Training Scheme – Glenbranter 1947 most likely Darnaway Woodmen and foresters Course 1948
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 some of 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 below may well be attendees at the Darnaway Foresters and Woodman Course held in 1948 as the people are those in the previous Picture Number on this site. It is assumed that Wilfred Lawson took the photograph and does not feature here. The names are taken from Wilfred Lawson’s list which was directed at the people in the previous image and an attempt was made to name people here from that list. There may well be some mismatches and your help to confirm or correct identities and provide additional information on them would be very welcome. Please see large image link below for large image detail.
1. Stan Armstrong or Bert Merideth
2. Frank Wright
3. Aenaes Murray
4. Ian Nicolson or Stan Armstrong
5. George Arbuthnot
6. Charlie Duncan
7. Bert Merideth or Wilf Fox
8. John Jeans or Tony Clayton
9. Bill Hattle
10. Duncan McFarlane
11. Tony Clayton or Ian Nicolson
12. Len Wilson
13. Wilf Fox or John Jeans
14. Duggie Watt
Other images of the same group (in better focus) are in Picture No 6053, 6055, 6056 and 2580.
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Groups: Forester Training Schools and Universities, Forestry Areas, Groups of people