Number 16

Autumn/Winter 2011

The magazine for former pupils and friends of Glasgow Academy and Westbourne School

Laura Duckworth on a recent tour of duty in Afghanistan

2 Etcetera

Keeping in touchThe External Relations office is situated in Colebrooke Terrace. Former pupils are always welcome to pop in for a chat and look round the school. Just give us a call to arrange a time. Our address is Colebrooke Terrace, Glasgow G12 8HE and you can contact us on 0141 342 5494 or at exrel@tga.org.uk

The Glasgow Academical Club 21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow G13 1RR President – John Taylor E-mail – johnctaylor@aol.com Secretary – Kenneth Shand Tel: 0141 248 5011 E-mail: kenneth.shand@mms.co.uk

The Academical Club pavilion is available for functions.

Academical Club’s London SectionSecretary – David Hall, 20 Cadogan Place London SW1X 9SA Tel: 020 7235 9012 E-mail: ecj@aralon.co.uk

Do we have your e-mail address? It’s how we communicate best!

Editorial Contents3 Right of reply

4 Business Etcetera

5 Anecdotage

6 The Academy in the 50s and 60s

10 Reunions and get-togethers

14 Academicals Abroad

16 Hill walking in the 1960s

17 Profile

18 Academical section

22 Westbourne

24 2010-2011 Regular Giving Appeal Final Report

26 Family announcements

28 Obituaries

30 There’s no business like show business…

31 Picture Post

Malcolm McNaught, Director of External Relations m.mcnaught@tga.org.uk

Not bad for survival!I always enjoy lunching with the Gasbags. It’s a great privilege for one so young.

Gasbags? That’s Glasgow Academicals Slightly Biased Against the Governors, for those not in the know. The society was founded in 1947 and has been meeting regularly ever since.

It’s rather an odd acronym given that Russell Bruce, one of its founder members, was actually a Glasgow Academy Governor at the time of its foundation! Russell told me a number of years ago that – as one of the younger Governors at the time – he felt that the old men on the Board had been there rather too long and had become complacent. He and his co-founders felt the school needed a bit of a shake up!

Although each of the Gasbags left Glasgow Academy before 1945, there is no sense today that it is a gathering of old men. They are as sharp today as they ever were. At some point in the proceedings, the Rector will update them on what has been happening since their last meeting and they are never happier than when they hear about new things happening at The Academy.

There is, however, one new thing that they don’t like the sound of… They have no intention of opening their membership to youngsters. And when one is privileged to be in their company one can easily see why. They’ve always met in this way and each member of the group is valued for his contribution over many years.

One regular attender at Gasbags’ functions is Andrew Howie (1941) one of our Honorary Governors. On 22 August this year, Andrew and his wife Joan celebrated

their Diamond Wedding Anniversary with not one but two parties to mark the occasion. The two photographs above show the happy couple in the same wedding attire with 60 years separating the two events. As Andrew himself comments, ‘Not bad for survival!’

Someone else who celebrated her wedding in August of this year was our own Joanna Lennox. In marrying her groom, Andrew, she not only became a very happy and very lovely bride – she became Joanna Wallace, the name by which we’ll know her from now on.

We wish them as many happy years together as the Howies have known.

Front cover: Laura Duckworth (2001) serving in Afghanistan

Etcetera 3

Dear Malcolm

I would like to take you up on one or two points in your Editorial where there are some inaccuracies, not only in fact, but in your underlying assumptions. As the Second World War fades into history, it seems necessary for those who lived through those days to correct these errors while they can.

The First XV did not dig up the tennis courts. Thanks to a unique moment in history, Glasgow Academy was the only active school in Glasgow – due to DORA and foresight. The Defence of the Realm Act, enacted early in 1939, laid down that all urban schools must have air-raid shelters for all their pupils and staff. Whether the foresight came from the Rector, Roydon Richards, or the Governors, or both, I cannot say, but it was decided that after the Highers were over, the Fifth and Sixth forms should spend the rest of the summer term digging a shelter. This was not where the tennis courts were, but on a piece of waste ground to the left as seen from the main building looking south, near a flag-pole. (Was it replaced?) No doubt some elderly chap was appointed gaffer or foreman to supervise the work, but I’d guess he spent most of the time telling the boys tall stories about his time in the Army during the Great War of 1914/1918, because all that they had to show for their efforts was a muddy ditch! During the summer, contractors were called in to finish the job.

When war was declared in September, Glasgow Academy had a shelter with accommodation for some 60 people. Meanwhile, ‘village schools’ were set up in various suburbs. It was a period of fine weather, and I enjoyed cycling out to a house in Brier Road, Giffnock which was the home of a boy named Thomson, who was a year or two younger than me. There were some twenty boys in the class, none of whom I can now remember. The morning was divided into two periods. During the first we did English followed by maths. This order was reversed next day, and so on. These proceedings were overseen by George Preston whose subject was History. At half-way, Mrs Thomson

came in with a cup of coffee and biscuits for Mr Preston. There was nothing for us, but I don’t think we expected anything, so we weren’t disappointed. After he’d drunk his coffee, the real business of the morning commenced as Mr Preston called us all outside so he could indulge his passion – cricket! We had a knock-up game which was interrupted occasionally when we stood aside so that a car could be driven past. We waved to the driver and he waved back. It was like that in those days. While all this was happening, contractors were again called in to dig up the tennis courts and replace them with shelters. As these were completed, we were recalled to Colebrooke Street. My agreeable spell in Giffnock lasted about ten days, I think. A strange sight met me on my return. Some of my friends had disappeared as their parents made other arrangements and were replaced by boys from the High School and Hillhead etc. as well as girls from Park and Laurelbank. Ancient rivalries were set aside and the girls huddled like cowboys surrounded by redskins closing in for the kill! I expect there were Westbourne girls there too, but I don’t remember them. By October, the other schools – like Craigholme – had either migrated to country hotels or had built their own shelters, and so, in ones and twos, these exotic people went their ways, and life in Colebrooke Street settled into what passed as normal ‘for the duration.’

You say that the tennis courts were dug up needlessly. This is not how it seemed at the time. Thanks to DORA, the shelters were a legal requirement. No one was to know in 1939 that Glasgow would be the least-bombed city in Britain. We had a three day ‘blitz’ in March 1941 but most of the bombs fell on Clydebank. There were a few ‘alerts’ during the following years when some bombs fell but none of these raids occurred during the day, so far as I can remember. We had occasional drills when the janitor rang his bell to call us to shelters, but even these lapsed after a time... Douglas Alexander (1944)

Right of reply

4 Etcetera

After thirteen years at Glasgow Academy, followed by training as an accountant and a spell working in international copyright law with some of the leading pop acts of the 1970s, Johnny Roxburgh (1967) found his niche when he co-founded The Admirable Crichton. Often described as a ‘party maestro for the super-rich’, Johnny is a gregarious and energetic businessman who has established a company which organises some of the most glamorous and decadent events in – and out of – this world.

I am lucky to meet Johnny on his return from overseeing Dunhill Cup hospitality at St Andrews, just before he flies to visit clients in Florence, Venice and Abu Dhabi. His company’s HQ, tucked away

in south London, is a hive of activity. All of the units are bustling with work for the firm Johnny founded with his business partner, Rolline Frewen, thirty years ago. He recalls that ‘in those first six months, when the phone rang, I insisted we were too busy to take on contracts’. This tactic clearly worked because, when The Admirable Crichton did start running events, they were hugely in demand: ‘being unavailable had convinced potential clients that we were exceptionally good!’

Johnny admits that in reality they had a lot to learn in the early days, even to the extent of not being sure how many people could be seated at a 6-foot round table. Nevertheless the success of the firm in the early 1980s was fantastic, with exponential year-on-year growth. While there is considerable talk of recession at the moment, Johnny points out that currently ‘the wealthy have never been wealthier’ and recent events seem to prove it: over the summer the company built a moat and boathouse-styled marquee for a party for 400. This sounds ambitious until I learn that several years ago a film premiere bash involved building three waterfalls, an entire forest and a trout stream stocked with 70 rainbow trout. In short, no theme or idea is too ambitious; ‘amazing and fantastic’ is the norm with The Admirable Crichton.

The company has a Royal Warrant and a long list of happy, regular

The Admirable JohnnyBusiness Etcetera

Ian Barrie (1999)Until May this year I was a lawyer. Having found myself on a treadmill towards 5 years PQE (post qualified experience) and another gruelling so many more

ahead, I stopped talking about wanting to do something I love and went for it. I am now the founder of Glacius Travel, a specialist ski travel provider aiming at the discerning client (for example – the Accie!) wherever they may be based around the globe. We strive to understand the exact needs of our customers, whether they be a family of four or a corporate of 100 people. I am lucky to have ample experience of what both types of clients require and, so far, the Glacius approach has been a refreshing experience to our initial clients who have booked through Glacius this year. They include investment bankers, city law firms, ex-pats in the Middle East and families in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our raison d’être is to deliver an unrivalled level of service and, of course, a holiday to match. You can find us on www.glaciustravel.com and I very much look forward to hearing from as many readers of Etcetera as possible.

David Fraser (1981)Following success in the UK, Dr David Fraser (1981) has brought out an international edition of his book Relationship Mastery: A Business Professional’s Guide published by Visual Impressions Publishing in the USA. David’s book makes accessible an insightful approach to effectiveness with people, in both professional and personal life, and is especially

relevant in challenging times. In the words of Harry Reid, former editor of The Herald, the book is ‘Very positive, helpful, and enlightening. Always pertinent and balanced, and even profound. Invaluable.’ www.drdavidfraser.com

clients. Discretion is clearly of crucial importance and Johnny does not like to name names. ‘Suffice to say I have a black book of contacts that Tatler would die for.’ While he is both loyal to – and thoroughly in tune with – his rich, famous and powerful clients, Johnny stresses that behind the glamorous jet-setting, the company’s success is primarily due to hard graft. Getting started and staying at the top of a competitive market is in many ways about ‘working really hard, all day, day after day’.

Learning to work hard and be self-reliant is something Johnny notes of his time at school. He was one of many generations of his family to attend The Academy. He excelled in Art (and remembers Wallace Orr fondly) and also enjoyed his studies in Maths and French. In addition to being involved with the Globe Players, the Dramatic Society and the Gavel Club, he was a Leading Instructor in the Naval Section (‘because the uniform was the most comfortable!’) so it seems Johnny thrived on a busy life at school, too.

Fortunately, as well as jet-setting around the globe organising around 400 private and corporate parties a year, Johnny does get the chance to take a break and spend time at his home in Norfolk. There he and his partner enjoy entertaining friends, playing tennis and generally taking a break from the demands of work. I suspect they find time to throw one or two amazing parties, too!

Mark Taylor

Grant Mitchell (1990)Grant Mitchell, co-owner of ROX, has been celebrating after the company was named Scottish Retailer of the Year at the prestigious Scottish Fashion Awards 2011 in June and Independent Retailer of the Year at the UK Jewellery Awards 2011 in July.

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A letter from an old chap in the new world...I read the Etcetera with relish: names recognised, faces remembered. A monumentally encouraging revelation considering I have been away from Glasgow, indeed Scotland, for the past 65 years (well almost). I’m now 80, still healthy, reasonably vital. I do not rise from a low chair as sprightly as in years past, but, without embarrassment, I can still manoeuvre around/across most obstacles and mental challenges.

It is tempting to propose publication of my recollections of the Academy. I am obliged, however, to recognise other contributors draw upon longer Academy attendance and write better than I. As an alternative, I wish to thank those who have taken the time and expended the effort to write their pieces. I wish also to congratulate the editor(s) for a task well performed. I am happily led to remember details of my experiences and to regain a sense of the school. Some days were better than others, but none was without worth.

Incidentally, and with all due respect to my fellow former pupils, Morrison was, and I presume continues to be, the premier house/room... or whatever was its designation. Not all is well remembered after 65 years.

