GARNET WILSON AT CRAIGIE HIGH

Garnet Wilson officially opened Craigie High School on 11th December 1970. Although CHS had opened it's doors for the first time that summer, much of the construction work was still going on for a few months after. Eventually though, the building was deemed complete and GW was one of those on the Assembly Hall stage to declare the school "officially" open. Of course there were only us 1st years there to witness it!
The main entrance to CHS is at the end of a wee road called Garnet Terrace, and you've guessed it, it is named after Sir Garnet. This area was, and probably still is, for staff use only.
I can also remember a portrait of GW hanging up in reception, so he did leave his mark on the school.
This photo of Craigie High was taken in 1969 when it was still being worked on, and is from the Garnet Terrace end of the school.
Photo by DC Thomson.

GARNET WILSON'S MEMORY BOOK - 1970

This is the 500th item posted on Retro Dundee, and with the idea of RD being about looking back at the past, I thought I'd mark the occasion by dipping into a book by Garnet Wilson called "Overspill" which is his second memory book of anecdotes and activity. It came out in 1970 and was printed by Winter's in Dundee. As you can see, mine is a signed copy!

I suppose GW could be seen as being a bit of a bigwig in the city, what with his family's department store G.L. Wilson, his roll in local government, his stint as Lord Provost, was also President of University College, and not to mention being the main player in attracting NCR to Dundee.

He was quite elderly when he did this book but lived to the ripe old age of 90, dying in 1975.

So, nicking one of his quotes from the book, this one above about a persons memory, I'm rather fond of, and kind of suits Retro Dundee.