FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 28: March 2006
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 28: March 2006
Articles
Notification of Deaths – The DG Replies
Tim Rollinson gives an update on the information which cannot be provided to the FCA on retirements and deaths.
Events 2006
Events include the Dean FTS Reunion Dinner in October and the AGM and Tour in May.
Oh to be a Warrener
Les Purves gives an insight into his work with the FC and his retirement.
Membership News
An update and request from Richard Toleman.
Santon Downham’s Narrow-Gauge Railway
Barry Griggs has many more details and an amusing story on Santon Downham’s narrow gauge railway. He contacted Len Marsh and Basil Branch who had worked for the FC and lived in the area. Another FC employee Fred Newell, who was born in 1911 and died in 1987, told Basil Branch about the railway. Fred’s sister married a Canadian soldier from the Timber Corps, which installed and operated the railway. Some details are given in the book “Thetford Forest, Making a Landscape 1922-1997” by Kate Skipper and Tom Williamson.
O Tempora, O Mores!
Some memorable comments during the Edinburgh & South Scotland Group’s Christmas Lunch at Edinburgh Zoo indicate the despair at the decision not to inform FCA of retirements and deaths.
From the Editor
A request to contributors by Richard Toleman.
Welcome to Retirement
Anne Craig (Edinburgh)
Margaret Ferguson (Edinburgh)
Bill MacLachlan (Edinburgh)
Iain Miller (Edinburgh)
Obituaries
Ron Marnie, Andy Neustein, Sandy Greig and Willie Sheridan have written their appreciation of Alistair Scott, who died in December.
Geoffrey Hutton writes of Jimmy Fletcher, who retired as Road Manager in 1993 after 42 years’ service and died in November.
Paul Barwick and Andrew Powers remember Austen Gale who died in July. He is fondly remembered for his 27 years service in Sherwood Forest District.
Christine Mackay writes of her friend, Margaret Gebbie, who died in September. Margaret joined the FC in 1953 as a Clerkess at Elibank and Glentress.
Val, Jim Colling’s wife, said he died last June. He trained at Benmore and Faskally and spent his early years in the Lakes at Thornthwaite, Ennerdale and Braithwaite. In 1976 he was promoted to Head Forester at Torrachilty.
Jim Davidson and Ben Thompson recall Robert (Bob) Howard, who died in October.