History of the Centre. . .
Lagganlia was formally inaugurated by the Duke of Edinburgh on 30th June 1970.
The land and buildings were gifted to what was then "Edinburgh Corporation" by
one George Boyd Anderson. Mr. Boyd Anderson was a wealthy rubber planter who
made his money in Malaya, and on his retirement made a number of philanthropic
donations to the citizens of Edinburgh.
One of the first of Boyd Anderson's gifts was the dry ski slope at Hillend on
the outskirts of Edinburgh, at the time the biggest dry ski slope in Europe.
Delighted with the success of Hillend, Boyd Anderson was keen to see ski groups
progress on to the ski slopes in the Highlands. With this in mind Lagganlia was
purchased, and Boyd Anderson paid for the initial buildings and then passed the
Centre on to Edinburgh Corporation.
The first buildings on site were phase one of the main building ( just 12
student beds in those days) and Hillend Lodge (named after the dry ski slope).
In those days Hillend lodge was reserved for ski race training and for groups
associated with the Boyd Anderson trust.
In the early days the Centre was run by the first Warden John Paisley who had
been on site with his young family since Boxing Day 1969 (arriving to find no
water or electricity!) and had helped to oversee the building work (together
with Boyd Anderson who took a very active "hands on" part in proceedings). John
was assisted on the domestic front by his first wife Jytte, and by the
caretaker Derek Young with Derek's wife Norma doing the cooking. James Grant
assisted with looking after equipment and some instruction.
John Paisley had been on the British Antartic Survey, and had instructed at
Plas Y Brenin Outdoor Centre in North Wales. John had first been associated
with Edinburgh Corporation when he applied (unsuccessfully) for the post of
Warden at Edinburgh's Benmore Centre in Argyllshire in 1963. Before taking up
the post at Lagganlia, John had been a teacher at a school in Shropshire.
The official inauguration took place in 1970. There are some interesting
anecdotes associated with this event.
The ceremony was attended by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. John Paisley had met
the Duke already some years earlier when HRH had visited John's base in
Antarctica. As John had shown the Duke around the Antarctic base, he had made
some joke about highland cattle ( I don't suppose there is much to laugh about
in Antarctica). The Duke had obviously remembered the event and his first words
to John Paisley as the helicopter touched down at Lagganlia was " Still having
trouble with the Highland Cattle Mr Paisley?"
It had been decided by the Director that the Duke would unveil a framed map
with a plaque to commemorate the occasion. John Paisley was having none of
this, and declared that he would make a "thing" for the Duke to unveil (John is
a very talented woodworker). There was discomfort in official circles about
asking the Duke to unveil John Paisley's thing, so it was renamed the
"permanent feature"! This very fine wooden seat is still in place on the knoll
behind Anderson Lodge. If one stands on the seat there are holes cut in the
wood, and by looking through the holes one obtains views representing the
environment for outdoor education round Lagganlia. (There is a spiky shaped
hole giving forest views and a wavy shaped hole with river views etc). As the
Royal procession walked up the hill towards this feature the Duke looked at the
assembled dignitaries all be-suited, and enquired of John Paisley if these were
permanent features too!
At the opening ceromony Carol McNeil (a famous orienteer who still visits
Lagganlia with a school group) ran a demonstration orienteering event, and
Terry Nichol ran a kayak session in a pool in the River Feshie.
MORE HISTORY »
George Boyd Anderson. . .
Boyd Anderson really was a most extraordinary character. There was a tradition
of philanthropy in his family, and his parents built the church in Forres and
gifted it to the local community. Boyd Anderson lived for a time at Millbuies
House near Forres and whilst he was there gifted an 18 hole golf course to the
local community, and then gave his house to a charitable enterprise. When he
left Millbuies he built a house at Gogarbank near Edinburgh where he employed 5
gardeners to care for the grounds. This house too passed into the ownership of
the nation via the National Trust for Scotland, and the house was originally
left for Directors of Education in Edinburgh to live in.
Boyd Anderson was a large man (6feet 3inches) and immensely rich, but always
drove around in a mini! His first wife died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp
and his second wife was only 5 feet tall.
Boyd Anderson tried skiing for the first time at the age of 50 and was so
enthused by the whole experience that he was determined that the children of
Edinburgh should experience it.
Once Hillend ski slope was up and running Boyd Anderson was keen that the open
topped tourist buses should drive by so that the tourists could see it. From
time to time BA would buy a ticket and take a ride on the bus to check on what
the tourist guides were saying about his beloved ski slope!
Boyd Anderson knew Glen Feshie, and together with John Cook ( the then
Assistant Director of Education) he hatched a plot where the land was purchased
from Miss Jane Williamson , and Miss Williamson was compensated for the lost
land by land purchased from the Forestry Commission.
The land was eventually acquired in 1968. Key figures involved were Boyd
Anderson, John Cook, Dr Reith (Director of Education), and Terry Parker the
Outdoor Education Adviser.
At around the same time Boyd Anderson also set up the Boyd Anderson Trust to
support skiing and ski racing in Scotland.
