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Farmer David Robertson, who has died aged 80, was a familiar sight in his 1930 Rolls-Royce

David Robertson with his vintage Rolls-Royce.
David Robertson with his vintage Rolls-Royce.

Farmer, curler, shooter and Rolls-Royce enthusiast David Robertson has died just days after his 80th birthday.

He was born and farmed near Laurencekirk before moving to Forfar in later life while running a business in Fife.

Over the years he farmed at Drumnagair, Laurencekirk, and had piggeries at Tealing and Crail, winning many accolades in fat stock shows at Edinburgh and at the Royal Highland Show and Royal Show.

He was born in Aberdeen in April, 1941. His father owned Balmakewan Estates, near Laurencekirk, and he shared his childhood there with sister Irene and late brother Gordon.

Education

David was educated at Lathallan School, Johnshaven, where he excelled at art and technical drawing, and then Fettes College, Edinburgh.

He then spent a year working at Balmakewan before two years of study at agricultural college in Aberdeen where he showed a particular aptitude for mechanical subjects.

In his younger years, David was a well-known go-kart racer and was in the lead one year for the British Championship but was overtaken before the chequered flag. He also raced the cars he had at the time and was an original petrolhead.

North Esk fisheries

David went on to farm on his own at Drumnagair, Laurencekirk, but was also involved in the running of the fisheries and lodge on the North Esk at Balmakewan until his father passed away.

In the early 1960s he met his future wife, Elsie Mackintosh at a dance in Laurencekirk and they were married in June 1964.

After the sale of Drumnagair in the early 1980s, David and Elsie moved to Cosy Neuk, Forfar.

Crail airfield

David owned Muir of Pert Farm just outside Crail where he had a successful pig farm next to the former airfield which he also bought and owned.

His son, Willie, who died suddenly in July 2013, later bought his father’s Fife interests after David decided to exit the pig farming business.

David was a well known curler and played competitively and very successfully for Inglismaldie Curling Club and won many trophies as can be seen on the ice rink boards in the old rinks of Aberdeen, Dundee, Forfar, Perth, Aviemore, Falkirk, Baden Baden, Germany, Grindlewald in Switzerland and the former Czechoslovakia.

He was  a member of the 20-strong team who were invited to play on a three-week tour of the USA in 1977.

David and Elsie Robertson with their Rolls-Royce during filming for a BBC series on Glamis Castle in 2005.

His wife also was a very successful curler and played for Dalhousie Curling Club and they also regularly played competitive matches as a pair.

One of David’s greatest passions was his 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental, which was once a hearse which he found lying in a dilapidated condition in a barn near Lincoln.

Rolls-Royce restoration

He spent years restoring it to specification and enjoyed driving around Angus and Scotland in the summer months and showing it at events such as the Glamis Extravaganza and at Stonehaven.

David’s daughter Victoria said her father took the car on several international rallies including to Monaco as part of the Bentley Drivers’ Club and in 2019 completed a UK-wide tour with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club.

David had strong connections with the United States, Mobile, Alabama, and Gulf Shores in particular, which were forged originally by his late father.

He often joined turkey shooting camps in the states and hosted reciprocal visits for American friends.

The family’s announcement can be read here.