Jim Peggie

Jim Peggie was born in Alva, Scotland on August 24th 1924. He was the youngest son of David Peggie and Betsy Jane Paterson. He had an elder brother Alexander (Sanny) and sisters Bessie and Helen.

He left school in 1938 at the age of 14 to become a plasterer apprentice. By 1941 he had served his time and was a plasterer.

In 1942 during the Second World was Jim enlisted into the army – the Royal Engineers.  He trained in Perth and in Wooler, England.  While in Wooler his mother and sister Helen came down to stay so that they could look after him!  His sister Bessie sent him down tablet to eat.

He was then shipped to India to fight against the Japanese army.  While on board ship the army was forced to sunbath and acclimatize to the hot weather.

Jim was a lorry driver for the Royal Engineers fighting in India and Burma.  He played music in the army band and met Yehudi Menuhin who came to meet the band.  Jim made his own fiddle.

At the end of the war from 1945/6 he made the long journey back to Scotland via Iraq, Alexandria Egypt and France.  He arrived by taxi in Alva during the night to a family happy to have him home.

From 1946 to 1953 he worked as a plasterer in Alva and also played in a band that traveled to play in the Perth City Hall.

After settling in Perth and marrying Erika and then having 3 sons he went on to managing a builders merchant.  In 1967 he with the help of his brother-in-law Tom Brown built a house in Hillend Road, Perth where they lived out the remainder of their lives.

Jim was a keen sportsman and was a memeber of the King James IV golf course in Perth. He would also take his sons to the football to watch the local heroes St Johnstone.  He would visit the British Open most years if it was played in Scotland and during the 1970s and 80s he would often go to Edinburgh with his sons to watch Scotland play at rugby.  He was also very interested in history and read almost every book published about the first and second World Wars.

At home he liked to work in the garden and repair the house that he built!  he also enjoyed taking the dog out for a long walk.  Once he was retired he often took Erika to warmer countries for holidays.

Jim died in December of 1999.