Tommy joins distinguished company
KINGUSSIE native Tommy Wade has led a colourful life and one which has repaid his home town one hundred fold.
When he left school for employment in the finance department of a civil engineering firm, he could not have dreamt what lay ahead of him.
He joined the RAF in 1942 and trained in England and Canada prior to completing a tour of operations with Bomber Command.
A brush with death and commended for bravery, Tommy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal and went on to serve in India until the end of the war.
He then returned to clerical work and varied employment before taking over the family business in Kingussie now known as The Tipsy Laird. He then moved to run the Paper Shop on King Street from where he retired in 1987.
Tommy’s career in local government began when he was elected to Kingussie Town Council in 1964 and he became the last Provost of Kingussie in 1968.
During four decades he must have attended thousands of community and council meetings in that capacity – which should qualify him as a Freeman of Kingussie on that basis alone!
Over the many years he has been a member of Kingussie High School and primary school boards, the Medical Equipment Fund Committee, Abbeyfield Executive Committee and Save St Vincent’s Hospital Action Group to mention but a few.
Only a handful of community stalwarts in the Highlands and Islands have received the accolade of being a Freeman.
Round-the-world yachtswoman Ellen McArthur was granted the Freedom of Skye in September, 2005, and HRH Prince Charles was granted the Freedom of Caithness in August, 2008.
They are in good company.
