Bobby Colgan remembered

GREAT grandfather Bobby Colgan lived a colourful life.

A talented drummer who linked up with bands across Scotland and toured from the Highlands to Australia, his life also saw him become a bar owner, taxi driver and even a missionary.

Born in Northfield, Tranent, to Annie and Jimmy, he was the first of three sons, with brothers Wilson and Hamish.

Educated at Tranent Primary School and Tranent Secondary School, he would get his first job at the age of just 13.

Working at the weekends at Adam Potter’s Farm, otherwise known as Boggle Hoose, his duties included delivering milk around Tranent in pitchers.

He left school in 1952 and started work as an apprentice engineer with AM Russell.

At the same time, a friendship with Jim Johnstone developed and they became really close friends.

With the encouragement of his father’s cousin, Bobby started to show an interest in playing the drums and started to play alongside Jim on the accordion.

Eventually Bobby, bought an old drum kit which lead to serious consideration being given to starting up a band.

Unfortunately, after a couple of years at Russell’s, he was paid off as a result of them scaling down their Haddington branch, with Bobby going on to work at Stuart Brothers at Blinkbonny on the Longniddry Road.

Around the same time, he would meet his future wife Alison.

In 1954, the newly formed band made its debut at the Co-operative tearooms in Tranent, with a second gig in Garvald Village Hall.

Bobby left Stuart Brothers in 1956 and at the age of 19 went on to work at the Links Pit in Prestonpans.

In March 1959, Alison and Bobby were married at Garvald Parish Church and as a result of working at the Links got a Coal Board house on Park Road, Tranent.

It was during the 1960s that music really came to the fore.

The early 1960s were exciting times as he played with Jim Johnstone’s Broadcasting Band and sometimes the occasional gig with Andrew Rankine, when their regular drummer Billy Thom was unavailable.

Eventually, he would join the Andrew Rankine Band as a regular member.

Also in the early 1960s, Bobby did his first broadcast with the legendary Jimmy Shand.

Sadly, Andrew Rankine moved to Whitley Bay, which led to Jim Johnstone starting up his own band again, with the first broadcast in 1963.

Around the same time, Bobby started driving for William Baxter and Son, Tranent.

Daughter Shirley was born in 1964 and the following year, Bobby made his debut singing on a record with Jimmy Shand Junior.

At the same time, he joined the Jimmy Shand Band as a full-time occupation and did many radio and television broadcasts.

One particular Highland tour proved particularly eventful, with Alison, who he was married to for 37 years, ready to give birth again.

The band assembled at Auchtermuchty in preparation for the tour up north.

Everyone wondered why Jimmy Shand was taking his car as well as the band bus.

On the second last night, the band were playing the Empire in Inverness.

Bobby phoned home to find out that Alison had given birth to a baby son, Bruce.

Bobby was thrilled and told Jimmy Shand, who immediately handed over the car keys and told him to head down the road.

In 1967, Bobby left Jimmy Shand and linked up with Jimmy Blue, with the band touring Australia along with Andy Stewart.

The following year saw Bobby singing with Bert Shorthouse, with the music produced by Pete Kerr.

In 1971, Bobby embarked on another tour of the Highlands alongside Jim Johnstone.

It was 16 weeks of exhausting one-night performances.

At the same time, he was helping his brother Hamish, who was running the Brig Inn in Tranent.

In 1972, he took his connection with the pub business a step further after meeting John Mercer, of Mercer Taverns, which saw Bobby taking over the management of the Burlington Bertie, around the corner from the King’s Theatre.

After a time, he would also become manager at The Chase in Bonnyrigg and would introduce people to famous stars including Chic Murray and Billy Connolly.

After a few years in The Chase, he and Alison took over the Woodside Hotel in Musselburgh before returning to Tranent four years later when Bobby and Alison took over The Back Marker, renamed Bobby Colgan’s.

A spell in Australia was followed in 1986 by becoming a taxi driver with Margaret and George Duncan and then helping Hamish at The Railway and The Long Bar.

Moving on to 1992, Bobby pursued his music career in Spain, where family and friends would come to see his shows.

He is survived by children Shirley (55) and her husband Beck, and younger brother Bruce (53) and his wife Selena, as well three granddaughters Zoey, Leona and Derryn, and two great grandchildren, Taylor and Zoey.