Obituary - Duncan Lang MacMillan
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:25 pmMany people will have been sadden to hear of the passing of Duncan MacMillan (DL) last month. The following obituary appeared in the Campbeltown Courier and with the kind permission of the family is published below. I thought many people, especially those away from the town, would be interested in reading this. Wonderful man and will be sadly missed by many.
Duncan Lang MacMillan
December 15, 1929 to March 27, 2011
Former Labour Provost and Politician
DUNCAN MacMillan, who died aged 81, was a Labour politician, trade unionist, and Post Office engineer.
Born in 5 Glebe Street, Campbeltown, on December 15, 1929, his parents were both from the fishing community. His mother Agnes Carmichael, was one of a family of 11 children from Dalintober and his father James McMillan was one seven children from Campbeltown.
It was from this type of working class background that Duncan’s social ideals; instincts, responsibility, visions, and motivations for the future were to come.
On returning from National Service as a corporal in the RAF in 1950, he returned to the Post Office as a technical officer. Duncan would remain in the profession for the next 40 years, holding numerous positions within the Post Office Engineering Union, the Labour Party, and within Local Government and Industry.
Within the union Duncan served as collector, secretary, and chairman of the local branch. In 1963 he was elected to the union’s Parliamentary panel; Transport House in London included Duncan on its ‘A’ List of candidates.
Duncan joined the Labour Party in 1954 and was Campbeltown branch secretary from 1956 until 1964. As an executive member of Argyll Constituency Labour Party he represented Argyll at Scottish and national conferences.
Duncan was adopted as the Labour candidate for Argyll in 1962 and fought the 1964 General Election, succeeding in reducing the Tory majority by half. He was also a member of Labour’s Scottish Executive, the Fabian Society and CND.
Duncan was first elected to Campbeltown Town Council in 1955 aged 26, and re-elected in 1958, 1961, and 1964 and was convener of various committees.
In May 1965, he was elected Provost after Labour gained control of the town council for the first time in history.
He was elected to Argyll County Council and served on the planning, health and welfare, and finance committees. He also served as one of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses. He was also chairman of the Kintyre Industrial Development Committee and of the original Campbeltown Swimming Pool Committee and a long time member of the Foresters’ Friendly Society and the Antiquarian Society and member of the Co-operative Party.
He was again selected as Labour Candidate at the 1983 General Election, for Inverness, Nairn & Lochaber.
Away from work and politics Duncan was a keen sportsman, particularly golf at Machrihanish Golf Club, and football, which he played, and then supported. In 1969 Duncan was elected Captain at Machrihanish.
During the 80s and 90s, and following his retirement from BT, Duncan undertook various posts within the Labour Party, trade union, local government and industry councils. This included over 20 years as a member of the Highlands and Islands Consultative Council and as chairman of the Argyll and Bute Health Council and Kintyre District Labour Party.
Duncan is survived by son Hamish, from his marriage to Ella McFadyen in 1956, daughter-in-law Morag, and grandchildren Duncan and Lauren. HMcM
Duncan Lang MacMillan
December 15, 1929 to March 27, 2011
Former Labour Provost and Politician
DUNCAN MacMillan, who died aged 81, was a Labour politician, trade unionist, and Post Office engineer.
Born in 5 Glebe Street, Campbeltown, on December 15, 1929, his parents were both from the fishing community. His mother Agnes Carmichael, was one of a family of 11 children from Dalintober and his father James McMillan was one seven children from Campbeltown.
It was from this type of working class background that Duncan’s social ideals; instincts, responsibility, visions, and motivations for the future were to come.
On returning from National Service as a corporal in the RAF in 1950, he returned to the Post Office as a technical officer. Duncan would remain in the profession for the next 40 years, holding numerous positions within the Post Office Engineering Union, the Labour Party, and within Local Government and Industry.
Within the union Duncan served as collector, secretary, and chairman of the local branch. In 1963 he was elected to the union’s Parliamentary panel; Transport House in London included Duncan on its ‘A’ List of candidates.
Duncan joined the Labour Party in 1954 and was Campbeltown branch secretary from 1956 until 1964. As an executive member of Argyll Constituency Labour Party he represented Argyll at Scottish and national conferences.
Duncan was adopted as the Labour candidate for Argyll in 1962 and fought the 1964 General Election, succeeding in reducing the Tory majority by half. He was also a member of Labour’s Scottish Executive, the Fabian Society and CND.
Duncan was first elected to Campbeltown Town Council in 1955 aged 26, and re-elected in 1958, 1961, and 1964 and was convener of various committees.
In May 1965, he was elected Provost after Labour gained control of the town council for the first time in history.
He was elected to Argyll County Council and served on the planning, health and welfare, and finance committees. He also served as one of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses. He was also chairman of the Kintyre Industrial Development Committee and of the original Campbeltown Swimming Pool Committee and a long time member of the Foresters’ Friendly Society and the Antiquarian Society and member of the Co-operative Party.
He was again selected as Labour Candidate at the 1983 General Election, for Inverness, Nairn & Lochaber.
Away from work and politics Duncan was a keen sportsman, particularly golf at Machrihanish Golf Club, and football, which he played, and then supported. In 1969 Duncan was elected Captain at Machrihanish.
During the 80s and 90s, and following his retirement from BT, Duncan undertook various posts within the Labour Party, trade union, local government and industry councils. This included over 20 years as a member of the Highlands and Islands Consultative Council and as chairman of the Argyll and Bute Health Council and Kintyre District Labour Party.
Duncan is survived by son Hamish, from his marriage to Ella McFadyen in 1956, daughter-in-law Morag, and grandchildren Duncan and Lauren. HMcM