William Isbister Tait

The death of William Isbister Tait marks the end of an era for the Tait family as he was the last of his generation. Known universally as Billy and as Papa or Uncle Billy by the family, he passed away peacefully at the age of 91.

Born at 29 Broad Street in Kirkwall on 18 June, 1920, he was the third of five siblings. Soon afterwards the family moved to Buttquoy House, which was then set amid open fields. His primary education was at Kirkwall Grammar School, followed by Edinburgh Academy for the secondary part.

On leaving school in 1937, he started working for J&W Tait, a firm founded by his grandfather in 1870. Billy joined the Territorial Army and was called up before the outbreak of the Second World War.

During the early part of the war, Billy spent many dreary months manning a gun on Flotta, followed by an extended stint in Gibraltar.

Although none of these were used in action, he did order the accidental firing of his Flotta gun, which caused much excitement in Scapa Flow.

Becoming bored with the Artillery, Billy volunteered for the Glider Regiment (44th Airbourne Division) and trained as a pilot. Posted to India, he had many exploits flying Tiger Moths and was able to meet up with his sister Margaret and brother Maxwell both of whom were serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

After the war he returned to the family firm, which played a prominent part in the postwar developments in agriculture. The mass introduction of tractors, modern machines, fertilisers and new grass seed mixtures, combined with large-scale drainage and breaking-in of moorland transformed the appearance of Orkney.

On the death of his father, Charles William, in 1967, Billy took over the running of the agricultural side of the business.

The company gradually moved from the centre of Kirkwall to Hatston Industrial Estate. He was well ahead of the times when he was instrumental in computerising operations in the early 1970s.

Although he retired in 1985, he continued to go in to his office every day for many years afterwards and always very much had his finger on the pulse. He maintained a close interest in the running of the business even into his final days.

Billy was perhaps best known for his youthful zest for life, his charm, wit and mischievous sense of humour; his formidable memory he retained until the very last.

He was also known as a shrewd negotiator in business, who could drive a hard but fair bargain. At the same time he was very well liked and respected by all of the staff. He cared about them and they cared about him.

Billy married Allison Aitken Leonard in 1949. She bore him two sons, before tragically dying due to pre-eclampsia in 1954.

In 1967, he married Jean Maxwell of Orquil and they enjoyed 32 years of very happy marriage. During this time they travelled extensively and entertained family and friends from home and abroad.

Outside the business, Billy was a keen trout fisherman. His pride and joy was the motorboat Shaalder, first launched in 1948 and built for him and his brother John by Duncans of Burray. He enjoyed many a trip around the North and South Isles with family and friends.

He was also a keen sailor and built a Yachting World catamaran in 1964, which provided many exciting moments for him and his boys. Photography was also one of his delights, starting with a Rolleicord in the wartime, and progressing through various Olympus OM1s and OM2s to a digital camera. He especially liked to capture people, family and friends. The activities at Orquil and J&W Tait were frequently documented.

On a recent drive around the West Mainland, Billy was recalling the names of farmers of various generations as well as the farms themselves and how they had changed over the decades.

He lived a long, full and healthy life. He was never one to push himself forward publicly, a very Orcadian trait, but nevertheless frequently made his often radical views known.

He was proud and delighted to be present at the weddings of two of his grandchildren and to meet his first two great-grandchildren.

As the last of his generation of Taits, he was the family patriarch. Billy will be much missed by family, friends, business associates, customers and indeed everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. Orkney is a better place for his giving and his living.

CHARLES TAIT