Bill Smith
Obituary
by Brian Cruickshank
It was with great sadness and a sense of loss that all musicians learned of the death of Bill Smith who died on 27th January, 1998. Entertainment through Scottish fiddle music was the hallmark of Bill’s life and I for one will be forever indebted for the effort that he put in over the past 22 years that I knew him.
In the next few paragraphs I will give you an insight into the type of man that Bill was and also give you an idea of the inspiration that he gave everyone who came in contact with him.
As a young lad he showed great interest in fiddle music and he was also an enthusiastic member of the Boys Brigade in Huntly. At 18 Bill was called up to do his National Service in the Royal Air Force. On his return he worked for some time as an ironmonger before joining the Liverpool Victoria Friendly society Insurance Co, where he was to spend the rest of his working life in Banchory for over 20 years until his retirement in 1993.
During all these years, Bill together with his wife Margaret, devoted his off-duty hours to encouraging young people – and old – to play fiddle music and also get involved with Scottish music in general. Some of these names which Bill helped to promote are as follows – Graeme Mitchell, Judith Davidson, Angela Smith, Neil Dawson, Lynn Gould, Paul Anderson, Jane Smith, myself and so many more – too many to list.
Through his enthusiasm he helped to promote the Banchory S&R Society and in turn helped to make them a success all over the world. Bill was a great organizer and he regularly arranged tours abroad. Some of the countries visited were France, Germany, Canada, Ireland and even England!
Bill was also a bit of a practical joker, and I will always remember the following incident that happened to me. Not long after joining the Society, I was working away at the cash desk in the bank when the Bank Manager handed me an official looking envelope. I duly opened it to discover Call-Up papers for the Falklands War. I instantly ran to the toilet to try and make sense of this tragic news. When I came out I received a phone call from Bill enquiring if I had been called up for the War yet!! I will not repeat the adjectives that followed on in view of his successful practical joke.
Bill was a great character and his social list of friends was extensive. I remember on Saturday in Banchory after a big charity ceilidh dance when myself, Bill and Graeme Mitchell went down to the Burnett Arms to collect all the instruments from the previous night. As it had been a very successful night and there was a genuine dryness about the mouth, so we decided to head for the lounge bar only to find out that between the three of us we did not have enough money to buy even a half pint of lager. However thanks to Bill and all his friends we left the bar three hours later will all our 62p intact and ourselves feeling rather merry to say the least.
Among some of his accolades, Bill also helped to get the popular ‘Ceol Na Fiddle’ series off the ground with Grampian Television and for the past 20 years he was the main organiser for the Fiddle Spectacular Show in Her Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen. He was also the main organiser of the Keith T.M.S.A. Festival and he was an Honorary Member of the Association.
For all his assistance and promotion of the fiddle music, I would add that Bill was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the Rotary Club International in 1989. This in itself tells you a lot about the type of man he was. His work in promoting Scottish fiddle music lives on through the Strathspey & Reel society and also through his family, and all whom he encouraged over many happy years.
Thanks again for the life of Bill Smith.
Box and Fiddle
April 1998
In the next few paragraphs I will give you an insight into the type of man that Bill was and also give you an idea of the inspiration that he gave everyone who came in contact with him.
As a young lad he showed great interest in fiddle music and he was also an enthusiastic member of the Boys Brigade in Huntly. At 18 Bill was called up to do his National Service in the Royal Air Force. On his return he worked for some time as an ironmonger before joining the Liverpool Victoria Friendly society Insurance Co, where he was to spend the rest of his working life in Banchory for over 20 years until his retirement in 1993.
During all these years, Bill together with his wife Margaret, devoted his off-duty hours to encouraging young people – and old – to play fiddle music and also get involved with Scottish music in general. Some of these names which Bill helped to promote are as follows – Graeme Mitchell, Judith Davidson, Angela Smith, Neil Dawson, Lynn Gould, Paul Anderson, Jane Smith, myself and so many more – too many to list.
Through his enthusiasm he helped to promote the Banchory S&R Society and in turn helped to make them a success all over the world. Bill was a great organizer and he regularly arranged tours abroad. Some of the countries visited were France, Germany, Canada, Ireland and even England!
Bill was also a bit of a practical joker, and I will always remember the following incident that happened to me. Not long after joining the Society, I was working away at the cash desk in the bank when the Bank Manager handed me an official looking envelope. I duly opened it to discover Call-Up papers for the Falklands War. I instantly ran to the toilet to try and make sense of this tragic news. When I came out I received a phone call from Bill enquiring if I had been called up for the War yet!! I will not repeat the adjectives that followed on in view of his successful practical joke.
Bill was a great character and his social list of friends was extensive. I remember on Saturday in Banchory after a big charity ceilidh dance when myself, Bill and Graeme Mitchell went down to the Burnett Arms to collect all the instruments from the previous night. As it had been a very successful night and there was a genuine dryness about the mouth, so we decided to head for the lounge bar only to find out that between the three of us we did not have enough money to buy even a half pint of lager. However thanks to Bill and all his friends we left the bar three hours later will all our 62p intact and ourselves feeling rather merry to say the least.
Among some of his accolades, Bill also helped to get the popular ‘Ceol Na Fiddle’ series off the ground with Grampian Television and for the past 20 years he was the main organiser for the Fiddle Spectacular Show in Her Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen. He was also the main organiser of the Keith T.M.S.A. Festival and he was an Honorary Member of the Association.
For all his assistance and promotion of the fiddle music, I would add that Bill was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the Rotary Club International in 1989. This in itself tells you a lot about the type of man he was. His work in promoting Scottish fiddle music lives on through the Strathspey & Reel society and also through his family, and all whom he encouraged over many happy years.
Thanks again for the life of Bill Smith.
Box and Fiddle
April 1998