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Tommy Macpherson: Perthshire farmer dies aged 64

The family lived in Bankfoot until Tommy was eight and then they moved to Pitsundry Farm just outside the village.

Perthshire farmer Tommy Macpherson
Perthshire farmer Tommy Macpherson has died aged 64.

Tommy Macpherson, of Perthshire, respected as a hard-working sheep, beef and arable farmer, has died suddenly aged 64.

Born at Perth Royal Infirmary, to John and Jean Macpherson in June 1958, Tommy was the youngest of three and had two older sisters, Janet and Jane.

The family lived in Bankfoot until Tommy was eight when they moved to Pitsundry Farm just outside the village.

Pitsundry had been home to the Macpherson family since 1911 and Tommy lived there from 1966 until 2014 when he moved to Luncarty when his son Craig and family moved to the farm.

Tommy attended Auchtergaven School, Stanley Junior Secondary and then Perth Grammar School.

Outstanding student

He went straight from school to work at the farm, attending Elmwood College, Cupar, for a time, where he was named student of the year.

Tommy joined Bankfoot young farmers when he was 14, and played an active role over the years. He met his future wife, Libby Hume, a farmer’s daughter from Angus, at the bull sales dance in the Salutation Hotel, Perth, in October 1980.

Engaged in March 1981, the couple married on June 10 1982 at Carmyllie Parish Church and moved straight into Pitsundry.

Their daughter, Laura was born in November 1983, with Craig making the family complete in July 1985.

Even after “leaving” Bankfoot young farmers when he was 26, it continued to play a big part in his life and he was made an honorary life member.

The family hosted many events over the years such as show meetings, sheep dressing, stockjudging, and mock auctions, including one of the very first open stockjudging events in 2002 after the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Livestock shows

During the summer, he exhibited cross sheep at shows in the area including Perth, Alyth, Kirriemuir and Brace.

As a young man, he also set up his own Suffolk flock, producing many of the top-priced shearlings at tup sales and travelled to Dalmally and Oban to buy blackface lambs to finish on the turnips at Pitsundry.

The top draw of these lambs would be exhibited at the Winter Fair, which Tommy was heavily involved in for 37 years.

The family enjoyed notable success there, having won both the blackface sheep section and the prestigious mountain and moorland many times.

As a committee member of the Scottish Fatstock Club when the Winter Fair moved back to Perth, Tommy was honoured to be appointed chief sheep steward from 1995 until 2000.

Expert judge

A well sought-after judge over many years, he also placed winning entries at numerous shows/events from the Black Isle Show, all the way down to the last Smithfield Show in London in 2004.

While he was a great stockman and took pride in his cattle and sheep, his favourite job was ploughing and last year he bought himself a new New Holland plough and competed in a match at Logiealmond, in December last year.

Tommy was a past chairman of the Tayside Suffolk Club, Perth branch of the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland and Perthshire Agricultural Discussion Society.

For many years, he sourced and turned out sheep for the Suffolk Sheep Society stand at events such as the Highland Show, Scotsheep and Northsheep.

Last year was a special one for Tommy and Libby who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in June with a weekend in Glenshee.

He is survived by his wife Libby, daughter Laura, son Craig and their families.