A “well kent “ figure

We heard today that our dear friend octogenarian Malcolm Allan has died suddenly.
 
He lived in Bridge of Allan and every morning he walked to the local Co-op to do his daily shopping. M was talking to him a few days ago outside the hardware shop where he had just bought some White Spirits to clean some bushes because he was about to do some home decorating.
 
Malcolm was a retired rare books librarian. He had many interests; chief amongst them was his love of music.  He was organist for many years with the Episcopal Church in Bridge of Allan,). An active member of the Welsh Trust, he was also a former chair of the local community council.  He represented Bridge of Allan at the Park of Keir Public Inquiry into Judy Murray’s proposed tennis centre on the Greenbelt between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan) and he made a moving speech on the need to preserve the local landscape and habitat. He was also our resident erudite local historian.
 
Many people knew him though  as the “owl man “because of his vast collection of images of owls, believed to be over 4,000 at the last count.
In 2012 the Smith museum and Art gallery in Stirling held an exhibition of his collection and it attracted one of the biggest audiences ever.
 
He had a great sense of humour and enjoyed the story going around several weeks ago that he had died. He took great pleasure in telling people “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
We never did discover how that  rumour originated.
Sadly, this time it’s true.