Peterhead - A flying visit!

For a few hours yesterday, I was able to turn the clock back! That does not happen too often but it did for me when I visited Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. The occasion was the funeral of the matriarch of the Duncan Family - 'Granny Pearl - at the grand old age of 93 after a very long and productive life, Pearl passed away - in the words of the funeral oration - 'absent from the body - present with the Lord!' - which is far better. An old acquaintance of many years ago would comment at times like this 'from the promise to the presence!'!

Pearl Duncan took over the reins of the family following the sudden death of her husband. She had to be strong of character to be able to make sure that the business operated by her husband would continue to go from strength to strength. They were 'fisher' - pure and simple - the family for many generations had sought out and caught fish! No mean feat! I only spoke to her maybe a dozen or twenty times during my time living and working in Peterhead and the last time was about 10 years ago on the early death of her youngest son Michael. Her impression on me was made through my friendship with her son Peter, his wife, Jean and their children, Peter junior and Jennifer.

With Peter, the strength of character that he had learned from both his father and mother came through. He was and still is great company. His tales of fishing and the sea are absolutely fabulous and a great source of material for any one who will take the time to listen. More than that he is the kind of friend that will prove his friendship in ways that will surprise, astonish and astound! I am looking at this moment at a photograph taken of the MFV Marigold PD145 just as she was about to enter the inner harbour at Peterhead. She had been to sea for a fishing trip and Peter, the skipper had decided that he needed to attend a meeting of the church of which for a short time I was minister. The only trouble was that his decision to make the meeting of the church came during one of the worst storms of the winter - he had been fishing 150 miles off - probably near Shetland or the Fair Isle. The wind was hurricane force and blowing contrary to the way he would normally travel home. His decision to come home caused him to take his vessel sixty miles out into the North Sea to a point at which he would safely turn the ship and head her back in a north westerly direction towards Peterhead. The term batten down the hatches would not mean much to a person such as myself - born and bred in the heart of the City of Edinburgh - but it meant something to the 8 members of his crew. The order was made secure all the hatches and every man on the vessel was instructed to come on to the bridge and there they watched as the drama unfolded. Battling through enormous seas being thrown about like a cork on the ocean the skipper at the wheel and making what some would say was a foolhardy attempt to make port - but he was and still is a man of resolution - at least to me! Others will have their opinion, naturally - but I have mine - he came in that day for me!

He believed in me! Why I do not know, there is nothing much of me, I was not and never will be a great orator, a charismatic leader, all I was then was a fellow who had come to live and work in a community I had nothing in common with, except a desire to serve people. He believed in what I was doing and was willing to put his presence at that meeting as a top priority! I watched the Marigold enter the harbour, I was standing at the door of his house, which overlooks the bay at Peterhead speaking to Jean, I drove her down to the Harbour and as the boat was being tied up I overheard a couple of seasoned fishermen say, 'that in all their years working in Peterhead they had never seen such a feat of seamanship'.

He stepped ashore gave his shocked wife a gentle cuddle and assured her that all was well, recounted to me what had taken place, and said quite clearly - 'I'll be there tonight!'

I had never had the chance to acknowledge my thanks for what he did that day. Maybe that was why when I heard of the passing of Granny Pearl, my first thought was to mark her passing with a visit to my friend, his wife and family. I had the privilege of meeting up with them and spending time with them - all be it only a few hours - but nevertheless it was the least I could do for a family that have such a large part in my life.

The outcome of the meeting? - inconclusive! It will be recorded in a minute book; will show nothing of the emotion, the effort, the sacrifice, of those involved either for or against! I know however that there was an outcome! A bond was created on that occasion which would tie Peter Duncan and myself, that will be hard to break. I eventually left Peterhead, but the Duncans of Peterhead and the Campbells of wherever are linked, and who is responsible for that, you might ask - Oh I would say quite simply on this occasion - Granny Pearl. The strength that along with her husband she engendered in Peter worked out through his life and affected me.

He was not the only person to influence my life during my time in Peterhead there are others and I will probably return to their effect on me, but for the time being my Flying Visit has brought to my attention the fact that I had never really said:

Thanks Big 'D'!