David Anderson, who was prominent in the Dundee business community for half a century, has died aged 84.
His painting and decorating firm, DH Anderson, had offices in Whitehall Crescent and employed 42 men.
He later went on to form Tayside Decorators, which employed 22 at its peak and worked widely across the Dundee area and north Fife.
David Anderson was born in Dundee, the son of greengrocer David Hume Anderson and his wife, Mary Ross.
He attended Blackness Primary School and then Logie Secondary School, left at 15 and began his painting and decorating apprenticeship with Gillies of Lochee.
David did his two years’ National Service with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, based in Inverness, Edinburgh and Dover.
He returned to work with Gillies before moving to P and A Davie in South Tay Street and then PT Roberts.
Apprenticeship
David had served his time with fellow apprentice Scott McDermott and the two became best friends.
It was through Scott that David met his future wife, Scott’s sister, Emily.
The couple married at Dundee Registrar’s Office in 1963 and went on to have two of a family, David and Helen.
That same year, David started in business on his own, founding DH Anderson.
Scotland-wide reach
The firm had many contracts with builders across Scotland, particularly in the Inverness and Aberdeen areas.
David managed the workforce from his Whitehall Crescent office and the firm’s depot was in Victoria Road.
However, the company folded in 1976 and David returned to the tools as a solo painting and decorating contractor.
Over the years, he made a success of his new firm, Tayside Decorators (Dundee) Ltd, employing 22 men at its height and undertaking private work in homes in Dundee and district.
He lost his wife in 2012 and retired fully from the business.
Dolly, Alexa and Elvis
David, known as Dave, had not been a great animal lover but bought a parrot and named her Dolly.
His son, Dave, who now runs the business, said: “I think he only ever had a pet when he was a child but he had eight happy years with Dolly.
“She learned to speak and had a wide vocabulary. They would sit together in his man cave from early morning until evening, seven days a week.
“Dolly could turn Alexa off and on. When we pass the shed, we hear Dolly playing dad’s favourite Elvis songs.”
Conversation