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In
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In The News - March and April 2008 |
We are sad to announce the death on 16th March of Donald Sloan (32-44) but pleased to see a fulsome tribute to him in the Evening News. Donald went straight from school into the Royal Scots, and on returning to Edinburgh in 1948 started playing rugby for the Accies. He played for the Barbarians in 1949 and 1950 and was capped seven times for Scotland between 1950 and 1953. Donald's father, Allen, was also at the Academy (06-11) and they were the first Academical father and son both to play rugby for Scotland.
A report in The Scotsman at the end of March featured Jamie, son of Colin Whittle (52-56). Jamie, who has recently written a book on a canoe journey down the River Findhorn, works in environmental law for the firm R & R Urquhart LLP, in which Colin is the senior partner. Jamie says he enjoys working with his dad, who is 'an outstanding lawyer and he's a great mentor.'
Richard Loudon (62-75), who is residential property partner with Simpson & Marwick, was pictured in Scotland on Sunday last month, alongside an article on the activities of his firm. Simpson & Marwick won the Residential Property Team of the Year Award, presented at the Scottish Legal Awards ceremony in the Hilton, Glasgow. These awards are the 'Oscars' of the Scottish legal profession.
Laurence Whitley (54-67), the minister of St Mungo's Church in Glasgow, is quoted in a Scotsman article describing how the Church of Scotland is to give more financial autonomy to its constituent parishes. The effects of this decision were compared in his church and a church in Craigmillar. Laurence's comment was that 'it requires the strong to look after the weak, and it is my job to make people understand that'.
Twins Phil and Tom Bancroft (76-85) are both part of the jazz threesome, AAB, whose recent concert got a four-star review in The Scotsman in March. AAB was apparently 'formed sometime back in the late 1980s when a bass player didn't show up for a gig'. The critic, Sue Wilson, reported that 'matching dynamism with wit and mischief, this was music to make you smile and tap your feet…'
Also in the entertainment world, Sophie Wu (00-02) appeared in the 1st April episode of the BBC series Hotel Babylon, where she played a 'young-looking' Chinese escort. Sophie has also appeared in an episode of Casualty in 2006 and in the 2007 film, Far North.
Scotland on Sunday's business section on 24th March had a photo of Jake Millar (69-82) and his wife Tia holding glasses of bubbly outside The Shore in Leith. The Fishers restaurant chain, owned by Jake and Tia, has recently bought The Shore, which is one of Britain's first gastro-pubs. We wish them luck in their new venture.
There has been much about Academicals' homes and gardens in the news in March and April this year. The first article was a gardens feature in Scotland on Sunday, which showed several photos of George Burnet (34-46)'s garden and its glorious camellias. It seems that George first tried growing camellias simply because, when he first moved into the house, he was told by neighbours that it was impossible.
All is not so rosy in the New Town. The Scotsman of 5th March reported the end of a dispute between neighbours. Siggi Bennett (62-74), nephew of the late Magnus Magnusson (35-48), has had his case upheld in the Court of Session. It was claimed that his neighbours had 'changed the use of their property from a dwelling house to an entertainment venue'. A Council notice, a public enquiry and a lawsuit later, the case has been resolved in Siggi's favour.
The cover of The Scotsman's property section of 20th March featured Scotland's rugby team captain Mike Blair (86-99), who is selling his Manor Place flat. There were good photos of both the flat and Mike, who explained that his was never really a bachelor pad. He told Viv Mackay (96-98) that she could live there while he went to Australia for the 2003 World Cup. 'She never really moved out,' he said, 'so it definitely became more of a bachelorette pad, which is probably no bad thing'. They were married in June last year.
Lastly, we've heard of two Accies running in the recent London Marathon. Andrew Wilmshurst (69-82), who is a doctor in Kirriemuir, and who trains on Mayar and Dreish, completed the course in 2 hours 45 minutes and 49 seconds, and in the process raised £1,600 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Also running, though not quite at Andrew's pace, was Tom Duff (73-87). His was still a fine effort, though, at 3 hours 57 minutes 47 seconds.
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