Struan Stewart presentation

Date Added: 30 July 2014 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1976 Picture No: 2556

This photograph courtesy of Moray and Aberdeenshire Forest District is a bit of a mystery.
Location, year and event is unknown but there is a theory that this was taken prior to Struan taking up the Chief Forester's post at Laigh of Moray and may have been somewhere in Perthshire. The year has been adjusted to 1976 but still uncertain.

Can anyone help and also name the other people?

See Comments and doubts over names! Dr Gavin Strang was the Minister in the Government with responsibility for Forestry in the UK from 1975 to 1979.

Groups: Groups of people, Mystery and unknown

4 Comments

John Keenleyside (Forres) remembers this event as he was present and as suspected is a leaving presentation to Struan as he headed from Dunkeld Forest (Inverpark) to Laigh Of Moray at Newton in 1977. The man doing the presentation is D'Arcy Black who was taking over from Struan at Inverpark. At the time John was Chief Forester at Ardgarten and D'Arcy had just moved from the neighbouring forest of Glenbranter.
John thinks the man sitting down behind could be a District Officer by the name of Dick Dickson but not certain. Comment left on 01 September 2014 at 10:29 by Norman Davidson

WIth no wish to be picky Norman, I think the spelling is a straightforward Darcy without the apostrophe. I was at Dunkeld in 1979-80 as a forestry student. I think it was a throwback from his time lecturing at one of the Forestry Schools that led him to set and mark 'homework' for me, as a student. Much to the amusement of the head foresters there. (Steve Cooper and Tavish MacMillan) Comment left on 11 December 2020 at 11:14 by John Burrow

Don`t know the gent making the presentation, but most certainly is not Darcy Black. Comment left on 21 September 2022 at 12:46 by Bill Stewart

Mike Lawrence of Bankfoot (Grandson of Sandy Rose of Ledmore fame) says - 'The man making the presentation is definitely Dr Gavin Strang. Gavin was an MP for 40 years from 1970 to 2010 and served in the Tony Blair cabinet but is now retired. In the 70s he served in the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries and the photo was no doubt taken during this time.

The Strangs still farm Moneydie Farm near Bankfoot and it adjoins Ledmore where my grandfather managed the clonal nursery. Gavin has a PhD in an agriculture related topic - pigs I think. While he was a long term politician his brother Norrie ran the family farm. I've even confirmed with Trish Strang, Norrie's wife, that photo 2556 is of Gavin.
Comment left on 11 October 2022 at 19:56 by Norman Davidson

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