Benmore Forester School class Circa 1936

Date Added: 27 December 2009 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1936 Picture No: 553

Photograph courtesy of Don Macleman, son of Alex MacLeman former Chief Forester. Alex MacLeman is on the extreme left of the sitting group. The people are numbered in the large photograph accessed by clicking on the large version button.

This is a work in progress photograph as it will be published shortly in the FCA supplement of FC staff magazine 'The Slasher' and hopefully a number of peole will be named. It is thought George Small and Jackie Frater are present. The next photograph, No 554, is a shot of many of the same people in an informal gathering taken at the same time and may help indentify individuals.

The large photograph has numbers added and names so far that have been identified are:
1. Angus MacDonald (Research Forester Fort Augustus)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Poss Robert (Bob ) Allison
7.
8.
9. Jim Chrystall (Thanks to Moira Chrystall)
10.
11.
12.
13. William MacDonald (Thanks to Robert MacDonald)
14.
15.
16.
17. George Small (At one time at Morangie)
18.
19. Alex MacLeman (Retired from Leanachan)
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25. Jackie Frater
26.

Download Large Version (461kB)

Groups: Forester Training Schools and Universities, Groups of people

5 Comments

The entry in the FCA supplement resulted in a couple of suggestions the most definite one being identification of Angus MacDonald, former research forester at Fort Augustus. Archie Cameron MacNaughton called to say that No 1(extreme left on back row) was his uncle Angus MacDonald and that he had confirmed it with Angus's widow who added that the photograph was taken when Angus was 23 and he was born in 1910. This would indicate the year of the photograph as around 1933 and possibly this was the 1931 - 33 class, much earlier that first thought.

Does anyone know of any surviving class lists from Benmore or any of the Forester Schools? Comment left on 14 April 2010 at 14:37 by Norman Davidson

Frank Thom (Huntly) has confirmed Don MacLeman's view that 2nd from right on front row is Jackie Frater (No 25 in the large version). Frank also goes on to say that Jackie was born in 1915 and therefor the year of the photograph is more likely to be later in the 1930s.
Don MacLeman has also identified George Small as the 2nd man from the right on middle row (No 17 in large version)who he says was a forester at Morangie for many years. Comment left on 24 April 2010 at 08:34 by Norman Davidson

Hi - I think the gentleman standing third from the right (middle row) is my Uncle Jim Chrystall. (No9 in the large picture) Comment left on 21 November 2011 at 16:50 by Moira Chrystall

The gentleman standing middle row 6th from right was my father William MacDonald Comment left on 08 October 2013 at 21:40 by Robert MacDonald

Please see Picture Nos 2629 and 2630 which are new photographs of the same group of students. Any confirmation of names would be welcome. Comment left on 10 October 2014 at 09:29 by Norman Davidson

Form Goes Here