Good sport George gets set to hang up his hat

Published on Monday 28 May 2007 12:00

THE driving force behind the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games is preparing for an emotional send-off after bringing down the curtain on 60 years in the public eye.

George Hunter OBE has stepped down from the city council after 15 years representing Craiglockhart.

But it was as general secretary of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland that he made a successful bid to bring the 1986 games to Edinburgh.

He persuaded the city council to take on the challenge after Glasgow and Aberdeen turned down the offer of his services.

Mr Hunter, 81, began his career in public services following his return from World War Two, during which he was put in charge of 3000 Japanese prisoners of war in Java after he was called up at the age of 18 and seconded to the Indian army.

He served on the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association and formed George Watson's College Rowing Club in 1954. He was also heavily involved in local badminton groups and was honorary chairman of the Edinburgh Canal Society and Water of Leith Conservation Trust.

When first elected as a councillor in Craiglockhart he had a majority of just 80, but by 2003 he had increased that figure to around 2500. Civic leaders said his retirement would be a "sad loss".

The former Conservative councillor, who has arthritis and has difficulty walking, said he would miss helping people and keeping busy as he prepares to take life a bit easier and "get in the way" of his wife Eileen.

He said his major regret in his years as a city councillor was losing green space at Meggetland to a major housing development.

He said: "I fought for four years to keep it green, but lost out in the end. But there were many positives, like getting the street lighting re-done in Craiglockhart.

"I also enjoyed helping people out with any problems they brought to me - little things that were terribly important to those people but not to anybody else. That's the whole idea of being a councillor.

"I will miss it, but I'm over 80 and have arthritis in my knee so I can't go galloping about now."

Ex-Watson's pupil Mr Hunter began his political career later in life, but has worn various hats over the years in the fields of business, sport and the armed forces.

At the age of 14 he became an apprentice with Lawson Donaldson Seeds and later became a senior director.

Mr Hunter, who rose through the ranks to become a captain in the Indian army, said: "We treated the prisoners better than our prisoners were treated. There was no ill-treatment - I wouldn't have allowed it."

Mr Hunter was also awarded an OBE in 1980 for services to sport following his involvement with numerous sporting organisations, including the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association and the Commonwealth Games Association.

Tom Crombie, chairman of Craiglockhart Community Council, who will lead next week's tribute, said: "He has always been a reliable local councillor.

"If you wanted an issue sorted, you knew to speak to George."