Memories of David Flockhart
(1938 - 2008)
by Shauna Flockhart
David Porteous Flockhart was born on 11th May 1938 in Edinburgh and lived in Abbeyhill with his parents, Dave and Ella, and his younger brother Peter. He attended Leith Academy, being accepted there on a scholarship. One of his main hobbies was wrestling and he gained the title of East of Scotland Junior Wrestling Champion. In his teenage years he saved any spare money he had until he had enough to buy the motorbike he had dreamed of, a Thunderbird 1000; he and his group of fellow bikers travelled many miles together. He was taught classical piano and worked his way through the grades, being allowed out with his friends only after half an hour’s practice every evening.
In 1962 he married Jean Walker whom he met at Edinburgh University; four years later in 1966 I was born. We moved from a flat in Meadowbank, Edinburgh to Musselburgh not long after.
In 1962 he married Jean Walker whom he met at Edinburgh University; four years later in 1966 I was born. We moved from a flat in Meadowbank, Edinburgh to Musselburgh not long after.
The first band he played with regularly was Peter Innes when he was twenty-one and he went on to play and record with many bands through the course of his life, including Bobby Crowe, Andrew Rankine, Ron Gonella, Allan McIntosh, Bobby Moore, Fergie MacDonald, Robert Macleod, Simon Howie, Calum MacLean, Anda Campbell, Hector McFadyen, John MacGregor, Andrew Stoddart & The Glenesk and many, many others.
The first broadcasting band he played with was Jim Johnstone. He started playing in Jim’s band in 1963. Bobby Colgan and Jim appeared at Holyrood Park when Mum and Dad were out for a walk; he asked Dad if he would like to join the band, this was Jim’s first broadcasting band which consisted of Jim Johnstone, Allan Johnstone, Bobby Colgan, Robin Brock and Dad (pictured above). The band recorded many broadcasts and Jim’s debut album. They also recorded the final four programmes of The White Heather Club.
Some of my fondest memories are of listening to the fantastic musical talent in the unique atmosphere of The Mishnish Hotel in Tobermory, Dad having a tune with Jim Johnstone, Graeme Mitchell, Bobby MacLeod, Jimmy Shand, Bobby Colgan, Billy Thom, Pibroch MacKenzie, Richard Hughes to name a few.
Some of my fondest memories are of listening to the fantastic musical talent in the unique atmosphere of The Mishnish Hotel in Tobermory, Dad having a tune with Jim Johnstone, Graeme Mitchell, Bobby MacLeod, Jimmy Shand, Bobby Colgan, Billy Thom, Pibroch MacKenzie, Richard Hughes to name a few.
These were really special times for Dad; I can remember him back then, tears streaming down his face with laughter at Bobby Colgan’s jokes (often cracked halfway through one of his songs!) and there was no doubt Dad was enjoying the tune, his body language said it all! He played with Jim for around seven years, Jim then ended the band to play professionally with Jimmy Shand and left for Australia for several months.
Dad’s left hand was badly burned in a camping accident when he was very young and he had to work hard to reach an octave but Jim was adamant that he played an octave with his left hand and not sound like a “plinky plonk”. He persevered and played the octave from then on. The discipline in Jim’s band gave him a solid foundation for his musical career and he thoroughly enjoyed the “Johnstone” years of his life.
In the early 70s Gordon Young, Jack Delaney, Robin Brock and Dad started up an accordion club in The Alan Ramsay Hotel in Carlops. It turned out to be a really successful club and went from strength to strength, attracting top rate musicians as well as bringing on young players at the time, many of them now very well known in the band scene. Robin was then asked to go for an audition by the BBC producer at the time, Robert Crawford. Bob Christie joined them on fiddle and they went on to do many broadcasts that year for various producers of different programmes; he called the band Robin and friends. Dad had a major hand in the harmony arrangements.
He then joined Iain MacPhail’s Band (below), playing for many years travelling up and down the country as well as abroad.
Dad’s left hand was badly burned in a camping accident when he was very young and he had to work hard to reach an octave but Jim was adamant that he played an octave with his left hand and not sound like a “plinky plonk”. He persevered and played the octave from then on. The discipline in Jim’s band gave him a solid foundation for his musical career and he thoroughly enjoyed the “Johnstone” years of his life.