Time to take my pills. Stan Verdi (1947)

On 17 September 1945, I was presented by my mother to Mr and Mrs Coleman Smith at 12 Belmont Crescent, to commence eight years of attendance at Glasgow Academy as a boarder.

Both of my parents were Scottish, but had lived in Ireland since 1929 when my father, a Glasgow Chartered Accountant with Craig Gardner, had been sent to Dublin to rationalise the Irish transport companies, and having completed that task, was asked to become the Traffic Manager of the new national transport company. To the best of my knowledge, I was and remain the only pupil to attend the Academy as a boarder who came from Southern Ireland, and the subsequent eight years required more than 60 crossings of the Irish Sea as I returned home at Christmas, Easter and in the summer as well as the long Christmas half term holiday. (I was allowed two extra days for travelling!)

Unlike many boys, I can say without hesitation that my school days were extremely happy and satisfying, not least because of the superb care and consideration provided by Jack and Ethel Coleman Smith. I still retain with great pride a book by the famous yacht designer Uffa Fox presented to me by the Coleys when I left in 1953, the selection of that book being in respect of my great interest in sailing and the sea, and

Anecdotage

just another indication of the personal interest taken by the Coleys in each of their charges.

My interest in sailing also brought my immediate application to join the Naval Section of the CCF as soon as it was formed, which brought me into contact with the unforgettable Chief Petty Officer Hoskins, a man of huge experience and ability who was heard to

remark after watching a marching display by the RAF’s renowned exhibition drill platoon, ‘Son, I could do better in an hour with a squad of Marines’, and knowing his history, he probably could!

A keen interest in rugby and cricket, probably at the expense of my scholastic studies, brought me the honour of representing the school at underage levels up to the 1st XV, and the unbeaten under 131/

2 XV shown in the attached

photograph, includes four members who went on to be part of the very successful 1st XV of 1952-53 which lost only two of their 19 matches in that season. The record at cricket was not quite as successful, the 1st XI of 1953 winning only three of their nine matches played.

The photograph of the members of the boarding house shown on page 6 of Issue No 13 (Autumn 2010) shows an unnamed lady sitting on the left of Mr Aston. She was Mrs Netty Wilson, the assistant matron and boarding house nurse, who occupied the room at the top of No 13 in which there was always a welcome and brightly-burning gas fire. In the same picture the unnamed boy on my left was, I believe, Steven Braid.

I continued to be in touch with the Coleys until Jack’s death some years after I left, the Coleys having retired at the end of 1953. I will always remember with gratitude, the pastoral care provided in my day for all the residents of 12 and 13 Belmont Crescent.

Alan C Stewart (1953)

A ‘boarder’ from Ireland

6 Etcetera

He or somebody else gave the school prizes for the boys who learnt by heart the greatest number of lines of verse. No limits: contestants could choose whatever they fancied, in any language, any metre, any length of line. To prove they knew their stuff they had to recite it, to a long-suffering member of staff, book in his hand to check off the total lines learnt. And this was in the poor man’s coffee break or lunch break! It’s a wonder the Rector Dr Roydon Richards didn’t have a mutiny on his hands.

My rivals learnt great chunks of the big thick English Parnassus. The whole of The Ancient Mariner, or Gray’s Elegy, or both. Milton’s Lycidas, and L’Allegro, and Il Penseroso. I went for Housman, and for Burns. I could imitate Ben Aston’s broad Gloucestershire accent—near enough to the Shropshire of Housman’s Lad. And thanks to the Second World War the Lallans was no problem. Evacuated to Galloway, I spent four years at a two-teacher village school where English was spoken only in the classroom. But more of Burns later. I don’t suppose older readers recall the nursery rhyme of the three little foxes, who ‘went to the fair, where they all won prizes, / Three plum-puddingses and three mince pieses, / And they all won coconuts at coconut shyses’. We outdid the three little foxes, for there were six poetry prizes annually, substantial book prizes, and books of our own choice—a sensible liberal idea of the Rector! But at the Prizegiving in the St Andrews Hall Lord Reith picked up the decadent red-leather bound volume I had selected in the second hand department of John Smith’s in St Vincent Street and his huge eyebrows really bristled. I thought he was going to refuse to hand it over. It was Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal.

It’s still on my bookshelf today. So is a copy of Anne Terry White’s Lost Worlds: Adventures in Archaeology, with stories of the Palace of Minos, Egypt, Ur of the Chaldees, and pictures of Schliemann’s wife wearing the jewels of Helen, and of the gold mask of the boy King Tut-Ankh-Amen, and of mysterious

Maya number glyphs in Yucatan. It is inscribed to me for work in Latin in class IIA in 1947-48, by ‘F.B.’, that wonderful teacher Frank Batchelor, who simply awarded his own prizes. Thank you, please.

Chris Varley wanted five evenings a week if he was to get me to Cambridge in French and German. The left over evenings I spent with my girl-friend. Peter Cairns had been quite wrong to rebuke me for day-dreaming in his French class ‘Isaacs, has some blonde got into your blood?’ She was a brunette, and is now my wife of 53 years. We met at a French play in the Citizens Theatre, Le Docteur Knock, attended by fifth-formers of both sexes. Those were the days of segregated education. When the

‘At once she consentit, and gie’d me her air’m / Ne’er a word in her mou’, but a smile in her ee. / She appeared like an angel in feature and for’m / As we walked side by side on the road tae Dundee.’

Experts have since assured me this comes from no printed version. It must have passed from illiterate throat to illiterate ear for maybe two centuries.

I finished my two years’ national service as a second lieutenant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers in Churchill Barracks, Ayr (now demolished, the site occupied by a swimming pool). I trained as a teacher in order to return to East Africa, but not to Kenya. Some of my very bright students at the Government School Tabora Tanganyika (near where Stanley found Livingstone) tried their hand at poetry. Mesmerised by the huge bulldozer clearing bush for a sports ground, one lad wrote:

‘Hot work in the shimmering heat, toppling the termite towers. But at night I can lean on you, touch your steel blade, and it feels cool.’

The Poetry prize memory training came in useful when I was running schools in Tanzania and had to learn every student’s name, in Dodoma over 600 boys and girls, black, brown, and a few white. True, all the Ismaili Moslem boys were Diamond, having been born in the late Aga Khan’s diamond jubilee year. And fairly memorable were Nehemia and Habakkuk, on the one hand, and Illuminata, Graziella on the other. One child, born to a mother who had lost several babies, bore the disarming name Sikustahili Elirehema—I did not deserve it God have mercy on me. An order from Dar es Salaam that every secondary student had to receive two hours weekly religious instruction was a great challenge. There were thirty-nine religions not counting mine. Five sects of Islam, Hindus, Jains, Parsees, and (thanks to a century of competitive missionary activity) many varieties of Christians. I called a meeting of pastors who hadn’t spoken for years, and a

Maurice Lindsay, the Scots poet and man of letters and Academical who died a few years ago, might have been responsible

for one of the best things that happened to me in my time at the Academy—the Poetry prizes.

Peter Cairns had been quite wrong to rebuke me for

day-dreaming in his French class ‘Isaacs, has some

blonde got into your blood?’ She was a brunette, and is now my wife of 53 years.

Academy’s sixth-form cultural society, the Humanists, served cider for refreshment at an inter-school function (that’s one with girls), there were indignant protests at such debauchery. The scandal reached the Sunday papers!

National Service found me a private soldier in the Black Watch, at the tail end of the Mau Mau uprising. Sitting quiet all night in freezing cold grass high up on Mount Kenya, a poem I had learnt years before and only half understood came back to me, and I began to bless the anonymous donor of the Poetry Prizes. And from one of my tent-mates in the platoon camp I discovered that you don’t have to have Scottish Highers or English A Levels to know poetry. An illiterate itinerant agricultural labourer—aka bothy boy—knew dozens of ‘Bothy Ballads’ and I was a practised learner. His version of The Road and the Miles tae Dundee included this verse:

Etcetera 7

timetable emerged. Eventually only little Dunstan (from Malawi) was left in the corridor, clutching his large black book and refusing to join the small Church of Scotland group. He was ‘Free...’.

After ten years in Tanzania, and an MA in linguistics, my next job was with the British Council. My wife and I held Burns Suppers in various lands: Ghana, Cyprus, Iran, South Africa, and finally Burma. (By the way, a handy recipe for bashed neeps in a land without turnips is mashed kohl-rabi coloured with carrots.) In Cyprus and in Ghana most folk were familiar with haggis, but in less happy lands like the Shah’s Iran, Vorster’s apartheid South Africa, or the Generals’ Burma, Burns was the poet of liberty, champion of the people and against their oppressors. The streets of Rangoon twenty years ago looked like Glasgow. They were full of Scottish Victorian and Edwardian buildings designed by the same architects and housing the same Glasgow shipping forms and insurance firms. The largest inland waterways company in history, the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, had recruited its young probationers exclusively from two schools—the Glasgow High School and the Glasgow Academy. At our Burns Evening in Rangoon Bill Buchanan, an international civil servant with one house in the Perth of his birth, and another in Perth West Australia, stood resplendent in the black and yellow Buchanan tartan, dirks and all. But when Joyce the Voice, a staff member of the British Embassy, hit the high note in Ca’ the Yowes tae the knowes, he needed his tartan handkerchief and a soothing Athol brose. During my rendering of Tam O Shanter the strangest thing happened. Tam spying on the witches dancing in Alloway Auld kirk-yard, admires the form of one sparsely-clad young witch: ‘…and roars out, “Weel done, Cutty-sark!” / And in an instant all was dark.’ At that precise moment all the electric lights in the house went out. The guests thought it a stage trick, but it was just the Rangoon Electricity Authority. Thanks to the Academy poetry prize training, I just carried on in the dark. A blind Burmese man, sitting beside my wife asked her what had happened. When she explained, he offered to entertain us with the Scots songs he had learned from his Scots boss from Inverness when, as civil engineers they had worked together on the early stages of the M6 motorway. All learnt by heart!

Ralph Isaacs (1953)

I left the Academy in 1953, post Highers, but still only sixteen. The memory dims but I do remember some contemporaries – although I have lived in England for nearly fifty years.

Names that spring to mind include Ian Dunsmore (recently pictured in his official glory) Hector Kirsop, the Cannon twins, Sandy Ferguson, CD Mitchell, the other red-head (Topping) and of course various members of staff – ‘Baggy’ Aston, Mr Ogilvie, Coleman-Smith, Chris Varley, Mr U’ren and the Rector – Roydon Richards.

In the intervening period I worked for Marks and Spencer in stores and in Head Office and then for a major supplier, finishing up eventually (and briefly) on the board of what became Coats Viyella. After that I ran my own business as a Headhunter and held various outside consultancy roles till I retired about four years ago.

In between, I married a Glasgow girl and we now have three married children and

A life beyond the Academyfour-and-a-half grandchildren. We live in Pinner (North-west London, for the information of any unreconstructed Scots who profess ignorance of everything south of Carlisle) with the family all within commuting distance.

More recently, I have been repairing my previous lack of tertiary education – to date I have completed a BA (Hons) in History and about half a BSc (Hons) in International Development that I hope to complete in the next three years.

Never having taken to organised sports at school, I am somewhat surprised to find that running a few marathons seems to have inspired four of the next generation to do likewise – and am gratified to find my past efforts are still quicker than their recent efforts at younger ages! Creaking joints have meant that tennis is now my preferred antidote to academic study (and sometimes the escape from a surfeit of grandsons, all wanting me to fix broken toys!).

Tony Markson (1953)

Can anyone name the miscreants in this photograph taken at Blackwaterfoot on Arran in 1963? And who was the mystery photographer?

Detentions all round for the culprits.

Cough up!

8 Etcetera

The Academy in the 50s and 60s

Miss Lilburn’s classOne of the most vivid – and indeed happiest – recollections I have of my Academy days is centred on Miss Lilburn’s Primary 3 class. From the moment we entered her classroom in September, our thoughts become increasingly focused in the direction of the puppet show which, if I remember correctly, took place at the end of the Christmas term.

