David Maxwell Pollock (1931 – 2018)
by Christie Ratter
B&F Sept 2018
I first met Davie at the Armadale A&F Club in 2008, and we have been close friends since. We traveled thousands of miles and played thousands of tunes together.
Davie left school at the age of 15 and took up work on various farms. He attended Agricultural College as a mature student after graduation. He joined the Agricultural and Food Research Association at Mordun, part of the Roslin Research Institute. After progressing through the ranks, he achieved the position of Higher Scientific Officer, before retiring through bad health in 1985.
Davie’s musical career began with learning to play the bagpipes at the age of 8, which he then gave up at 13. He then shifted his attention to the piano accordion, which he played for 12 years, before swapping the piano box for the 5-row accordion.
He always told me the story that his pay on the farm was 30/- a week. He then realised he could earn 30 bob per night playing along with his friends in the band they called ‘The Band from Hell’.
Davie was a very popular guy, well-known from the south of Ireland to the very north of Scotland. He was an extremely talented entertainer, singer, comedian, poet and musician. He was a truly great friend, who called me on the phone almost every day in the 10 years I knew him.
He will be sadly missed.
Davie left school at the age of 15 and took up work on various farms. He attended Agricultural College as a mature student after graduation. He joined the Agricultural and Food Research Association at Mordun, part of the Roslin Research Institute. After progressing through the ranks, he achieved the position of Higher Scientific Officer, before retiring through bad health in 1985.
Davie’s musical career began with learning to play the bagpipes at the age of 8, which he then gave up at 13. He then shifted his attention to the piano accordion, which he played for 12 years, before swapping the piano box for the 5-row accordion.
He always told me the story that his pay on the farm was 30/- a week. He then realised he could earn 30 bob per night playing along with his friends in the band they called ‘The Band from Hell’.
Davie was a very popular guy, well-known from the south of Ireland to the very north of Scotland. He was an extremely talented entertainer, singer, comedian, poet and musician. He was a truly great friend, who called me on the phone almost every day in the 10 years I knew him.
He will be sadly missed.