Peter Drysdale

» Posted by Rob Bryce on Sep 10, 2009 in Blog | 3 comments

Peter Drysdale died yesterday.

He was a farmer, and close friend of my Father’s, who although in his early eighties, retained all the zest and fitness of a man five decades his junior.

His death was sadly – as are still many on farms – caused by an accident.

Peter, like many farmers of my Father’s generation was of that old school, where stoicism, fortitude ad robustness of spirit was the order of the day. There are no sides to these men. What you see is what you get.

He was also a member of the self styled Scottish Parliament, or as they felt – more politically correct – what they ended up calling their “Friday club”

My Father, Peter and ten of their long time Perthshire fellow farming friends would meet – and will continue to do so without Peter – on a Friday, traditionally the livestock sale day.

Although these sales have diminished in Scotland in recent years, the Friday club still meets weekly. They have keys to open the mart bar so they can have a dram (a double measure of whisky) and discuss the weather, the crops, their animals and the general politics of the day.

These men have been through thick and thin, good times and bad, yet despite the vagaries of the years, they have had the good grace to remain loyal friends.

Earlier this year, my Father was delighted to inform me, that the cumulative age of his tribe of old boys, was over a thousand years!

Now, they are one friend less.

These men left an indelible impression on a young boy growing up in the Scottish countryside and were touchstones – through deed and conversation – on many, in their extended community.

It was my privilege to know Peter and my life is the poorer for his passing.

We simply have no idea what’s round the corner, so let’s make every day count!