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Gordon Beaton of Glenrothes: Civil servant behind Dunblane inquiry dies

He had been a member of the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve and it was there he developed his love of the sea and flying.

Gordon Beaton of Glenrothes, a former senior civil servant has died.
Gordon Beaton of Glenrothes, a former senior civil servant has died.

Gordon Beaton, the senior civil servant behind some of Scotland’s highest profile public inquiries and legal proceedings, has died aged 82.

He played a key role in establishing the inquiry after the 1996 Dunblane tragedy, was honoured for his work in the aftermath of the Lockerbie bombing, and was registrar at the Scottish court in the Netherlands that heard evidence against two accused of the bombing.

This work involved close cooperation with the Scottish judiciary, the Scottish police, and foreign diplomats at The Hague and the White House with frequent cross-Atlantic meetings with politicians such as Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright.

Outside work Gordon, of Glenrothes, was secretary of Elie Sailing Club and a member and then secretary of Portmoak Gliding Club at Scotlandwell.

School years

He was born in January 1941 in Edinburgh to William and Helen Beaton, raised in Corstorphine and his secondary education took place at George Watson’s College.

On leaving school he joined Thomas and Adamson (Edinburgh) as an apprentice surveyor, qualifying in 1962.

By 1966 Gordon had been admitted into the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors as a Fellow and was two years into his career as a civil servant for the Scottish Office.

In a long and illustrious career lasting 38 years, Gordon held various positions within the Scottish Office as he worked his way up the ranks to become a senior civil servant, overseeing the development and administration of Scottish public buildings including schools, prisons, hospitals and latterly courts.

It was during his tenure as director of Scottish Courts Administration that he played a leading role in the setting up of the public inquiry into the Dunblane shootings.

Marriage

Gordon had married Jane Robertson in 1968 at Currie Parish Church and lived in South Queensferry until 1979 when their growing family and desire to be closer to the country saw them move to a traditional family home in Kingskettle.

Aside from his career in the civil service, Gordon had many passions and interests.

In his younger years he gained the Queen’s Scout award and helped honour the Norwegian King Haakon VII at his funeral in Oslo in 1957.

In later years he was to prove an ardent supporter of his local Scout group both with donations of his time as well as materials to renovate the Scout hall.

He had been a member of the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve (RNVR) and it was there he developed his love of the sea and flying.

Military pilot

Gordon was awarded his Royal Navy Wings by Captain Eric (Winkle) Brown, the famous Scottish test pilot, and was trained to fly the Fairey Gannet – a carrier-borne aircraft used in anti-submarine warfare.

He retained a lifelong love of the sea and owned various boats and yachts until his 80s. Sailing out of either Crammond in Edinburgh in his early years, or Elie in Fife during his married life, there was barely a week went by when he wasn’t near or on the sea.

Gordon was also an accomplished amateur photographer with a particular interest in black and white portrait photography, honing his skills from his dark room in Kingskettle.

Motorsports was another passion Gordon enjoyed before his children came along. In close partnership with old Watsonian schoolmates, Robbie McKinna and Bill Stein, a noted racing driver, Gordon spent time modifying and driving vehicles and assisting Bill Stein in his racing career until Bill’s serious crash supporting the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.

Retirement

In 2003, shortly after Gordon’s retirement, Jane and Gordon moved from Sylvan House in Kingskettle to a modern bungalow in Glenrothes where he joined the Glenrothes Probus Club.

There he enjoyed many years of friendship, learning, and teaching photography and serving as secretary.

A family man at heart, Gordon will be remembered for his respectful, wise and measured manner, for his unyielding integrity, his quiet humility and for the many deep, lifelong friendships he maintained.

He is survived by his wife Jane, their children George, Martin and Michele and their 11 grandchildren.

You can read the family’s announcement here.

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