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Lindsay led "a life well lived and well loved"


By Kirsty Brown

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The Ellon community lost a devoted member earlier this month, with the passing of Duncan Lindsay Halliday.

Known to many as Lindsay, he lived in Ellon for almost 70 years and was an active member of the local community.

Duncan Lindsay Halliday.
Duncan Lindsay Halliday.

Born in Findon, Lindsay grew up in Aberdeen and was an active member of the Life Boys and Boys’ Brigade.

During this time he took the title of Aberdeen District Cross Country Champion and earned his King’s Badge.

When called to do National Service, Lindsay followed in his father’s footsteps and served in the RAF, based near Stranraer, where he learned his trade as an instrument technician.

When he returned to the north-east he resumed his job at Barry, Henry and Cook and supplemented his wages by operating the projector at the local cinema at weekends.

He was signed by Ellon United Football Club and during his time on the team they were successful in winning several trophies. He then went on to become club secretary as well as vice-president of the Aberdeenshire Amateur Football League.

He was also involved with a local five-a-side tournament, the annual youth athletics rally in Gordon Park and Ellon Cricket Club.

Using evening classes, Lindsay retrained as a technician in his mid-20s, taking up a post at Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology and rising through the ranks to the role of chief laboratory technician during his 34-year career.

For a period in the 1960s and 1970s he was captain of Ellon Boys’ Brigade, and was always a keen supporter of the organisation.

He would spend his summers supporting Ellon businesses at agricultural shows across the country.

His creative side shone when he would write poems for friends and family – many of which became parts of speeches at special occasions – and he was also a member of Ellon Drama Club.

In 1963, Lindsay became a member of the local town council and served for 12 years in various positions including parks and roads convenor.

He participated in the planning of the rapidly expanding Ellon of that era and in the organisation of a visit from townspeople of Ellon’s twin town, Chievres.

Becoming Baillie Halliday, local government reorganisation soon led to a change of administration but Lindsay continued his efforts in the community by becoming the first chairperson of the Ellon Academy School Board and also chairman of the Ellon and District Swimming Pool Trust, which pushed for the funding and eventual building of Ellon’s first community swimming pool.

He was a Justice of the Peace in the Inverurie courts for almost 30 years and in 1998, Lindsay was awarded The Rotary International Vocational Award for special service.

Many will also recognise Lindsay from the 30 years for which he was the bugler at local armistice services.

Lindsay also delighted lots of young people across the many years in which he portrayed Santa Claus at local events.

He continued to enjoy bowling and gardening later in life.

Lindsay is survived by his wife Cathie, his two daughters Cathlyn and Lorna, his five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The family were touched by a guard of honour by Boys’ Brigade members and a tribute from current captain Dennis Chalmers at Lindsay’s funeral.

They added they had received a condolence card with the message “a life well-lived and well-loved” which they said summed him up perfectly.


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