For several weeks before our performances, we would start collecting string which would be used to control the puppets and newspapers from which we would create papier-mâché heads, not to mention all the other parts of the puppet’s anatomy. Eventually – under the patient guidance of Miss Lilburn – we were able to transform these simple everyday items into something magical. After many frustrating hours, our labours were rewarded when we succeeded in making our creations walk and move their arms in motions which could be vaguely recognised as human.

During our performances, no matter how careful we were, inevitably a couple of puppets would become entangled and have to leave the stage in true Peter Pan fashion. Their removal was usually accompanied by the not too silent comments of at least two performers.

I only wish that I had kept one of my puppets to show my two daughters that, at one time in the dim and distant past, their father possessed a modicum of creativity.

Sandy Ferns (1960)

As promised, I enclose copy of my only tangible memento of my seven years at the Academy. Graham U’ren – who is on the extreme left of the second row – tells me that the teacher is Miss Anderson which I think places the photo as of her Class 4 in 1955/6. I am third from the right of the third row.

Campbell Smith is third from the right of the back row, Michael Sadler extreme right on the first row and Jimmy Mackintosh is third from the left on the back row with Jim Shearer to the immediate right of him. From then on I am struggling – although I think that is Roderick Cordiner second from the left in the third row and John Evans third from the left of the second row.

Bruce Patrick (1963)

Character building with Charles WilberforceI suppose the good old CCF is responsible for preparing pupils for character requirements in later life.

I shall always remember when the SSI – Charles Wilberforce (assistant janitor) – used to fire live ammunition over the heads of the 1st Year CCF recruits – ‘Heads down, boys!’ – a command that was instantaneously obeyed. ‘Now you know what it feels like “under” fire!’

Would an assistant janitor/CCF SSI ever get away with that today? I think not. Today he would have been sent straight to jail for his character-building methodologies.

Recently I have been working in the near shore waters as a construction manager in the offshore oil industry – just off Al Basra in Iraq – a very dangerous place indeed with thousands of tonnes of UXO (unexploded ordnance) and other nasty little bits of explosives plus a smattering of anti-social locals who occasionally take pot shots at our pipe-laying teams.

Wearing my flack jacket one evening after yet another incident, I was recalling ‘Wilby’ over coffee – to another expat Scot one of our ex-SAS security people – and his preparation of GA boys for later life.

Strange old world. Best regards

Willie Hunter Smith (1968)

Tangible mementos

Etcetera 9

Where are they all now?Whilst recently rummaging in an old tea chest, I came across this photo of the 1st XV rugby team. I am not sure of the year (circa 1957). I am the wee fellow front left. Where are they all now? After school, I went to Edinburgh to study medicine and after a year in a house job in Dumfries went to work in Napier Hospital, New Zealand. I returned to General Practice in Dumfries and now am blissfully retired! I am pleased to say there are a few Academicals here in the South West. Serva Fidem!

David Evans (1957)

I have been reading the articles contributed by former pupils in previous issues of Etcetera with great interest. I enjoyed studying Pat Dorman’s photograph of the Academy staff circa 1975 recognising many faces of those on the staff who had been there when I left school at Christmas 1968. I certainly did NOT recognise Neil Garland’s scathing description of some of them in Issue 13!

As Johnnie Macnab rightly pointed out in his most interesting recollections of life in the Boarding House in the 1960s, discipline for schoolboys was a whole different game than it was to become a decade later and even more so since. Physical punishment (if necessary!) was ever-present in school as it was at home. As part of our upbringing and education in its widest sense, we learnt that there were ‘no excuse’ offences (double yellow line – automatic fine!). The world is full of these wherever you go, nowadays more than ever! If you don’t learn how to live within such rules at school, where else do you ever learn?

As we all go through life, one of our more frequently committed ‘sins’ is when we fail to give whatever we are doing or supposed to be doing ‘our best shot’. We then let ourselves and usually others down, sometimes very badly! My recollections of the stricter disciplinarians at the Academy in the 1960s is that – when they did come down very heavily

on myself or fellow pupils – it was more often than not when they felt or knew we simply weren’t trying! Firm, but fair!

I loved Nick Utechin’s tale of his attempted peaceful ‘coup’ over the long-outdated rules on cap-wearing! Johnnie Macnab described Nick as a fine school captain which I am sure he was. He was a deeply-civilised and wise chap even as a schoolboy! Nick in turn described my own brief time as school captain as being ‘a very strict regime’! Well, yes... maybe, as I had to follow my great friend and classmate, Graeme Mitchell, who was a very fine school captain – a born leader, a big strapping, excellent rugby player and captain of the 1st XV, a very good all-rounder and a hugely-respected and well-liked chap. A raised eyebrow or finger from Graeme, and even the surliest Fourth Former came to heel! Yours truly, on the other hand, was of diminutive stature and an embarrassment on the sports field. As such, I had to fall back on my ‘absolute powers’, the rather strict and outdated rule-book and the powers of summary enforcement given. I hope I wasn’t too much like Heinrich Himmler!

Finally, I do remember, very clearly, an occasion a few years after I left school. I was on holiday with a few Academical friends and school-day contemporaries when we got reminiscing about our times at the Academy. They put forward

the view that the Academy had been a great school for those who had been high achievers, whether in the classroom, the sports field or any of the other main school activities. But for the ‘also rans’ they believed that they would have been just as well educated overall in any one of Glasgow’s or the West of Scotland’s many other schools, grant-aided or state sector! I remember having near apoplexy at this ‘heresy’! A right ‘ding dong’ argument ensued. We begged to differ in the end!

I have often pondered that argument over the last near 40-odd years. Of this much, however, I remain quite certain. Over these last 40 years or so since, I have run across many fellow Academicals who, like me, attended the school in the 50s and 60s. Some were, undoubtedly, ‘high achievers’ at school. But many more were very much ‘ordinary foot soldiers’ in their schooldays. Yet, with a very few sad exceptions, they all have been a total credit in whatever careers or jobs they chose. All have been a credit to their colleagues, neighbours, friends and families. Most of all, they have been a credit to themselves! And, while that doubtless reflects on the way we were brought up by our mums and dads in the fifties and sixties, it equally reflects on our time at the Academy and especially on the Staff (with all their foibles!) and the whole general ethos of the Academy in those years.

Vivian Clement (1968)

A few reminiscences

10 Etcetera

Reunions and Get-togethers

Friday 30 September was the date set for the Class of 1991 reunion. A select group returned to The Academy, some for the first time in 20 years. After an afternoon spent remembering the last year before this school opened its doors to young ladies, the group went on to their reunion dinner held in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel.

Gasbags LunchThe Gasbags (Glasgow Academicals Slightly Biased Against the Governors) gathered for a very pleasant and jolly annual lunch at Anniesland on 28 October. It was, as always, a great chance for old friends to catch up and reminisce.

The Rector, Peter Brodie, and this year’s GAC President, John Taylor, addressed the company on the state of the school and the Club; it was clear to all that both are in very good heart.

The Gasbags will meet again on Friday 26 October 2012.

Class of 1991 reunion

Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953: 60-year ReunionWe are pleased to let you know of a reunion proposed for Friday 14 September 2012 – for those who left The Academy (or would have done had they completed school at Colebrooke Street) in 1951, 1952 or 1953.

Norrie Judd (1951), Bill Mann (1952) and Ronnie Douglas (1953) are planning the event and hope a large number of their former classmates will join them for a number of events – including lunch here at the school.

All those we are in touch with should have already received an initial letter with outline plans. Final details and formal invitations will be sent in the New Year – but please do save the date in your diary.

Etcetera 11

GA 100The second GA 100 business event took place on Wednesday 21 September at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the RSAMD). The evening was a great success with around 50 Academicals, current parents and friends in attendance. A range of fields were represented from law and accountancy to art galleries and ski tour operators!

The evening was very informal with the main focus on networking. The Conservatoire’s Principal, John Wallace, welcomed the group and Peter Queen (1991), of Thomas Johnstone Ltd (the event’s sponsors), spoke about the recent refurbishment of the Conservatoire’s Speirs Locks Studios.

Our next GA 100 Business event is scheduled for Thursday 23 February and will be an early morning business breakfast. Details of the event and how to book will be e-mailed in the new year. The last business breakfast was extremely popular and sold out very quickly so we’re hoping for a great turnout at the next one! If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Mark via: mark.taylor@tga.org.uk

The Kelvin FoundationThis year’s meeting of the Kelvin Foundation took place on 13 October at The Academy. Twenty members attended for lunch and were delighted to hear such a positive and upbeat report from the Rector.

Glasgow Academy has continued to flourish in terms of academic results, sporting achievements and, indeed, in all aspects of curricular and non-curricular education. This probably explains why, despite the downturn, numbers at the school (unlike at all other independent schools in the West of Scotland) have continued to grow steadily, year on year.

Membership of the Kelvin Foundation is by invitation and includes members of our community who indicate their intention to bestow a legacy gift to the school. If you would like to know more about Kelvin Foundation membership, please contact Mark Taylor on: mark.taylor@tga.org.uk or 0141 342 5494.

GA 100 Business BreakfastThursday 23 February

135th Anniversary Westbourne Grand ReunionSaturday 19 May

Prep School prize-givingWednesday 27 June

Senior School prize-givingThursday 28 June

Class of 1972 Westbourne ReunionSaturday 25 August

Class of 1951/1952/1953 ReunionFriday 14 September*

Kelvin Foundation LunchThursday 11 October

Gasbags LunchFriday 26 October

Remembrance Service and ParadeFriday 9 November 2012

The 130th Academical Club Annual DinnerFriday 9 November 2012

*date to be confirmed

We have a number of reunions

planned for next year, but no details

confirmed yet. If you would like to

help out with the organisation of your

year’s reunion, please contact Joanna

at joanna.wallace@tga.org.uk

Class of 1976-1980 reunion

Class

of 200210 year

reunion

Class of 199220 year reunion

Class of

1966-1969

reunion

Class of

1986-1988

reunion

Can you lend a

hand?

Diary of Events – 2012

Still swinging after all these years?This photograph of the golf team in 1948 was sent in by JC (Euan) Macfarlane (1948) who wonders how many of the team are still playing golf.

Back row: MP Grant, CA Robertson, PM Gemmill, AM StewartFront row: RS Gray, RH Gibb, Mr ATL Forster, JC MacFarlane, MN Ferguson

12 Etcetera

1961-1965 Reunion, Friday 7 OctoberJoanna Wallace (Ex Rel), Ewan Cameron, Jim Shearer, Hugh Thomson, Ian Todd, William Gilmour and Alastair I’anson (all 1964) enjoy lunch at the 1961-65 Reunion

It’s a fair cop!That photograph on page 7? Gilmour, Le May and Coulthard own up. But who were the others?

An Old Boy ReturnsWhen I joined Miss Turnbull’s Prep 5 class from Atholl I did not anticipate that, nearly six decades later, I would write an article for an Academy magazine and not the Chronicle. I certainly never could have guessed that I would do it on a flat screen and without using a fountain pen. How things change!

Change was much in evidence when I was warmly welcomed, with other 1960/65 leavers, to visit the school on 7 October, 2011.

Several changes occurred while I was a pupil – the top floor of the main building was renovated following the fire, the Dining Hall was built, the Cargill Hall with its new Tuck Shop then appeared on the old Dining Hall site, followed by the ground floor of the Physics Lab. These were the principal developments that I recall.

Now the Physics Lab has sprouted another floor, the tenement Houses have been dramatically remodelled, there is a completely new Junior School, the playgrounds and Colebrooke Terrace have been resurfaced, a Biology Lab has replaced the Gymnasium changing rooms, while a magnificent new Sports Hall and Music Department have displaced the Naval Hut above the Kelvin.

