Angus Stewart Macdonald, CBE, DL, Hon FRAGS, Crown Estate Commissioner for Scotland, president of the Royal Highland Agricultural Society; born April 7, 1935, died January 15, 1996
ANGUS Stewart Macdonald, of Torgorm, who has died at the age of 60,was not only one of the Highlands' most successful farmers and ambassadors, but someone who played a significant role farming, governmental, and other organisations.
He was the son of the late Mr and Mrs Angus Macdonald, of Conon Brae, near Dingwall, and was educated at Conon Primary School and Gordonstoun, where he was head boy.
He first made his mark on the agricultural scene as one of the youngest directors and subsequent chairman of the Royal Highland Agricultural Society, for which he had been unanimously elected as president for the current year. Among the honours bestowed upon him in the last 20 years were appointments to the Highlands and Islands Development Board.
Macdonald also served for 25 years on the British Wool Marketing Board and was a director of Wool Growers (GB) Limited. A director of Grampian Television, chairman of Dingwall Mart, and U.A. Partnership, he was also chairman of Gordonstoun School Board.
His royal appointments included service as a Crown Estate Commissioner. The Scottish Estate, for which he had particular responsibility, includes commercial and agricultural property.
Sir Denys Henderson, chairman of the Crown Estate, said: ``I and my fellow commissioners have been deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend. His special involvement in our Scottish affairs demonstrated, in particular, his deep concerns for the well-being of the Highlands and islands and its people. He took a close and active interest in the varied affairs of our agricultural and fish farming tenants and we will miss the benefit of his straightforward and knowledgeable advice.''
Angus Macdonald was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers, and a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Ross, Cromarty and Skye.
He was awarded the CBE in 1985 and appointed as a fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society in recognition of his work as a trustee of the Moredun Animal Health Trust Fund, the British Wool Marketing Board Pension Fund, the Hill Farming Research Organisation, and the Scottish Agricultural Development Council, which he chaired from 1977 to 1979. A MacRobert trustee, Angus Macdonald advised on the award of funds to many deserving causes.
Angus Macdonald will perhaps be best remembered by the farming community in the north for his unstinting work in bringing together all the Highland Auction Marts. The latest development has assured Dingwall has a buoyant commercial future as the main livestock centre in the Highlands.
He was married for 37 years to Jan, daughter of the late Air Commodore and Mrs Duncan Sommerville of Inchbrae and Loch Droma. They had three sons, Ewen, Shaun, and Jamie.
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