Elizabeth and Lamond Milne

When Elizabeth joined SRUC Craibstone, Aberdeen, which was then the North of Scotland College of Agriculture (NOSCA), on 6 April 1964, Professor John Raeburn was Principal and the Main Office was at 41½ Union Street, Aberdeen.

Elizabeth started work as the Secretary for Animal Husbandry, Crop Husbandry, Beekeeping, Engineering, Estate Maintenance and the male and female Agricultural Colleges. Her office was situated in the Farm Square at Craibstone, and she remembers the students being very respectful and well behaved. They were encouraged to attend church on Sundays wearing their College tie, blazer and scarf - "As you can imagine, they all looked very smart."

The College was a renowned institution and attracted many students. There was also an active farm on the estate employing staff, which provided facilities to carry out crop and livestock trials and practical and theoretical training for students. The farm and teaching staff mixed very well enjoying an “Annual Farm Supper” at Christmas which always included a ceilidh. Elizabeth recalls some of the prankster students would let the animals out on campus or play practical jokes with farm equipment.

She then met her husband-to-be. “While I was working in the Farm Office, I met Lamond who secured a job with the Animal Husbandry Department and his office was next door to mine. Previously he had been an agricultural student. Romance blossomed and we eventually married on 23 June 1973.”

Elizabeth eventually transferred to Hunter Hall where an Education Unit was set up, to work alongside a senior tutor, two Animal Husbandry lecturers and two Crop Husbandry lecturers.

“I adopted the nickname ‘Agony Aunt’ while working at Hunter Hall, offering advice and support to young students. The staff had a very good rapport with the students who felt more like friends.”

From then Elizabeth also worked for many other departments. Finally, the last part of her jigsaw was working with Dr Kyrsten Black in her many roles within SRUC. Dr Black (who is now SRUC’s Academic Registrar) was the Assistant Principal for Higher Education and Dean of Aberdeen Centre when Elizabeth retired in November 2014.

Lamond Milne was a student at the SRUC Craibstone, Aberdeen from 1964 -1965 studying Agriculture. His course attracted people from across the whole of Scotland, from the Shetland Islands to the Scottish Borders.

He recalls a friendly and supportive atmosphere and enjoyed Wednesday afternoon sports day. The students played football and games were often organised against the students from the East (Edinburgh) and the West (Auchincruive) Agricultural Colleges.

After finishing college, Lamond worked as an Experimental Assistant with the Animal Husbandry Department for three years. He then started as a Scientific Officer with the Advisory Service where he remained until his retirement. Lamond has observed how much technology on the farm has changed since his days as a Scientific Officer. "Life for the SAC Consultants and farmers now seems to be as much about form-filling as it is about animal and crop husbandry."