Louis Ferrar

(born May 17, 1911, died October 17, 1998)

WITH the passing of Louis Ferrar, the Jewish Community in Glasgow has lost one of its best-known, best-liked and most- respected members. The necessity of contributing to a meagre family income required that he leave school at the earliest possible age but, entirely on his own, with hard work, grit, and ability, he started in his late teens a manufacturing business which he built up to provide the means, not to indulge himself - he was no high liver and had no desire for ostentation - but to use his wealth for the benefit of all his family circle and for charitable causes throughout the community.

In his private life he experienced many vicissitudes which he accepted with fortitude and good grace. He had no children but of him it might be said, paraphrasing the verse in Isaiah, Chapter 56, and especially with reference to Bonnyton Golf Club, whose foundation and successful development he spearheaded: I have given thee a monument and a memorial better than sons and daughters.

His personal financial contributions to and the organisation of the collection of funds for the many charitable causes in the Jewish community were unique, and he also contributed bountifully and gave freely of his services and advice to several charities in the wider community. These services were recognised by the awards of MBE and Justice of the Peace. He will be greatly missed by a huge circle of friends both within and without and Jewish community.

Sir David McNee, the former Chief Constable of Glasgow, Strathclyde, and Commissioner of Police of the London Metropolis, writes: 'It always intrigued me that Louis Ferrar, a short, fragile man, was relaxed and at his best in the company of police officers. The officers who knew him well were amazed at his ability to organise events and to raise money for charity, particularly the Police Dependents' Trust.

'I first met Louis when he was involved as a member of the Glasgow committee of this trust. After I was appointed Chief Constable of Glasgow I often attended meetings of this committee and experienced Louis at first hand. He was not a committee man. He was more aware than most of what required to be done and he did not enjoy a long drawn-out discussion about it at a meeting. He was a doer not a talker and it was widely accepted that his ability to raise money for charity was second to none.

'Whether it was arranging a tattoo, a fiddlers rally, a premier of a film, a concert, or whatever he thought might result in raising money, he brought to the task great enthusiasm, business acumen, and an ability to get on with others. During my time at the top of Glasgow and Strathclyde there were many occasions when officers were killed or seriously injured on duty. In such situations I could be certain that, as soon as Louis Ferrar learned of the tragedy, he would be in touch to ascertain what he could do to help the families concerned, and he did exactly the same for the fire service. He also single-handedly raised a substantial amount of money for the Glasgow committee of the trust and later for the Scottish committee. I am fairly confident that it was for this, coupled with his fund-raising for charities within the Jewish and wider communities of his beloved city of Glasgow that he

He was appointed a Member of the British Empire.

'I was present, along with his nephew, Dr Joel Lee, at the hospital on the morning he died. I am pretty certain that the presence of a Jew and a Gentile would have pleased him, for he spent most of his life building bridges between the two communities. A remarkable man. A wonderful friend.'

Affiliations

• Glasgow Blue and White Committee - Chairman, 1962 (Glasgow Commission of the Jewish National Fund)
• Co-founder of Giffnock Shul (now called Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue)

• Louis Ferrar, Obituary, The Herald.
• Louis and Marion Ferrar Charitable Trust
• Arklet Housing Association

See also

• Ferrar family | Marion Ferrar