Professor Peter English (9 March 1937 – 3 January 2009) was a scientist,

shinty Shinty () is a team sport played with sticks and a ball. It is played mainly in the Scottish Highlands and among Highland migrants to the major cities of Scotland. The sport was formerly more widespread in Scotland and even played in Northern ...

player, and social historian from Lochletter,

Glen Urquhart Glenurquhart or Glen Urquhart () is a glen running to the west of the village of Drumnadrochit in the Highland (council area), Highland Council areas of Scotland, council area of Scotland. Location Glenurquhart runs from Loch Ness at Urqu ...

, situated by the shores of

Loch Ness Loch Ness (; ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the cryptozoology, cryptozoological Loch Ness Mons ...

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally, ''upland'' refers to a range of hills, typically from up to , while ''highland'' is usually reserved for range ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

Career

English was an expert in agricultural science, particularly in the field of

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

. He was an employee of

Aberdeen University The University of Aberdeen (abbreviated ''Aberd.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Al ...

from 1961 until 2002, eventually attaining the position of professor of animal science and husbandry in 1998. Additionally, he was on the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council for nine years. His book ''The Sow - Improving Her Efficiency'' has been translated into 23 languages.

Shinty

English was well regarded for his contributions to the sport of shinty. As a young man, he played in a successful

Glenurquhart Shinty Club Glenurquhart Shinty Club is a shinty team which plays in Drumnadrochit on the banks of Loch Ness, Scotland. It draws its players from the part of the Great Glen which encompasses Drumnadrochit, Lewiston and Glenurquhart. The club has been exist ...

side in the 1950s and early 1960s before moving to

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

, where he was a founder of Aberdeen Camanachd and the Aberdeen University Shinty Club. His significant contribution to the game of shinty was the establishment of the ''Shinty Yearbook'' in 1971, with its publication continues to this day. He was also a vice-president of the

Camanachd Association The Camanachd Association (in Scottish Gaelic, ''Comann na Camanachd'') is the world Sport governing body, governing body of the Scotland, Scottish sport of shinty. The body is based in Inverness, Highland (council area), Highland, and is in ...

, the governing body of shinty, for 10 years. As well as his writings about agriculture and shinty, he also authored a history of

Loch Hourn Loch Hourn () is a sea loch which separates the peninsulas of Glenelg, Highland, Glenelg to the north and Knoydart to the south, on the west coast of Scotland. Geography Loch Hourn runs inland from the Sound of Sleat, opposite the island of Skye ...

and Arnisdale. Before his death, he had returned to Glen Urquhart, where he was once again involved with the Glenurquhart Shinty Club.

Works

* ''The Sow - Improving Her Efficiency'' (Ipswich: Farming Press, 1977) * ''Glen Urquhart : Its Places, People, Neighbours and Its Shinty in the Last 100 Years and More'' (Aberdeen: Arnisdale, 1985) OCL
13398228
* ''The Growing and Finishing Pig'' t al.(Ipswich: Farming Press, 1988) * ''Stockmanship : Improving the Care of the Pig and Other Livestock'' t al.(Ipswich: Farming Press, 1992) * ''Arnisdale and Loch Hourn : The Clachans, People, Memories and the Future'' (Arnisdale and Loch Hourn Community Council, 2000) * ''A Bridge to the Past : An Oral History of Families of Upper GlenUrquhart'' (Inverness : Speedprint, 2009)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:English, Peter 1937 births 2009 deaths Shinty players Sportspeople from Highland (council area) Academics of the University of Aberdeen