J STEWART CRERAR 22 June 1913 - 1 October 2008

We were very saddened to hear of the recent passing away of the oldest living Merchistonian, J Stewart Crerar. Stewart attended Merchiston from 1927 to 1932. So, he was one of that ‘merry band’ who moved from Merchiston Tower to Colinton in 1930! Indeed, at the Thanksgiving Service for Stewart’s life on Tuesday 7 October, his son, John, mentioned in his tribute to his father that Merchiston was at that time “something of an austere and forbidding place” and that his father used to show his children “the scars on his knees from the stones he had failed to pick up from the rugby pitch – not a pretty sight!” At School, Stewart was a senior prefect, a member of the 1st XV for three years (and captain in his final year), a member of the cricket 1st XI for three years, and a cadet officer. John also mentioned that once , his father “briefly challenged the future British senior half-mile champion, Hamish Stothard, in the oft repeated story of the never to be forgotten Merchiston v Edinburgh Academy mile race – so near but yet so far.”

Stewart went to Edinburgh University from 1932 to 1934, and played rugby in the University 1st XV. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II. Stewart was a Master Printer and a Director of the family printing business in Leith, Mackenzie & Storrie Ltd, which thrived under his leadership. Indeed, it used to amuse him that The Merchistonian was always printed by his company.

We at Merchiston were delighted to see a lot of Stewart! He would attend our annual Service of Remembrance and Dedication with other war veterans; another time, the congregation at a Whole School Chapel Service sang “Happy Birthday” to him on the occasion of his 90th birthday! It was wonderful to have one of his grandchildren, Stewart Crerar Jr, in the School for six years. He left us this summer and I imagine it will have given his grandfather great pleasure to watch his grandson enjoying the Merchiston way of life, both within and outwith the classroom. Indeed, we were so pleased to welcome Stewart to Prizegiving this year on Saturday 30 June 2008, at which he and his grandson saw the trophy they had donated to the School, the Stewart Crerar Quaich for International Sporting Achievement, presented for the first time to Sam Hughes. At the Thanksgiving Service, Stewart’s relatives told me with a twinkle in their eyes that he was moving on to pastures new wearing his Merchistonian tie! Stewart Crerar was one of those rare, very special people and he will be sadly missed, not least by the Merchiston community.