The Magazine and Annual Review of the Stewart's Melville FP Club
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DECEMBER 2018 The Magazine and Annual Review of The Stewart’s Melville FP Club Contents: From The Editor’s Desk - page 2 | Jim Tigar Centenarian - page 2 | President’s Review - page 3 FPs in the News - pages 4-5 | Philip long and the V&A, Dundee - page 6 | Peter Mann Trophy 2018 - page 6 The Real Austerity Generation - pages 7-8 | David Gray - pages 8-9 | Iain Coke - International Yachtsman - pages 10-11 Melville College Trust - page 12 | A Banking Journey - page 13 | Alasdair Donaldson - pages 14-15 Richard Le Sueur - Golf Course Architect - page 16 | The Father of Argentinian Football - page 17 Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines - page 18 | Branch Clubs - pages 19-21 Seen Around The Club 2017 - pages 22-24 | Introducing Lindsey Geddes - page 24 | School Reports - page 25 Development Office - pages 26-27 | Centenary Remembrance Service - page 28-29 | Reunions - pages 30-32 Sports Clubs - pages 33-38 | Obituaries - pages 39-46 | FP Club Council & Contacts - page 47 2 Daniel Stewart’s & Melville College Former Pupils Club support and contributions. So there has been much happening around From the Editor’s Desk the Club and the Branch Clubs, although SRU affecting amateur rugby clubs, a new this year the response from the Millennial Club Secretary and an upgraded Club generation has been disappointing – so let’s website to be launched in the New Year. hear it from you guys next year! If nothing else, please keep in touch either with the It is apparent, too, that numbers attending Club or via the ESMS Development Office. events at Inverleith and some Branches have been declining as individuals’ social And Finally habits change and it remains to be seen how the formats of some functions Much as I have enjoyed putting together this change to meet that challenge. In terms of magazine and seen it become established individuals, it is refreshing to read that the as an annual publication, after 5 years in the London Club now has a resident of upstate chair I feel it is now time for a fresh pair of New York as its President and its Vice eyes to take over as Editor. I feel I have made President lives in Worcester. many new friends around the Club and re- established association with others, so I give And the FP News continues to reflect what a wholehearted Thank You to all who have amazing things some FPs have achieved contributed your stories and experiences and during the year. The Club’s first Centenarian, have made the content of the magazine so In 1963 Bob Dylan wrote, “The Times They a Round the World yachtsman and the wide and varied. Are A-Changing” – and that can perfectly Talent & Development Manager of the GB sum up 2018, too. Paralympic Triathlon team to name but a few So, the FP Club would wish to hear from anyone who might be keen to take up Whether it be around the world or closer and who all appear in this year’s edition. the reins and bring your own style and to home, the end of the year feels much David Clarke, History Master and Assistant ideas to the magazine. As a self-starter different to the beginning of the year, be Archivist at SMC, has again written of the and with a keen eye for detail, you will it Trump, Russia, Middle East, extreme heroic deeds of FPs during the First World be amazed who you hear from and the climate or, dare I say it, the dreaded Brexit. War, from the formation of the RAF and ventures they get up to. Closer to home, we have seen a new actual encounters with the Red Baron Principal installed at ESMS, continued (see page 18) - and the end of WW1 Interested? For more details contact Charles building works around the Queensferry being marked at the ESMS Remembrance Wilson at [email protected] Road estate, a major restructuring by the Service, I am particularly grateful for his Bob Young His second major mission was in Operation Gesick in which he flew in vital equipment Jim Tigar Centenarian on D Day at night ahead of the arrival of ground forces. Remarkably he also On Sunday, 25 March a attend the celebrations and he recalls a survived this mission. His third major special party was held in very happy occasion: mission was the abortive attempt to Ayr on the occasion of “I attended the 100th birthday party of Jim take the Pegasus Bridge at Arnhem in Jim Tigar’s 100th birthday Tigar, FP of Daniel Stewart’s College, in Ayr. 1944 in Operation Market Garden. His thereby becoming the FP It was also attended by his second wife, to