Stewart

Day started with the builders, then aunt to hairdresser, emails then changed and off to the funeral of my Russian lecturer at University, Stewart Paton.

Even as a student you could recognise his intellect and skills, as well as his generous personality.

After graduating we kept in touch, sadly in more recent years only through Christmas exchanges. One of the “things to do” on retirement was to revisit those links in person but sadly that was not to be.

Stewart joined Professor Henry Prais in establishing the Interpreting and translating department at Heriot-Watt Watt University which began courses in 1970. I joined in 1973 to study French and Russian with 3rd year abroad where I spent 3 months in Minsk in Byelorussia and 7 months in Lille. Stewart was very supportive during the CCCP phase.

Only one other from my year managed to attend ( there were only 20 graduates across all 4 languages). At that time you did a combination of 2 out of French, German!n Spanish and Russian. Two of my year at least have passed away and some we have lost track of. But many gather every 10 years or so for a reunion.

Many of our lecturers were there: naturally similar but older with some ageing better than others (!). The fact that I was now retired seemed more of a depressing shock to all of them.

Reception in the Botanics then I headed off to hospital radio.