Notes about Former Pupils

John Alexander Cruickshank (1926-29) VC was among the guests of honour at a gathering of members of the Royal Northern & University Club to celebrate the Centenary of the Royal Air Force last September. At a separate function in May this year John was the recipient of a new pipe tune composed in his honour, the original score of which now hangs in the Club. Despite the bravery which he showed in flying his extensively damaged aircraft back to Sullum Voe after sinking a submarine off Norway John remains a very modest man.

Craig Duncan (1985-90) after working in the oil industry has self-published a novel The Trader which has been well received. Encouraged by its success Craig is already working on a second novel.

Ian Alexander Fraser (1962-68) began his career in insurance with the Norwich Union in Aberdeen as soon as he left School. He later worked in Croydon and Inverness before returning to Aberdeen. He switched to Insurance Broking in 1978 before joining a local brokerage, Central Insurance Services, in 1985. He became a director some time later and retired in 2014. He is a keen golfer at Hopeman.

James Alexander Gauld (1955-66) went to the Royal Manchester College of Music to study tuba but trained as an opera singer. He sang with Glyndebourne and the Welsh National Opera before working back-stage at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. After several years singing in various opera houses in Germany he made a complete career change in 1996, working in IT as a network administrator and writing software for optical inspection instruments. Now retired he still lives in Germany.

Anthony Michael Holman (1955-68) MA lectured in Social Science and Management at Aberdeen college, finally as head of department. He was then a management trainer in the Oil & Gas sector, lectured at Robert Gordon University and was a learning and development facilitator with NHS Grampian before retiring in 2006.

David Law (2003-09) whose golfing prowess was recognised while he was still a pupil at School when it was noted in 2008 that he had had incredible success on the international scene as a member of the Scottish U-18 team, winning the Scottish Golf Union Junior Tours event. That success continues and he won his first European Tour title at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia in February. He had won last year’s SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge and finished 14th on the Challenge Tour to earn a European Tour card. Present in Victoria to watch him play were former School friends Iain Budge (2003-09) and Hamish Wilson (2003-09) who are now working in Melbourne. 78

Albert Joseph Lumsden (1964-68) BSc having gained a degree in electrical and electronic engineering worked in industry in the Edinburgh area before taking up a post at Perth Further Education college. He was a lecturer in electrics, mathematics, and finally in computing. He is now retired and living in Edinburgh.

Callum McDonald (1963-76) LL.B has been appointed as the Managing Partner of leading North-East legal firm Raeburn, Christie, Clark & Wallace. He takes over at the helm of the firm having joined them in 1980, after graduating from Edinburgh University. The firm’s former partners include the late Eric Buthlay (1928-40), so that, uniquely, the firm boasts two partners who also captained the FP Rugby Section in their playing days.

Moira Elizabeth MacIver née Duthie (1983-89) is Head Teacher at Kingswells Primary School. Her son Lewis was this year’s Deputy Senior Prefect.

John Lachlan MacKenzie (1962-68) MA, PhD moved to Amsterdam after graduating from Aberdeen University and served as a lecturer and ultimately Professor of English Language. Since retiring in 2004 he has been active as an independent scholar and part-time professor.

Graham Andrew Milne (1982-88), who joined the former Grampian Police in 1990, has recently been in charge of Counter-Terrorism procedure and planning with Police Scotland, stationed in Aberdeen. He holds the rank of Detective Sergeant.

Robert Boyd Muir (1962-68) BSc, PhD spent thirty years with Shell International, mostly abroad and finally as Vice-President of Infineum International. In 2005 he co-founded Naneum, a nanotechnology company. On its sale in 2013 he co-founded Ancon Technologies, which works in the same field and has developed the next generation of airport security sensors for detecting explosives, chemical weapons and illicit drugs.

Richard Rennie (1999-04) after six years dancing in the Moulin Rouge in Paris moved to Los Angeles in late 2016 to pursue his acting dream. He has since had roles in various productions, one of which won best picture in the 11th annual Toscars ceremony. He followed this as one of a cast of five in a British comedy, Old Frenemies in Hollywood. He is also writing his own feature film.

Obituaries

George Macdonald Anderson (1930-42) died peacefully at his home in Aberdeen on 16 January 2018 following several years of poor health following a serious stroke over twenty years ago. He was one of the Club’s Nonogenarians.

