John Carr Scott (1936-2023)

John (J.C.) Scott (Scotty at school) was a man of energy, integrity and exuberance. He was a proud Allanian who maintained an abiding affection for the Schools and served them with dedication and distinction.

John was a very good raconteur and would often recall his time at the Boys’ School of the 1950s, and many of his passions were fostered at Dame Allan’s. He was a great cricketer, being capped for the school and awarded cricket colours: As well as playing for the School First XI, John also represented Newcastle Boys, Benwell Hill and Ponteland clubs. He would proudly wear his cap and colours blazer, with its double thickness red trim, at Old Boys’ and later Allanian events. John’s reminiscences would play down his academic achievement but he was no mean scholar: He studied English, French and geography in the sixth form and his old geography master, Don Walker, became a lifelong friend. An active member of the CCF, John became the Senior NCO of the RAF section and won a flying scholarship.  He participated in the 1955 CCF reciprocal visit to Canada, deepening that love of travel which would take him to so many corners of the globe, and upon leaving school was commissioned into the RAF for his National Service 1956-1957. The following year he moved between services, joining the TA and serving the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers for nine years.  With these connections to the armed services, from 2001 he represented the Allanian Society laying a wreath at the Schools’ Act of Remembrance Day for many years. 

Perhaps the sphere in which John gave most service was in singing. From scout group Gang Shows at the Theatre Royal early in his time at Dame Allan’s, John’s later singing at school ranged from sublime church music, including Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation Mass and Bach’s St Matthew Passion, to whimsical operettas, including Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado and Ruddigore as well as The Thistle and the Rose, composed specially for the Schools. He had a very fine baritone voice and his singing is recorded on the first school record (a vinyl 78) from 1955. Having sung a solo in the 1955 Founder’s Day service commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Schools, fifty years later John had a spotlight solo at the Tercentenary Concert at The Sage (now Glasshouse). For many years John sang semi-professionally, with his moving rendition of the Lord’s Prayer being highly regarded, and also with the Dame Allan’s Senior Choir at cathedral services and evensong at St James and St Basil’s Church.

Having completed National Service, John joined the locally based Procter & Gamble as a salesman. He had a hugely successful career and became a senior head of department and latterly the firm’s custodian of their Royal Warrant. Modestly John summed all this up simply in Ted Baldry’s Millenium Directory of Allanians as “Proctor and Gamble Management.” P&G’s Gosforth base allowed him to maintain his close contact with the Schools and he was an ever-present attendee at the Annual Dinner – and most other occasions where good food and a little wine was served! His connection with Dame Allan’s was more than merely convivial, his much-loved wife, Kathleen (née Williamson) and their children Joanne and Jonathan were all Allanians and well-known within the Dame Allan’s family. As a loyal and ardent supporter of the Schools, John served as President of the Old Boys’ Association twice (1981-82 and 1988-89) and as Chair of the Dame Allan’s Schools Trust. An Old Boys’ Committee member of many year’ standing, John worked earnestly to achieve the merger of the then separate Old Boys’ and Old Girls’ Associations in 2004: With this achieved he stepped back from the board of the merged organisation but continued to be a fixture at Allanian events offering a never-ending stream of stories, which flowed as readily as the wine, and taking a genuine interest in the triumphs and misadventures of fellow alumni.

John was someone who delighted in service and he could not pass a committee by without sitting on it - very often as Chair - but to suggest that he was a “committee man” is to miss the point. John loved connections and community and he blessed every organisation that he served with warmth, wit and wisdom. As John would naturally be the focal point of any social gathering, it is good to recall that he never wore that mantle in an arrogant or controlling manner, but rather his sincerity and delight in fellow human beings shone through in his enthusiasm.  This ability to connect and enthuse bore fruit wherever John served, including the Ponteland Lions (past President), Eastcliffe Grammar School (Chair of Governors), Newcastle Airport Consultative Committee (Chair), Liaison Group of UK Airport Consultative Committees, Darras Hall Estates Committee, P&G Pensions Group (Retired Staff Rep.), the Institute of Grocery Distribution (Director), and Relate Northumberland and Tyneside (Trustee) 

John and Kath were a devoted couple and her death in 2021, aged 82, hit John hard.  He was sustained by his quiet but deeply-held faith (he was an Elder in the United Reform Church in addition to all of the above). After he passed away on the 25th August 2023, his funeral was held at St James United Reform Church in Newcastle (near to the city centre site of the old school) where he had worshipped: It was very well-attended  and joyfully recalled a life well-lived whilst recognising the inevitable pain of loss. After the close of the first hymn, sung with gusto by the large congregation, the minister poignantly reflected that one distinctive baritone had been missing from that earthly choir.

John was a larger-than-life character and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He was also a great rugby enthusiast and would later serve on the Board and as President of Novocastrians’ RFC, the latter role giving him an ex officio seat on another committee, that of the RGS alumni organisation, the Old Novocastrians’ Association (how John enjoyed reminding them that he had been a Dame Allan’s boy!). As well as being a keen supporter of Novos Rugby Club, John followed the English national team very closely. Novos paid a glowing tribute to him on their website, and the last paragraph was ‘just John’.

‘….he is now at peace with his wife Kathleen and many of his absent friends who have been waiting for someone to organise them.’