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Mr. Thomas F. Watt, FCIT, FILT - Obituary
Mr. Thomas F. Watt, FCIT, FILT who was the Secretary of the Scottish Section of the CIT for many years, died on Sunday 24 February 2002, aged 83.
I first met Tom Watt in 1978 when he interviewed me for a position with Greater Glasgow PTE and he encouraged me to join the Chartered Institute of Transport, as he did with many others. Over the years I came to know him quite well and he was always supportive, not only of myself, but of many other younger members who were endeavoring to succeed in transport.
Tom Watt was the son of a miner in Ruchazie and he joined Glasgow Corporation Transport Department in November 1934, aged 16, from the Corporation Gas Department where he had worked as a clerk at the Provan Gasworks. He worked in the Timetables Department until called up for national service in July 1939, being one of the first conscripts. He served with the 6th Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers until he returned to the Transport Department in February 1946.
He then worked in the Schedules Department, where he received a number of promotions, until November 1973 when an internal promotion took him to the Personnel Department, as Manpower Officer and he became a member of the Institute of Personnel Management. By this time the Corporation Transport Department had been taken over by Greater Glasgow PTE, subsequently Strathclyde PTE. Tom retired in 1979 and continued to pursue a number of interests.
He, and his late wife, Ena, were actively associated with Millerston United Free Church where Tom was a church elder of over 30 years standing and he had received a Certificate of Recognition from the United Free Church for his efforts. He contributed articles and took an interest in the history of the church. He was also a Clerk to the Deacons Court and was prominent in the Scout Movement in Robroyston.
Tom was actively involved with the Chartered Institute of Transport and studied for the Institute's Examinations at night school. He is mentioned in the CIT Annual Report for 1948/49 having passed Parts I and II of the Graduateship Examination. He passed Parts I and II of the Associate Membership examination the following year.
He became a Committee Member in 1955 and the minutes of the Committee Meeting of 6 January 1958 record his acceptance of the position of Honorary Secretary, a post he held for 21 years until his retirement in 1979. He continued to serve the Section as Honorary Assistant Secretary until 1994, thereafter serving as a co-opted Committee Member until 1998, a total of 43 years of service to the Scottish Section of the Chartered Institute of Transport.
He was Chairman of the Scottish Section in 1986 and in 1988 was awarded the MBE for services to the Institute in that years' Queens Birthday Honours List. The press release from Institute Headquarters that accompanied the announcement, described him as the doyen of the Scottish Region, and stated:
"He has guided successions of Chairmen of the Scottish Section with thoroughness and calm, so that they learned to rely on him absolutely".
It was this quality, coupled with his quiet, but authoritative manner that made him such a respected figure and there was not much that escaped his attention to detail. His encyclopedic knowledge of Institute matters meant that he was able to advise the Scottish Section Committee of the best way to deal with the many issues that arose. In 1991 he received the Institute's "Award for Meritorious Service", one of only two such awards to Scottish Region Members.
During my 5 years as Scottish Section Secretary, Tom was often consulted and gave advice that was always worthy of taking. He was still attending meetings and visits until last year and was well known to most members who attended meetings regularly. He will be missed by the members who knew him and the numerous past Chairmen of the Scottish Region who relied on his unstinting help.
John Fender.
Scottish Region Committee Member.
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