Tribute has been paid to Iain Potter Thomson, honorary vice president of the Clan MacThomas Society, and a former nuclear plant worker and firefighter, who died peacefully at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, on Monday May 10, aged 84.
Iain, known as ‘Auld Iain’, was a long-standing and highly regarded member of the society, having become a member in 1974 following a chance meeting with clan chief Finegand at the bar of the now derelict Spittal of Glenshee Hotel on the night before the 1974 annual Gathering.
Through the remaining years of the 1970s, and into the 1980s he, together with a small group of Scottish members, helped to make the early Gatherings hugely successful by liaising with the Spittal Hotel and the organisers of The Strathardle Highland Games.
For many years, he cared for and maintained the area around the Cockstane, cut the grass, maintained the fencing, gate and pathway, and also erected the signs, flagpoles and banners prior to the annual Gatherings.
Early years
Born in Dundee on August 4, 1936, to John, better known as Jock, and Williamina known as Ina, Iain grew up in Lochee, where, during the war years in particular, life was tough.
He had three brothers, Grant and the twins Maurice and the late George known as Geo.
He worked from an early age and remembered working with a horse and cart before even the first cars appeared in Dundee.
He started out his adult working life as an apprentice bricklayer with Charlie Gray and when he completed this, he worked all over England, always drawn to the employer who paid the most.
National Service
He ended up working at the Dounreay Nuclear Plant.
But Iain’s son Ian says that after being there a number of months, Iain was not too happy when he was called up to do his National Service in Germany.
“He was not best pleased,” says Ian: “as the wages at Dounreay were excellent, but keen to keep up his income he developed a way to keep the cash coming in by starting a lucrative business where he would sell bottles of booze, collected as payment from the officers for babysitting, also selling cigarettes and leave passes.
“All this meant he could not get home on leave himself as he was scared someone would grab the opportunity to take his business over!”
He never drew his wages – he didn’t need too!
But when this was noticed by the commanding officer of the company he was serving in, he was pulled up for it and ordered to take his pay which he promptly sent home to his mother.
Munro bagging
It was during this time in Germany that Iain developed his great love of hillwalking and reading.
From then on, he was an avid reader and Munro bagger.
He met and married Wilma Bell, also from Dundee. They were married in1959 – going on to have four children Ian, Anne, Gordon and Neil, which in later years would make them both the very proud grandparents of Judith, Blair, Callie, Andrew, Ross, Archie, Fergus, Oliver and Rory, and great grandparents to Nathan.
Iain joined the fire brigade in 1964, remaining in service until 1984 when he retired, much to the relief of some of the senior officers, as with everything he did in his life, he always did things his way!
Iain was also a member of the Freemasons, being an active member of the Lodge Forfar & Kincardine which was his mother lodge, and he was affiliated to several others.
Clan MacThomas
It was whilst walking in Glenshee in 1974 that he came across a ceilidh, so he duly invited himself in, dripping wet, with soaking gear and boots.
The ceilidh was being hosted by the Clan MacThomas Society, so he joined up there and then, and never missed a gathering after that.
In 1992 he was appointed Commissioner for Scotland to act on behalf of the chief in
his absence from the country.
He was Bannerman on several occasions and he served on the Society Council from 1977-1980 and again from 1993-2006.
On retirement from the council he was appointed Honorary Vice President.
He was a great dancer and a fair singer, and would use any excuse to get up and show his wide range of moves.
He ended up settling in Bridgefoot moving into Bridgefoot Farm Cottage which he renamed as ‘Brig Futt Cottage’.
Gardening
He loved his garden there and was always working in it, and after a long hard day’s work he enjoyed sitting in his garden in the sunshine, along with a good book and a good dram in hand, listening to Radio Scotland’s ceilidh programme.
A hard-working man all his days, he was working right up until the end and also still driving as he enjoyed his freedom and independence.
He very suddenly took a stroke followed a few days later by a second one, and unfortunately did not recover but was surrounded by family right to the end when he died peacefully in his sleep.
He is survived by his children, Ian, Anne, Gordon and Neil, his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements
His funeral, which is private due to current restrictions, will be held on Monday May 24 at Dundee Crematorium.
