Basic Biographical Details

Name: Fred McDermid
Designation:  
Born: 9 February 1924
Died: 23 August 2011
Bio Notes: Frederick (‘Fred’) McDermid was born on 9 February 1924 into a family of shipyard workers in Partick, Glasgow. He was educated at Hyndland School but left at the age of 15 when World War 2 broke out. He was articled to the quantity surveyors Danskin & Purdie and volunteered for Air Raid Protection duties. He also worked on the construction of wartime airfields around this time. Towards the end of the war he served in the army for two years being stationed in Wales and East Anglia. He suffered from two bouts of TB in the late 1940s and his family moved out of Glasgow to Stonehouse, Lanarkshire in 1950 for a quieter life in the countryside.

In the early 1950s he took a post as a quantity surveyor with the practice Alex Cullen & Co in Hamilton. He remained in the practice at least until the 1980s and possibly beyond. He retired at the age of 72.

Outwith his professional life McDermid had a wide range of interests. He was a member of Stonehouse Congregational Church and served on the Congregational Union’s building committee as well as being the Congregational Union president for several years. The church played a huge part in his life. He met his wife through the church. The couple went on to have two children. He stepped up to the pulpit in the 1960s and undertook an increasing amount of lay preaching work during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1986 he joined the Lanark Evangelical Union as pastor, a post which he held until 2010.

McDermid was also active in politics. He served as an independent councillor on Hamilton District from 1967 to 1970 before joining the Scottish Liberal Party. He ran for MP several times including the 1878 Hamilton by-election, running against George Robertson and Margot MacDonald, though Labour in the end won the seat. He went on to become chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party.

McDermid contributed in a huge variety of ways to the local community in Stonehouse, being involved in the community council and chairing the David Livingston Trust as well as other charitable endeavours. He received a community service award in 2011.

Outspoken on a range of subjects and a frequent newspaper correspondent, McDermid was a fine public speaker and gave talks of a wide range of topics. He was a ken-speckle figure having a love of bright-coloured clothes from yellow waistcoats in the 1960s to red blazers in the later years.

He died on 23 August 2011, survived by his wife and their two children and three grandchildren.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Alexander Cullen & Co (or Alex Cullen & Co.)Before 1975 *After 1981Partner 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 13 East Congregational ChurchGreenock Renfrewshire  
Item 2 of 131970sJerviswood House  LanarkshireScotlandRestoration
Item 3 of 131975David Livingstone Memorial BuildingsBlantyre LanarkshireScotlandMuseum and African Pavilion added.
Item 4 of 13Before 1981Congregational ChurchCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 5 of 13Before 1981Halifax Building Society officesHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 6 of 13Before 1981Offices for Skelly's, WhitehouseMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 7 of 13Before 1981Parish Church ManseCarnwath LanarkshireScotland 
Item 8 of 13Before 1981Private HouseCrossford LanarkhsireScotland 
Item 9 of 13Before 1981Salvation Army CitadelGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 10 of 13Before 1981Salvation Army CitadelPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 11 of 13Before 1981Salvation Army HostelGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 12 of 13Before 1981Traquair HousePeebles PeeblesshireScotlandRestoration
Item 13 of 13Before 1981Winston Squash ClubLanark LanarkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p116

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Lanark Gazette1 September 2011   
Item 2 of 2The Herald26 September 2011  Obituary