The Main Building has not changed quite so dramatically: the Well is now the Library and the use of some classrooms has changed. However it was all still familiar, as were the faces of my old fellow pupils, and I was surprised by how much detail I began to recall of who did what in which room.

Perhaps the most important change is not just in the excellent modern facilities and broadened curriculum, but in the warm, positive, encouraging atmosphere that now pervades the school. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and was very impressed.

My father Grant, my son Stuart (1990) and daughter Nicola (Westbourne 1994) all attended at Colebrooke Street – maybe my grandchildren will too.

Nigel C Kelly (1963)

Academicals visit from near and far...Bryan Thomson, who was School Captain in 1981, paid a flying visit from Shanghai, China with his family in early October. As captain, he should have been presented with the Indian Trophy 30 years ago – but it was officially ‘lost’ during that period so the presentation didn’t actually happen. By way of compensation, we took this photograph and the whole family got in on the act!

Etcetera 13

2001 Reunion, Friday 30 SeptemberFriday 16 September saw The Academy play host to the ten-year Reunion of the class of 2001. Old classmates were treated to a champagne reception and tour of the school, bumping into many current and retired teachers... and even re-living old chemistry experiments with Mrs Macdonald... before dinner and drinks at Accies. Turnout was good with over thirty of us enjoying a fantastic night of catching up. The after-party raged on well into the small hours, and there were certainly a few fuzzy heads the morning after! Many thanks to Joanna Wallace for doing an absolutely sterling job organising things and keeping Jane and me on the right track! Here’s to the next reunion!

Murray Will (2000)

Laura Duckworth (Class of 2001)Laura was disappointed to have missed her 10-year Reunion which took place while she was serving in Afghanistan this summer. She was working in the Lashkar-Gah District of Helmand Province with the Highlanders: 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Laura joined the Army after gaining a BSc (Hons) from the University of St Andrews and working as a Chalet Girl in France. She is now a Captain in the Royal Engineers and has served for 6 years, completing tours of both Iraq and Afghanistan. She sends her best wishes to all of the Class of 2001.

Robin (1961) and Ian Lang (1964) visited the school (with Ian’s son Robert) in September. For both Robin and Ian it was their first proper visit to the school in over forty years. Robin is well known in GAC circles through his involvement in the club through the seventies and eighties. Ian left Glasgow, firstly for South Africa, before settling in Zimbabwe where he has run his own dairy farm for many years. Ian’s son, Robert, who now lives and works in Sydney, was also keen to see the school he had heard so much about while growing up through regular Chronicle updates.

14 Etcetera

In the last issue we launched ‘Academicals Abroad’, a section detailing Academicals living overseas who are happy to become Academy reps in their country. If you are thinking of visiting or moving to the country, why not call on their expertise to get an insight into life there? If you are already living there, why not get in touch and arrange a mini reunion, which Philip Tam did recently in Sydney. We’d love to feature any get-togethers you arrange – so do let us know and send us any photographs. We’ve had a great response from the last article with many more countries now covered. If you live overseas and would like to be an Academical representative in your country, please contact Joanna – joanna.wallace@tga.org.uk

Academicals Abroad

Ian Lochtie (1944-1948); Dr Philip Tam (1980-1990); Turner Massey (1945-1953); Scott Massey (1977-1989) – nephew of Turner, and visiting Australia and New Zealand.

Here is a sunny snap of a little get-together for the fledgling ‘Accies in Sydney’ social at the North Sydney Rugby Club.Anyone wishing to contact Philip can do so using the details below.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

David Carnegie (1982)Email : dkacarnegie@optusnet.com.au

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Philip Tam (1990)E-mail: philip.tam@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Susanna (Pairman) Bradley (1973)E-mail: susannabradley@hotmail.com

PERTH, AUSTRALIA

Arthur Hill (1957)E-mail: karthur@internetexpress.net.au

Because of its great size it is obviously sensible for Australia to have several representatives, if possible, based in the various States and Territories. I came to Perth, Western Australia, with my wife,

Kathleen, and two sons, Gordon and Brian in 1975. I had been offered the opportunity of helping to start a new Podiatry Course at Curtin University. When we arrived in Perth we thought we had died and gone to heaven. We have been living in heaven ever since! I have been retired for ten years and like many retirees I don’t know how I found time to go to work. We live in Glendalough, a small suburb of Perth, about ten minutes from the CBD and, provided we are not off travelling somewhere, we would be pleased to welcome any Academical who comes to Western Australia.

LUXEMBOURGLeonard Tam (1993)E-mail: leonard.gc.tam@gmail.com

NEW ZEALANDHamish Douch (1992)E-mail: hamish@mmlaw.co.nz

SWITZERLAND Ijeoma Aghanya (1991)E-mail: iaghanya@pictet.com Tel: +41 0583232053

SINGAPORE

Richard Inglis (1999)Work e-mail: ringlis@pickeringpacific.com

Personal e-mail: richardjohninglis@hotmail.com Mobile: +65 9796 9857

HONG KONG

Graham Boyd (1978)E-mail: grahamgb44@hotmail.com

Cathay Pacific Airways Training Captain, Hong Kong Based for past two years. Would be delighted to be contacted by other Accies/those moving out here.

Bobby Tsang (1991)E-mail: bobby.tsang@thegateworldwide.com

I was at the Academy between 1985 and 1991. I have been living in Hong Kong now for more than a decade and I am responding to Etcetera’s appeal for overseas support for Academicals, who might be in town whether for job opportunities or just visiting.

I am the Business Development Director for an advertising firm – The Gate Worldwide – which is headquartered in the UK but has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore in the APAC region. We are part of the Mediasquare plc group that is listed on the London AIM. If any Academicals are in the region I am quite happy to take an e-mail and assist in any way possible.

DUBAI

Iain Higgins (1994)E-mail: Iain.Higgins@icc-cricket.com Tel: +971 4 3828800

My official title is Head of Conduct and Ethics and Company Lawyer at the International Cricket Council. Basically this means I am responsible for dealing with regulatory and integrity issues and challenges of a legal nature that are faced

Etcetera 15

by the ICC in its role as the organization responsible for the governance of international cricket.

I’ve been in Dubai (with Melissa) for three years now and live in Dubai Marina. Melissa (Gilchrist, 1993) runs her own on-line style and philanthropy business, www.frontlinef.com

ATHENS, GREECE

Stewart Crawford (1991)E-mail: stewart@clancrawford.com

I moved to Greece in 2000 and am working in the marine transportation sector. If anyone wants any information on living/working in Greece, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

SAUDI ARABIA

Roddy Strang (1987)Tel: +966 (0) 500 162 701

After leaving in ‘87 I did three years at Glasgow College of Building and Printing, graduated as a Graphic Designer and started work with Merson Signs in East Kilbride. Eleven years seemed to slip by, then as Key Account Manager – and still with Merson Signs – I moved to Manchester for five highly-enjoyable years. A spell of four years then followed in Tunbridge Wells still with Merson Signs (there’s a pattern emerging here), latterly as Key Account Director. Now, with my wife Isobel (nee Skene, Hutchie 87) we’re cooking nicely in the oven of Saudi Arabia... but no surprises who I’m still working for.

I’ve been lucky over the years with Merson to have had a great amount of freedom to pursue what I do and get results my own way. International Development Director is probably a vague enough title to cover the many facets of what I do now. What still amazes me is that throughout it all every day has been different enough not to need or want to move companies. There is a very strong sense of motivation within a company when people don’t need or want to move and I’m happy to continue to be a part of that.

It would be an understatement to say that Saudi Arabia is a ‘challenge’ and exhausting, sometimes physically, mostly mentally, but then not many things in life are easy and I can think of more difficult places to live. So, in some ways maybe I’ve got it easy, certainly looking forward to my first ‘winter’ in the sun – no snow here! If you’re in Riyadh, give me a call and we’ll meet for a coffee.

Jean K Watson, who died in June, had a long association with The Academy spanning four generations.

When Jean’s father, John MacGill, entered Glasgow Academy in 1895, he began a connection with the school that has lasted well over a century. John was a member of the legendary Glasgow Academical XV which lost only one game throughout both the 1903-04 and the ‘04-05 seasons and went on to be an international rugby referee, eventually becoming President of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1936.

With this sporting pedigree, it is perhaps no wonder that Jean became an outstanding golfer who represented her club and country with distinction. During the war years, however, she was posted to Suez where she met her future husband, John Watson, a stationer from Glasgow. They married in 1946 and set up their home in the west end of Glasgow, their daughter Susan attending Laurel Bank School and their son John entering Glasgow Academy in 1953. By the time young John joined his father’s stationery business in St Vincent Place, Jean was well-established as a fine amateur golfer who was club champion of Douglas Park GC six times and represented Dunbartonshire and Argyllshire Ladies for no fewer than 25 years.

One by one, Jean’s four ‘Glasgow grandchildren’, Angus, Sandy, Fergus and Finlay, have followed the tradition begun by their great grandfather, John MacGill, in attending Glasgow Academy. Although educated at St Leonards in St Andrews, Jean maintained a strong interest in The Academy and could often be seen on the touchline watching the boys play ‘rugger’ whatever the weather. She also took a personal interest in her grandchildren’s golf development and they enjoyed ‘a game with Granny’ whenever the opportunity arose.

Nothing would have given Jean greater pride than to see this photograph of herself surrounded by her boys printed in this magazine.

Four generations: one school

16

I read with interest Jim Gibson’s Classical Reminiscences (Summer 2011) and his appreciation of the hill-walking experiences offered by Geoff Payman and Ian Davenport. As a new member of staff, having joined GA in Sept ’68 – Transitus and English Dept – I was very grateful for Geoff Payman’s advice, friendship and support, as Head of Department. My wife and I were very upset and shocked to learn of his relatively recent death, especially as I had popped in to see him

at home within, I think, the last two or three years. I was well aware of the success of the hill-walking expeditions offered by Geoff and Ian Davenport, who had been succeeded in the PE Dept in Sept ‘68 by John Perry. I only mention that it was actually John Perry and I who organised the trip to Torridon in November (not October?) 1968 because your readers may be interested in the photos I took of

the week-end we spent climbing in the Torridon range.

I remember vividly the long drive in the mini-bus with all the pupils sitting sideways (as pupils had to in those days) – no seatbelts of course! The hostel at Achnashellach nestled at the foot of Liathach and the first meal was an eye-opener – a stew from an on-going pot into which everything seemed to have been chucked, left-overs and all!

The next (first) day we tackled Liathach, climbing straight up the steep side from the hostel. I seem to remember that someone’s rucksack rolled part of the way back down the mountainside. We traversed along the ridge in what I recall were very hostile conditions, with wonderful views being obliterated in seconds by snow showers.

The photos I have are in slide format which I shall have transferred to jpeg and forwarded to the editor of Etcetera. Perhaps they may be displayed in a future edition. Certainly Jim Gibson appears in quite a few and I was delighted to read that he has since bagged all the Munros with his wife. Incidentally am I right in thinking that another GA pupil, Craig Caldwell, was for a time in the Guinness Book of Records for completing all the Munros (and Corbetts?) in the one ‘go’ and/or doing them all for a particular charity?

Pat Dorman (former Academy staff)

Torridon trip 1968

On top of Ben Lui This photograph of a group of Academy CCF boys at the top of Ben Lui was sent to us recently by David Dow (1969). David comments: ‘The photo was taken at the summit of Ben Lui. I’m the one at the top at the back in the green jumper. Yes, that is Ken Waine on the left.’

Does anyone who recognises himself from the photograph have a story to tell about that or similar expeditions?

Hill walking in the 1960s

Etcetera 17

the move to Kent came as a result of his father’s appointment as London editor of The Glasgow Herald’s Fleet Street office. David is clearly proud of his Scottish roots and he regularly holidays north of the border with his wife, sons and grandchildren. He also feels that his ‘Scottishness’ has been beneficial in business. Being a Scot has opened doors and often helps sustain conversation – ‘...across the globe one can almost always converse on golf, castles, whisky, haggis, lochs or bagpipes!’

