Not quite a Rolls Royce

“I have been interested in the articles about G L Wilson’s store and the late Sir Garnet Wilson,” emails Neil Powrie. “The recent photograph of Sir Garnet closing his beloved store for the last time, I think on December 31, 1971 is one I remember well.

“Sir Garnet was one of the city’s greatest ever public servants and the most distinguished of Lord Provosts (194046).

“I was present in the Caird Hall when, on the evening of his 87th birthday, March 24, 1972, the Freedom of the City was conferred upon him. The ceremony was presided over by Lord Provost W.K. Fitzgerald and the Burgess Ticket and the Scroll was read out by the Town Clerk, Gordon S. Watson.

“I knew Sir Garnet in his latter years and on one occasion I met him in his son Guy’s shop, Keith Scott’s, just as he was about to ask one of the staff, Maureen Christie (who sadly died very recently) to call for a taxi. ‘Oh, Mr Powrie might be going home and could run you out the Perth Road to St Colmes,’ suggested Mrs Christie.

“I duly obliged, keen to show off my split new yellow Vauxhall Victor. On reaching the car, Sir Garnet inspected it closely from all angles whilst I held open the front door. Eventually, the inspection over, Sir Garnet, about to ease himself into the front seat, looked at me and said: ‘I was rather expecting a Rolls Royce, but never mind, this is an admirable substitute.’

“When he died at the age of 90, the funeral service was held in Dundee Parish Church (St Mary’s), conducted by the Very Rev Dr Hugh O. Douglas. Every head in the church nodded in agreement when he ended his address with the words: ‘How good it was to have known him’.”