Jim Gibbon, who famously kept the fairways at Camperdown golf course, Dundee, in pristine condition, has died aged 87.
He spent a lifetime in agriculture before starting work with Dundee City Council where he put his knowledge of soils and machinery to good use.
Jim’s farming background meant he knew how to adjust equipment to best effect. He had worked on the land since his early youth and also new the precise times to cut and treat the course.
Business life
He never quite retired. After leaving the council aged 65, he formed his own gardening business and, in later life, helped out his son, Jimmy, who also runs a gardening business.
James Gibbon was born in Dundee Royal Infirmary to farmworker James Gibbon and his wife Mary.
The family lived at Cluny, Monifieth and Jim had three brothers and a sister.
As was common in those days for those working in agriculture, the family moved around several farms in the area at feeing time.
School days
Jim was educated at Newbigging Primary School then Monifieth High School and when he left aged 15 he went straight to work on the land, which had always been his ambition.
He progressed to be a ploughman with a pair of horse and worked at a number of farms including at Wellbank, Kingennie, and Ethiebeaton.
In the mid 1950s, he met his future wife, Jane McIntosh, in Dundee.
His son Jimmy explained: “They met at the Monkey Walk. In those days, young lads would walk in one direction from the Overgate to Murraygate and the girls would walk in the opposite direction.
“It was a chance to catch the eye of a potential boyfriend or girlfriend.”
Marriage
The began going out and married at St Columba’s Church, Cobden Street, in 1958 and went on to have two of a family, Jimmy and Lynne.
In 1952, Jim had moved to the other side of Dundee to work at Benvie Farm. His term there was interrupted by National Service and although his position was kept open, he took at job with the Stark family at Mill of Gray before a short spell at Berryhill, Fowlis.
He was then offered a position at Mains of Inchture where he spent 34 years, the last 10 or 12 as gaffer.
When the farm was sold in 1992/93, Jim was made redundant aged 58 but he landed a job driving a tractor and cutting grass at school playing fields for Dundee City Council.
From there he progressed to ground maintenance at Camperdown golf course where his work was well regarded by colleagues and golfers.
When he turned 65 and left the council, Jim had no intention of retiring. He set up his own gardening business and secured contracts at a number of premises including Rossie Priory.
He worked on full time until he was 80 but still turned out to lend a hand with son Jimmy’s gardening enterprise until he was 84.
Jimmy said: “He had a lifetime’s connection to the soil. He knew when to dig to allow the frost in to break up the soil. It was knowledge handed down and he accumulated and put to great use throughout his working life.
“My father will also be remembered as the last man to drive a pair of horse down the dual carriageway through the Carse of Gowrie.
“This happened before his National Service when he was working at Benvie farm. At that time, the dual carriageway stopped short of Longforgan.
“He drove the pair of horse from Star Inn farm down the main road to a field at the end of the layby opposition Bullionfield garage.”
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