After school, David studied Law at Glasgow University and, following a period with MacRoberts, he was given the chance to join Samuel Montagu in the city of London where he worked in corporate finance. While there, he met – and clearly impressed – James Gulliver and Sir Alastair Grant. He joined them as Finance Director to develop Oriel Foods Limited between 1973 and 1976. The trio formed Argyll Foods plc in 1977 and went on to acquire a number of supermarket groups, most notably Presto, in the early 1980s. In 1986 Argyll hoped to buy Distillers plc but were frustrated

David Webster (1962) is, in many ways, typical of so many Academicals of his era. He is a charming gentleman of the old school. His friendly demeanour and impeccable manners clearly belie a steely determination and extremely sharp business acumen, as becomes clear when he talks of his path towards – and experience as – Chair of two FTSE 100 companies. Over several decades David worked at the top of the supermarket industry and, since 2004, has been Chairman of the world’s largest hotel chain, Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG).

At breakfast looking out across London’s Hyde Park from the Park Lane Intercontinental Hotel on a warm October day, we are a long way away from Colebrooke Street. When David arrived at Glasgow Academy aged 11 from his Prep School in Kent, he felt similarly far-removed from familiar surroundings. ‘I felt very English,’ he recalls. He soon made friends, though, and became immersed in Academy life. David notes that the school gave him a ‘jolly good education’ and for that he is ‘enormously grateful’. He remembers with appreciation many of the best known Masters of the day – GD Preston, ‘Baggy’ Aston and ‘DoDo’ Ogilvie. The Kelvin Run is not such a fond memory and he admits to ‘often getting a stitch – fast!’

While the move north was something of a culture shock, David clearly enjoyed the sense of liberation it brought. In contrast to the somewhat claustrophobic South East, Glasgow offered the opportunity to go ‘doon the watter’ and the sea, hills and lochs always felt nearby, indeed they were ‘ever-present along Great Western Road’. He was actually born in Glasgow;

Tough at the top

by the infamous Guinness share-support fraud. The affair still clearly rankles with David because of the missed opportunity to rebuild a great Scottish company and to protect jobs north of the border, not to mention the toll it took on his business partners, both close and valued friends. He still misses Gulliver and Grant (who both died many years ago) and he notes that in business ‘it can be lonely at the top’.

In 1987 David and his colleagues had a new challenge when Argyll bought the UK division of Safeway from its US owners. During his time running the firm, latterly

as Chairman, David battled to ensure Safeway remained competitive against the buying power of rivals Tesco and Asda. When Safeway was sold to Morrisons for £3 billion in 2004, he became the Non-Executive Chairman of IHG. He oversees the group’s 4,500 hotels and 350,000 staff. IHG opens a new hotel somewhere in the world every day seven days a week, many in China and Asia Pacific and, despite the delays and problems – for obvious reasons – with hotels in Egypt, Tripoli and Damascus in recent months, he clearly thrives in the role.

Being Chairman of IHG and living in leafy Hertfordshire is a far cry from Colebrooke Street and Glasgow’s West End, but it is clear that David retains a strong sense of gratitude and nostalgic affection towards The Academy and his native city. He may have gone on to live in a very different world to that of Kelvinbridge but he believes his schooling helped to make him tough – and that has clearly stood him in good stead over the last fifty years.

Mark Taylor

18 Etcetera

Academical Section

Cricket newsBefore he left to spend his ‘summer’ in warmer climes, a presentation was made to our cricket professional Vedam Hariharan – known affectionately as ‘Hari’ – to mark his 20th year with Glasgow Accies’ Cricket Section. We invited him to a ‘Curry Night’ at Balbir’s in Church Street at which we made a donation towards the cost of his MSc degree at Stirling University and gave him a plaque commemorating the event.

On Friday 30 September we held our end-of-season Dinner and Awards Night in the Clubhouse with 59 senior and junior players plus parents, grandparents and friends attending. Dougie Lockhart and Moira Atkinson were guests with Dougie presenting the junior awards and Moira the senior awards.

Old rivalries re-ignited and the brothers are on the march…On 17 September Accies played GHK for the first time in 15 years in a league competition. On that day three players – all under 18 – were selected: Cammy McCall (left) and Robert Beattie (right) left school last year and joined the club at the start of the season, and Harry Walker (centre) who is the current school 1st XV captain and playing for Scotland Under 18s. All made a major contribution to the day.

The club is delighted to have such a strong representation from the school and – with several current schoolboys training with the senior players on a Thursday – it is hoped that the number of school leavers who will come to the club will grow. We are grateful to Peter Wright – the Academy’s new Player Development and Performance Coach – for his support in this.

The picture (right) shows John Davidson and Jim Greenwood (SRU), Pippa Gibson (Gibson Pensions and Investments, David McGregor (RBS – League Sponsors), GHK president Ewan Cameron and Gordon Wilson (former president of the rugby section) at the GHK pre-match lunch. A great day was had by all.

‘Oh brother, where art thou?...’September 24 was a remarkable day as Harry Walker was joined for the first time by his two big brothers, Michael and Jack, in the 1st XV – the first time in many years that three brothers have played in the 1st XV together. Mum and dad Walker can be justly proud of the family’s performance!

(Left to right) Neil Dowers, Richard Andrew, Hari, Dr Alex Dowers, Colin Dawson, Sumeet Nag

Rugby news

19

Then there are the ‘The Wright Brothers’!On the same day Kerr (left) made his debut for the club following his brothers Jamie (centre) and Craig (right) in taking the club colours and scoring a try to boot!

This is really a family club!

Meet the new coaching teamAccies’ new coaching team of Elliot McLaren (player coach) and Ewan Smith have joined us and the results are already in with Accies lying third in the league after six fixtures having four victories under their belts already.

Who’s that girl?Who is Emma Jones? She is not an Academical, but she does have over 300 Accie names in her address book. Known by name to many, but what does she do?

For the past 11 years, Emma, as Secretary to David Hall, has been deeply involved in the administration of the London Section of the Glasgow Academical Club. In the early days (pre-email), she was responsible for arranging postal mailings for the London Section’s events, but thankfully electronic mailing has made her life that bit easier.

What has not changed is the need to chase members by telephone in the weeks leading up to events such as the Annual Dinner and the Bisley Dinner. Emma is also the main contact for The

Caledonian Club and for the organisers of the Bisley Dinner and Scottish Schools’ Golf Day, in ensuring that these events are well-attended and run smoothly. From designing invitations, producing mailings, confirming room layouts, co-ordinating menus and wine selections, to hand-writing name cards, these are just a handful of the tasks performed by her. Those of you who have attended the Annual Dinner may have been able to put a name to a face,

as Emma will have met you and greeted you at our pre-dinner drinks reception.

Emma’s other London Section responsibilities include organising and coordinating the London Section Committee’s bi-annual meetings, liaising between the Secretary and the President/Committee members on key issues, producing the London Section Annual Financial Report and liaising with the school about the London Section Bursary Fund.

As previously mentioned, Emma maintains over 300 names on the London Section mailing list and this number is growing, thanks to liaison with Joanna Wallace in the School office. We would encourage any Accie living in the South of England to make contact with Emma (ecj@aralon.co.uk), to find out more about the activities of the London Section and hopefully to make contact with their contemporaries.

‘Smoothing and soothing’A Jazz Night was held at the Clubhouse at New Anniesland on Saturday 15 October.

About 80 attended what was a most convivial evening. ‘Berkeley Street Reunion’ was the band and it featured David Newton, renowned throughout the UK as a jazz pianist, his long-time mentor, Bobby Wishart on sax and flute, Andy Sharkey on bass and Sandro Ciancio on drums. Their music was superb and it made for a very enjoyable time.

Many thanks to everyone who was involved: the Band, the catering team for a fine buffet, the President of the Glasgow Academical Club who gave the introduction, the organisers, Roddy Strang of Merson Signs for his sponsorship and all those who attended.

George McLaren (1970)

20 Etcetera

Glasgow Accies Ladies’ Hockey Club news

Jill Scott, Cara Owens and Gill Buchanan rest between matches

News from the PitchAnnual Tournament A (non-rainy!) Sunday in August saw eight teams from across the Central Belt descend on Upper Windyedge to play some great hockey and enjoy some fabulous home baking. The tournament was won by Hillhead ‘A’ who beat the new kids on the Accies tournament block, Stirling Wanderers, in the final. Accies Blues reached the semi-finals and are hoping to go two better next year to reclaim the winner’s shield.

1st XI – NL Division II The 1st XI have not played a losing season for about seven years and thus our promotion to Division II has come as something of a shock to the system. Whilst playing some close games, Accies have not yet found their form. Player availability has proven an issue for the first two months of the season but we are hopeful that we will be able to build on the experience of the first few games and turn these results around. For those who follow our results on-line or in the papers – no, that first result was not a misprint! ‘Man of the Match’ awards have gone to Helen Mills, Celia Hill and Helen Bell.

2nd XI – West Division I –The 2nd XI have fared somewhat better in their league games although the squad are donating players to the Firsts on a fairly regular basis. So far, the results have been a mixed bag with a couple of good wins evened out by a couple of sorry losses. We have progressed to the second round of the West District Cup after Irvine conceded following the game being rained off two weekends in a row. ‘Man of the Match’ awards have gone to Anne Norrie, Celia Hill, Linda Cameron and Jen Mason.

News from the SidelinesNew Addition Kirsten Fulton brought her new baby boy, Archie, along to meet the club on tournament day. Well done to Kirsten – and we hope to see her back on the pitch before the season is out!

World Cup Breakfast For the Scotland v England Rugby World Cup game, the hockey social committee organised a breakfast to coincide with kick-off down at New Anniesland. The event was well-attended and – until roughly five minutes before full-time – the atmosphere was great. Sadly, the result we were all hoping for did not materialise and the Accies’ contingent left well-fed but slightly broken-hearted (except for the Sassenachs amongst us). Thanks to Celia Hill, Jenna Strang and the catering team for pulling this together.

Support the ClubAccies are always looking to strengthen the club and new members are welcome at training (Tuesday evenings, 6.45

pm to 8.30 pm at Upper Windyedge). Schoolgirls over the age of 14 are encouraged to join – but if you are at the other end of the age scale and believe your playing days are over, then perhaps you’d like to get involved with hockey again by becoming a qualified umpire? Assistance is also welcome in organising our social and fundraising events, so if you have time to spare and would like to broaden your social circle, please contact Club Captain, Erica Dickson on ericajdickson@hotmail.com or 07703 120411.

.

Etcetera 21

As a footnote to the ‘Britain’s Fittest Director’ story from Etcetera 15 I should let you know that on 2 October I completed the Challenge Barcelona, full Iron Man distance triathlon comprising a 2.4 mile sea swim; a 112 mile cycle; followed by a marathon, i.e. a 26.3 mile run.

Since deciding a year ago to take on the Challenge, I have notched up over 5,000 miles of training. Although I had managed each component element of the iron man tri at least once, I had not previously tried doing them all in race conditions or back to back... So, I decided to be realistic and adopt the mind set of first-time marathon runners who take part simply to complete the course but secretly hope they won’t get passed by the person dressed as a banana. A time of under 14 hours would be a bonus.

As things turned out, the swim was actually rather enjoyable and quicker than I had planned – taking me 1hr 14mins. The cycle was hotter (28 C) and hillier than anticipated with freshening headwinds on the outward leg of each of the three loops. Nonetheless, I completed that in the anticipated 6hrs 30mins. As if fatigue was not enough, the sound of the fireworks for the first professional

Marathon men

finishing the race in 8hrs 15mins before I had even finished the cycle did not bode well for the run.

