WILLIAM FERRIS OBE JP
Murry Ferris, son of William Ferris was invited to talk about his father and his involvment in the establishment of Carbeth as a hutting community at the 2021 AGM. Below a transcript of his talk.
My Dad, William Ferris was born on 11th December 1894 . At the time, his family lived in Helen Street, Govan. He and his sister, Mary, were the only two of eight to survive infancy. From an early age at Primary School and encouraged by his mother, he developed a strong work ethic which continued throughout his life. At the end of the school day most days were spent taking the tram horses to and from their stables at Govan Cross.
The family moved to 26 Glebe Street (not far from the Broons at No 10 ) where he attended the local Kennedy Street Elementary School in Townhead After leaving school one of his first jobs, was as assistant stage manager at the Pavilion. This is when he developed an early interest in the theatre. He told me about seeing Harry Lauder with his wobbly walking sticks, Houdini the escapologist and a Chinese magician who hid a bowl of goldfish by pressing the bowl against a rubber apron under his cloak. We had a photo of Dad outside the theatre in Renfield Street with a horse-drawn tram in the background. It’s maybe in the Peoples Palace where we sent a lot of memorabilia after his death in 1963. As well as his love for the theatre, Dad began a long association and great love of the outdoors. He was always keen to encourage others to venture outwith the city limits, especially those less privileged who had never experienced the joy of the countryside.
Taking a lead from his mum’s bric-a-brac shop, Dad started business in his own right in 1920 as an antiquarian bookseller and fine art dealer.
His business, initially called William Ferris - Literary and Fine Art Dealer at 157/159 West Nile Street became The Glasgow Stamp Shop which was the major source of funding for his Voluntary Services . The stamp side of the business started in the 1920’s when a salesman for Stanley Gibbons, Willie Prangnell, came into the shop and offered an envelope of stamps to be displayed on an antique plate in the window and sold with the plate. The hobby of stamp collecting began in Glasgow at that point. Stamps took over the whole shop in West Nile Street and he had to move the books and paintings to 30 Cowcaddens Street. With its on street access to the subway station, Cowcaddens St has since disappeared .
It’s probably worth mentioning at this point that my Dad had no schooling in higher education, all his skills as a writer, an organiser and communicator were self taught, as were his knowledge in antiquarian books, paintings and philately
First on his list, the Scottish Rights of Way Society Established in 1885, the Society maintained Rights of Way by arranging walking trips along routes that would otherwise fall into desuetude. Before becoming Chairman, Dad was a director for 16 years. In his memory, a bothy was restored at Rowcoish on the eastern banks of Loch Lomond halfway between Rowardennan and Inversnaid. It sits just off the West Highland Way. I have a photo of the opening performed by Prof Robert Grieve; ARIBA I still maintain a family membership.
Next, the Scottish Council for Camping Legislation Current information on Camping Legislation goes back to 1968 only. I’m afraid I don’t know any more about this organisation or my dad’s involvement
To the world of stamps – the Philatelic Traders Society
The PTS was established in 1929 and Dad was Chairman for a good number of years.
International Federation of Stamp Dealers
Dad was the first chairman of the Federation. I remember him being given an Omega Seamaster watch in recognition of his service. This passed to my brother who took over running the business at the tender age of 17 when Dad died. From being a housewife for thirty years, my mother had a lot to do learning how to manage a business and keep a 17 year old on an even keel.
Back to the Outdoor world, the Scottish Council of the Camping Club
Dad was chairman of the Scottish Council from 1942 . On the day he died, 26th September 1963, he was to be presented with a silver salver to mark 21 years service.
Camping Club of GB & Ireland
Dad was Vice President of the Camping Club of GB & Ireland. In his memory a cairn was erected at the entrance to the last site he established at Culzean Castle. I clearly remember helping a team of grown-ups remove rubbish and overgrown vegetation from the area. To be granted the site, I suppose it helped that Dad was also on the board of the National Trust for Scotland.
Scottish Council for Physical Recreation.
As an Executive member of the SCPR dad was Vice Chairman of the National Games and Sports Committee, Member of the Glenmore Lodge Committee, Chairman of the Joint Committee of Scottish Outdoor Organisations, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Outdoor Activities (Glasgow Corporation Further Education Dept)
Following a long involvement with the SCPR, he was appointed Chairman of Inverclyde National Sports Training Centre in Largs. Opened in 1958 by the Queen, I remember travelling to Largs from our holiday hotel in Arran on the recently launched “Glen Sannox”. My Dad and Mum were involved in the ceremony and my brother and I (aged 12 and 9) were tasked with each putting up a tent in a field adjacent to the main building. The Queen and her entourage, including my parents, did pass by and showed an interest in our efforts. Unfortunately, the ground was too soft for Her Majesty to come over. ..or so we were later told.
Inverclyde…Football coaching.
