Born: 15 May, 1916, in Edinburgh. Died: 18 May, 2009, in Edinburgh, aged 93.
GEORGE Blamire was a school teacher whose wide interests and experience enabled him to exert an influence that went far beyond his subject of art. The large turnout at his funeral, representing a notably wide range of ages and interests, was a fittin
g tribute to a man whose enthusiasms and skills nurtured the scholastic and sporting lives of several generations of Edinburgh youngsters.
The son of a Cumbrian-born headmaster and an Edinburgh mother, George was born in the Warrender Park area of Edinburgh. Schooling started at James Gillespie's High School before he moved on to George Heriot's, where he quickly demonstrated the "all-rounder" characteristics that were to stay with him throughout his long life.
Sport was to be important to him and he played in the Heriot's rugby XV at an early age, captaining the side in his final year. He also managed to combine success in athletics with his rapidly developing abilities on the golf course and he won medals in sprinting events as well as establishing a record in the shot putt which stood for many years.
In addition, he was pipe major in the CCF, then called the Officer's Training Corps.
School was followed by Edinburgh School of Art and Moray House Training College, where he was top student in his year. A gifted sculptor at art school, he continued to paint in watercolour for many years and leaves many fine paintings, particularly of the Lake District and the East Neuk of Fife.
George was called to service on the outbreak of the Second World War, was commissioned into the Royal Artillery and spent the next five years in the Middle East and Italy.
Even during the turbulence of war service, his love of sport prevailed and he was much in demand for army teams where he took the field with distinguished sportsmen from other disciplines including the rugby league international Roy Kinnear and Matt Busby, later manager of Manchester United Football Club.
George often spoke of the camaraderie of these sporting occasions, which must have been a welcome distraction from the grim demands of the war.
George married Betty Dobson in 1940, a marriage that was to last for 63 years until Betty's death in 2003 and which produced three sons and, as Betty used to say, a clothes line that was perpetually hung with a wide array of sportswear.
In 1946 George accepted a teaching post in Heriot's art department, where, characteristically, he threw himself into extra-curricular activities and he coached the 1st XV and became master in charge of golf.
George and his brother Roger, also on the staff, were mainstays of the school dramatic society, George producing many imaginative sets while Roger directed the plays. George also became quite famous for his unique method of waking dozing pupils by lobbing the wooden-backed chalk duster so that it landed with an almighty clatter right beside them – not very PC in today's terms but effective.
George played rugby for Heriot's FP, scoring many tries for the 1st XV, and in 1938 scored three against Hawick in January, three against Glasgow High School FP in March and four more in September again against Hawick, who must have been sick of the sight of him touching down behind their line.
He played golf at the Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club, where he was a member for an astonishing 75 years and won the club championship in 1951. George very much treasured his honorary presidency of Heriot's FP Golf Club and, although his own golf fell victim to arthritic troubles, he continued to take a keen interest in golf at all levels.
In 1955 he became head of art at Ross High School, Tranent, and three years later head of art at Daniel Stewart's College, where he remained until his retirement in 1979. Again, he was involved in many aspects of the school, with rugby and golf to the fore, and his pipe, walking stick and deer stalker hat were as familiar on the games fields as ever.
Over his long teaching career, George's influence touched so many in the realms of art and sport. Many had their lives enriched through his influence and he was as pleased for those who simply went on get a bit more out of life because of his encouragement and teaching as for those who went on to become notable players.
However, perhaps the abiding memory should be something else, something that was so much a part of his long partnership with Betty. In all the years in Edinburgh, they kept an "ever open door" for visitors – family, friends and friends of friends – all were welcome and many came, some even staying on to live with them for a while. Their house was a second home to so many – and that should be the lasting memory of them both.
George never really came to terms with the loss of Betty in 2003 and his last years were not easy but he managed at home, still with numerous visitors, until the last few weeks. George is survived by his three sons, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
