Forestry Memories

Staff and Students at Benmore Forestry School 1950

Staff and Students at Benmore Forestry School 1950

Date Added: 20 May 2010 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1950 Picture No: 589

Photograph courtesy of Jean Maclean, Laide.

This photograph taken at the Benmore Forester Training School front door is thought to be about June 1950 and features staff and a mix of 1st year and final year students.

The identity and names were kindly supplied by Willie Cameron, Rogart. He also said that that is possible the photographs may have been taken by David Paterson another student who was very proficient in photography and who persuaded Harry Watson to sanction the use of a small room as a photographic darkroom. This darkroom was used until the school closed in 1965.

Numbers have been added to the large photograph to aid identification and the people are:
1.Jimmy Blair (Husband of the School Cook) 2.Harry Watson (Chief Instructor) 3.Walter Scott (Instructor) 5.Wilfred Lawson (sometime at Glenloy) 6.Tommy Hindle 7.Anoren Kesson 8.Sandy Nicholson (went out to Kenya) 9.Roy Carlaw (one time at Strathmashie) 10.Possibly Alastair Crawford but more likely to be Maclean Macleod who after a short spell at Inchnacardoch went to USA 11.Sandy Nicol 12.George Francey 13.George Barker (one time at Oykel) 14.Kenny Maclean (one time at Rumster) 15.John Macleod (one time at Sunart) 16.Charlie Hart.

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Groups: Forester Training Schools and Universities, Groups of people

3 Comments

I remember Wilf Lawson well - he always wore a kilt ! He came to South Strome Forest as my father's Assistant Forester and he lived with his wife and family in the bungalow at Achmore, opposite the primary school. I also sadly remember when he died - from leukemia - he was a big strapping fellow and his death came as a shock. Don MacLeman Comment left on 22 June 2010 at 20:10 by Don MacLeman
My name is Nigel Watson and Harry Watson was my Great Uncle.
I was hoping that Norman Davidson or any of your readers would be able to fill me in on the life and works of Harry for my family tree. look forward to hearing from anybody who has any information about Harry. Thanks. Comment left on 19 March 2012 at 12:38 by Nigel Watson
My name is Bruce Hart and Charlie Hart was my father. I have very fond memories of Eredine, Duror, Glenahulish and Aberfoyle. It would be good to hear anyone with memories of Eredine in the 50s and 60s. No electricity! Comment left on 23 November 2016 at 18:28 by Bruce Hart
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