Bin Forest squad in nursery at Ordbrae circa 1936

Date Added: 07 July 2011 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1936 Picture No: 967

Photograph courtesy of Ron Bowie, Huntly.

The image shows what is taken to be some of the Bin Forest squad doing a turn in the forest nursery which was sited at Ordbrae adjacent to the forest. Ron has identified his father, Alexander (third from the right) who started in 1926 with the Forestry Commission in the Bin Forest as a 16 year old when the Bin was first acquired by the Commission. He was a charge hand or ganger during the timber control years and in time worked his way up to become assistant forester and then forester in the Bin until his untimely death in 1969

At the time of the photograph there could have been about 15-20 people working in the Bin and it has been difficult to put names to faces for most of the people in the photograph. With Ron’s help and further suggestions from John Strachan, Cairnie, who started working in the Bin Forest in 1937 a few have been added. The date of the photograph was thought to be about 1932 but John Strachan says his brother, Jimmy, did not start there until 1936. As a consequence there is a bit of doubt that No 13 is Jimmy Strachan and although there is a good likeness.

Names so far suggested are:
1.
2.
3. Jimmy Scott – Roadburn
4. Willie Grant? - Roadburn?
5.
6.
7. Alex Bowie
8.
9.
10. Willie Milne (Forester in Charge of Bin)
11.
12. Jimmy Strachan (possibly)
13.
14.
15.
16. Tonic Mason (John believes it looks like him but thought he was older)

The name Sandy Macdonald has been suggested for Nos 14 and 16 but John says that he first worked in Clashindarroch Forest and only came later to the Bin when a house became available at Inschtammack, possibly after the date of this photograph.

If anyone has any further ideas of names or year the photograph was taken please e-mail them in via the mail box below.

The attached PDF shows the former tree nursery field as it is today (2011), the dyke with the bend, the river Deveron and fences across the River can all be clearly seen as in the old photograph.

Download Large Version (855kB)

Download PDF (750kB)

Groups: Forest Nurseries, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Northeast Scotland , Tools, equipment and clothing

1 Comment

Willie Milne was my father. He died in 1979 and I would love to learn more about his time at the Bin. My older brother Henry and sister Doreen were too young to remember anything of that time although both are still alive.

I know that his first wife was knocked down and killed outside the family home in 1936 and is buried in Cairnie Cemetery. Comment left on 14 February 2017 at 11:53 by Rob Milne

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