I had planned all along to run between aid stations (roughly every three miles) but to take on drink and food whilst walking. I managed to keep to that plan, albeit (in true lawyer fashion) the point

at which the stations began/ended did I must confess ‘extend’ the further on I went. The first of four laps of the run course took just over an hour. Despite the respite from the intense heat with sunset, however, subsequent laps took longer. With each lap, more competitors finished or otherwise dropped out and the run became more and more a question of will-power.

The support from the crowds along the route had been great all day but no more so than on the run. The partisan support of family and friends of the handful of Scottish competitors was a particular help. My wife (Laura) ran the final 100 metres with me – finishing the marathon in 4hrs 55mins – giving an overall time of 13hrs 04mins.

Family, friends, colleagues and clients have been very generous in their sponsorship. At the time of writing, the target of raising £1,000 for each of Action Duchenne, Macmillan Cancer Support, Erskine and British Red Cross has almost been reached http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiser-ProfilePage.action?userUrl=NeilAmner

Neil Amner (1984)

Stuart Hardie (1964) played rugby for Glasgow Accies in the 60s and 70s. Now aged 65, he has undertaken to run ‘40 Marathons in 40 Days’.

The photo shows the Accies who turned out to cheer him on his way as he passed through Milngavie Station on his marathon 1048 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Stuart has planned this challenge in the greatest of detail. His support team is loaded with experts – a doctor, a physio, a nurse, a driver, and family and friends who have run or cycled alongside him for most of the journey. Many of the team arrived and departed at different points along the way, but Stuart has been surrounded by a very professional and committed squad for the entire journey the main objective of which to raise funds, principally for the ‘Wooden Spoon’. The Wooden Spoon charity was started by a group of

ex-rugby players, and supports a whole range of projects designed to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children throughout the UK and Ireland. Over the years, its social and sporting events have raised millions of pounds that have changed thousands of lives.

Co-incidentally, Brian Gibson of Gibson

Investments – who has been a huge sponsor of Accies rugby over many, many years – has been the principal sponsor of Wooden Spoon’s annual Glasgow Dinner.

Stuart Hardie is to be congratulated on undertaking such a colossal challenge, and it would be brilliant if some of his old friends and contemporaries could recognise this, by sending him a message with a donation to ‘his’ charity. Details of Stuart’s run, with daily updates

can be found on his site www.jogtole.com where there is a ‘Stuart Hardie’ section.

The ‘adventure’ was planned to finish at Land’s End on 29 October. And on 2 November there was an official ‘Welcome Home’ party on Guernsey, where Stuart and Sally now live. TV’s rugby personality John Inverdale, of the Wooden Spoon charity, will be the main speaker.

Stephen O’Donnell, Stewart Smith, Sandy Fitzpat-rick, Rugby Chairman Gavin Smith, and Andrew Jackson cheer Stuart Hardie (front of picture) on his way

22 Etcetera

BirthsJennifer Atack (1994)I’ve just started a new job as Communications Officer (Flooding) with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency based in Stirling. I got married last October and had a baby girl, Ruby Louise Chatfield (right), last December.

Laura (Finlayson) Balfour (1990)On 17 August 2011 at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, to Laura (nee Finlayson) and Alasdair Balfour a daughter, Elizabeth Helen Mary, a sister for George and Catherine.

Suzie (Roxby) Gregg (1994) Suzie, Patrick and Harry were delighted to welcome Rory Alexander Gregg (right) to the world on 22 August weighing 10lbs 4oz!

Lorayn (Dunley) Kane (1990)On 25 September 2011 to Stewart and Lorayn a son, Ben MacDonald, a brother for Amy and Christopher.

Amy Primrose (1990) Amy is delighted to announce the birth of her twin girls, Stella and Layla (both below). All doing well, although keeping her very busy!

Westbourne

Moving up, moving on...Jane (Clews) Gotts (1994)Currently International Director at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, Scotland’s leading independent economic development organisation. I head up SCDI’s international team to support Scottish companies to achieve their international ambitions. The role involves working closely with the Scottish Government on its wider international strategy and enables me to visit some of the world’s most exciting markets including China, India, Brazil and the USA.

Congratulations to Miss EK Henderson who was confirmed as an Honorary Governor of The Academy at the Trust AGM in November.

I have also recently been accepted in the first wave of members for the Young Academy of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The aim of the Academy is to bring together young leaders from across Scotland to stimulate creative ideas and collaborative working that will help address some of the key challenges facing Scotland and contribute to solve some of the global challenges of the 21st Century.

Carolyn Morgan (1991)Carolyn is now a partner at Harper Macleod LLP, who have recently announced becoming the official law firm for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

23

G r a n d r e u n i o n to mark the

135th Anniversary of W e s t b o u r n e ,

19 May 2012Following the huge success of the

inaugural event in October 2009, the next Westbourne Grand Reunion will be held on Saturday 19 May 2012 in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel.

The event will mark the 135th Anniversary of Westbourne’s

Foundation in 1877. It is the hope of the committee that Grand Reunions

will take place regularly – every 5 years – thereafter to mark key

milestones since the school’s birth.

Those of you who attended the last reunion will know what a success it

was, so we advise you to put the date in your diary now and reserve

your places early.

Invitations will be sent out in the New Year. Please make sure you keep Joanna at The Academy aware of any changes to your contact details via:

joanna.wallace@tga.org.uk

Westbourne 1972 ReunionThe date for the 1972 Reunion has been confirmed as Saturday 25 August 2012 and the Blysthwood Hotel has been provisionally booked for dinner. Lesley (Watson) Brewin is working hard to get in touch with as many of the girls from that year as possible. She can be contacted at lesley@brewin.org.uk. We have 40 years to catch up on, ladies – so the more the merrier!

DeathsElizabeth C Lothian (1957)23 February 1939 – 6 August 2011

Suddenly, but peacefully on her 46th wedding anniversary, Elizabeth Cousin Lothian (Beth Stewart), beloved wife of Allister, devoted mother of Stewart and Alison, proud granny of Cameron and Gregor and special cousin of Davina.

Mrs Helen Stevenson (Former Westbourne staff, Modern Languages)Former Westbourne pupils who had the privilege of being taught by her will be sad to hear of the death of Mrs Helen Stevenson who taught French and German at the school for many years until she retired in 1981.

Helen was a quietly firm and excellent teacher, who was very gentle with a good sense of humour. When I first knew her she lived in Bearsden with her husband Bill and son, Randall. Latterly they lived in Edinburgh where I occasionally visited them and where Bill predeceased her. She spent her last years in a nursing home in Morningside. The last time I visited her she was very frail and tired and could hardly speak.

Helen began her teaching career at Morrison’s Academy and lived in digs where for some unknown reason she was known as Miss Martin, although her maiden name was Halley. Perhaps she inherited her predecessor’s name! When Helen left Morrison’s, Miss EK Henderson took over the same digs when she began teaching there.

A very notable and exciting time of Helen’s life was her war service at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire where a team of men and women worked to crack Axis codes and ciphers and translate the incoming messages. Helen was a translator from German to English. She did not speak very often about it, but I know that it was a very exciting time in her life.

She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

R T Murphy

The lost pillow...Greetings, Mr McNaught!My name is Karren Wurster and I was a student at Westbourne School for Girls in 1968. In Home Economics, my classmates and I made robes for ourselves and a quilted round pillow out of a velvet material. My family moved ten times in 14 years and – in 1977 – I lost the pillow in a move from Connecticut to Michigan.

Please is there an instructress or former student who may still have the pattern for this? I would greatly appreciate duplicating the pillow but need to know how to mark the reverse of the fabric. Some of my classmates were Lilly Shaw, Pamela Cook, Cora Jorgensen, and Rita Cordianle. The Headmistress at the time was Miss Cousland. My class year was either 3A1 or 4B2.

Please let me know how to find the pattern, even just the name of it would help!

Yours gratefully,

Karen Marie Wurster, LVT

Some Academy girls relax on one of our Westbourne benches

24 Etcetera

Thank youWe would like sincerely to thank all members of our community who supported our 2010-2011 Appeal. Once again, Donors most often chose to make a gift to ‘Whatever The Academy needs most’ and to Bursaries although there were a small number of significant gifts to rowing and for new benches.

Chart of gifts

A great total!Our target for the 2010-2011 Appeal was a modest £13,500 for specific projects, as well as an open appeal for support for Bursaries and ‘Whatever The Academy needs most’. A great total of £45,353 (including Gift Aid) was raised through Regular Giving donations between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010. This figure includes the significant support for Bursaries provided by the GAC’s London Section, for which the school remains very grateful. Legacy donations to The Academy during the above period came to £59,927 – bringing total gifts for the year to £103,280.

Regular Giving ResultsAchieving our target means the school has been able to pursue plans for the development of the two tenements on Colebrooke Street/Colebrooke

Place, provide more Bursary support for Academy families in need of help with fees and purchase a new coxless pair rowing boat. We have been able to buy all of the new benches we wanted for Colebrooke Terrace. We have also refurbished benches and planters outside Westbourne House – including adding Westbourne insignia – thanks to the support of members of the Westbourne community.

2011-2012Please support our appeal this year. The support of the community will make a huge difference to what can be achieved. Every gift to The Academy – no matter how large or small – is important. Many small gifts, when combined, can provide a Bursary, support a project, renovate a classroom – or even build a building!

Thank youThank you again to all who have contributed to the success of last year’s appeal. Should you have any queries about Regular Giving or wish to discuss a donation to the 2011/2012 Appeal please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishesMark

Director of Development Mark.Taylor@tga.org.uk

Our appeal for this year will focus on three areas:

BursariesFor generations, the school has given help with fees to enable gifted and talented pupils to benefit from an Academy education. In the current climate, Bursary funds are even more important; tough economic times mean that many existing Academy families need some help with fees, too. Your gift will help ensure these pupils can complete their education at Glasgow Academy.

Target £50,000

‘Glasgow-Acadepedia’By popular request, we decided that making all Glasgow Academy Chronicles and Westbourne School Magazines available on the school website should be our special project this year. This will allow former Academy and Westbourne pupils instantly to look back on their time at school to see who did, won and played what – with whom – and

Benches

Bursaries

Rowing

What The Academy Needs

Regular Giving 2011-2012exactly when! If 500 former pupils each contribute just £10 we can ensure that all former pupils can enjoy reminiscing over their schooldays online.

Target £5,000

Whatever The Academy Needs MostUnrestricted gifts are extremely

valuable; they allow the school to allocate resources to where the

need is greatest or where a new opportunity has emerged. Currently

the school is investing in the feasibility of building a new Science and Technology centre on the site of

the tenements on Colebrooke Street. Your gift to ‘Whatever The Academy

needs most’ will help ensure we are best prepared with great plans for this exciting

new development.

