Harry Nicoll, Arbroath Town Council’s last town chamberlain and a founder member of Broughty United AFC, has died aged 92.
He was born in Broughty Ferry in June 1931, the eldest of Harry and Jean Nicoll’s four children.
Harry was eight when the Second World War broke out which meant lessons could not be held at Eastern Primary School. Instead, a teacher visited his home to teach Harry, his siblings and neighbouring children.
After leaving Grove Academy, he began work with Dundee Corporation in 1947 in the welfare services and city chamberlain’s department.
National Service
He remained at the authority until 1954, during which time he spent his two years’ National Service with the Royal Artillery in coastal defence at Dover Castle and the Royal Citadel, Plymouth. For a further 16 years he served in the Territorial Army and received the Territorial Decoration in 1966.
In 1954 he came to Arbroath as assistant town chamberlain. He took over as town chamberlain in 1966 and served until the authority was dissolved in 1975. While working, he studied at night classes and qualified as a chartered public finance accountant in 1957.
After local government reorganisation in 1975 he was appointed Angus District Council’s first director of finance, a post he held until he retired in 1992.
During this time, his proudest moment was winning the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Public Sector Award in 1990, Angus being the first Scottish authority to win it.
Youth work
Harry devoted a large part of his life to the YMCA in Broughty Ferry. He was honorary treasurer for 37 years and honorary secretary for 13 years and was honoured by the Scottish National Council of the YMCA for distinguished service in 1992.
It was at the YMCA that he met his future wife, Rachel, to whom he was happily married for 54 years. Harry and Rachel moved to Arbroath following their marriage in 1969 and went on to have two daughters, Wendy and Pamela.
Harry was a founder member of Broughty United Amateur Football Club and was chairman, manager and treasurer for 20 years before becoming a life member.
He was proud that the first ever league point for Broughty United was from a header from him. Many of his lifelong friends were made through his association with the club which celebrated its 70th anniversary earlier this year.
Honoured in Arbroath
Harry was a member of Edradour Housing Association for 49 years and he was vice-chairman from 1989 until last year. In 2005, the association named a new Arbroath housing development in after him: Harry Nicoll Gardens.
He was honorary auditor for many organisations in Arbroath including Arbirlot Parish Church (26 years), Arbroath Instrumental Band (56 years), Arbroath Voluntary Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped (50 years), and Age Concern Arbroath (17 years until last year). He was honorary secretary and treasurer of Arbroath Lifeboat Disaster Fund for 20 years.
He was also honorary secretary and treasurer of Arbroath Improvement Trust for 16 years, during which time he arranged for youth orchestras and groups from Aberdeen International Youth Festival to come to Arbroath to perform at the Webster Theatre over a number of years.
Harry was a member of Arbirlot Parish Church for 54 years, and a church elder for many of those years, and of Arbroath Rotary Club for 32 years.
Horticulture
One of his greatest pleasures was spending time in his garden and during the 1980s he won many awards for his cut flowers at the Angus Show.
Harry enjoyed socialising with family and friends and frequently provided musical entertainment playing his fiddle. Other hobbies included playing badminton and following Dundee United.
Above all else, Harry was a devoted and much-loved family man and he loved nothing more than spending time with his family. He is survived by Rachel, Wendy, Pam and his grandchildren, Harry and Lucy.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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