Forestry Memories

Retirement of Jimmy Munro - Low Loader Driver

Retirement of Jimmy Munro - Low Loader Driver

Date Added: 13 May 2013 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1986 Picture No: 1856

Photograph courtesy of Billy Mackay, Portlethen, whose father and grandfather worked for the Forestry Commission.

Billy has gathered some details of Jimmy’s working life from his widow, Jessie Munro. ‘Jimmy started work with the Timber Supply Department during the war years, and at the end of the war transferred to the FC. He initially started as a Driver Mechanic at Blackstand on the Black Isle, arriving there at the same time as a Bert Skinner, who was the Blackstand Workshop Foreman. Jimmy went on to drive the low loader based at Longman Workshop and carried heavy forestry machinery all over Scotland and even further afield.’

Billy has named some of the people in the presentation photograph and Ian Hood (FC Mechanical Engineering Services) has added some further names.


Jimmy retired in 1986.


1. Hugh Rose (Workshop Mechanic)
2. Donnie Gault (Mobile Mechanic)
3. Charlie Cameron (Workshop Labourer)
4. Willie McRobert (Mobile Mechanic)
5. Jim Logan (Storeman)
6. Sandy MacRae (Workshop Labourer)
7. Eddie Simpson (Workshop Mechanic)
8. Albert Macbeth (Workshop Mechanic)
9. Malcolm Gardiner (Workshop Mechanic)
10. Kenny Fraser (Mobile Welder)
11. Kenny Logan (Retired? Longman Workshop Manager)
12. Stewart Mackenzie (was Longman Workshop Manager, but not sure if so at the time of this pic. Transferred to Alice Holt).
13. Hamish Fraser (Mobile Mechanic)
14. John Martin (Conservancy Mechanical Engineer)
15. Ronnie Geddes (Storeman)
16. Jimmy Munro (Retiring Low Loader Driver)
17. Donny Mackintosh (Mobile Mechanic)
18. Ally Campbell (Mechanic)
19. Billy Mackay (Inspecting Mechanic)
20. Ian Balloch (Ploughman)
21. Jessie Munro (wife of Jimmy)
22. Ernie Findlay (Road Squad)
23. Neil Mackinnon (Road Squad Tipper Driver - an evacuee from St Kilda)
24. Geordie MacLean (Road Squad)

Thanks must go to Hamish Fraser (Black Isle) who named most of the group of people and corrected the names of others.

Any stories and events in Jimmy’s working life would be very welcome.

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Groups: Forestry Areas, Groups of people

1 Comment

I first met Jimmy in 1952 not long after we arrived in Ardross from Stromeferry and I am pleased to say that we remained friends until 1969 which was the last time I saw him, in Glasgow of all places. Jimmy was a genuine gentle giant. Back then in 1952 he drove a Foden flatbed which had a wood and plywood cab. Many a time when he was heading north over the Struie he would call in for me and take me with him. So many happy memories of a great man. By the way, the only lowloader in the north FC back then was a Leyland Comet tractor unit driven by Kenny Mackay. Also have many happy memories of others in the photo such as Ernie Findlay and Geordie MacLean but stories about them will have to wait for another day ! Comment left on 22 May 2013 at 21:11 by Don Macleman
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