Death of hard worker for people in Benarty

Glencraig man Arthur became a important part of the Benarty Heritage Preservation Group and was instrumental in the creation of a number of publications produced by the Group.

Arthur, from Manse Road, who had reached the fine age of 98 years-old, passed away on Monday.

He worked on a number of projects set up by the Benarty Heritage Group and was a massive source of information on the history of Glencraig, Crosshill, Lochore and Ballingry.

He was a long time member of Cowdenbeath Rotary Club and did the research which saw a special booklet published for the club's 90th anniversary a few years ago.

Arthur was born in Kinross in July 1920 from where he was then taken by his father and mother as an infant to a place called Glencraig, where his father had purchased a hairdressing business.

And, apart from the five years he spent in the RAF during the war years from 1940 to 1945, Arthur has been quite happy to spend his life living and working in Glencraig where he rose to become a leading figure in the industry.

He was also very much a community person and became involved in various organisations.

From his early days his main interests was the cubs and the scouting movement which gave him an early opportunity to have a taste of travelling and in 1937,he was asked to go as a representative to the World Scout Jubilee in Holland.

Arthur’s keen interest in the Scouting Movement continued for many years, and he played his part in setting up the 98th Scout Group in what was then the ‘New Town of Ballingry’.

On leaving school, Arthur joined the family business and during the 1950s and 1960s he expanded it by five salons and on the original business being forced to close due to the village of Glencraig being demolished, he moved up to the new township of Ballingry.

Arthur’s love of hairdressing saw him rise to the very pinnacle of the Hairdressing World.

He became the President of the National Hairdressers Federation in 1987/89 and on ending his period as President of that Federation he was then elected as Chairman of the Hairdressing Training Board in 1989/91 during which period he signed the first National Vocational Qualification which was, for the first time, a landmark in proper qualification in the Hairdressing Profession. In the 1970s Arthur was appointed to the Board of Fife College, a position he retained for some 25 years. He also operated a training scheme for some 300 trainees on behalf of the National Hairdressers’ Federation. In 1988 he was the first person from Great Britain to be elected as Vice President of the Confederation of International de la Coiffure.

He continued to run his shop in Bank Street, Lochgelly, well into his eighties along with wife Eliza.

Arthur became a very active and supportive member of the Benarty Heritage Preservation Group from the moment it was set up and was regarded by many as a “walking local genealogy” source who was always ready to share the knowledge he had stored away in his very able memory. The history group produced more than 12 books, copies of which are usually placed in the local library for use by the community and he enjoyed working on them.

His community work saw him win the Benarty Citizen of the Year Award in 2014.

Arthur was a member of Cowdenbeath Rotary Club for half exactly half a century and was president in 1985/86 and worked hard for the club in many roles.

President Norman Black said: "Arthur was a rotary legend and was in his 50th year of membership and just liked helping people.

"He was a Paul Harris Fellow and was a big supporter of the Joe Homan Trust, which sees rotary sponsor the education of children in countries like India which the club strongly backs through his guidance.

"Even when he had to step back a bit as he entered his 90s he was still a man with a razor sharp mind and was always ready to help in any way he could."