The centre is famous for training a generation of football managers such as Jose Mourinho, Fabio Capello, Andre Villas-Boas, Giovanni Trapattoni, Marcelo Lippi and Carlos Queiroz.However this success led to accusations that the ideas developed created a "Largs Mafia" in football coaching. The football coaching courses moved to the new national football centre in England in the mid-2010s
Talking of putting up tents, every year my Dad would bring a contingent of adult Outward Bound students to our house in Old Kilpatrick where my brother and I would put up our tents in front of them in the back garden. My tent was a two pole Guinea Minor two man tent and my brother’s was a single pole Palomine four man tent, both made by Blacks of Greenock. No glamping in those days! His comment: “If an 8 year old can do it …”
Lightweight camping was a regular adventure for us, each carrying in our Bergens a tent, sleeping bag, Primus stove, pots, food for a weekend and, if my mother checked the contents, a change of clothes .
One of my Birthday Presents every year was to walk my age in miles.
Often at the September Weekend, my dad would contact the Marquis of Bute and get permission to land on Ailsa Craig, pitch our tents and spend Saturday night on the island. We’d drive down to Girvan, hire a fisherman nicknamed The Geisha and his boat The Amethyst to take us over and collect us on the Sunday. Saturday evening we’d climb to the top and on the Sunday, we’d walk round the base. If the Lighthouse Keepers were on duty, we’d spend a while going up to the lantern and admiring the vista. Ailsa Craig, as you may know, is where curling stones were quarried and shaped.
Happy memories indeed.
Scottish Ramblers Federation Dad was a founder member and Chairman of the Scottish Ramblers Federation. According to Ben Holmes, the book publisher and fellow member, Dad served for nearly 40 years on the committee.
Clarion Fellowship Trust.
Clarion Fellowship Trust - a Socialist Organisation. Dad was Chairman of the Trustees and Secretary of the Federation. His involvement with the Clarion Fellowship led to establishment of the local branch of the Clarion Wheelers cycling group and of the Clarion Players whose performances received mixed reviews. … some were pretty dire! He was noted as the Glasgow Clarion Players business manager, fortunately NOT their producer whose lot was that of a Mr J. Leslie Richmond. Dad was their business manager for 18 years. He regularly attended the Malvern Festival where he’d rub shoulders with the likes of George Bernard Shaw. It was noted that perhaps following the Players performance of Major Barbara, GBS would not let them perform “The Apple Cart”. The Players favoured venue was the Woodside Public Halls.in Maryhill Road
The Clarion Fellowship
The Clarion Fellowship featured large in his approach to the world. They provided holiday accommodation away from the grime of city life for working class families, which was dear to my Dad’s heart. I do remember visiting the Twelve Apostles at Catacol, near Lochranza on Arran which were rented at the time by the Fellowship and given to deserving families for holidays.
My Dad loved Arran. His view was that the Devil created Skye so God created Arran to spite the Devil. In 1910 he and his friend ,Johnny McCallum, walked round the island. Johnny wrote a poem about their expedition. If anybody is interested, I have a copy here written in Johnny’s own fair hand.
Scottish Tourist Board/ British Travel and Holidays Association
In 1943 among others, he and Dr Tom Honeyman were invited by Tom Johnson (then Secretary of State for Scotland ) and Sir Steven (later Lord) Bilsland, Chairman of the Scottish Council for Industry, to form a committee to investigate and promote a Tourist Industry for Scotland. He thus became a founder member of the Scottish Tourist Board. This led to an appointment representing Scotland on the Board of the British Travel and Holidays Association where he was also elected to two sub committees.
In 1956 , Dad was sent by both on a Goodwill Tour of the USA. I have a copy of the Itinerary and press clippings compiled by the BTHA. For “Take Note” the organ of the Scottish Tourist Board, Dad wrote occasional articles under the Nom de Plume of By Heather Track. In 1947 he wrote about “Wenders, Ascenders and Suspenders, copied in Blacks of Greenock Bulletin. Wenders being the hill walkers, ascenders being the serious mountaineers and suspenders being the folks who prefer to hang from ropes and drive pitons into rock to climb to a summit. Of course, nowadays, you get the zealots who climb up vertical faces using only their fingernails.
In 1953 he wrote about walking in the various seasons and in the 1960’s he wrote a serial about the route taken by Bonnie Prince Charlie and his troops through Scotland to the Borders, back again to Culloden and on to Skye. The Secretary mentioned that Dad had not included that part of the route through England where Charlie and his troops managed to get as far south as Derby. Dad reminded him that he was writing for the Scottish Tourist Board.
Every time Dad went to the BTHA headquarters in London, he would ask the receptionist “How far is it from Ecclefechan to Auchtermuchty?” This flummoxed most who usually spoke with an estuary or BBC accent.
His usual itinerary was to arrange a series of meetings of the various Scottish bodies in Edinburgh one day a week; and those in London one day a month.
As a regular international traveller for both the tourist industry and the world of philately, Dad got a BOAC diary every year with his initials inscribed in gold letters. As a boy I was much impressed and I still have a couple to hand. I also still have my personal invitation (to Master Murray Ferris) to the BTHA head office at Queens House, 64 St James’ Street, SW1 to witness the procession at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 2nd June 1953.
