)

President 2019-20

Former Pupils’ Section Presidential Profile

Iain S. Hopkin MA (1962-68)

Iain Hopkin, to many better known as Hoppy, was born in York, moved to Aberdeen aged three, attended Ashley Road Primary School and then Aberdeen Grammar School from 1962 until 1968. At school he played for the first teams at both rugby and cricket.

Having gained an MA degree at Aberdeen University and then qualified as an accountant (FCCA), Iain worked for the then John Wood Group (1973-75), W Lockhart Marshall and Marnox Properties (1975-79), Gardner Cryogenics (1979-89) and Halliburton (1989-2011). Iain retired in 2011.

Iain married Ann in 1974. Ann, like Iain, is very involved with her school former pupils’ club and is currently President of the Aberdeen High School/Harlaw Academy FP Club. Since Iain retired, Ann and Iain have been able to focus on their love of travelling, especially cruising. Recent cruises comprise Sydney to San Francisco, around the Med, Hong Kong to Dubai, Sydney to Hong Kong via Japan and Southampton to St Petersburg.

However, cutting to the chase, the real theme of this profile is Iain’s involvement in and around the FP Club which has been prodigious. Iain was a member of the Club Executive and the Club Centre Committee for many years. He was also very active in both the rugby and cricket sections.

He played rugby for FPs from 1968 to 1993 and is rightly proud that he has made at least one appearance for the 1st XV in each decade from the 60s right through to the 90s. He even managed to sneak into Ron Comber’s Golden Oldies at the age of 24 – it must have been that bushy beard which disguised his age.

Extending beyond FPs he played rugby for Aberdeen Strollers, the geriatric rugby team, in World Festival events in Toronto, Dublin, Christchurch, Vancouver and Toulouse as well as playing in other events in Wales and Hong Kong. He is a former Secretary and President of Aberdeen Exiles RFC. Iain and Ann are enthusiastic followers of the Scottish Rugby team and are frequent visitors to all the 6 Nations locations.

He was also very involved in the FP cricket section playing from 1963 through to 2005 with occasional appearances since. He played in the Scottish Cup run in 1988, which took the team right through to the final. Successes with FP cricket included winning three Strathmore Union titles and three Press & Journal sevens events.

Iain was awarded ‘Clubman of the year’ for both FP rugby and cricket sections in 1981-82 - a unique achievement.

Moving back to service and support to the Club and the Centre, Iain created and compered the monthly quizzes in the Club Centre for ten years in the early 47

2000s. It is typical of Iain that he quietly and behind the scenes sifted through old documents and materials which were stored in the Club Centre and has pulled together much historical Club material which is now accessible to all.

Of more direct relevance to the year of 1968, Iain almost single handedly organised a year reunion to celebrate 50 years since we left school. Year reunions have been talked about on and off but it took Iain’s energy and time to organise the event which all who attended will agree was a great success. Iain will say he merely coordinated the efforts of others but the reality is this event only happened because of Iain.

Iain’s initial ‘hail fellow well met’ impression belies a very interested, caring and selfless guy.

This piece is intended to set out the extent to which Iain has been a supporter of, and directly involved in, the FP Club and the Club Centre for more than 50 years. Iain rightly views the role of President as an honour and I for one cannot think of anyone more deserving. I am sure all FPs will wish our President well and hope that Iain and Ann thoroughly enjoy his year in office.

Bob Hutcheson (1962-68)

Centre Reports

Club Centre

The Centre’s trading deficit in 2018 of approaching £10,000 had to be addressed quickly and it is pleasing to advise that this challenge has been overcome, with the Centre showing an increase in trade to the end of June 2019 and provisionally recording a modest surplus. Membership numbers remain constant, however attracting new members is more difficult given the continued uncertainty regarding the future of 86 Queens Road.

In September 2018 our Centre Manager, Mike Tasker, requested a voluntary redundancy package and this was agreed by the Centre committee. Elson Silva has been elevated to the position of full time bar operative and has performed admirably, often working long hours to maintain the bar and clubhouse in an ambient and presentable manner. The overhead saving from not employing a club manager, plus additional fiscal savings introduced, will allow the Centre to continue to trade for as long as it takes for the sale of our premises to be fully determined. The Centre, in keeping with almost all other licensed premises, is reliant on functions to provide additional trade. Race nights, gin tasting nights, themed food nights, school reunions and, in the summer season, BBQs are all hosted at the Centre and the committee would encourage all members to take advantage of our facilities when a works function or fundraiser or the like has to be arranged as part of their own social calendars. 48