FCA Magazine (FCRA News) - Issue 1: September 1997
FC staff Retirement Association magazine. The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment below the text to view the full document. A total of 77 issues were completed between 1997 and the final issue in 2023.
Issue 1
Introduction: The Forestry Commission Retirement Association, in conjunction with Slasher presents FCRA News. The move to a dedicated newsletter came after increasing pressure forced Slasher to devote less space to retirement matters.
Articles
A Ragbag of Snippets
Mike Reaney writing from South Wales, reports that Gerry Cutcliffe who retired on 31st July as a Leading Ranger, was recently awarded the MBE. Mike offers this word of advice, "Put your hand in a bucket of water. Plunge it in right down to the wrist, take it out and the size of the hole will show you how much you'll be missed"
Ann Moules, wife of Tom (N(E)) has completed the manuscript of her 'Tales from the Forest' and is now at the illustrations stage.
Willie George recalls old times with Alistair Maclean - his 1964 team mate on the Glenfinart Forest Isachsen Winch.
Under Works Study guidance and encouragement from John Drummond and Bill Norris, the pair were modestly pleased with their achievement of 600 cft of timber extracted per day until one day John allegedly mentioned in passing that around 700 cft was the amount the Glenbranter team was extracting.
Some months later Alistair was accosted by his Glenbranter opposite number who allegedly invited Alistair to explain just how Willie and he were managing to extract 700 a day.
Charles V Greenlees poses this question: “Forestry folk have an affinity with wood and forests, of course. Does that mean a subconscious antipathy to their opposites, say steel and water?”
A boat cruise on the River Weaver at the annual meet at Northwich and a Branch outing on Loch Awe may prove this to be so.
Letter to the Editor
A letter from Andy Neustein.
From the Editor
A comment from Richard Toleman.
Welcome to Retirement
Roy Baldwin FE S&W(E) New Forest
David Bell FA (E) Midlands
Paul Biggin FE N(S) Lochaber
Bill Brown RD NRS
George Bruce FA (E) NW England
Tom Buchanan FE S&W(E) Forest of Dean
Jack Burton FE S(S)
Basil Carter FE N&E(E) Lakes
Frank Clough FE N&E(E) York
Eric Coles FE N(S)
Mike Compton FE Business Unit Wales West England
Gordon Cowie HQ Edinburgh
James Davidson RD NRS TSU(N) Newton
Merion Davies FA (Wales)
Merv Davies FE (Wales)
Charles Dickens HQ Edinburgh
Julian Evans RD Alice Holt
David Grundy HQ Edinburgh
Peter Humphries FE N&E (E) Lakes
Brian Jones FE S&W (E) Bristol
Anne Lewis FE N(S)
Tony Ludlow RD Alice Holt
Willie McGarva FE Santon Downham
John McNeill RD NRS TSU
William Mutch FE (Wales) Llanrwst
Steve Petty RD NRS
Tom Rainey HQ Edinburgh
Jan Robertson FE N(S)
Eleanor Smart FE N(S)
Richard Smith FA (E) Cambridge
Brian Spencer RD Alice Holt
Mike Turner FE Gravel Hill Workshop
Gordon Walker FE Inver Workshop
Roger Warn FE S&W(E) Forest of Dean
Thomas Wilkinson FE N&E(E)
Tim Winter RD Alice Holt
Farewells
James Farquharson died 05.05.1997 aged 72 years (Tulliallan)
Malcolm Finlayson died 31.05.1997 aged 86 years (Isle of Skye)
Frederick Johnson died 03.04.1997 aged 87 years (Selby)
Mary Manicom died 22.05.1997 aged 86 years (Woking)
Alice Smith died 26.12.1996 aged 82 years – Widow of Donald Smith (Edinburgh)
Robert Vance died 04.05.1997 aged 82 years (Ballachulish)
Alexander Veitch died 09.05.1997 aged 93 years (Glasgow)
David Williams died 25.01.1997 aged 85 years (Flookburgh, Cumbria)
Obituaries
Susan Stephan writes that her husband Erwin Erich Stephen (Steph) died on 7th February. He worked with Pat Garrow (Kinloch Rannoch) and H F Scott (Bristol).
Mike Reaney reports the death on 18th February of conservancy engineer Geoff Sinkinson aged 73.
Stanley Robertson suggests that visitors to Arran should go down towards the shore to see the dressed brick bridge across the River Sannox or find the exquisite 18" tall model of the local kirk made entirely of matches in Largs. Both are memorials to Dave Bennett and both were built single handed. He died aged 82, a great character.
Barbara Shiels writes of the death of Fred McLauchlan on 12th December at only 55 years old. He was treasurer and a staunch supporter of the Edinburgh Branch.
Donald Beaton records the death of John Campbell, a native of Raasay and a fluent Gaelic speaker who made his mark by establishing the FC plantations on Lewis.
Groups: Forestry Commission staff magazines