Box and Fiddle
Year 19 No 05
February 1996
Ian Wilkie – An Appreciation
by Paddy Neary
The Scottish music scene was saddened to hear of the death of one of its most respected people – Ian Wilkie, who was well-known in just about every musical circle. His unending humour and great knowledge of every musical instrument warmed the hearts of everyone who knew him.
Ian was born on 2nd October, 1947, at The Knoll, Duns – the only son of James and Hannah Wilkie. He lived at Coldstream until he was 13 years when the family moved to Jedburgh, where his father worked as an agricultural engineer. Ian received his music tuition from Bill Spence in Hawick, taking his musical talents from his dad, who played the fiddle with numerous bands in the Borders. At 14, Ian started his dance band career with his dad and Bill Johnston from Jedburgh. In 1967, he started his own band, again with his dad and George Lumsden, playing all over the Border area.
He appeared on Border T.V. a number of times in talent contests and ‘Look Around’. On 19th September, 1970, Ian married Brenda Elliot, Jedburgh. He was a toolmaker with Starrets of Jedburgh until 1972, when he moved to Auchterarder where he took up the position of tool inspector.
At this time, he joined forces with Sandy Penney and Davey Beattie to form thje trio Marion, which performed all over the Perthshire area. His daughter, Louise, was born in 1974 at Perth Royal Infirmary while the family lived in Auchterarder.
He joined Clinkscale Musical Instruments in 1976, as their sales representative, covering the whole of Scotland. The family then moved to Kinross in July, 1980, where his son Alasdair was born in 1983. Other moves followed, March 1983, to Guildtown, near Perth, then, Portree in Skye, March, 1985, where Ian became a professional musician and gave music lessons.
In 1987, the family moved again to Milton of Campsie where Ian held the post of manager for Clinkscales at their Milngavie Branch until 1989 when one final move was made back to the Borders, where Ian worked at the Melrose Branch until his illness in 1990.
On a personal note Ian and his family are much appreciated by the Neary household, for their unending efforts in making us feel settled and ‘at home’ since we came over to Scotland in 1979. He will be sadly missed.
by Paddy Neary
The Scottish music scene was saddened to hear of the death of one of its most respected people – Ian Wilkie, who was well-known in just about every musical circle. His unending humour and great knowledge of every musical instrument warmed the hearts of everyone who knew him.
Ian was born on 2nd October, 1947, at The Knoll, Duns – the only son of James and Hannah Wilkie. He lived at Coldstream until he was 13 years when the family moved to Jedburgh, where his father worked as an agricultural engineer. Ian received his music tuition from Bill Spence in Hawick, taking his musical talents from his dad, who played the fiddle with numerous bands in the Borders. At 14, Ian started his dance band career with his dad and Bill Johnston from Jedburgh. In 1967, he started his own band, again with his dad and George Lumsden, playing all over the Border area.
He appeared on Border T.V. a number of times in talent contests and ‘Look Around’. On 19th September, 1970, Ian married Brenda Elliot, Jedburgh. He was a toolmaker with Starrets of Jedburgh until 1972, when he moved to Auchterarder where he took up the position of tool inspector.
At this time, he joined forces with Sandy Penney and Davey Beattie to form thje trio Marion, which performed all over the Perthshire area. His daughter, Louise, was born in 1974 at Perth Royal Infirmary while the family lived in Auchterarder.
He joined Clinkscale Musical Instruments in 1976, as their sales representative, covering the whole of Scotland. The family then moved to Kinross in July, 1980, where his son Alasdair was born in 1983. Other moves followed, March 1983, to Guildtown, near Perth, then, Portree in Skye, March, 1985, where Ian became a professional musician and gave music lessons.
In 1987, the family moved again to Milton of Campsie where Ian held the post of manager for Clinkscales at their Milngavie Branch until 1989 when one final move was made back to the Borders, where Ian worked at the Melrose Branch until his illness in 1990.
On a personal note Ian and his family are much appreciated by the Neary household, for their unending efforts in making us feel settled and ‘at home’ since we came over to Scotland in 1979. He will be sadly missed.