President of the Scottish Wine and Spirit Merchants’ Benevolent Institution.

Mr William G Lundie. 1971.

Mr William G Lundie, president of the Scottish Wine and Spirit Merchants Bevevolent Institution, was in the chair at their annual dinner in the Central Hotel, Glasgow, where there was a full house. 1971.

It was the first occasion on which the function had been held there (the regular meeting place, the Grosvenor, having to be ruled out because of the disastrous fire there in the spring of 1970,) but it was generally voted the usual great success.

A director of the Institution for eight years, Mr Lundie had always taken a warm interest in their charitable work, and he was greatly heartened by the response to the annual appeal for funds, which brought in more than £4,000.

As most voluntary workers for charity know, it can be a thankless task, the only personal reward being the satisfaction of knowing that one has been able to lend a hand where financial assistance is needed. Annually the Institution disburse more than £10,000 among their pensioners.

Not since 1929 has a whisky broker been president of the Institution, and Mr Lundie regarded his appointment as an honour not only for himself but for his firm, Lundie & Co. Ltd., in which he was managing director, and his colleagues on the board was his brother, Mr John R Lundie, and nephew, Mr Bruce Lundie.

The business was founded in 1932 by Mr R D Lundie, father of Willie and John, at 48 West Regent Street, Glasgow, and had operated from that address ever since.

Distinguished after-dinner speakers were not particularly numerous, but Mr Lundie as president was able to call on the services of Sir Andrew Gilchrist, chairman of the Highland and Islands Development Board, to propose the principal toast, “Our Institution.”

An innovation was a special toast, “Scotch Whisky.” Mr Theodore Dobbs, the American Consul, came through from Edinburgh to propose it, and Mr John MacPhail, C.A., managing director of Robertson & Baxter Ltd., Glasgow, who was recently given the O.B.E., replied.

Mr Lundie was married and a a son, aged 19 and a daughter of 16. Golf was his hobby, like many other members of the trade. He was a first-class player and a member of the Old Troon and the Royal and Ancient, St. Andrews and a past Captain of the Trade Golf Society.