Charlie was a good sport throughout an active life

CHARLIE McLennan, a former PE teacher, rugby player and sports administrator, has died aged 81.

Born Charles Hislop Scott McLennan in Bruntsfield on 24 June, 1928, he was the son of hairdresser Thomas McLennan and his wife Martha.

Charlie and his elder brother Tom, now 96, were educated at Bruntsfield Primary and Boroughmuir High School.

It was at Boroughmuir that Charlie developed his love of sport – the beginning of a love affair which continued as a player, referee, administrator and enthusiastic member of Boroughmuir RFC right up until his death.

On leaving school, Charlie entered the civil service, working in the Ordnance Survey section where he became fascinated by maps of all kinds, heralding the start of a lifelong interest.

After national service, he studied teaching at Woolmanhill Physical Education College, Aberdeen, where students included the future "voice of rugby" Bill McLaren, who died recently.

During his college holidays, Charlie was a lifeguard at the outdoor Portobello Pool and, in the absence of a permanent teaching post, took up a post as a peripatetic PE teacher during which, by his own reckoning, he taught at almost every school in Edinburgh.

He eventually won a permanent post at Portobello High and, in 1961, he was appointed principal PE teacher at Gracemount High.

While there, Charlie was granted a one-year sabbatical to undertake the new diploma in Outdoor Education at Moray House College, which he successfully completed.

He moved out of teaching in 1964 to join the Scottish Sports Council (now sportscotland), concentrating on the promotion and development of skiing, climbing, orienteering and other adventure sports.

Charlie spent ten successful seasons, from 1950-60, playing for Boroughmuir 1st XV, earning a championship medal in 1954-55 and several Sevens medals.

Following his retirement Charlie took up refereeing for a short while.

His first match was at Mansfield Park and after the game he was given a small amount of money by a Hawick official to "buy a fish supper on the way home".

He was always worried that this had made him a professional.

Charlie's knowledge of rugby, allied to his PR skills and bubbly personality, came to the fore when he helped the Scottish Rugby Union with the promotion of the two Rugby World Cups held in the Northern Hemisphere and in 1991 one of the official match balls, signed by the Scotland players, was presented to him in recognition of his work.

Charlie's sporting expertise was not confined to rugby and skiing.

He was also a fine golfer, with a handicap as low as three at one point and was, at times, a member of Craigmillar Park, Murrayfield and Longniddry clubs, while in retirement he also taught classes in swimming and fitness for Edinburgh Council.

His partner, Maureen Clowe, said: "He was one of these people who was very good at every sport he took part in, he gave unstintingly of his time to help youngsters and adults learn new skills and to experience sports, thrills, fun and camaraderie as he had.

"He was very outgoing, and is very greatly missed by myself and by his family and many friends."

He died on 26 November, 2009, following a battle with cancer.