Jim Brown of Newtyle, one of the founders of the Strathmore Ceilidh Dance Band and a regular performer on the folk festival scene, has died aged 83.
He also played for the famous Foundry Bar Band, Arbroath, and, at the Tonder Festival in Denmark, opened for Eddi Reader.
Jim, who had a long career in the press room at publishers DC Thomson, was also a volunteer at Forfar Athletic, a keen angler and tractor enthusiast.
James Robbie Brown was born at Clochtow Farm, Forfar, on December 13 1938, the eldest of three children of Betty and Jim Brown.
Farming life
His father was a farm grieve and at that time it was common to be fee’d for short periods so the family moved around the Angus area.
Jim went to primary school in Panbride and Lintrathen and by the time he went to secondary school they were settled in Kilry and he was a pupil at Webster’s Seminary in Kirriemuir.
Hs first job was as an orra loon at Craigisla Farm in Kilry and he was then called up for National Service at the age of 19.
However, he opted to enlist instead, for three years, which allowed him to join the RAF fire brigade at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, where he learned to drive the heavy vehicles through the narrow streets of Lincoln.
On return to civilian life Jim worked at Wester Coull at Ballintore then on to Turfbeg Farm, Forfar. From there he went on to work at Ingliston Farm, Eassie, with Jim Craig who remained a life- long friend.
Marriage
It was at a dance in Meikleour that Jim met his future, wife, Nan. They married in December 1963 but a month later, his father died so Jim took on the duty of being a father figure to his younger brother.
Not long after that, the couple’s first child, Sheila, was born and within five years, Aileen, James and Eric had come along.
During the 1960s the family was living on a farm at Methven where Jim worked as a labourer.
He later went to work as a van driver for Spar and the family lived above the shop in Meigle before the a move to Newtyle.
Career move
However, the opportunity arose for him to double his wages and join the press room staff at DC Thomson where he worked in Meadowisde, Bank Street, and later Kingsway East in Dundee for the next 34 years.
In his leisure time Jim, who had bought his first accordion when he left the RAF, played regularly in pubs and halls around Angus.
By the 1980s he, and a few of his fellow musicians from the Belmont Arms formed the Strathmore Ceilidh Band.
Shortly after that he was playing with the Foundry Bar Band and his accordion can still be heard on many of their recordings.
Jim had many other pastimes; he was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Glamis and caretaker of Glamis Hall and at one time owned a vintage tractor with which he pottered about in a field at Meigle.
He was also a keen angler and enjoyed fishing with friends from a boat at Loch Shandra or Lintrathen.
An active Forfar Athletic supporter, Jim was a familiar sight selling 50/50 tickets for the club at the gates of Station Park.
Mentor
He was also a great influence on up-and-coming musicians and one, Kevin Macleod of the Occasionals Ceilidh Band, recalled being mentored by Jim.
“He was my first real musical mentor in traditional Scots dance music, and I thank my lucky stars that I learnt from the maestro himself,” said Kevin.
“He oozed kindness, thoughtfulness, warmth of spirit and his legendary humour was unforgettable.”
Jim, and Nan, who were grandparents to Calum, Aileen, Robin, Frank, Roisin and Robbie, had a soft spot for Orkney and used to holiday there as often as they could and introduced many family members and friends to the islands.
Glamis Church was full to capacity for Jim’s funeral on December 21.
You an read the family’s announcement here.
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