The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Painting firm chief ‘Dave’ dies aged 84
Prominent Dundee businessman David Anderson has died aged 84. His painting and decorating firm, DH Anderson, had offices in Whitehall Crescent.
He went on to form Tayside Decorators, which worked widely across the Dundee area and north Fife.
He was born in Dundee, the son of greengrocer David Hume Anderson and his wife, Mary Ross, and educated at Blackness Primary School and then Logie Secondary School.
He left school at the age of 15 and began his apprenticeship with Gillies of Lochee.
David did his national service with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, based in Inverness, Edinburgh and Dover.
He returned from the military to work with Gillies before moving to P and A Davie in South Tay Street and then PT Roberts.
He served his time with fellow apprentice Scott Mcdermott, with the two becoming best friends.
It was through Scott that David met his wife, Scott’s sister, Emily, with the couple marrying at Dundee Registrar’s Office in 1963.
They went on to have two children, David and Helen.
That same year, David started his business, DH Anderson.
The firm had many contracts with builders across Scotland, particularly in the Inverness and Aberdeen areas.
David managed the workforce from his Whitehall Crescent office.
However, the company folded in 1976 and David returned to the tools as a solo painting and decorating contractor.
Over the years, he made a success of his new firm, Tayside Decorators (Dundee) Ltd, employing 22 men at its height and undertaking private work in homes in Dundee and district.
He lost his wife in 2012 and retired fully from the business.
David, known as Dave, had not been a great animal lover but bought a parrot and named her Dolly.
His son, Dave, who now runs the business, said: “I think he only ever had a pet when he was a child, but he had eight happy years with Dolly.
“She learned to speak and had a wide vocabulary.
“They would sit together in his man cave from early morning until evening, seven days a week.
“Dolly could turn Alexa off and on.
“When we pass the shed, we hear Dolly playing dad’s favourite Elvis songs.”