Background edit
I am a retire History teacher now working my family croft just north of Ben Nevis. My initial education at Banavie Primary School was followed by eight years of incarceration in a succession of dreadful Do-The-Boys-Halls, each one worse than the last. Finally I escaped to Queen's College, Dundee, University of St Andrews in 1966. After one year this became the University of Dundee which very generously conferred a degree on me in 1970. At University I chiefly distinguished myself being elected President of The Rucksack Club, the University climbing club, and climbing many hills. I had the good fortune to work in Kenya from 1971 until late 1976, teaching at the Friends School Kamusinga a the foot of Mt Elgon, where my distinguished students included Moses Wetangula, later Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Patrick Pyoko Bititi, now an Archbishop. On returning to the UK I taught briefly in Teignmouth Grammar School, South Devon before moving to Kelso High School and Jedburgh Grammar School in the Scottish Borders and finally to Tain Royal Academy in Easter Ross.
Interest edit
I have a wide range of historical interests, as befits a school teacher, but most specially in the history of Highland Scotland, the Gaelic language and it's culture. I was Convener of the Local Organising Committee of the Royal National Mòd in Lochaber in 2017. I am a director of The West Highland Museum, nominated to the board by the Lochaber History Society.
Recreational Activities edit
I used to be a fairly serious mountaineer but have gradually lapsed into ski-mountaineering and hill walking. I am an active white water kayaker but my standard has slipped significantly. Since the death of my wife I no longer ride horses. I always have at least one collie dog.
Publications edit
For Scottish Higher History : Appeasement and the Road to War, Pulse Publications (1991) (2 editions) Germany and Italy 1815-1939 : The Growth of Nationalism with Charles Robertson and Christine Henderson, Pulse Publications (1992) (2 editions) For Scottish S Grade History Changing Life in Scotland and Britain : 1830-1930 with C Robertson and C Henderson (1997)(Pulse Publications) The Great War 1914-1918 : Origins, Nature and Aftermath (1999) (Pulse Publications) All the above have been sadly rendered obsolete by curriculum change. I miss the royalty cheques! I wrote a biography of my friend and kayaking legend, the late Andy Jackson; Tall Stories Pesda Press (2008), the royalties going to charities in Scotland and Kenya, and contributed river descriptions on 6 rivers to the most recent Scottish Canoe Association White Water Guide. I have written many magazine articles, in Gaelic and in English on history, kayaking, ski mountaineering and climbing.
Wikipdeia articles initiated edit
Archibald Clerk, John Murdoch (editor), John MacKenzie (mountain guide)Donald Duff (surgeon)Mr Duff removed my tonsils when I was a child and I once helped to carry an injured climber off Ben Nevis on a Duff stretcher but I still feel I can be objective in contributing to this article.
significant contributions to edit
Iain Lom, Mary Mackellar, Mary MacPherson (Mairi Mhòr nan Oran), Norman Collie, Alexander Nicolson,The West Highland Museum and Alexander Mackenzie. I was chair of the local organising committee for the Royal National Mòd in Lochaber in 2017 and intend to contribute to the Gaelic Wikipedia . Ronaldcameron (talk) 22:20, 31 December 2016 (UTC)