BALERNO BOWLING CLUB

Balerno Bowling Club mourns the loss of Past President Frank King

It is with great sadness that I write to inform readers of the sudden death on 17 October of Past President Frank King while on holiday in Ibiza. For a number of years Frank has commentated in the C&B News on life at Balerno Bowling Club. Not surprisingly, perhaps, for a former representative of his Staff Federation, his views were not always shared by the Committee or some members. But as Revd Deryck Collingwood, Rector of St Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dalmahoy said in a moving and thoughtful eulogy to a packed Church and overflow hall at Frank’s funeral, Frank had a great sense of justice and worked away at issues to improve conditions and practices. It is only fitting therefore that we dedicate this article solely to the celebration of the life of a man who always tried to take the Bowling Club in the right direction.

Frank was born in Hayes, Middlesex. His father David left his home town of Kinross in the 1930s to seek work in London after qualifying as a pharmacist at Heriot Watt. He found a wife too – Frances. Most of Frank’s schooling was in Tottenham….and Spurs remained firmly part of his psyche. After school, he began training with Sun Life Assurance, but had to do National Service in the RAF, training as a medical orderly, and serving in Germany for two years. There, he met his first wife Rita, the mother of his children Stefanie and David. He returned to and remained with Sun Life until taking early retirement in 1995. In 1980 he was offered a post in Glasgow for what was meant to be three years. But three years on, his love for life in Scotland meant the ‘big smoke’ never got another look in. He became President of the Chartered Insurance Institute in Scotland in 1991 – the first from an English company to hold this honour.

Frank joined Balerno Bowling Club in 1985 and served for many years on the Committee as a member, then Secretary and finally as President from 1992 – 94. Current President Hugh Watt said “Frank made an immeasurable contribution to the running of the Club. He always wanted to see things moving and get jobs done. He set a great example for us all to follow.” Close friend and Past President Alan Rankin, the longest serving member of the Club, spoke fondly of the great times they had together. “Frank was a great speaker who loved to share a good yarn; he loved people and had a wicked sense of humour. He was a good dancer and loved music, poetry, fine words and all sorts of stuff.” Former Secretary and friend Ron Dickson shared Frank’s love of history and said “With his English accent he was well qualified to go ‘on the buses’, spending nearly 8 happy years on the Guide Friday Tour Buses in Edinburgh. Quoting Frank’s wife Margaret “It was the job from heaven for Frank; all the things he loved – history, stories, a captive audience and interesting people to meet.” Fellow member Jim Tait spoke of their shared interest in Robert Burns “Frank’s interest in history and poetry drew him to the works of Burns and his knowledge and eloquence made him a much sought after speaker at Burns Suppers.”

Revd Collingwood (on whose material most of this article is drawn) spoke of Frank’s tireless work for the Church where Frank and Margaret married in June 2000. But above all, he emphasised the tremendous joy Frank’s family had given him. Certainly, Frank will be looking down with pride on Stefanie, David and his grandchildren Chris, Peter and Sarah. All at Balerno Bowling Club are thinking of Margaret and them at this difficult time.

We certainly support Margaret’s refusal of Frank’s request to use Stevenson’s words as his epitaph but rather to substitute “Here lies a man who meant well, tried hard and failed little”. All of us feel the loss of a ‘larger than life’ character for whom the Club was a great love and passion. He will be sorely missed.

 

CHARLIE HUSBAND OBE
Vice President and Secretary