Former Aberdeen catering lecturer and Scottish Premier League referee Mike Edwards has died aged 76.
The father-of-three from Northfield was known in Aberdeen’s Dough School and Technical College, as well as for working at the Palm Court Hotel.
British Transport catering
Michael Norman Edwards – always known as Mike – was born on October 3 1946 in Aberdeen. One of three children for housekeeper Thora and Robert Edwards, a tile fixer, he attended Cummings Park school in Northfield where the family lived.
However, towards the end of his primary education he contracted rheumatic fever. This meant being away from his family, in hospitals as far away as London which interrupted his secondary education at Northfield Academy.
As a result, Mike left school at 15. He was employed by British Transport Hotels catering division in station hotels and catering cars on trains.
“My dad worked in Aberdeen’s Station Hotel and the sleeper train to London for quite a number of years,” said Jim, Mike’s son.
During his time with British Transport Hotels he was able to serve his apprenticeship, learning the catering trade on the job.
‘Dial 999 for Mike’
From there he worked at Tor-Na-Dee hospital before leaving in 1973 to become a lecturer at Aberdeen’s Dough School.
Mike loved both cooking and teaching and mentoring others. This led to a new post at Aberdeen Technical College, Gallowgate, in the early 1980s, a job he stayed in for more than 15 years.
“During his time there he taught a lot of chefs and remained in touch with them. If ever they were in a bind they would call my dad and he would step in to help. He was like an emergency service for Aberdeen chefs,” added Jim.
Well loved within the catering fraternity in the city, chefs Graeme Fryers, Harry Fraser and Craig Park were among his friends and colleagues.
A specialist carvery chef, Mike also worked at the Palm Court, among others, over the years serving Sunday and Christmas lunches. He was also a popular Santa Claus too.
Change of pace
By the mid 1990s, however, Mike had to step back from teaching and a heavy chef’s workload due to ill health.
He ran a burger van for a time on an industrial estate in Inverurie and then had a pitch on the site of where Robert Gordon University was being built.
His passion for food – and serving people – never waned, however. Mike opened up Sunflower Coffee Shop inside Garthdee Parish Church and also ran a “meals on wheels-type service” for the community. His skills – and expert sauce-making knowhow – was passed down to his sons.
“He always made sure his boys knew how to cook before they left home,” added Aquila Edwards, Mike’s daughter-in-law.
Aberdeen versus Porto
Hand-in-hand with his devotion to the culinary arts was his commitment to refereeing.
Mike spent 18 years as a senior referee running the line in Scottish Premier League matches and officiating for the Highland League.
Among his more high-profile matches was the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden in 1986 between Celtic and Motherwell. And he was the fourth official in the Aberdeen Porto European Cup Winners Cup match at Pittodrie in 1984.
Mike, who lived in Summerhill then Garthdee, was also a past president of Aberdeen and District Referees Association. He continued to mentor and train referees for many years.
A hugely popular man he was also a much-loved grandfather to Josh, Georgia, Niamh, Sam, Abi, Cole and Blake. A Dons season-ticket holder, he loved to take his grandchildren to Pittodrie and watch them play football in their own matches.
Final farewell for Mike Edwards
In March 2022 after a period of worsening health, Mike moved into Jesmond Care Home. It was there he passed away, following a further decline in his health since December, on Friday March 10.
A celebration of Mike’s life will take place on Thursday March 23 in Aberdeen Crematorium West Chapel at 1.15pm. A collection will be taken for Dementia Scotland.
Mike is survived by his wife Pearl, three sons Mike, Jim and Chris, their partners and his seven grandchildren.
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