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Susan Robertson: Former first lady of Aberdeen dies aged 94

Lady Provost Susan Robertson with Lord Provost Robert Robertson in 1988.

Susan Robertson, former Lady Provost of Aberdeen, has died aged 94.

She served and represented the people of the city together with her husband Robert, who was Lord Provost between 1988 and 1992.

Even after his death in 1992, Susan would still be invited to civic functions and would be accompanied by her nephew, Jim Hawke.

Gorbachev visit

She met then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev when he was awarded the Freedom of Aberdeen at a ceremony in the Music Hall in 1993.

Susan had been a witness to political life in Aberdeen from the late 1940s until she moved to Devon in around 2002 to care for her brother.

She was born and educated in London and during the war she met her future husband Robert who had served with 617 Squadron of the RAF but did  not take part in the famous Dambusters raid.

Move to Aberdeen

When the war ended, the couple returned to Robert’s home city of Aberdeen where he started work on the railways.

He became  a trade union activist and worked his way through the Labour movement to win selection as a prospective councillor. He successfully stood for Aberdeen Town Council in 1965.

Susan soon settled into life in her new home of Aberdeen where she worked for many years in a wool shop in George Street.

Devotion

The couple had no children so Susan dedicated much of her energy supporting Robert in his political career.

He had become Aberdeen Town Council housing convener in 1971. After a spell on Grampian Regional Council, Robert returned to the city councillor where he represented the Linksfield ward.

Susan was at his side when he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by Aberdeen University and made a Freeman of the City of London, both in 1991.

Hospital visits

She was Lady Provost of Aberdeen at the time of the Piper Alpha disaster in 1988 and accompanied her husband to visit the injured in hospital.

Her husband died suddenly in 1992 aged 70 and Susan remained in Aberdeen for a further 10 years before moving to Devon where she became involved in the community and the local craft scene.

You can read the family’s announcement here.