Former Dundee jute mill owner Douglas Brewer, 91

A navy veteran and former owner of one of Dundee’s last jute mills has died peacefully at the age of 91.

Douglas Morton Brewer, who was managing director and then owner of Tay Spinners, died at his Broughty Ferry home on Friday.

Mr Brewer, who was also a keen sailor and golfer, was born on May 20 1926 in Nether Padley in Derbyshire.

He lived there until the early 1930s, before moving to his mother’s native Dollar in Clackmannanshire with his brother.

He was educated at Dollar Academy and left school aged 17 to join the Merchant Navy.

Mr Brewer served in the Mediterranean until the end of the Second World War, sparking a lifelong passion for the sea and sailing.

After the war, he was preparing to go to Aberdeen University to study forestry when an opportunity came up to work for Astral, a refrigerator manufacturer that was setting up in Dundee and went on to become Morphy Richards.

In 1967 he left to work for Nairn Floors in Kirkcaldy, travelling the world as an international salesman and going on to become managing director.

After spending the majority of his career at Nairn, Mr Brewer retired at the age of 56 in 1982, resolving not to work again.

However, he was persuaded to change his mind when the opportunity arose to become managing director of Tay Spinners, one of the last jute-spinning firms in Dundee.

He went on to buy the mill with his business partner and co-owned the firm for three years.

Mr Brewer was a member of the Royal Tay Yacht Club and successfully raced his yacht, Viala. He also had an interest in golf and was an active member of Panmure Golf Club until his mid-80s.

Mr Brewer is survived by his wife Joyce, whom he met in 1947 and married in 1950, son Paul and daughter-in-law Gillian, as well as granddaughters Katie, Sarah and Helena.

Douglas Brewer was a keen sailor.