Jim McConnel - Montreathmont Forest

Date Added: 10 November 2012 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1954 Picture No: 1305

The photograph is courtesy of the family of George Dey. George took many forestry photographs in his forestry career and some are now shown on this web site.

The photograph shows Jim McConnel who was in charge of Montreathmont Forest having a tea break.

Bert Thomson (Archiestown) recalls that he was a smallish man but had a long fast stride and covered the hillsides very quickly indeed. He was apparently severely wounded in WW1 with shrapnel and even in later years Jim had to have periodic treatment for his past wounds.

Any more information on which forest Jim McConnel worked would be very welcome. Is that a deer control high seat or a fire look out platform on the skyline behind Jim?

Groups: Forestry Areas, George Dey Forestry Collection, Northeast Scotland

1 Comment

You posed the question Norman! The tower structure looks too substantial to be a high seat, so I had a look on the National Library of Scotland (NLS) web map site. Sure enough, mapped on the OS 1:25, 000 scale sheets, mapped between 1938 - 55 and published in 1957 there is a "Lookout Station" indicated as a point feature on the map adjacent to a power line running SW - NE and the B9113 to the east of the Mosstonmuir Quarries (Disused) at NGR: NO576529.

I also like the wrap of greaseproof paper around the 'Thermos' stopper next to Jim's piece bag, on the left, the corks weren't always the best and remember my Mum doing the same with ours to try and prevent the leak! Comment left on 23 September 2016 at 23:27 by Bill Rayner

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