Glentress Forester Training School 1950

Date Added: 17 November 2010 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1950 Picture No: 695

Photograph is part of Bill Stoddart’s collection of images taken when he was a lecturer at several Forester Training Schools. The photographs were handed in by his daughter Lilian Allan at the Forestry Memories drop in day at Huntly on 11 June 2010.

This has been identified as class of 1948-1950 and also class of 1949-1951 (annotated as 1st Year below) taken in summer 1950.
Bert Thomson, Archiestown has been able to name many of the in the photograph as he was in the 1949-51 class.

1. Bert Ross (Named by Shona in comments below)
2. Alex Grossert (Named by Shona in comments below)
3. Jim Webster
4. Don Laird
5.
6. Bill Baggot
7. John Jack (Named by Shona in comments below)
8. John MacKeand
9. Struan Stewart
10. Davy Lawson
11.
12.
13. Hamish (Jim) Scott
14. Ian Campbell
15. Ken Simpson (Named by Shona in comments below)
16.
17. Gordon MacBain
18. Matt Heckles (Named by Shona in comments below)
19.
20. John MacMillan
21. Alan Kerr (Lieut Colonel in war) named as Alf Eggling by Shone in comments below
22. Bill Ross 1st Year (at one time in Tanganyika)
23. Bill Straughan 1st Year Gold Medalist
24. Rae Smith 1st Year
25. John MacKechnie 1st year (did not finish course)
26. Frank Rogers 1st Year
27. ? Wilkinson 1st Year
28. Jack MacKenzie 1st Year
29.
30. Hugh MacKenzie 1st Year (one time Westminster Estat
31. Andy Westie 1st Year
32. Frank Thurlow 1st Year
33. John Munro 1st Year
34. Alan Henderson 1st year
35. ? (from New Castle area)
36.
37. Bob Wishart (2nd year)
38. Jimmy Wightman (2nd Year -Named by Shona in comments below)
39. Alec Morrison 1st Year
40. Bill Dixon 1st Year
41. Tom Baird 1st Year
42. Tom Robbie (Head of School)
43. Bill Stoddart (Instructor)
44. John Mackay (Instructor)
45. Tom Duff 1st Year
46. ? 1st Year
47. Isaac Main 1st Year
48. Bert Aitken 1st Year
49. Dick MacKenzie 1st Year (did not complete course)
50. Ben Kelly 1st Year (on mini sub in war cut Java to Japan telephone cable)
51.
52. Bruce Webster 1st Year
53.
54. Lindsay Proudfoot 1st Year
55. Andy Liddell 1st Year
56. George Murray 1st Year
57. Jimmy Allan 1st Year
58. ? Harvey 1st Year
59. Bert Thomson 1st Year
60. John Chree 1st Year
61. Ian Morrison (Named by Shona in comments)
Any help to fill in the missing names very welcome.

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Groups: Forester Training Schools and Universities, Groups of people

4 Comments

Number 2 looks like my dad, Alex Grossert, now in his 91st year! Comment left on 27 August 2012 at 10:11 by Shona Marshall

My Dad has been able to give some names and details:
Number 1 Bert Ross. Forestry Commission Caithness and Sutherland then with Duke of Hamilton. Was in contact with Dad, used to sign his letters 'yours in moss and bog myrtle' (!)
Number 2 Alex Grossert (my Dad)
Number 7 John Jack (?) Ended up in coal business, Black Isle
Number 14 Ian Campbell ex Royal navy including Burma, kept in touch with my Dad, Alex Grossert. Forestry Commission research, sample plots then nr. Strachur (spelling?), retires to Taynult, now deceased.
Number 15 Ken Simpson
Number 18 Matt Heckles Forestry Commission Rothbury. Died some years ago. Exchanged letters with Dad, used to sign off with 'Beer in blessings'. (!)
Number 21 almost certain Alf Eggling
Number 37 Bob Wishart? 2nd year
Number 38 Jimmy Wightman 2nd year. After forestry school was forester on estate nr. Selkirk but was killed when his car hit a wall in Selkirk.
Number 42 Tom Robbie ended up as in charge of Christmas Tree Association
Number 44 John Mackay, later in charge of Forestry with Duke of Roxburgh, Kelso.
Number 61 Ian Morrison, Forestry Commission Strathyre, later went overseas.

Comment left on 20 September 2012 at 21:31 by Shona Marshall

Alan Henderson (No 34) was my uncle. He worked in the Forestry Commission until he retired in the mid 80s and wask latterly Chief Forester at Glencoe I think. He and his wife Kirsty retired to Thurso and then to Coll, where one of his sons lives. Incidentally my father, Frank, was also in the Commission on the admin side and worked in the North of Scotland Conservancy c1950-1959, Wales Conservancy 1959-1963, North of Scotland again 1963-66) and then West of Scotland c1974-1982) Comment left on 04 August 2015 at 12:05 by Donald Henderson

Alan Henderson was Chief at Knapdale Forest when he retired in the early 80's. Other foresters there included John MacGavin, George Iveson, Ron McInnes and Peter Ross. His brother Frank was the senior finance officer for the West Conservancy in Glasgow. Comment left on 24 August 2015 at 17:04 by Malcolm Wield

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