Obituaries

Lena Martell, pictured here in 1968, was described as ‘Scotland’s Shirley Bassey’ (Picture: Powell/Daily Express/Getty Images)

Obituary: Lena Martell, chart-topping singer and entertainer
Lena Martell, singer and entertainer. Born: May 15, 1940 in Possilpark, Glasgow. Died: October 5, 2026, aged 86

James Desmond Buxton was Scotland correspondent for the FT during a historic period

Obituary; James Desmond Buxton, business journalist and foreign correspondent

Gordon Brown decribed John Wilson as the Treasury’s ‘resident philosopher’

Obituary: John Wilson, political thinker and social policy advisor

As well as being an accomplished scientist, Prof Alan Wright was a mean piper

Scotsman Obituaries: Professor Alan Wright, internationally renowned geneticist

Robin Keay oversaw seismic changes from the ‘hot metal’ era to the advent of computers

Obituary: Robin Keay, Perthshire Advertiser editor for 32 years

Ally Van Tillo was open about his HIV status to challenge the association with shame (Picture: Joe Magowan 2025)

Scotsman Obituaries: Ally Van Tillo, founder of the UK Aids Memorial Quilt

Tommy McMichael's career as a food executive took him around the world

Scotsman Obituaries: Tommy McMichael, businessman and table tennis player

Scotsman Obituaries: Paul Henke, diver, businessman, novelist and councillor

Andrew Wemyss set up a charitable trust to help people and organisations in need

Scotsman Obituaries: Andrew Wemyss, Fife laird, businessman and philanthropist

Ken McCurrach played in several bagpipe bands, and took part in the 2012 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow

Obituary: Ken McCurrach, Scottish rugby player picked to play for Australia

Colin Stove was a gifted experimenter and hardware developer

Obituaries: Dr George Colin Stove, radar pioneer, inventor and experimenter

Christine Borland’s works works are in public collections all over the world (Picture: Phil Wilkinson)

Obituary: Christine Borland, influential Turner Prize-nominated Scottish artist

Loyalty and kindness were central to Norma Anne Watson's personality

Scotsman Obituaries: Norma Anne Watson, influential Scottish educationist

Away from politics Baron Sanderson of Bowden was chairman of the Hawico cashmere company

Scotsman Obituaries: Lord Sanderson, former Scottish Minister of State

Despite his busy life, family was everything to Dave Armstrong

Scotsman Obituaries: Dave Armstrong, dedicated Scottish history teacher

Jenny Robertson pictured in Finland in 1995

Scotsman Obituaries: Jenny Robertson, Scottish children’s writer

Sir Jack Stewart-Clark was a member of the European Parliament for 20 years

Obituary: Sir Jack Stewart-Clark, politician and businessman

William Turmeau was a member of many high-level academic bodies

Scotsman Obituaries: Prof William Turmeau, former Napier principal

Away from his professional life Mike Nevin had a lifelong fascination with the Stuart cause

Scotsman Obituaries: Mike Nevin, applied economist

Ian Russell was passionate about recording traditional music and song

Scotsman Obituaries: Prof Ian Russell MBE, pioneering Scottish ethnologist

Oliver Barratt in Princes Street Gardens in 1989, when he was concerned about food kiosks (Picture: Crauford Tait)

Scotsman Obituaries: Oliver Barratt, Cockburn Association campaigner

Jen Hardy was awarded an honorary doctorate by Heriot-Watt University

Scotsman Obituaries: Dr Jen Hardy, founder of Cancer Card charity

At the Knap of Howar in 1973 Anna Ritchie identified the oldest surviving upstanding houses in Scotland (Picture: Ian Shepherd)

Scotsman Obituaries: Anna Ritchie, distinguished archaeologist

Jimmy Gibson (left) shakes hands with Dick McTaggart after the Scottish Amateur Boxing Association Championships at the Music Hall in Edinburgh's George Street in 1959

Scotsman Obituaries: Jimmy Gibson, precociously talented Scottish boxer

Rev Ian Petrie was a regular Scotsman correspondent

Scotsman Obituaries: Rev Ian Petrie, compassionate and caring Scottish minister

John MacDonald was known for his clarity of thought, professionalism and calm authority

Scotsman Obituaries: Maj Gen John Donald MacDonald CB, CBE, OBE, DL

Away from his medical duties Roger Wild loved sailing and the sea

Scotsman Obituaries: Dr Roger Wild, respected radiologist, teacher and author

Monarch of the Glen star Alexander Morton has died, aged 81

Monarch of the Glen star Alexander Morton dies at 81

Ken Peplowski played with such jazz greats as Benny Goodman and Mel Torme (Picture: Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival)

Scotsman Obituaries: Ken Peplowski, Edinburgh Jazz Festival favourite

Ken Smith was capped 18 times for Scotland and played 17 games on the 1959 Lions tour

Obituary: Ken Smith CBE, Scotland international and former SRU President

Dairmid Gunn, pictured in 1965, had a deep respect for Russia's people and culture

Scotsman Obituaries: Dairmid Gunn OBE, naval officer and agricultural leader

Amrit Lal will be remembered as a true gentleman (Picture: Isha Lal Saini)

Scotsman Obituaries: Amrit Lal, Edinburgh Hindu community leader

Henry Spurway combined his theatrical interests with being managing director of Larkspur Racing (Picture: Bill Henry)