Target £10,000

25

Mr William E Aiton

Mr H A Douglas Alexander

Brigadier F Allan L Alstead CBE

Professor Anne Anderson OBE

Mr G Gordon Bannerman

Mr A Stuart Barclay

Captain (Retd) Michael K Barritt

Dr Iain W M Baxter

Mr Fred S Berkley

Dr Boston B Borthwick

Mrs Marion Brodie

Mr Peter Brodie

Mrs Kay E Brown

Prof J Grant Buchanan

Mr W Colin Buchanan

Mr Kenneth D M Cameron

Dr Gordon H Carruthers

Mr Lindsay M Crawford

Mr John A Deans

Mr Hugh Diack

Dr Alexander N Dowie

Prof John C Dumbreck

Mr Marshall N Ferguson

Dr Robert J and Mrs M Ferguson

Dr Andrew and Prof Julie Fitzpatrick

Mr Ian W Fotheringham

Mr Huw M Foxall

Mrs Jean E Fraser

Mr Anthony P Frieze

Mr Daniel L Gardner

Mr Thomas W Gemmill

Mr Peter M Gemmill

Mr Brian R Gibson

Professor David J Goldberg

2010-2011 RegulaR giving BenefactoRsMr A Hakan and Mrs H Rana Gonenc

Mr David W Hall

Mr William S Hamilton

Mr Christopher J Hancock

Mr Stuart M Hardie

Mr Mohammed and Mrs Rebecca Hassan

Miss Elizabeth K Henderson

Mr W Neilson Herbertson

Mr R Iain Higgins

Mr Ian C Hood

Mr Colin J F Hope

Dr George Horn

Mr Andrew L Howie

Mr H Murray Humphreys

Mr J Gordon Jack

Mr John R Jekyll

Mr Robin W G Johnston

Mrs Elizabeth M Ker

Mr Alexander C Kerr

Dr William R Kerr

Mr J Charles D Lewis

Dr Jintang Li and Mrs Rui Liu

Mr F Graham Little

Mr R Finlay Lochhead

Mr Gordon A L Low

Mr D Gordon MacLeod

Mr Peter W C Marr

Mr Scott H Massey

Dr Stuart G McAlpine

Mr Stephen and Mrs Julie McCann

Mr Ronald B McIntosh

Dr Don S McIntosh

Mr Robert H McKendrick

Dr George I McLaren

Ms Melanie McLean

Mrs Lorna McNaught

Mr Malcolm R McNaught

Dr Christpher H B Mee OBE

Mr Hamish A Millar

Mr Fraser S Montgomery

Mr Michael S Morris

Lieut Colonel I G Neilson

Mr T Scott Nelson

Mr R Robin Paterson

Major Gen (Retd) Ronald M Pearson

Dr Robert and Dr Kirsteen Percival

Mr John S Phillips

Mr Allan A R Pollock

Dr Alastair R W Porter CBE

Mr Alastair M Robertson

Mr Alastair D S Rolland

Mr Cecil R Sanderson

Mr Graham W Scott

Mr Andrew G Service

Mr Archie E Shearer

Mr Christopher D W Smith

Mr J Douglas O Stewart

Mr Ewan and Mrs Jennifer Stewart

Mr David A Stirling

Mr C Murray and Mrs Netta Stuart

Sheriff Alayne E Swanson

Mr Michael B Tattersall

Mr Mark G Taylor

Miss Rachel E Teggart

Mr Nacerdine Tcheir

Mr Ian M Veitch

Mr John G Walker

Mr John M Watson OBE

Mr Iain Winning

26 Etcetera

Family announcements

Joel, Alison (nee Kemp – 2000) and Nathan Caldicott with baby Joshua

BirthsAlison (Kemp) Caldicott (2000) We are delighted to announce the birth of Joshua Andrew Caldicott, born on 24 June 2011, weighing 8lb 9oz. Nathan is being a fantastic big brother and we are enjoying being a family of four.

Richard Lyle (1993)Our wee boy, Cameron William Lyle, was born on 24 August 2011. Elder sister Megan, 21 months, is already looking after him.

Fraser Lundie (1998)On 22 August 2011 Fraser and Claire welcomed their first child, Ruaridh Fraser Lundie, into the world.

Lesley (Bloomer) Stuart-Gammie (1998)James and I have welcomed a new addition to the family! Jessica Rose was born on 20 July 2011 and little Aulay is delighted by his baby sister (if maybe a little over-enthusiastic with the cuddles).

Euan Stubbs (1996) and Jennifer (Cargey) Stubbs (1997)This is Katherine (Katie) Ellen Stubbs born 23 July weighing 7lbs 11oz at St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Daughter of Euan and Jennifer Stubbs.

Owain Williams (1998)Conor James Robert Williams, born 24 October 2011 to Owain and Angela at The Royal Alexandra’s hospital , Paisley. 7 lb 9 oz. Born over the hallowed turf of Stradey.

Cameron William Lyle with big sister Megan

Ruaridh Fraser Lundie

Jessica Rose Stuart-Gammie

Katherine (Katie) Ellen Stubbs

Conor James Robert Williams

EngagementsNicholas Frame (1994)The engagement is announced from Japan between Nicholas Roger, elder son of Mr and Mrs Roger CC Frame of Bearsden and Florence, and Ryoko, only daughter of the late Mr Kenji and Mrs Taeko Yoshimura of Kagoshima, Japan. The Wedding will take place on the 24 March 2012 in Kagoshima, Japan.

Hazel McNaught (2004)James Buncle popped the question on Elie beach earlier this year. Hazel happily accepted, and the pair are planning to get married in Scotland next summer. James and Hazel met at Newcastle University and are both now lawyers working in London.

Stewart Kinloch (1978)After moving on from the African Trade Insurance Agency, I am now delighted that I am moving to take up a position as a consultant to the African Development Bank in Tunis. The Bank has retained me as one of two consultants under the Initiative for Risk Mitigation in Africa (IRMA) which is intended to encourage the effective use of the Bank’s existing and planned risk mitigation products (including insurance and reinsurance.) and to serve as a catalyst for further investments in African infrastructure projects. I will start work in Tunis on 15 October.

Iain Saint-Yves (1954)I have recently had my autobiography published and below is the cover.

Etcetera 27

Imran Alam (1997)I took up my new post as a Health and Wellbeing Physiologist with Nuffield Health in Glasgow on 1 August after three-and-a-half years as Senior Health Adviser and Exercise Physiologist with Bupa Wellness. I also continue to work with Third Division Football club Clyde FC as sports scientist, responsible for pre- and post-season fitness testing, assisting physio on match days with massage and sports therapy.

Greg Lawtie (2010) was awarded his Gold Duke of Edinburgh at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 4 July 2011. Greg achieved this through his work with the 1st Elderslie Boys Brigade. Greg

left Glasgow Academy in 2009 and is currently studying Business Management at Glasgow University. Greg is pictured receiving his award from Eleanor Lyall MBE who is the Scottish Chief Commissioner for Scouting in Scotland.

David Miller (1976)I am still working as Vice-principal of International Christian College, a small independent theological college based in Glasgow. In autumn 2010 I completed my PhD, much to my surprise, in which I studied conversion to Christianity in a Japanese context, through the University of Manchester. The gown reminds me of Joseph’s technicolour dreamcoat, and the hat just looks silly – probably designed to keep newly-graduated students humble.

MarriagesTammy Graham (2000) Tammy is delighted to announce that she and Pete Gilpin were happily married on 2 April 2011 in Ballydugan, Northern Ireland. Friends and family joined them on a lovely spring day for what became a very lively Scottish/Irish wedding celebration.

Sarah Wilson (2006) Sarah Wilson to Jonathan Goodwin, on 20 August 2011, at St Andrew the Great Church, Cambridge. After completing their Masters’ degrees at Trinity Hall, they have both now started PhDs at the University of Sheffield – Sarah in Criminology and Jon in Renewable Energies.

Moving up, moving on...

28 Etcetera

ObituariesJ Arrol Crerar (1936)25 June 1917 – 3 August 2011

James Arrol Crerar died suddenly at home in Giffnock on 3 August. Born and brought up in the Newlands area of Glasgow, he left the Academy in 1934 and started work in the National Bank of Scotland’s Rutherglen office.

Arrol was working at the bank’s Sauchiehall Street branch when war was declared in 1939. He served in the Royal Artillery (TA) as an anti-aircraft gunner and later in the Royal Corps of Signals as a wireless operator before being taken prisoner at Tobruk in 1942. Following three escape attempts from camps in Italy and Austria, he was eventually repatriated and demobilised in 1946. The same year he married Betty whom he had met in 1938 and who had waited for him to come back from war. They enjoyed sixty years of married life together in Clarkston, Newton Mearns and Giffnock until her death in 2006. After the war, Arrol resumed his career with the National Bank which eventually became the National Commercial Bank and then The Royal Bank of Scotland. He retired in 1977 as the manager of the St George’s Cross branch.

Throughout his life he maintained a keen interest in golf and curling, being a Past Captain and Honorary President of Cathcart Castle Golf Club, a founder member and former President of Cathcart Castle Curling Club and a long-standing member of Pollok Curling Club.

He is fondly remembered and his company is sadly missed by all who knew him. His last years were tough following the deaths of his daughter Lysbeth in 1992 and his wife Betty in 2006, but his fighting spirit and jealously-guarded independence never left him. He is survived by his son, Rob, grandchildren, James, Scott and Julie, and great-grandchildren, Kara, Joe and Maya.

Rob Crerar (1972)

Michael M Kennedy (1961)2 October 1944 – 13 June 2011

Michael Macqueen Kennedy was born in Pollokshields, Glasgow to Mitchell, owner of a successful timber business, and Agnes in 1944. Michael was educated at a local prep school and then Glasgow Academy where he was successful both

academically and in sport, playing for the cricket and rugby first teams.

In 1962 he took a Glasgow University management course in accountancy and business studies. Over the next twenty years he worked in the publishing, book distribution, import/export and transport sectors before creating a specialised computer transport business, Carry Gently, in 1984 which he continued to grow into a highly-successful company for the rest of his life.

He married his first wife, Sue, in 1968 and they had two children, Sarah and Gavin. In 1997 he married the actress, Patricia Brake. Michael was a consummate raconteur, bon vivant and sports enthusiast: he was captain of Clydesdale Cricket Club and latterly Richmond Golf Club, and he played rugby for London Scottish. His sense of humour and facility for universal friendship contributed to his indomitable spirit with which he fought a succession of serious illnesses during the last three years of his life.

He died peacefully in hospital in Wimbledon in June and is survived by his wife, his first wife and their two children, and by two grandsons.

Rev Harry G Miller (1932)15 July 1914 – 23 July 2011

Harry Galbraith Miller, who has died aged 97, was from a family which passed at least three things on to him: his skill at music, his intellectual rigour and his faith. He had a distinguished academic career at Glasgow Academy. In his first five years at the school he won the first prize on four occasions and in his final year

he was Dux, won The Academical Club Prize and prizes for English and Greek.

After an Arts degree at Glasgow University, Harry obtained a BD with distinction in Systematic Theology. He then spent four years as the assistant at Cathcart Old, where he was ordained, before he was called to Lochgilphead. Five years later he was translated to Inch outside Stranraer where he became the Clerk to the Presbytery of Stranraer. On moving to Inchinnan in 1958 he spent most of his ministry there on the issues surrounding the move to the building of the magnificent new Church on Old Greenock Road. This was followed by the most public ministry which he performed, in Iona and the Ross of Mull.

Harry had a wonderful, eclectic circle of friends who popped up from all round the world. He provided support for many people and was a born storyteller; people listened spellbound to his fund of anecdote, wisdom and wit. He will be remembered as a musician, scholar and preacher. Above everything else he was an authentic human being whose personality was illuminated by his faith.

Harry died peacefully, at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, in July and is survived by his niece, Agnes. Ian Shearer (1961) 1 October 1943 – 14 May 2011

Ian (WJA) Shearer who died in May from myeloma, had a notable career as a computer scientist and campaigner for trade justice. He was instrumental in introducing the first computers to India and Burma and throughout his life campaigned tirelessly for the World Development Movement, for Christian Aid and for democracy in Burma.

My memories of Ian go back to the autumn of 1953 when he joined Transitus A. The unforgettable ‘Dodo’ Ogilvie would have the class recite the names of the world’s rivers, mountains and most memorably the stations on the Trans-Siberian Railway. On a visit to India forty years later Ian and I amazed our families by chanting together ‘Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk…Vladivostok.’

Ian sang treble in the choir, and was duly ‘promoted’ to alto in 1956. Standing on the platform in the Well at morning assembly we used to enjoy the hymn ‘Jesus shall reign where’er the sun’ with its lively alto part. Prescient words in view of his subsequent travels.

Etcetera 29

Ian was born on 1 October 1943 in Kilmacolm as William John Alexander Shearer, the third child of William and Elizabeth Shearer. All four children inherited their parents’ musicality, and Ian was playing the organ at a local village church at the age of 11. From Glasgow Academy, he went on to St Andrews University where he took a degree in theoretical mathematics, while finding time to perform as a concert pianist. Mathematics led him into the then very new field of computing.

