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 The
death of Dr James C Lees, at the age of 88, on Friday 8 June, has robbed
us of one of the men who helped build up the modem Scottish National
Party. When the real story of the Independence Movement is written, it
is hoped that due place is given to his remarkable achievement.
In the early 60s he,
along with Provost James Braid from St Monans, were the National
Office-bearers responsible —with then National Organiser Ian MacDonald
— for the expansion of the National Party from a core of some 20
branches to around the 500 mark. The two men from Fife roved the length
and breadth of Scotland, from the Borders to the Highlands, setting up
new branches. James Lees claimed that he could write a book on the fish
and chip shops of Scotland, as night after night following work he set
off to some far flung destination to work diligently on behalf of the
National Movement, sustained by fish suppers!
I first met Dr James Lees
in 1962 at an open-air Nationalist meeting I had organised with the
kenspeckle Kirkcaldy Nationalist Jock Machie at the Port Brae, Kirkcaldy,
The speaker that Sunday night was W Oliver Brown and amongst the large
turn-out was James Lees. A fortnight or so later, I attended a meeting
organised and chaired by Dr Lees, with James Halliday as guest speaker,
which resulted in the reformation of the Kirkcaldy SNP Branch. Within a
few months, thanks to the drive of the Fife pathologist, the Branch was
400 strong and expansion was set in motion throughout Fife, indeed
throughout Scotland.
My good friend Dr Robert
D McIntyre often said to me that he knew that the National Party was on
the up and up when James Lees and James Braid appeared in Fife. Robert’s
gut instinct, as usual, was proved right, and the two Fife James’ made
things happen. The groundwork of branches they helped to build up still
sustains the Party 40 years on.
On a personal note, I am
very grateful to Dr James C Lees for involving me in the National
Movement and in turn the Scots Independent. He knew full well that the
torch must be passed on and ensured that younger folk were involved. An
involvement, which I must add, I have never regretted.
James C Lees was born in
Newhaven, the son of a fishing skipper, lost at sea leaving a young
family. His mother raised three sons and a daughter of whom she could
rightly be proud. He qualified as a doctor from Edinburgh University,
married his childhood sweetheart Helen in 1939, and saw War Service,
including the siege of Malta. It was just like the TV programme Mash, he
would recount to me. After the Hitler War he worked as a pathologist,
whilst pursuing his life-long interest in Cancer Research in London,
before returning to Scotland in 1959. In Fife he worked at the Victoria
Hospital in Kirkcaldy until his retirement. His return to Scotland was
marred with the death of his daughter Elizabeth in 1961.
He first stood for
Westminster, under the National Party banner, in the 1963 Dundee West
by-election and I can still remember his description from the Daily
Express at the time: "The SNP candidate is a 51-year old
bushy-eyed Fife pathologist". He went on to contest Kirkcaldy
Burghs — on behalf of the Party in 1964, 1966 and 1970. After
retirement he contested a Fife Regional Council by-election in Dysart.
There was little hope of winning the seat but James Lees was determined
that the flag should be flown and the SNP represented in the ward.
As well as his
industrious and productive work on behalf of the National Party, Dr
James C Lees was also much involved with the Scots Independent. He
served, until his death, as a director of the newspaper, and amongst his
many contributions, he suggested that the SI have an annual award to an
outstanding Scot. This resulted in the annual presentation of the Oliver
Brown Award, commencing in 1983 with the award going to Tom Weir. James
Lees was himself an outstanding Scot.
The loss of his beloved
wife Helen 14 years ago came as a severe blow to him, but his final
years were sustained by a loving family. A son of the sea, he liked
nothing better than monitoring the shipping in the Forth from his home
in Pan Ha, Dysart. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time,
his sister Elizabeth, daughter Kathleen, his son-in-law Donald and
grand-daughters Elizabeth and Helen.
In a short space of time
we have lost three great stalwarts in the creation of the modern SNP —
Dr Robert D McIntyre, Provost James Braid and now, Dr James C Lees. They
all knew the value of public service, commitment to community and
nation, with an unswerving belief in Scottish Freedom. We will not see
their like again.
Peter D Wright
Scots Independent August
2001
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