Quantity surveyor Bruce Watson, who oversaw the installation of services during the construction of Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, has died aged 85.
He went on to head a staff of 500 at a major London firm and when he set up his own business, a career highlight was a renovation project at the Houses of Parliament.
In his youth in Dundee, Bruce was part of the Everest Rover Crew and Ryehill Scout Group and attained the Queen’s Award.
Robert Bruce Watson was born on December 15 1937 at Fort House Nursing Home, Perth Road, Dundee.
His father was David Moorhouse Watson, a company director of a jute firm producing rope and twine and his mother was Isabella Lees (nee Millar).
Education in Dundee
Bruce, an only child, was brought up at 69 Blackness Avenue and educated at the High School of Dundee, where he found a friend for life in David Reid, a former Dundee solicitor who died earlier this year.
Although Bruce didn’t always enjoy his schooldays, he was proud of the school, and enjoyed attending reunions.
When he left school, he trained as a chartered quantity surveyor with Christie’s and is thought to have been the youngest quantity surveyor to qualify in Scotland at the time.
He met his future wife, Julia (Julie) at the Mayfield Ball in Dundee. They married at the Old Church, Arbroath, and went on to have three of a family, Roy in 1966, Neil in 1968 and Lorna in 1972. Roy died in a car crash in 1989 aged 23.
Between 1968 and 1972, Bruce oversaw the services project at Ninewells before he took a new job in Preston and the family moved south.
After a few years in Lancashire, the family relocated to a house in Coulsdon, Surrey, which would remain the family home for more than 50 years.
Bruce began work for Davis, Belfield and Everest in Soho, London, building up his department to a point where he was overseeing around 500 members of staff.
Business career
In 1985/1986 he set up his own business, initially called Bruce Watson Associates, later changing its name to Engineering Cost Management Limited.
He worked with his business partner and close friend, Bill Gilliland – a fellow Scot – and worked on until his late 60s.
Bruce was a member of two masonic lodges; Lodge of Construction, and Star of Croydon Lodge, and was honoured with a lifetime achievement award for services to Freemasonry.
He eventually lived in James Terry Court, a masonic care home in South Croydon, Surrey, where he passed away peacefully and comfortably after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
Bruce’s daughter, Lorna, said: “Despite living in Surrey for many years, my father always remained a proud Scot and never lost his accent
“He loved playing chess, watching rugby and supporting Scotland, amateur dramatics, philosophy and crosswords.”
Bruce had been a member of the Church of Scotland and had then joined Old Coulsdon Congregational Church in Surrey where he served as a deacon.
He had also been president of the Association of Cost Engineers which required travel to all parts of the world.
There will be a memorial at Old Coulsdon Congregational Church at 12.30pm on Tuesday September 12 at which donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society.
Lorna has also set up a JustGiving page in her father’s memory.
Conversation