A life of tailoring to perfection

Sir, – I was sad to see the death in yesterday’s Courier of Doug Sherriff, former manager of Millars, Broughty Ferry.

Dougie was a legend in the tailor business.

I met him in the mid ’60s as a 15-year-old Saturday boy in Jackson the Tailor, Murraygate, where he was the floor manager for made to measure suits.

He taught me the trade and I worked full-time for a period under his wing.

He taught me how to be honest with customers, never lie so if a customer did not look good in a ready to wear jacket, tell them!

Jacksons sponsored both Dundee football clubs and Arbroath during my time in there, so all of the players would come in to be measured up for their suits.

Two players from Arbroath turned up a touch intoxicated. Dougie was not best pleased as he could not measure them properly.

He advised the shop manager Charlie Robertson who phoned the club.

The following day both players returned and apologised to all staff.

Dougie had the foresight to realise the press would publish photographs of players wearing their suits.

As the teams had the jacket inner linings to match the colours of their strip, he ordered extra dark blue, tangerine and maroon inner linings for the expected customers.

The fans duly arrived and the shop did a roaring trade in identical made to measure cloths for each team.

Millars were aware of Dougie’s talents so he was offered the position of manager and buyer which he accepted from the late ’60s to his retiral.

All of his customers knew they could trust Dougie to make them look good.

His talent was appreciated by generations of customers.

I never ever forgot the advice he gave to me when dealing with people when I moved on to another career.

A great loss.

Ian Wallace. Chapman Drive, Carnoustie.