Real lives: George, 100, was a popular gentleman of the old school

Published on Tuesday 9 June 2009 10:06

TRIBUTES have been paid to George Herculson, who has died four months after reaching his 100th birthday.

Mr Herculson had marked his centenary with a party at Edgington Hospital in North Berwick, and was delighted to reach the milestone.

His nephew, Stewart Herculson, said: "He was a very private person, but he was very popular and he lived in North Berwick for many years. He was in Fidra House nursing home and he died as he wished – in his sleep, peacefully."

He added: "I went down to the local cafe, Buttercup Caf, where he liked to go two or three times a week for lunch for many years, and the owner said 'I told him that when he became 100 he wouldn't have to pay any more and I said 'if you live to 110 I'm going to have to charge you again.'''

"I met a couple of widows who he lunched with and they were very sorry to hear he had passed away, but they both said the same words – they said he was a gentleman, he was of the old school."

Stewart said he had fond memories of his uncle from childhood, when several members of the family lived close to one another in Marchmont: "In those days there was no television – this was in the 1930s. George played the violin, his sister played the piano and another friend played the cello, and we used to have quite frequent music evenings. We didn't get bored in those days."

Mr Herculson was born in Lerwick, Shetland, on February 11, 1909. He was brought up by his father James, who was a grocer, and mother Margaret, along with siblings William, Margaret, Jean, Ella, Mattie, and Jim.

On moving to Edinburgh in the 1930s, the family lived in Shandon Terrace and then settled in Marchmont Crescent.

Mr Herculson worked at Duncan's chocolate factory in Powderhall and joined the RAF reserves in 1939, along with his brother Jim.

Both were called up at the outbreak of war, and Mr Herculson was based in Egypt as a non-commissioned officer on an RAF search and rescue motor torpedo boat.

On returning to Edinburgh in 1945 he went back to work at Duncan's before moving to the electricity board as an accountant.

In the 1970s he moved to East Lothian and became accountant for Dale and Sons farmers at Seacliff Farm, where he served for many years.

He moved to Glenfarg, near Perth, on retirement, and then to McDonald Road in Edinburgh, before returning to North Berwick. Mr Herculson was unmarried, and had outlived all six of his siblings.

An active member of Abbey Church in North Berwick, Mr Herculson lived at Seacliff Cottages until December, and was well-known and popular in the town.

He received more than 60 visitors to mark his 100th birthday. At the time of the celebrations, Fiona Cesari, who runs a taxi firm in North Berwick and knew Mr Herculson for 25 years, remarked: "He is an old school gentleman, a lovely man."

Mr Herculson died on 2 June.