Algy Watson - A Bailies of Bennachie Stalwart Dies
May 2010
Last weekend, Saturday 22 May, Algy Watson a foundering member of the Bailies of Bennachie, which started in 1973, and an active member (including clerk and Senior Bailie) of the Bailies Council until 2007 died, he was 84 years old.
Algy (Alexander) Watson always held Bennachie close to his heart living close to the hill. He was born at Bogend Farm at Oyne and, apart from teaching at Niddrie Marischal Secondary School in Edinburgh in the early 1950s and a spell in a nursing home at Insch; he lived all his life in the village of Oyne.
Algy was also widely known and popular through his long involvement in numerous community and sports groups and activities.
Algy was educated at Oyne Primary and Inverurie Academy, (where he was later to teach for over 40 years), before becoming a cowman on the family farm in 1943 to help the war effort. He graduated with an MA from Aberdeen University in 1949, and later taught at Inverurie from 1952-89. He then became the school’s first teacher emeritus in recognition of his contribution to the academy.
Algy was president of Aberdeenshire Schools Football Association from 1966-83 and president of Grampian region schools FA from 1979-87.
He also had a long involvement in Oyne Community Association and West Garioch Community Council.
He was a church elder, becoming first lay moderator in Scotland in 1996, when he took up the post with Gordon Presbytery.
In 2000, the keen historian wrote an illustrated book, Oyne – Past and Present. The Oyne writer was honored with an MBE by the Queen in 2001 in recognition of his conservation work on the hill and all the work he did in creating the Bennachie Centre.
The Bailies of Bennachie will remember him always for his passion for the hill and Doric – he will be remembered with great affection