Early work at ICL took him in 1969 to Delhi to teach computer studies at the Indian Institute of Technology while waiting for a British-aided computer to arrive which it was his job to see up and working. A posting to Burma followed, where he worked with a Burmese team on the management of the census that was put on to the country’s only computer. It was the start of a life-long interest in Burma and its people. He also worked in Edinburgh for two years, where in his spare time he wrote and performed music on a portable Indian harmonium with the Luckenbooth Shadow Puppet Theatre.

Moving to London in 1974, Ian met Seetha and the following year they were married in Delhi. Among the guests was Indira Gandhi as Seetha’s mother was her personal secretary. A spell in Zurich followed. Then in 1985 Ian returned to the UK and settled with his family in Lytham St Anne’s. Here he joined a team of systems analysts working on the massive task of linking up the Department of Health and Social Security offices in new computer systems. He continued working with the DHSS and its successor departments until his final years.

Ian was a tireless campaigner for Christian Aid, for the World Development Movement where he was for many years a Council member, for the Burma Campaign UK which works for development and democracy, and for local causes such as the St Anne’s library garden.

Music was a strong thread that ran through Ian’s life. His greatest joy was making music with others and his sensitive musicality made him popular with groups such as the Vivaldi Orchestra for which he played the piano and harpsichord. He also sang with local choirs – he had a fine tenor voice. He was a keen hill-walker and kept his lean, athletic figure right up to his final illness.

Ian is survived by Seetha, three children and three grandchildren. He was a generous, gentle, and incredibly talented friend and companion over so many years.

Arthur Sanderson (1960)

Arthur F Smith (1939)30 November 1922 – 20 July 2011

Arthur Forrest Smith attended Glasgow Academy from 1930 until 1939 and remained proud of his association with the school throughout his life. In the classroom and on the sports field he displayed great ability. He was an ardent participant in the school Air Training Corps and on the cricket field he proved himself to be an outstanding spin bowler.

He studied law at Glasgow University but in 1941 he interrupted his studies to join the RAF, qualified as a pilot and served as a Flight Lieutenant. During his RAF career Arthur had postings in South Africa, North and East Africa, Italy and Yugoslavia. On his demob in 1946 he

completed his law studies and joined the law firm of Clark and Cameron. Later he accepted an offer of a partnership through an amalgamation with the firm of Archibald Sharp and Son. He remained with the firm until he retired in 1992.

In 1950 Arthur married Doreen Sharp in Broomhill Church. They moved to Woodlands Drive where their children, Elaine and Brian, were born a few years later. The family enjoyed many holidays in and around St Andrews but, despite considering a move to the East Neuk of Fife in retirement, Glasgow’s West End was to remain Arthur’s home throughout his life. He was an active member of Belhaven-Westbourne Church and both he and Doreen were very involved as players and in match arrangements at Partickhill Tennis Club. They also enjoyed regularly attending the opera at the Royal Concert Hall until Mrs Smith died in 1984.

Arthur died peacefully at Gartnavel General Hospital in July, a dearly-beloved husband of the late Doreen, a much- loved father of Elaine and Brian and proud and loving grandpa of Blair and Lauren.

J Colin White (1964)19 December 1946 - 21 July 20ll

James Colin White passed away in July aged 64. He was born in Glasgow and attended The Academy from 1952 to 1964. After studying law at the University of Glasgow, Colin obtained his Chartered Accountancy designation in 1974 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He emigrated to Calgary with his family in 1981 where he continued to work as a Chartered Accountant and joined the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta the following year. Colin eventually went on to establish and run his own accounting practice, specialising in tax advice.

Some of his true passions included golfing, boating and touring with his family and friends. Colin is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, John and Denise; a daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Byron; and three grandchildren, Amber, Sarah and Payton Mirinda-Anne White, all of Calgary. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law Graham (Bish) and Mavis, of the Isle of Wight. Colin was predeceased by his wife Barbara-Anne White.

30 Etcetera

Last March, Malcolm McNaught met one of his former pupils who now works in London’s West End...

Douglas McJannet (1993) may be in show business, but he’s far from ‘showy’. He speaks in a gentle, slightly self-deprecating way as if he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

‘I don’t usually go into too much detail about my job because the illusion is probably better than the reality. There’s a lot that’s like any other job – coming to work in the morning, going home – a general structure... I always describe myself as being on the business side of the stage. That’s what I’m interested in. In meetings, I usually stress than I’m not a creative at all. It’s rather a disabling thing to say...’

He started his company, Arden Entertainment, in 2006 along with two business partners. ‘We started an affiliated general management facility for one particular show – a Take That musical called Never Forget, which ran for three-and-a-half years on tour and six months in the West End. That was the starting point. And I just felt slightly brave one day when I was leaving my previous job and I phoned somebody I’d worked with and was offered this job as associate producer on the spot for another show, Dirty Dancing. I already had too much work and I had to start recruiting people... and I did that for a couple of years.’

Rather earlier than planned, I have to admit my ignorance of the whole subject. ‘So for the non-expert,’ I say, ‘what exactly does an associate producer do?’

‘It’s a mixture of things. There’s no rule book. On that occasion it was an Australian producer who didn’t have too much knowledge of the London market so it was my job to represent his interests – if you like – in London. So you spend your time making yourself unpopular by saying this isn’t right, that’s not right – just adding a bit of local knowledge really, doing all the creative contracts, cast albums, recording agreements – oh and arranging the biggest first night party I’ve ever arranged in my life. It cost £175,000 and took place at the Banqueting House with food provided by the Ivy (restaurant). It was amazing!’

As he tells me of all the projects he has worked on and is currently working on it occurs to me that Douglas seems to spend a disproportionate amount of time working. ‘There’s an old adage that, when you work on your passion, you really are in trouble. And my passion is the theatre – always has been always will be. I do try

to get away occasionally at weekends but the reality is that you’re on call 24 hours a day. A year or two ago I was in Brighton for the weekend trying to hide away and I had a call on the Saturday at 12 noon that there was a problem with the electrics in the theatre in London on a matinee starting at 2.30. Nothing else to do but go back... There was a derailment on the line and it took two and three-quarter hours to get there and just as I was turning the corner before reaching the Savoy I got a message: “All fine!” And that was the weekend completely ruined... But, by the same token, I would have been hopping mad if they hadn’t called me and the show had been cancelled. Because your job is to ensure that the investors get their money back and it all goes ahead as planned. That is the job. You’re only as good as your last job, so you’ve got to get it right.’

When I spoke to him in March, Douglas was Head of Tunnels Management for The Old Vic Tunnels www.oldvictunnels.com The Tunnels is a vast space underneath Waterloo Station made up of interconnected railway arches. Working as part of Kevin Spacey’s team he’s currently

undertaking a massive restoration project.

‘It’s a bit of a blank canvas, really. We can do anything in it. We build auditoria, put plays on or we have a promenade show. At the moment we’ve got a band on – sold out for the next five nights. All sorts of people hopping around. Totally bonkers but great fun!’

Douglas helped raise £330,000 for a huge volunteers’ scheme to get the project off the ground. Part of its remit is to provide opportunities for young unemployed people – working as stewards, working on marketing, working on whatever’s needed – and it has come as something of a surprise to him that this is an aspect of his work that gives him a lot of satisfaction. ‘I honestly

thought I would hate it. But we’ve had 100 per cent success in getting our interns into work or further education. This year I’m probably happier in my work than I have been for some time. It’s a long-term project and there’s been lots of interest.’ Meanwhile he has also been still working on productions like the Sovremennik season of Russian Theatre at the Noel Coward Theatre for Roman Abramovich, and that variety is one of the things that he enjoys.

So to what extent was his time at school an influence in what he does now? It’s a question that Douglas is wary of. ‘I wish you hadn’t asked me that... An awful lot, an awful lot. Shortly after I went to The Academy I found myself in the headmaster’s study. I’d just left my old school and I wasn’t very happy. I remember the headmaster saying to me, “Your parents have paid for you to be here, your grandfather was here... so you’d better just get on with it. There must be something you like doing.” So I said, “Oh well, it’ll have to be drama, I suppose.” I really didn’t like performing although everyone seemed to think I was good at it... At least I was audible! I always look back on my schooldays as a very, very happy time. And you needed to be quite switched on in that school at that time; there were lots of talented people about.’

Looking back on those days with a teacher’s perspective, I would have to agree: there were lots of talented people at The Academy in the early 1990s. Where I would part company with Douglas, however, is that he was so clearly one of them.

In a world where self-promotion seems to be the norm, it’s refreshing to meet someone who has been successful without feeling the need to blow his own trumpet.

Etcetera 31

Picture Post

Don McIntosh (1955) and Bryan Mitchell (1955) have both been in touch to add some missing names to Michael Greenhill’s 1953/54 class photo which appeared in Etcetera 15 (Summer 2011, page 7):

Back row (l to r): Bryan Mitchell, Robert Burnside, Hugh Fenwick, Robert Turpie, Sandy McNeish, John Thomlinson.3rd row (l to r): Michael Greenhill, Martin Frame, Barry Niven, Iain Gardiner, AJ Alcock, Michael Roemmele, Douglas Miller.2nd row (l to r): James Bolton, Alan Thomson, Gordon MacPherson, Roy Burdon, ? ?, Quentin Jeffries, ? ?, Tom Forrester.Front row (l to r): Don McIntosh, ? ?, ? ?, Mr G Allman, Ian Mason, Lawrence Sellyn, James For-rester.

Don and Bryan can’t quite fill in all of the blanks but the other signatures on their photos would suggest the unknown boys are: Angus McDonald, J U Marshall, J A H Taylor and Stuart D Mackie.

Dear EditorI am hugely enjoying the regular editions of Etcetera, especially the last one that included Captain Barritt’s article, as our naval paths occasionally crossed. I also enjoyed the piece on the CCF Naval Section which I had the good fortune to lead as Cadet Cox’n in my final year.

However, I write to correct a contributed piece on page 12: the photograph suggests that the Cadet Corporal may be Chris Ormerod; in fact it is Alastair James. I regret I cannot identify Chris with any certainty.

Robert Howell (1962)

Dear MalcolmIn page 8 of the recent edition of Etcetera, Percy Brazil produced a photo of the Globe Players’ production of Romeo and Juliet and I agree that it was 1941.

It was on the stage in the Well; the old hand-pumped organ was removed for the occasion. I think the English master was Mr Foster, but I’m not sure.

I am sitting on the far right playing Capulet and next to me is Hamish Boyd as the Nurse. On the far left, sitting, is Kenneth McKenzie and the two tall guys in the middle of the back row are David Turnbull and Lex Dowie with Maclay and Diack on their left. Fourth in on the right, sitting, is R Reid and I think his younger brother was playing Juliet, but I’m not sure.

We had fun (sort of), but I give full marks to the audience for their endurance in sitting for two hours in that cold Well!

Jimmy Baird (1943)

Dear MalcolmFirstly, may I congratulate you on another excellent issue of the Etcetera, which is, as usual, extremely interesting and thoroughly enjoyable.

I note that you have been including a number of class photographs from the past and I wonder if you would be interested in the photo of my last year, 1938, in the Prep School.

The teacher was Miss Gentles, and I think it was the final year of the ‘GA’ school badge.

Unfortunately I am able to name only a few of my classmates as I left at the end of the following year to go to Strathallan School in September 1939.

Alastair M Nicol (1944)

OMG! Have just seen a photo of myself in your mag. It is in issue no 9 of Etcetera – a photo of the shooting team on p31. Only a few team members are named. I am in the front row on the left of the photo. Must have needed a whole tub of Brylcream to keep that hair under my Glengary! I always have been a rebel! Those .303 rifles had some kick! We were good shots, though, and won few trophies. I remember I won a decent cash prize at Bisley that summer.

Regards to all

Euan Cameron (1974)Miss Gentles’ class in 1938

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