Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

‘Straight-talking Shetlander’ Robert Laurenson played for Aberdeen FC and rose to top of Clydesdale Bank

Former banking executive and footballer Robert Laurenson.
Former banking executive and footballer Robert Laurenson.

Robert Laurenson started his working life lighting the fire in a Lerwick bank branch and ended it as deputy chief executive of the Clydesdale Bank.

Along the way he had spells playing for Aberdeen FC and St Johnstone and headed the Clydesdale’s operation in Dundee for many years.

Although his banking career took him to the financial centres of London and Glasgow, Robert, who has died aged 92, never forgot his Shetland roots.

He was in the Jarl squad at Up-Helly-A in 1985 and often painted landscapes of the islands.

His father, also Robert, had been one of the first drivers in Shetland where he operated the first oil truck and first refuse lorry.

Young Robert was dux of Lerwick Public High School and also an outstanding footballer on the islands, turning out for both Lerwick Rangers and the Shetland team.

Robert Laurenson, middle row, second right, with Shetland teammates in 1948. His father, Robert senior, is back row, left.

His first job was at the Shetland Times where he remained for two years before joining the former North of Scotland Bank in 1948 as a junior.

He had to light the fire each day and open the door for customers.

Football was a great passion

Robert’s National Service was spent with the Gordon Highlanders before returning to the bank and being posted to Perth.

This allowed him to play football on the mainland and he made appearances with St Johnstone and Aberdeen FC and was a long-term player with Blairgowrie.

His talents had been spotted in Shetland by legendary referee Peter Carmyle who personally took him to Aberdeen. In his debut match he scored two of three goals in a 3-1 win over Peterhead.

In 1958, Robert  married Margaret Patterson of Birnam and had two sons, Graeme and Kenneth.

Robert and Margaret Laurenson on their wedding day.

Football was a great passion of Robert’s said Kenneth who recalled that the St Johnstone manager had to visit the bank to ask permission for his father to get a day off on a Saturday to play.

“He was poised to go on to a far greater level but it was unfortunately cut short by minor, but in that era, consequential injuries,” said Kenneth.

Robert was, in fact, an all-round sportsman. He played badminton and was a snooker champion in Dundee who once played against Ray Reardon.

In later life he was a curler, bowler and golfer.

‘He quickly endeared himself to the people of Dundee’

From the Perth branch of the Clydesdale, Robert moved to Glasgow and then on to Dundee where he was assistant manager from 1966 to 1968.

Margaret and Robert Laurenson in 2002.

After a posting to Lombard Street in London and then the bank’s Glasgow head office, he returned to Dundee in 1972 at the age of 42 to became manager of the bank’s imposing branch in High Street.

Kenneth said: “He quickly endeared himself to the people of Dundee. He was, after all, a straight-talking Shetlander and understood the tough spirit of the people.

“As a banker and ex footballer, he struck up a great friendship with the people at Dundee United and was a regular in the directors’ box.”

After leaving Dundee, Robert returned to Clydesdale Bank’s head office where he rose to become deputy chief executive.

Outside work he was a fiddler with a passion for Shetland music and a skilled painter in oils and watercolours,

Robert was predeceased by Margaret in February this year and is survived by Graeme and Kenneth.

You can read the family’s announcement here.

Conversation