Sadly Missed

We would appreciate it if obituaries for inclusion in the next issue were sent from branch or club secretaries.

Sheila Barnes, Somerset

Somerset Branch President, Sheila Barnes, died peacefully in August. Sheila and her husband Harold started the Somerset Branch more than 30 years ago and were joint recipients of the RSCDS Scroll. Their contribution to Scottish dancing in Somerset and previously in Bedford was wonderful. Sheila had not been teaching or dancing for some years but was always very interested in everything the Branch was doing. We will always be grateful for Sheila’s dedication, teaching, friendship and support. Elizabeth Beckinsale, Somerset Branch

Ethel Carlyle, Ayr

Ethel first joined Ayr Branch Committee in the late 1960s. She held many roles: teaching children’s classes for many years: as Subscription Secretary, Branch Secretary and dancing in demonstration teams, later organising these teams for local events and trips abroad. Ethel became Honorary President of Ayr Branch in 2007. Throughout her dancing life, she supported local dances, day schools, weekend schools, Summer School, holidays and trips abroad. Ethel was always a wonderful ambassador for the Branch and promoted its best interests throughout her long association with it.

Wilma Brown, Ayr Branch Secretary

Alexander Leslie Cumming, Canberra

Les lived his life to the full, never shying away from a challenge, and with an insatiable sense of adventure. As a young man he lived in Hopeman, Scotland, near Madelina MacPherson whom he married in Frankston, Victoria, in 1962. They later moved to Canberra where their three children were born. Dancing was in his blood; his graceful movements and light-as-air step were evident in his every move. Les was one of ‘Miss Milligan’s Boys’ and toured with the International Team to South Africa and across Europe, promoting Scottish country dancing and winning worldwide acclaim. In 1996, he was presented with the Society Scroll. Shortly after being appointed an RSCDS Examiner, Les helped set up training sessions for would-be tutors, giving encouragement and correction in a gentle manner whenever necessary. Les’ generosity and his warmth and joy colour all our memories.

Madelina, Scott and Doreen Cumming, Canberra and Keith and Morag Napier, Sydney, Australia.

Pam Gillies, Glasgow

Pam and I met at a dance class as children and remained friends. She was always a busy person, working in the NHS, dancing, leading Girl Guides, baking and decorating celebration cakes, and looking after her husband Angus, two large dogs, and a garden. Pam taught a Branch class, danced in the demonstration team and was a member of the committee. She became Social Convener, Vice-Chairman then Chairman 1995-98. In 1998 Glasgow hosted the 75th Anniversary of the RSCDS. Pam was deeply involved in all the arrangements yet still found time to devise The Glasgow Anniversary Jig for the Branch Book that year. She was a weel-kent and friendly face at Branch functions and at Summer School and also served on the Membership Services Committee. Sadly Pam developed Alzheimer’s and spent her final days in a care home. Christine Traynor, Glasgow Branch

Bill Hamilton, Edinburgh

Bill was involved in Scottish country dancing most of his adult life and was well known in Edinburgh and the surrounding area. He was a member of several clubs including the Atholl and Trinity, serving on the committees in various roles. He formed the Thistle SCD Club in 1961 and he, along with his wife Helen, whom he met there, and members of the club, ran the New Year Dance from 1976, raising over £34,000 for charity. Along with a few other dancers he was a member of a committee which lobbied and saved SCD in Princes Street Gardens after Edinburgh Council decided no longer to hold the event. Bill devised many dances, but he will be best remembered for the jig Ian Powrie’s Farewell to Auchterarder to the music composed by his long-time friend John McGregor. Bill did not enjoy the best of health during the last few years of his life but that did not stop him keeping up to date with his two main hobbies - SCD and speedway. Margaret Harris, West Lothian Branch Chairman

Jean (MacLellan) Hamilton, Toronto

In 1966 Jean and Gordon Hamilton emigrated to Toronto and began a lifelong association with SCD. Jean danced with Bob Blackie’s Lothian Dancers, participating over many years in the Toronto Festival of Culture. She danced throughout Canada and the U.S.A. and frequently attended St Andrews Summer School. Jean, a kindergarten teacher by profession, received her Full Certificate at TAC in 1980. She taught the Erin Mills Class from 1980 until 2020, Toronto Branch technique classes at several levels and a demonstration team for over 20 years, as well as workshops in Ontario and beyond. She was particularly encouraging to beginners, emphasizing that this was social dancing, and everyone should go home feeling they had had fun! Jean served on the Toronto Teachers Panel and on Branch sub-committees. She was a founder member of the West End Workshop committee and involved in the West Toronto Ball. She was instrumental in organising local New Year’s Eve Balls as well as participating in mass dance events at the Toronto Skydome and the Canadian National Exhibition. In 2008 Jean and Gordon were awarded the Branch Award and in 2011 Jean received the Society Scroll of Honour. Deirdre MacCuish Bark, Toronto Association

Brian G Harry, Edinburgh

Brian was introduced to Scottish country dancing at primary school in Ayrshire. On returning to the UK from Cyprus to join the wines and spirits trade, he joined dance groups in Buckinghamshire and London. He attended Summer School for many years, taking his teaching certificate there in 1974 and becoming one of the youngest RSCDS teachers at that time, travelling around the world. Brian moved back to Scotland in the late 80s and danced for many years in the Edinburgh Branch demonstration team where he met his wife, Elizabeth. He taught many levels including demonstration teams and examination classes, but his favourite was the beginners’ class. Brian served for many years on the Executive Council and General Purposes