commanding officer said in advance that Club’s first centenarian. whom he has been married for 48 years, this mission was probably “a bridge too His niece, Debbie, says:” four of his five children from his first marriage far”, an axiom which later became the title Uncle Jim speaks with great and his child from his second marriage, of the eponymous film. He actually flew the pride about his school days as well as many relatives, including first glider on to the Pegasus Bridge behind at Stewart’s College and grandchildren and great grandchildren. We enemy lines and somehow, once again, remembers all of the masters had an excellent lunch and afternoon and once reunited with his comrades, survived and their words of wisdom. I brought Jim Tigar was presented with a telegram and escaped German capture. He was him back to Edinburgh to visit his former from the Queen by the Deputy Lieutenant of demobilised in 1946 at Redford Barracks childhood home which was House o’ Hill Ayrshire and with an engraved quaich from and then, having few qualifications, did farm at Davidson Mains a few years ago Stewart’s Melville College by me what he could to make a living and became when he was still able to travel. We walked a hotelier. He ran the Queen’s Hotel in Jim particularly excelled at History, Art around the grounds of his old school and Girvan for 30 years, known affectionately the memories came flooding back to him. and French at school. He loved drawing and painting which remained lifetime by his family as the Basil Fawlty years. For One story I recall, involved him coming hobbies for him. He wanted to become them, he was the original Basil Fawlty, to school without the correct attire. No an architect but could not master outspoken, at times bombastic and one made comment, but at assembly the Mathematics and so instead, on leaving unequivocally honest in his evaluation of rector announced the school would go school in 1937, attended the Edinburgh guests of the hotel and of life in general. for a march that sunny spring morning College of Art. Two years later, however, On the day, I found him very engaging. past his home. This was, as you can his career ambitions were interrupted He still has a full head of hair, is slim and imagine, a wonderful sight that brought by World War II. He joined the army air dignified and walks with the aid of a everyone out to their front door to see the corps and was attached to the glider pilot stick. Unfortunately, he is very deaf so uniformed boys march past. Alas, Uncle regiment. He trained as a pilot on a Tiger communicating with him is a little tricky even Jim’s mother was the only person who did Moth biplane but then had a distinguished with the most advanced technology. I was not enjoy watching the march as she hung war career as a glider pilot over the Atlas also privileged to get sight of his flying log her head in shame at the sight of her son, Mountains, at D Day and at Arnhem. book and another relative, Grahame Taylor, the only boy not wearing his full uniform, has been in contact with the school and it skulk by. Needless to say he never went His first major mission was in 1943 with the allied invasion of Sicily in which he led a very has been agreed that a small ceremony will to school again without his full uniform. be arranged to formally hand over the book Very clever move by the masters! “ hazardous flight from North Africa to Syracuse into a strong gale. Many gliders fell short and to the school around March 2019.” Past Principal, David Gray, was invited to crashed into the sea but Jim’s survived. Contributed FP News 2018 3 President’s Review... To plagiarise a phrase Inverleith remains home to the affiliated Rugby, Hockey and Cricket clubs. All participate in attributed to Prime Minister increasingly competitive environments but, Harold Wilson in the 60’s “A nonetheless, are faring well. At the time of writing, the rugby club 1st year as President is a long and 2nd XVs are third in their respective time”. However, it certainly leagues and could go further as the season progresses. In light of the changes imposed does not seem like it. Perhaps by the SRU on Club rugby, the rugby that is down to the fact the Academy merged with Heriot’s Academy to form North Edinburgh Barbarians and this “job” is so varied; attending has proved to be a great success with many Dinners; business meetings, boys coming along who have no association reflective and sombre with either school. The Hockey Club fields four men’s and three gatherings and social events ladies’ teams each weekend.