Scotsman Obituaries: Stuart Wardlaw, farmer and livestock assessor and valuer

Stuart Wardlaw's farming knowledge made him an expert farmstock valuer

Stuart Wardlaw, who died recently, was one of those people who was always busy, whether it was in producing the best of beef cattle from his farm of Haughhead, near Balerno or in using his farming knowledge as an expert farmstock valuer.The parts of his life not occupied by work were then comprehensively filled with a range of leisure pursuits, as well as activities supporting the local community into which he had been born and brought up – he lived all his adult life at Haughhead farm.

He was schooled locally at Kirknewton Primary, followed by his secondary education at East Calder High School. Leaving school, he quickly became immersed in farming at Haughhead, working with his father, but he also found time to join the nearest Young Farmers Club in Edinburgh.

There, as often happen with young farmers’ clubs, he met his future wife, Margaret Templeton. This meeting provided him with a devoted wife and together they celebrated their golden wedding last year. The marriage produced daughter Anne and son Alastair, both of whom introduced their father to a whole range of community sports and activities.

Stuart’s time in the young farmers’ club revealed skills in judging livestock when he picked up the prestigious Changue trophy in a national competition. His skills and his interest in this side of farming were honed by his father Joe, himself a highly regarded and well-respected stockman

Later, after he took over the family farm, Stuart used his knowledge to produce cattle which were much in demand by producers who specialise in fattening or finishing cattle. Haughhead may not have been big in acreage terms, but Stuart ensured that it was well farmed.

Having gained his extensive farming knowledge from his father, Stuart then ensured the next generation of the Wardlaw family, in the person of Alastair, had the same benefit when he in turn took over the family farm.

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Although he did not live long enough to see the fruits of the latest venture, Stuart did see the farm start a herd of pedigree Charolais cattle.

After being involved with the young farmers’ movement, Stuart joined the local branch of the National Farmers Union of Scotland. Soon he had risen to representing the local area on national committees and his open, knowledgeable and fair assessment of situations saw him become a valuer for the NFU Mutual Insurance company.

This job has been described as ‘walking a tightrope between the claimant and the company, but over the years Stuart’s genuineness allowed him to manage this balancing act with an innate sense of fairness and practical knowledge, whether it was valuing machinery damaged in a farm fire or livestock injured in an accident

Away from his work, Stuart had become involved in golf after Alastair took up the sport. He became a stalwart of Harburn golf club, where he not only enjoyed the company and camaraderie but contributed to the running of it. His practical experience came to the fore when he was elected convener in charge of greens and greenkeepers.

From his early days, he was also a piper and apart from belonging to the Colinton and Currie Pipe Band, he was much in demand as the piper at weddings and Burns Suppers. Visitors to Haughhead, when an event was in the offing, could often hear Stuart “loosen” up the pipes by playing them while marching up and down the farmyard.

While Stuart and Margaret were busy in the community in their early years, latterly they travelled extensively, building up friendships around the world. Their travelling abroad was enjoyed but as “home birds” they greatly enjoyed returning home to the company of friends and family, which had now increased with the arrival of three grandchildren.

There is a cliched phrase used about popular men, that “he did not have an enemy in the world”. In Stuart’s case, that commendation was most certainly true.

Obituaries

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