Passchendaele hero’s legacy lives on in Tayside legal firm

A Tayside lawyer has told how a Passchendaele war hero’s legacy lives on in the profession.

Johnston Clark, managing partner of Blackadders, shared his memories of Peachy Johnston’s legal career after his name was added to the Great War Dundee Project’s roll of honour.

The Courier recently told the story of the five Johnston brothers, a century on from the Battle of Passchendaele.

Frank, Walter, David and Peachy were artillerymen and John was an army doctor, with both Frank and Walter paying the ultimate sacrifice.

Mr Clark said: “Peachy Wilson Johnston, when he died in 1967, was senior partner of Reid, Johnston, Bell and Henderson, which was a predecessor firm of what is now Blackadders.

“Although I believe I met Mr Johnston as a small child, I do not remember him other than through photographs, but another retired senior partner Dr Norman Robertson MBE remembers him clearly. Mr Johnston’s daughter survives and lives in Dundee.

“Many families and businesses, particularly farmers, for whom he acted, are still clients today.”

Mr Clark added: “Mr PW Johnston was in business as a solicitor with his uncle David Johnston as Reid, Johnston and Co. One of the first of our many mergers was in 1934 with Bell and Henderson. He was the senior partner and the Johnston farming connection was prominent, north of Dundee into Angus.

“It was a different world – property transactions settled twice a year at Whitsun and Martinmas, technology including a pull bell to call for individual staff upstairs and one telephone in the hall, and Mr Johnston’s driver dropped him at the door and collected him when required – those who remember say the operation ran briskly, with a strong emphasis on being at his desk seeing clients who queued outside his door.”