Obituary: Henry Spurway, larger-than-life theatrical impressario and bookmaker

Mark Dennis cut a commanding and polished figure

Obituary: Mark Dennis, judge and advocate whose true vocation lay in heraldry

Outside of journalism, Frank Hurley’s passion was the countryside

Scotsman Obituaries: Frank Hurley, journalist who meted out justice as The Judge

Ian McCrae 'was the heartbeat for all the teams he represented'

Scotsman Obituaries: Ian McCrae, Scottish international rugby player

Rachel Craig loved foreign travel and quality fast cars

Obituary: Rachel Craig, inspirational Scottish teacher

'Lady Jean' was fearless, fearsome and a bundle of energy

Scotsman Obituaries: Lady Macpherson of Biallid, nursery school founder

John P Dick painstakingly restored pictures, never trying to outshine the artist

Scotsman Obituaries: John P Dick, Keeper of Conservation at NGS

Chris Baur was proud of his Scottish and Swiss roots (Picture: Denis Straughan)

Scotsman Obituaries: Chris Baur, copy boy who became Scotsman Editor

Mary Spowart wed a Church of Scotland minister and then became one herself

Scotsman Obituaries: Rev Mary Spowart, trailblazing church of Scotland minister

Jimmy Warnock at the mic

Scotsman Obituaries: Jimmy Warnock MBE, farmer and former RHS chairman

Scotsman Obituaries: Robin Laing, folk singer known as the ‘Whisky Bard’

Anne Demarco was a big supporter of the Edinburgh International Festival

Scotsman Obituaries: Anne Demarco, artist, teacher and supporter of the arts

The talented Fay Lenore came from a family of variety artists

Scotsman Obituaries: Fay Lenore, variety performer and actress

Flora Crichton was known for her wit and generosity of spirit

Scotsman Obituaries: Flora Crichton, writer who helped save Traquair House

Allan Massie in 2015

Obituary: Allan Massie, acclaimed novelist, critic, Scotsman legend

A fine writer and a finer gentleman, Andrew Arbuckle is much missed

Scotsman Obituaries: Andrew Arbuckle MBE, farming journalist and politician

Adam McNaughtan was inspired by Glasgow's communal courtyard singers

Scotsman Obituaries: Adam McNaughtan, songwriter who set Glasgow life to music

Iain Douglas-Hamilton at his research camp in Manyara (Picture: David Debber)

Obituaries: Iain Douglas-Hamilton, conservationist devoted to African elephant

Denis Sullivan was known for his quick wit, warmth and generosity of spirit

Scotsman Obituaries: Denis Sullivan, union organiser and political activist

Away from his business interests Sandy Orr was a passionate patron of the arts

Scotsman Obituaries: Sandy Orr, lawyer and entrepreneur who built a hotel empire

Frank Dunlop pictured at a press conference in August 1986 (Picture: Alan Macdonald)

Scotsman Obituaries: Frank Dunlop, Edinburgh International Festival director

John Mayhew worked for the better care of the country’s landscapes and nature

Scotsman Obituaries: John Mayhew, director Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Gordon Black was known for his creativity

Scotsman Obituaries: Gordon Black, celebrated Scottish hairdresser

Denis M Parker was a generous mentor to younger researchers

Scotsman Obituaries: Denis M Parker, esteemed academic and neuropsychologist

Dave Hewitt logged his 1,783rd ascent his favourite hill just six days before he died (Picture: Doug Small)

Obituary: Dave Hewitt, giant of the hill-walking world

Ted Williamson was dazzled by the theatre as a boy, leading him into stage and TV work

Scotsman Obituaries: Ted Williamson, stage lighting designer turned TV producer

Jimmy Lees brought the news to the people of Scotland for decades

Scotsman Obituaries: Jimmy Lees, Scottish journalist

Alison Auldjo at Union Gallery on Broughton Street with art by Samantha Boyes (Picture: Greg Macvean)

Scotsman Obituaries: Alison Auldjo, art gallery curator and talented artist

Away from academia, Jonathan Smallwood made music

Scotsman Obituaries: Jonathan Smallwood, psychology professor

Archie Fisher collaborated with Barbara Dickson and Bert Jansch, among others (Picture: Sandy Young)

Obituary: Archie Fisher, Scottish folk music luminary

Nabil Shaban in the 2007 production of End Game at the Theatre Workshop in Edinburgh (Picture: Jane Barlow)

Obituary: Nabil Shaban, celebrated disabled actor and radical activist

David Gerrard had a love of travel

Scotsman Obituaries: David Gerrard, designer who made his mark across Scotland

Designer Pam Hogg once said: 'My profession is dreaming' (Picture: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Scotsman Obituaries: Pam Hogg, Scottish designer who dressed the stars

Very Rev Dr Alan McDonald at St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, for The General Assembly (Picture: David Cheskin/PA)

Scotsman Obituaries: Very Rev Dr Alan McDonald, minister and peace campaigner

Frances Baty was an advocate for inclusion in the design and delivery of healthcare

Dr Frances Baty, consultant clinical psychologist

David Donald was an early advocate of sport as a vehicle for social improvement

Obituary: David Donald, journalist and corporate PR expert

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