Alistair Fulton

Alistair Fulton, who had died aged 68, was a teacher, a show producer, a chorister, a columnist, an intellectual and a wit.

He was born in Kilmarnock to Alex and Helen Fulton and as his father was on active service with the Fleet Air Arm, his early years were influenced greatly by his mother and her two sisters, Sarah and Norma. He attended the local primary school, Bentinck, and was an active and enthusiastic learner. Young Alistair's interest in musical theatre and drama manifested itself in writing and producing shows acted out for the benefit of the neighbourhood children, including his younger sister Isobel.

His secondary education was at Kilmarnock Academy, where his love of language and learning found him vying with a lifelong friend, Bill Dunlop, to see who could conjugate obscure Latin verbs during the intervals. Glowing report cards informed his parents of success in everything except sport, which remained anathema to him. His performance in this area prompted the then rector (Robert McIntyre) to describe him as "a bit of a tadpole, all head, no body".

The school drama club attracted him, it was where he took on many principal roles and proved to have a comic ability that was to benefit the many productions in which he participated throughout his life.

He left Kilmarnock Academy in 1962, heading for the University of Glasgow after having become school dux in English, senior prefect, secretary of the Literary and Debating Society and editor of the Goldberry school magazine.

On arrival at university to study classics, almost the first thing he did was join The Cecilian Society where Bill Dunlop was already a member. His involvement extended right up until February this year when he attended the latest production of Guys and Dolls. He was directly involved in 17 productions from 1963 until 1994 and served for a time as secretary, and president from 1967 until 1968.

Despite this involvement, his academic ability meant he could enjoy fully his dramatic side while still excelling in university classes. It was in such classes he met John McKie (of MYOPS and The Wee Stinker of The Herald crossword fame). He recognised in Mr Fulton a mind similar to his own and ensured future proximity in class in order to enjoy his witty and subversive running commentary.

Mr Fulton graduated from Glasgow in 1966 with an MA (Hons) and went on to Jordanhill Teacher Training College. He took up his first position at Jordanhill College School in 1968 as a teacher of classics and is remembered to this day as a larger-than-life character who engaged well with staff and students. The school was a regular producer of shows, usually Gilbert and Sullivan, and he was heavily involved. His enthusiasm was such that he helped out with the 1972 production even though he left Jordanhill in January of that year to take up the position of principal teacher of classics at Hillhead High School.

He stayed at Hillhead for 24 years and it was here he struck up an enduring and close friendship with music teacher Irene McLennan, which survived until his death. With her as an accomplice they started a dynasty of Hillhead High School musical shows which transferred quickly after the first show in 1976 at The Partick Burgh Halls to the reopened Mitchell Theatre. These shows proved to be the outlet he had been looking for to satisfy his desire to direct and entertain, to encourage talent and create individuals with more to offer society than "rote learning".

During his time at Hillhead, amid the "drama", he found time to become the president of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, a position he held from 1979 to 1981, continuing as minute secretary for many years. He also gave time to the Scottish Schools Orchestra summer schools. In another musical venture in the 1970s he joined the New Consort of Voices with some old friends and put his fine tenor voice to the fore, in recitals ranging from Palestrina to Poulenc, Vittoria to Vaughn Williams and from Byrd to Britten.

In the early 1990s he was a regular contributor and columnist for the Times Educational Supplement Scotland, where he was able to voice his continuing passion for education in his own inimitable style.

With the demise of classics teaching in comprehensive schools, he decided to leave Hillhead in 1994. He maintained his vocation in the classics by undertaking part-time teaching at Laurel Bank private school. At this time he also became involved in the industrial tribunal system, serving as a panel member.

Following a chance meeting with former Hillhead pupil Yaqub Yousuf, in the Byres Road he loved, he ended up working for various Gulf royals from 1998 to 2000. His work involved writing and editing speeches, organising graduations from Sandhurst for royal children and assisting in the management of their affairs in the UK.

Throughout his life his family was always important and he would visit them regularly in Kilmarnock to dine and catch up. His family was extended by the birth of his nieces, Susan in 1973 and Aileen in 1976, and lately by three great-nieces. They brought him great joy and he took immense pride in all their achievements.

For 20 years he sang with the choir at St Mary's Cathedral on Great Western Road and for 10 years also worked for the cathedral as office manager before stepping down to concentrate on being a chorister and a full member of the church.

His love of English was well known to all and he was a regular letter and diary contributor to The Herald, usually explaining the finer points of sentence structure, grammar, or both. He was a big crossword fan and collected quite a few Wee Stinker T-Shirts from John McKie, his classmate from university. He had an encyclopaedic general knowledge which was proved when he was runner-up in the radio quiz programme, Brain of Britain.

He was a loyal friend to many. He picked his friends carefully and stuck with them. Indeed, a group of Hillhead High School former pupils met with him and other retired teachers involved with the school shows every couple of months for dinner and a chat. It illustrates the nature of his friendship, wit and admiration instilled in those he taught that they have maintained such a long and regular contact, and there are many others who continued to welcome his friendship and support. We count ourselves lucky we had dinner with him in the week before he died. He was on good form as always. Despite being aware of his treatment, his death still came as a shock to us all.

He is survived by his sister Isobel, her husband Stuart, nieces Susan and Aileen, and great nieces Freya, Tessa and Eve.