Committee, was a past Chairman of Edinburgh Branch and looked after their archives and demonstration team until his sudden passing in March 2021. He is remembered as a kind and compassionate teacher and a true gentleman on the dance floor. Christine Lawson, Edinburgh Branch

Jaap Hellinghuizer, Netherlands

Jacob Pieter Hellinghuizer (Jaap) began Scottish country dancing in the 1960s in Den Haag. He was in a group of excellent young dancers who took their teaching certificates at St Andrews Summer School. A strong, stylish dancer who particularly liked strathspeys, he was also a very good Highland dancer. Moving to Geldermalsen, Jaap began a new dance group, The Swilcan. Jaap also taught day schools and weekends for the Netherlands Folkdance Society, Thistle Club Eindhoven and the Nunspeet Dance Weekend. With his individualistic teaching style, strong voice and good demonstration skills he achieved much. He loved Scottish music, especially dance music, and would always show his appreciation. Jaap was kind and helpful and very sociable, and could hold discussions in several languages with people from different backgrounds. An electrical engineer by profession, he worked for the Dutch national railways until retiring with deteriorating health. He never lost his love of and interest in SCD. Margaret Lambourne and Bas Broekhuizen, Utrecht

Janette McSporran, Dunfermline

With both parents closely tied to Miss Milligan and the early days of the RSCDS, and having danced since childhood, Janette was one of the few members of the Society who could remember dancing in the pre-war period. Her knowledge of the Society and its personalities through the years was extensive, and she discussed many of her experiences, including playing at Summer School and dancing in the International Team, in an RSCDS Magazine interview in October 2019. Janette’s encyclopaedic memory for dances and tunes, her unending knowledge of Dunfermline Branch history and, most of all, her warmth and welcome to anyone who graced our dance floor, will be much missed. At her family’s request, donations in memory of Janette were directed to the Jean Milligan Memorial Fund, raising £400 to support ongoing education within the Society. Amy Drysdale, Secretary, Dunfermline Branch

Gunnar Numeus, Gothenburg

Gunnar Numeus was one of Gothenburg Branch’s teachers and a long-term, very active Branch member. He raised the standard of dancing through his precise teaching, trained demonstration groups, and led weekend courses. He devised several dances for Branch members celebrating significant birthdays and for special events held by the Branch. Gunnar strongly advocated uniting the Scandinavian dance groups. He regularly led weekend dance courses in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Copenhagen, which were often also attended by dancers from elsewhere. I remember one course where he taught only fugues. The whole class was ecstatic when the set danced Fugal Fergus without any mishaps! The last dance course Gunnar led was in September 2017. The final dance was The Melbourne Races and all participants, wearing hats of their choice, galloped around the set. What joy he brought to the group. Nigel Nicholson, Gothenburg Branch Marjorie started dancing in her twenties when Miss Milligan visited Darlington with the aim of encouraging people to enjoy Scottish country dancing. She danced at Darlington Thistle Club with Mrs Fenby, then at Stockton-on-Tees with Laurie and Bessie Kemp, became a life member of the RSCDS. She and her husband Carl passed their love of dancing on to their daughter Janet. After Carl retired, they emigrated to Australia to be with their daughter. They attended classes at Maryborough, travelling 90 minutes each way. In 2002 she became a founding member of Bundy Scottish Country Dancers. She was still dancing at 91, but as her health declined, she would enjoy the social night out, helping out behind the scenes watching the dancing and listening to the music. Janet Oliver, Bundy Scottish Country Dancers, Queensland

Colin Robertson

Colin began dancing aged seven, at the Reading St. Andrews Society. He was a talented country dancer and competed in Highland dancing. In addition, he was a drummer in the Reading St. Andrews Pipe Band and sometimes provided music for his classes on his tin whistle. Colin taught me Scottish country dancing in the early 1960s when I joined The Reivers – people who were not necessarily already good dancers, but Colin encouraged them to dance to the best of their ability and perform some complex choreography. At that time, he also ran the Reading University SCD class. In the early 1970s, Colin and Lewis Innes started the Scottish National Dance Company. This gave Colin a troupe of good dancers who enjoyed performing his imaginative choreography, both country and Highland. For a few years he also guided The Strathreelers, who danced in competitions in the south-east of England, and at the Edinburgh Festival. Colin married an American fiddler, Terie, and in due course they moved to Oregon where Colin continued to teach and maintained his interest in dancing. Some of his research can be found, for now, on his website: www.colinrobertson.net.

Joan Desborough, London Branch

June Scott, Kingussie

June gained her P.E. Teaching Qualification at I. M. Marsh College of Physical Education in Liverpool in 1950, and the RSCDS Teaching Certificate in 1953. She taught all ages of pupils and presented teams in Festivals. She auditioned and was selected for the International Demonstration Team in 1955. Whilst in East Lothian she successfully presented candidates for the Teachers Certificate and was appointed an adjudicator for the Society. On moving to Kingussie she joined Inverness and District Branch. For 19 years she taught and inspired the Nethy Bridge Class and in recognition of her enthusiasm and commitment to the class John Drewry composed the dance Nethy Bridge. She was equally supportive of the Badenoch & Strathspey Music Festival, serving as a committee member for many years. In 2008 June was awarded the Society Scroll in recognition of her 50 remarkable years of teaching Scottish country dancing. Irene Whyte, Inverness and District Branch