At the mouth of the River Lochy, at the foot of Abrach Road, there is a well-used but poignant memorial bench in honour of 11 members of Inverlochy’s Sinclair family.
A place of remembrance, like the stories behind each bronze plate, the bench itself has seen its own share of joy and tragedy.
Burned by vandals in 2021, kind-hearted local businesses replaced the bench which pays tribute, among others, to Ian Sinclair who drowned in the loch as a child.
A heartbreak that never escaped Donald Sinclair and his wife Annie, sister of Fort William Provost Donald “Danger” Cameron, the bench remains a place of comfort for the one remaining Sinclair sibling and the wider family.
Today we tell the stories of each of those mentioned on the bench in our new memorial bench series, A Place to Remember: the Sinclair Family.
A place to remember Joan
When Jim Gamble lost his Inverlochy-born wife Joan in 2011, he wanted to help her “come home” one last time.
“Joan was happy in Renfrew where we lived but she always wanted to come home when she died. I had the idea to get a memorial bench and put it near where she played with her siblings as a wee lassie,” said retired fireman Jim.
Over the years more and more plaques commemorating other family members were added to the bench which overlooks the river flowing into Loch Linnhe.
However, in 2021 vandals set fire to a child’s bike leaning against the bench, all but razing the seat to the ground.
“I live in Perth,” said Jim, “so I got a call from the family who still live locally. It was devastating to think such a thing could happen. It cost about £500 and was unusable.”
News of the bench’s destruction shocked the tight-knit communities of Inverlochy and Fort William.
Community generosity in action
Gavin MacKinnon, grandson of Annie and Donald, explained.
“When local news covered the story there were so many comments from people angry and upset that such a special thing like a memorial bench could be deliberately damaged.
“We were delighted when some local businesses offered to help replace it.”
BSW Timber in Fort William created a new frame, and made the wooden bench from a Douglas Fir log. Funeral directors Manson and MacBeath offered to provide personalised brass plaques for Annie, Donald, six of their seven children, and three of their children’s spouses.
“We were all really touched and grateful for such generosity in replacing the bench,” added Gavin.
Florence, last of the Sinclair siblings
Florence MacNicol is the only living Sinclair sibling. The bench has become a special place for her to be with her departed parents, brothers and sisters.
“It’s a lovely place with a special outlook. It can be sad to be there. I’m the only one left, you know. You can’t help but be a bit sad.
“There were a lot of us so over the years so it was a normal thing for some brothers and sisters to move away. We always came back for holidays and special occasions.
“This is the last place where we can all be together,” said Florence.
Situated at the bottom of Abrach Road, it’s near to where the Sinclairs’ house was.
“When we were kids there was sand there, and a fence,” added Florence, who married Jackie MacNicol, also named on the bench. “We were in and out of the water, and in the school holidays we spent lots of time there.
“The man across the road had a plot. We would pinch the rhubarb on the way down.
“I had so many happy times there. When Jim put the bench there I would sit back and remember all of us.”
A weel kent Fort William family
Florence believes many people from Inverlochy and Fort William will remember her family.
“Inverlochy was basically built to house the workers of British Aluminium, so about 90 percent of our dads worked there and all knew one another.
“My mum was a Cameron – a prominent Fort William family – and she ran a bed and breakfast. And sadly my brother drowned in the loch. That’s not something a family, or a community, ever forgets.”
Ian was just eight when he drowned while out playing with friends near the pier.
It’s thought he fell off a ledge and into fast-flowing “tailrace” water with no strong swimmers among his friends to aid his rescue.
“Another wee boy was killed in sinking sands once,” added Florence. “Nobody forgets tragedy like that.”
The Sinclair family of Inverlochy, Fort William
Named on the bench is Donald Sinclair and his wife Annie Sinclair (née Cameron). Their sons Charlie, Ian and Donald are named alongside their sisters Marie, Anne and Joan. Charlie’s wife Carol, Florence’s husband Jackie, Jim’s wife Joan and Marie’s husband Jimmy also have plaques attached to the bench.
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