Newlands Primary School

Newlands Primary School
The generous LORD NEWLANDS donated this fine building in1896. He instructed the stonemasons to carve 'NEWLANDS PUBLIC SCHOOL' into the sandstone. Welcome all visitors! Click on the link "COMMENTS" below each Post to read what others have to say. And leave a Comment of your own too while you're here!

Sunday, July 09, 2006

First Post

The Old Man of Glencoe
This is the first post, hopefully of many, to the Newlands Primary Blog.

This is a photo of me taken on Thursday in Glencoe (I'm halfway up the Devil's Staircase with Buchaille Etive Mor in the background - if I'm not mistaken that we white building in the distance over my right shoulder is Jimmy Savile's hoose). I've superimposed a picture of me at Allan Glen's in 1963 and, as you can see, I haven't really changed much - still at my happiest when I'm in in short troosers (mind you, if you double-click on the picture, the sticky-oot ears look vaguely familiar, hairstyle hasn't improved much either).

I've recently taken early retirement after 15 years at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies where I was a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Software Development.

Actually it's semi-retirement, I intend to work part-time at some other colleges but something a bit more civilised like 2 to 3 days per week. This will hopefully give me time to pursue some of my other interest such as the one shown in the photo above. This was me on my way to Kinlochleven on the final 20 miles of the West Highland Way. On checking into the bunkhouse at Kinlochleven the caretaker enquired if this was my first visit to the village. I explained that I had been there many times. I further explained that in my youth I often visited to run the Mamore Hill race as part of the Highland Games (one of the toughest races on the hill running calendar) and once finished in fifth place (not bad for an East End kid since the biggest hill I'd ran up until that point had been Carntynehall road). Then it hit me, I was 17 and it was 40 years ago.

Definitely time to (semi) retire. I will also be working with the Scottish Qualifications Authority for the next couple of years as can be seen by this link to the SQA Computing Blog. If you scroll down to the first picture you will just about see me. I'm on the extreme left in the blue shirt - well at least you can see my arm nose and moustache. If you click on the June 2006 link and scroll down to almost the bottom of the page you'll see what I'm up to with them.

Anyway, that's enough about me. Let's here from the rest of the gang.

3 comments:

Scotbandit said...

Ocht Bob,
Although it's good to see you amongst the flora and fauna of God's country, I dinnae think it's Jimmie Saville's hoose behind you in the photo, more like Rab.C. Nesbitt's wee summer place?
(I just love Rab C.)

Stew (Meggs) Merrilees said...

Great idea Bob, hope everybody joins in. I have got some catching up to do. Havn't used blogger before but willing to try. It may have been summer when your photo was taken but looks a bit cool to me, have got used to the warmer weather after 48 years down here.

Scotbandit said...

Would one of you x military gents from Glasgow and Nanango PLEASE post our school photo on this blogsite? I need a lot more practice before I can attempt to get photos in here.
And since this has begun as an Intercontinental Blog, I feel it's a good start.

 

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