Forest Worker Training Scheme - Glenbranter 1947- 1948 - Or Darnaway 1848
Images are courtesy of Colin Lawson son of Wilfred Lawson, a forester who trained at Benmore Forester Training School 1948-1950 following a year plus at Glenbranter Forest as a trainee worker based in the camp.
There is considerable uncertainty on the location of this and the follow on group images. It is surmised that Wilfred Lawson and his fellow worker trainees at Glenbranter would have formed part of the forestry work squad there and would not have been segregated as a special group. Wilfred finished his year as a worker trainee in Feb 1948, already knew that he had been accepted as Forester Training School student but not due to enrol until Oct 1948. In the meantime he was offered employment as a forest worker in Glenbranter Forest until the October enrolment date. The appearance of Euan Grant in the group photographs points strongly to the possibility that Wilfred was selected as a candidate for the short 3 month course for woodmen and foresters held at Darnaway Estate in summer 1948. He would most likely have been one of a mix of forestry people from various parts of the country from private estates as well as Forestry Commission locations. It seems that Euan Grant from the Speyside area headed up several training courses over several years at this time all based at Darnaway Estate. The appearance of Mrs Alice Howie (cook responsible for feeding the groups at Darnaway) in one of the group images (Picture No 2580) further helps to confirm this view.
This group names below may well be attendees at the Darnaway Foresters and Woodman Course 1948. It is assumed that Wilfred Lawson took the photograph and does not feature.
1. George Arbuthnot
2. Len Wilson
3. Duncan McFarlane
4. Bert Merideth or Wilf Fox
5. Wilf Fox or John Jeans
6. Ian Nicolson or Stan Armstrong
7. John Jeans or Tony Clayton
8. Stan Armstrong or Bert Merideth
9. Tony Clayton or Ian Nicolson
10. Euan Grant
11. Duggie Watt
12. Bill Hattle
13. Frank Wight
14. Aenaes Murray
15. Charlie Duncan
The names are from the list written by Wilfred on this group photograph but there is a slight ambiguity on the allocation of names to each of the people shown. The original list and the image can be accessed via the PDF link below. Large image link is below also.
Other images of the same group (in better focus) are in Picture No 6054, 6055, 6056 and 2580.
Any corrections, details on any of the people shown and further information would be very welcome.
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Groups: Forester Training Schools and Universities, Forestry Areas, Groups of people