About Carbeth
In the 1914/18 war my dad and his friend, Johnny McCallum, were sergeants in the Bicycle Brigade of the HLI. Together with three other friends, they saved money over a few years to provide a fund to rent some space for pitching their tents or renting a cottage on return from their cycling expeditions around the area, preferably at Carbeth.
Although My Dad and Johnny Mc Callum had met Mr Barnes Graham before the war when they had camped around Craigalleon Loch, in those days it was not acceptable for a member of the proletariat to contact a member of the landed gentry directly so in December 1918 whilst still in the army in Ireland, my Dad had to write to his captain, Captain Hotchkiss, requesting permission to correspond with Allan Barnes Graham who was a friend of Captain Hotchkiss. Initially, and based on a post card from an anonymous “Soldier”, Mr Barnes Graham was concerned that some Bolshies who had done nothing for their country during the war were about to invade his land. This was appeased by a letter to him from my
Dad I quote:
Dear Mr Graham, It was kind of you to let me see that Post Card from the anonymous “Soldier” who is so certain that you entertained each weekend a few Bolshies who, like yourself no doubt, have done nothing for their country during the Great War. Knowing as I do myself what you have sacrificed, Mr Graham, during the war I thought it might interest you to know the war history of the “Bolshies” mentioned in your postcard. There are five of us and we have all served during the war. Robertson was in the RNVR at the outbreak of war and has Antwerp, Jutland and a broken leg as his war honours. Fraser joined when the Post Office allowed him (1915) and managed to have a few years holiday in France where he collected a few wounded stripes until demobbed a few months ago. Smith visited Gallipoli, Egypt and France; perhaps on “Bolshie” propaganda, but his three gold bars indicate that he did not have it all his own way. McCallum and myself both joined voluntarily in September 1914 and came with the others to enjoy the lovely….unfortunately, age three is missing. Enough to note that they both became sergeants, so they must have done something to impress their superiors.
His involvement with theatre had a particular influence in the establishment of Carbeth as both Allan Barnes Graham and my Dad had a common interest in the arts. More of that later.
After pitching tents for a season, it was agreed that they could erect some huts around the loch and pay a rental to Mr Barnes Graham provided my Dad collected the rents. This my Dad did from 1920 to 1943 latterly on his Triumph 500 motorbike. I was never privy to why he stopped in 1943.
Because we drove her out there a few times on our way home, I do remember Elise, a member of staff in our shop, staying in one of the huts,. Elise’s fifteen minutes of fame came when Yul Brynner visited the shop. I think Dad had met him on one of his many travels. All the other girls swooned when he walked in. Elise, working in the back shop came out asking “Who is this Yul Bruno?” At least Elise was very happy in her hut.
During the 1939/45 war Dad was in the Home Guard and part of his duties was to check the “White City” off the Stockiemuir Road, not far from Carbeth. To those who do not know, the White City was a series of street lights in the middle of a field lit to attract German bombers away from Clydebank and the Clyde. Dad had to make sure the lights were working at night. Another duty was as Training Officer with the Lowland Defence Volunteers. He did recount a time between the wars when he was stationed with some Japanese in Europe. He apparently taught them to swim and they taught him Ju Jitsu. The art of self-defence. This skill he passed-on to his trainees.
Glasgow Citizens Theatre.
Dad became Vice Chairman then Chairman of the Glasgow Citizens Theatre Society. At the end of the 1939/45 war my Dad was tasked with taking a troupe of actors around Europe. The top brass in ENSA realised that they couldn’t leave it to a sergeant to manage the band of actors & actresses so they made him a captain. I have a photo of him wearing his captain’s cap with the ENSA badge.
I think that this experience led him and a few others to establish the Citizens Theatre Company with James Bridie. He was appointed Chairman of the Citizens Theatre Society and, together with his friends, Tom Honeyman (curator of the Glasgow Art Galleries at the time), and George Singleton (owner of the Cosmo Cinema/GFT in Rose Street), a member of the board. I remember standing in the foyer of the theatre on occasions selling raffle tickets on behalf of the Society to members of the audience on their arrival.
And finally again to the outdoor world, the Scottish Youth Hostels Association
In 1931 the first meetings of the Scottish Youth Hostels Association took place in my Dad’s back shop.
He was Vice Chairman of the Association and a member of the Executive
The first Hostel was at Kinlochard. I do have a photo. From the outside, the building does look a bit utilitarian.- unlike the one behind Duck Bay on Loch Lomond which used to belong to the SYHA.
In 1965, I attended the unveiling of an inscribed plaque on a bench in front of the Rowardennan hostel . It may still be there. Remembering that funding for all his time off came from the world of stamps, and excuse the PUN: some say philately gets you nowhere but look where it got my Dad.
Thank you for inviting me here today and listening to my tale.
The CV of William Ferris