John Anderson (1944-2005)
by Charlie Todd
B&F September 2005
It was with a sense of stunned disbelief that Biggar awoke on the morning of Friday 1st July to find that John Anderson no longer walked among us. Recently retired as Chairman of Biggar Accordion and Fiddle Club a tragic accident whilst working on the restoration of a beloved old Rover had deprived us all of one of Biggar’s great characters. . The enormity of the loss felt was evident at his funeral at St Mary’s Church in Biggar on Thursday 7th July when over 500 mourners heard the Rev Jim Francis lead a celebration of John’s life.
John was a ‘war baby’ born in Motherwell in December 1944. His mother was a gifted musician who taught piano privately but sadly died when John was just three years of age. Thereafter he was brought up by his granny in the Cambusnethan area of Wishaw, near to the studio of accordion teacher Jean Brown. Both John and a fellow pupil at Wishaw High School, Alistair Gillespie, started lessons with Jean but John was the first to admit that he had inherited none of the mother’s musical ability. Hard practice might have overcome that, but looking back, he always knew there were too many other distractions. By contrast lifelong friend Alistair went on to become a fine accordionist, a Junior British Champion, an accordion teacher and eventually a fellow resident of Biggar. Admittedly some inspiration was gained in the early days from sitting outside the ‘Alexander’ household IN Cambusnethan listening to young Tom practicing.
John’s connection with Biggar started with family holidays at a ‘holiday hut’, one of a number sited at Boghall Farm, near Biggar. It was at one of the many village hall dances in the Biggar area that John first met his wife-to-be Joy in 1965. They were married in 1968, with daughter Sheena coming along a year later and son Iain ten years later. It was in mid 1974 while they were both attending a meeting of the ‘original’ Carlops A&F Club (a village between Biggar and Edinburgh) – the only one for miles around at that time – that John was approached by Alex MacArthur who said that he had bought the Clydesdale in Biggar and that “they” would be starting an Accordion and Fiddle Club of their own. He was as good as his word, moving into the Hotel in September 1974 and starting the Club the following month. In the early days John was a ’helper’ at the Club collecting and transporting extra chairs from the Church Hall, erecting the ‘stage’ (an old piece of flooring sitting on empty beer crates) etc and readily admitted he was far to timid to stand up in front of an audience but gradually as the years passed he assumed more of the organising duties, then some of the MC duties and by the time Alex and Evelyn left Biggar for The Farmers Arms in Thornhill in 1985 John was ready to take over the helm.
With Joy acting as Secretary/Treasurer, Tom Hope stepping up to Vice Chairman and wife Ray helping with the door/catering, there were two changes of venue, a brief stay at the Toftcombs Hotel, before settling in the Biggar Municipal Hall and the scene was set for the next 20 years, indeed right up until April of this year when John and Joy retired and handed over to Blair Gardiner. There were many memorable nights during those long year, marred only by the untimely death of the Club’s Founder Chairman, Alex MacArthur in 1989.
John usually only played at the Club if time permitted, being the first to stand down in favour of other players. One of his great strengths was that he knew he wasn’t a good player, indeed he ‘played’ on that. As the genuine mistakes of the early days disappeared, as had his nervousness in front of an audience, he substituted deliberate errors as part of his act. Without doubt his party-piece and signature tune and the tune with which his name will always be associated was “The Grandfather Clock”.
In ‘real life’ John had been Senior Janitor at Biggar High School for 18 years. The Rev Francis joked that there was a certain amount of doubt about who actually ran the school – John or the Rector. John ensured a safe environment for the innumerable children who passed through the school over those years – there was never any playground bullying when John was around. Earlier in life he was a PSV Driver with Central SMT. We were reminded by the Rev John Graham, a lifetime friend, and one time Conductor on the double decker John drove of amusing incidents such as an elderly male passenger rushing the length of the bus, which had just pulled away, and hammering on the window behind John’s seat. “What’s wrong” John asked as he half turned in his seat “ma dug, ma dug” said the man pointing to his short legged pet doing it’s best to run alongside the bus. Oops!!
John was also a quietly religious man who had served over 25 years as Biggar Kirk’s ‘Beadle’ – in effect the Church Officer – responsible for the opening, closing, cleaning, heating, and repairing of the Church building. He calmed the jangled nerves of brides-to-be, grooms-in-waiting and particularly children on ‘big’ days. Indeed one of John’s great abilities was to be the age of the person he was with – and if that happened to be three years or thirteen months then that was fine with John.
