Well insured
One of Ayr Rotary club’s recent new members, Loudon McAndrew, recalled how he was held up at gunpoint while leaving a hotel near the Northern Ireland border.
The stories of his working spell in Northern Ireland at the height of ‘ the troubles’ were ample proof of that. He had not previously encountered such sectarian prejudices so the thinly veiled threats to ‘ go home’, and incidents such as being locked out of his hotel in Bangor while the night porter carried out a ‘ security check’ came as something of a shock. When he relayed his concerns to his chief executive he was informed that he ‘ was well insured. Not a great deal of comfort!
Other incidents included driving over the Laggan Bridge in Belfast a few minutes before a car ( also with mainland number plates) was blown up with two fatalities and two other casualties.
Following his academic studies in accountancy at Glasgow University, and after a few years working with Larkhall Machine Tool Co. ( a former subsidiary of Rolls Royce), Loudon joined the Scottish Co- operative Wholesale Society ( SCWS) where he served as financial controller to a number of independent societies.
When the S. C. W. S. merged with the C. W. S. in Manchester, he was appointed senior project accountant with complete responsibility for all financial matters relating to the integration of many independent societies into the parent body.
Harry Peters complimented Loudon on his colourful and witty talk.