George went directly into the RAF from School and enrolled for pilot training. To his dismay he failed an eye test and switched to training as a radar operator. He was then posted to London, commissioned in the RAF Regiment and sent to Iraq where he served in the transport section in charge of the Levies. He took part in rugby and soccer matches for the RAF.

On his return to Aberdeen he joined his father in the family business of George Donald & Sons, wholesale glass, paint and wallpaper merchants, becoming managing director on his father’s retirement. George retired several years ago on selling the business and devoted his time to golfing at Royal Aberdeen and Aboyne, where he was also heavily involved with the Water Ski Club of which he was for some time president.

After ten years of retirement George suffered a stroke but thanks to excellent care was able mostly to remain at home. He is survived by his wife Moira, a son, grand-daughter and two great-grandsons. His brother -

Graham Macdonald Anderson (1932-46) died suddenly at his Aberdeen home on 20 June 2018. He joined his father and older brother in the family business of George Donald & Sons and continued with his brother after their father’s retirement. In retirement he enjoyed fishing and shooting, but his activities were curtailed a number of years ago following a severe heart attack which he suffered while on holiday in Crete.

Graham was predeceased by his wife, Mildred, but is survived by a son and daughter and two grandchildren.

Graham William Barron (1943-54) died peacefully at his home in Aberdeen on 3 May 2019 after a long illness. He was aged 79. He left School after 4th year and went on to serve an apprenticeship as a marine engineer. He served in the Blue Funnel Line of the Merchant Navy for twelve years. He was then involved in the construction of the original Cairngorm ski lift, later working offshore with various engineering companies. In his free time he toured with his own Motocross team.

After retiring on health grounds in 1998 Graham turned his attention to rugby, firstly with Mackie Academy FPs in Stonehaven and from 2005 with FPs. He became team manager and then served as President in 2014-18. He joined the “57” Club and was happy to meet up again with former classmates. He is pictured with some of them in the photograph on page 74 of the 2017 Magazine.

Former Pupils’ Section

Graham was predeceased by his first wife but is survived by his second wife, by children from both marriages and by grandchildren.

Robert (Roy) Brown (1932-43) CD, MB,ChB, DPsych, FRCP(C) died peacefully in hospital in Kingston, Ontario on 28 March 2019 after a short illness. He was aged 93. He went straight from School to war service, initially as a midshipman with the Fleet Air Arm before promotion to Sub-Lieutenant. He completed his training as a naval fighter pilot, with elementary flying at St Eugene, Ontario and advanced flying in Kingston, Ontario. This gave him a foretaste for Ontario where he was to spend most of his professional life. He served on HMS Victorious with the US and British Pacific Fleets in bombing raids on Japan.

On demobilisation Roy studied Medicine at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1951. Always enthusiastic about rowing, he attained a Blue in Boats and played a key role in the revival of the University Boat Club in 1949. He then joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a medical officer and served in various parts of Canada and Europe. He became a specialist in Psychiatry, practising at the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa and the Canadian Forces Hospital in Kingston.

Roy began another career as the Medical Director of the Regional Psychiatric Centre at Kingston Penitentiary, Ontario where he was responsible for the mental care of the Federal inmates in the region. He served as President of the Garrison Golf and Curling Club and as Commodore of the Forces Sailing Association.

At the time of the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976 Roy was the senior officer afloat in charge of the medical rescue teams for the Sailing Olympics and was honoured by his selection as one of the bearers of the Olympic Flame. After retiring again in 1980 he continued to act as a contract consultant at Kingston Penitentiary, and for other agencies until 2000.

In 2005 Roy made a visit to Aberdeen when he presented the University Boat Club with a Trophy to mark the 60th anniversary of its revival by himself and a group of eight others. The centre piece of the Trophy is the Olympic Torch which he had carried at Montreal and which he had been allowed to keep.

In recent years, with the help of Canadian FP Secretary Gillian Thomas (two of whose daughters are alumni of Kingston University), Roy was able to attend parts of Canadian FP Reunions held in the area and much enjoyed meeting up with fellow FPs.

Roy contributed an interesting article to the 2009 Magazine (vol. 112, page 28) recollecting his experiences of education at the Grammar School in wartime.

Roy was predeceased by his wife and his eldest son, but is survived by two daughters and a son and by three grandchildren. Roy’s younger brother was William Morrison Brown (1932-46) who was President of the FP Club in 198889.