It was his various roles in the School, the Kirk and the Accordion and Fiddle Club that brought John into contact with almost everyone in the town of Biggar and the rural district beyond. Always unassuming, but ever helpful, we are all the poorer for his passing. Our deepest sympathy is extended to Joy, Sheena, Keith and family and Iain and Laura.
John was a ‘war baby’ born in Motherwell in December 1944. His mother was a gifted musician who taught piano privately but sadly died when John was just three years of age. Thereafter he was brought up by his granny in the Cambusnethan area of Wishaw, near to the studio of accordion teacher Jean Brown. Both John and a fellow pupil at Wishaw High School, Alistair Gillespie, started lessons with Jean but John was the first to admit that he had inherited none of the mother’s musical ability. Hard practice might have overcome that, but looking back, he always knew there were too many other distractions. By contrast lifelong friend Alistair went on to become a fine accordionist, a Junior British Champion, an accordion teacher and eventually a fellow resident of Biggar. Admittedly some inspiration was gained in the early days from sitting outside the ‘Alexander’ household IN Cambusnethan listening to young Tom practicing.
John’s connection with Biggar started with family holidays at a ‘holiday hut’, one of a number sited at Boghall Farm, near Biggar. It was at one of the many village hall dances in the Biggar area that John first met his wife-to-be Joy in 1965. They were married in 1968, with daughter Sheena coming along a year later and son Iain ten years later. It was in mid 1974 while they were both attending a meeting of the ‘original’ Carlops A&F Club (a village between Biggar and Edinburgh) – the only one for miles around at that time – that John was approached by Alex MacArthur who said that he had bought the Clydesdale in Biggar and that “they” would be starting an Accordion and Fiddle Club of their own. He was as good as his word, moving into the Hotel in September 1974 and starting the Club the following month. In the early days John was a ’helper’ at the Club collecting and transporting extra chairs from the Church Hall, erecting the ‘stage’ (an old piece of flooring sitting on empty beer crates) etc and readily admitted he was far to timid to stand up in front of an audience but gradually as the years passed he assumed more of the organising duties, then some of the MC duties and by the time Alex and Evelyn left Biggar for The Farmers Arms in Thornhill in 1985 John was ready to take over the helm.
With Joy acting as Secretary/Treasurer, Tom Hope stepping up to Vice Chairman and wife Ray helping with the door/catering, there were two changes of venue, a brief stay at the Toftcombs Hotel, before settling in the Biggar Municipal Hall and the scene was set for the next 20 years, indeed right up until April of this year when John and Joy retired and handed over to Blair Gardiner. There were many memorable nights during those long year, marred only by the untimely death of the Club’s Founder Chairman, Alex MacArthur in 1989.
John usually only played at the Club if time permitted, being the first to stand down in favour of other players. One of his great strengths was that he knew he wasn’t a good player, indeed he ‘played’ on that. As the genuine mistakes of the early days disappeared, as had his nervousness in front of an audience, he substituted deliberate errors as part of his act. Without doubt his party-piece and signature tune and the tune with which his name will always be associated was “The Grandfather Clock”.
In ‘real life’ John had been Senior Janitor at Biggar High School for 18 years. The Rev Francis joked that there was a certain amount of doubt about who actually ran the school – John or the Rector. John ensured a safe environment for the innumerable children who passed through the school over those years – there was never any playground bullying when John was around. Earlier in life he was a PSV Driver with Central SMT. We were reminded by the Rev John Graham, a lifetime friend, and one time Conductor on the double decker John drove of amusing incidents such as an elderly male passenger rushing the length of the bus, which had just pulled away, and hammering on the window behind John’s seat. “What’s wrong” John asked as he half turned in his seat “ma dug, ma dug” said the man pointing to his short legged pet doing it’s best to run alongside the bus. Oops!!
John was also a quietly religious man who had served over 25 years as Biggar Kirk’s ‘Beadle’ – in effect the Church Officer – responsible for the opening, closing, cleaning, heating, and repairing of the Church building. He calmed the jangled nerves of brides-to-be, grooms-in-waiting and particularly children on ‘big’ days. Indeed one of John’s great abilities was to be the age of the person he was with – and if that happened to be three years or thirteen months then that was fine with John.
It was his various roles in the School, the Kirk and the Accordion and Fiddle Club that brought John into contact with almost everyone in the town of Biggar and the rural district beyond. Always unassuming, but ever helpful, we are all the poorer for his passing. Our deepest sympathy is extended to Joy, Sheena, Keith and family and Iain and Laura.