Meeting up with ‘Sir’ was a joy

Recent recollections on this page regarding “the Cleppie”, otherwise known as Clepington Public School as it was, appear to have gone down well with readers.

One correspondent was delighted to read mention of swimming teacher Alex Spence and the short journeys north-west

to landmarks at Perthshire’s border with Angus that he oversaw more than 70 years ago.

He recalls: “Many years ago, I was in Letham with my then youngish family when I ‘bumped into’ Alex Spence who was walking by.

“He told me that when he was still teaching at Clepington Primary School and travelling there by bus he saw me with my dad when we were walking to our respective workplaces in the city.

“It was grand to meet him again and we had a good old natter. He was still the epitome of a fine gentleman and a really nice bloke.”