In the early 70s Gordon Young, Jack Delaney, Robin Brock and Dad started up an accordion club in The Alan Ramsay Hotel in Carlops. It turned out to be a really successful club and went from strength to strength, attracting top rate musicians as well as bringing on young players at the time, many of them now very well known in the band scene. Robin was then asked to go for an audition by the BBC producer at the time, Robert Crawford. Bob Christie joined them on fiddle and they went on to do many broadcasts that year for various producers of different programmes; he called the band Robin and friends. Dad had a major hand in the harmony arrangements.
He then joined Iain MacPhail’s Band (below), playing for many years travelling up and down the country as well as abroad.
They bought between them a converted Mr Whippy Ice Cream van which took them to many gigs; later we as a family had many happy holidays in it, the engine was inside so we didn’t get wet every time it broke down!
Iain’s band still plays in South America every year; Dad loved his yearly trip to Rio. The band played the summer season at The King James Hotel for around two decades. He had a large input in the musical arrangements, especially the early days with Iain. He loved the excitement of playing in Iain’s band; he and Graham Jamieson had a strong musical bond which he said was often difficult to achieve with a drummer, real empathy for each other’s playing. He had similar experiences with other drummers such as Billy Thom, Max Ketchin and Gordon Young and of course, George Darling, whom he played with for many years in Iain’s band.
There were a few personnel changes over the years and Dad enjoyed all the different experiences with the band especially trips such as to Shetland where he always said the hospitality was outstanding; there he made many lifelong friends and had many stories to tell of his experiences, conversations, tunes…
So many of the people he met through the band scene, not only musicians, turned out over the years to be good friends, the music being the catalyst but actually finding out there were many other common interests. He became interested in the work of Rudolf Steiner, attending meetings on a Tuesday night in Tobermory and read more than he had ever done before. Robin Brock, as well as sharing the musical aspects of life with Dad from back at the beginning playing bass in Jim’s band, was also one of his closest friends, and they met often over the years socially as well as musically. In the last few years of Dad’s life Robin was of great support to him, they spent a lot of time together travelling to France and various places in Europe.
So many of the people he met through the band scene, not only musicians, turned out over the years to be good friends, the music being the catalyst but actually finding out there were many other common interests. He became interested in the work of Rudolf Steiner, attending meetings on a Tuesday night in Tobermory and read more than he had ever done before. Robin Brock, as well as sharing the musical aspects of life with Dad from back at the beginning playing bass in Jim’s band, was also one of his closest friends, and they met often over the years socially as well as musically. In the last few years of Dad’s life Robin was of great support to him, they spent a lot of time together travelling to France and various places in Europe.
After working at Edinburgh University in the area of pharmacology he moved to Inveresk Research in Musselburgh. In around 1982 he bought an area of land and foreshore just round from Tobermory Bay which used to be outdoor bathing pools, “Port na Coite”. He had become interested in shellfish cultivation through a diving friend he met at the British Sub Aqua Club in Portobello (which I went with him to every Wednesday evening). He took voluntary redundancy from his job and never really looked back. He built a wee hut he could stay in while attending his oysters. As years went on he became more interested in an oyster/scallop hatchery (where he would breed them to sell on for other farmers to grow). He built a hatchery and an algae unit, painstakingly taking all he needed for the build round to Port na Coite on Anabel, his service raft, which he had built for the task as there is no road access, only a footpath or by sea.
In 1998 his first grandchild Rhona was born, and then Struan was born in 2000. He was so proud of them both and spent a lot of quality time chatting to them and teaching them about oysters and scallops and many other subjects. They were very close to him and miss him dearly; he would have been so chuffed at their musical progress Rhona on violin and Struan on drums. They had their first public performance in The Mishnish Hotel in Tobermory at the Mull Festival this year.
In 2004 Dad was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer which was devastating news not only for him but everyone who knew him. He fought the disease with enormous bravery and dignity, never once complaining and always producing a smile, I honestly don’t know how he managed it. He passed away on 17th November 2008, the saddest day of my life.
I know there are many parts of my Dad’s life I’ve not covered, especially events before I can remember but thankfully with the help of some of his fellow musicians I hope this gives a wee insight into his life, I’m really sorry if I have missed anyone I should have included. There are so many experiences I was so lucky to have, which would never have happened without Dad, and I know I am so fortunate to have had him. As well as being my father he was also my best friend, and a friend of many other people who knew him. He was the most likable person you could ever meet.