Forestry Memories

Retirement of Pat French Machine Workshop Manger, Balnacoul

Retirement of Pat French Machine Workshop Manger, Balnacoul

Date Added: 26 January 2021 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1985 Picture No: 5015

The photograph is courtesy of Myra Younie who maintained a collection of Forestry Commission event and retirement photographs when she worked in the forestry offices in Morayshire. Note that LOM refers to Laigh of Moray forest Unit which included Culbin, Monaughty, Roseisle as well as Newton forestry areas.

An article in the Forestry Commission Slasher magazine begins “Pat French, Workshop Manager at Balnacoul Workshop has retired after 40 years service. Starting with the Home Grown Timber Production, apart from a four year army interlude. Pat has looked after the mechanical well-being of the northern part of East Scotland Conservancy in one capacity or another ever since.
After occupying a series of sheds, each one slightly bigger than its predecessor he took over the new Balnacoul Workshop in 1974 and was promoted to PTO IV shortly after.
The high esteem in which he was universally held was reflected at a dinner dance attended by 120 of his friends and colleagues.”

Walter Grant provided some of the names.

The people have been named as follows:
1. Brian Mearns - Mechanic
2. Mike Stewart
3. Willie Milne
4. Bill Falconer – Chief Mechanical Engineer East Conservancy
5. Pat Paterson – Lorry driver
6. Pat French – Work shop Manager Balnacoul, Mosstodloch
7. Andy Ewan
8. Walter Grant - Mechanic
9. Gordon Walker (corrected see Duncan's c omments below)
10. John Sherret

Any further work designations would be very welcome.

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Groups: Groups of people

1 Comment

No 9 is Gordon Walker, he was Pat's equivalent down at Inver workshops near Dunkeld. Good fiddler, he was leader of Dunkeld Strathspey and Reel Society. We both were pupils at Blairgowrie High School way way back! Comment left on 02 February 2021 at 10:04 by Duncan Menzies
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