Remembering Tam Ward

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Tam Ward. Tam features on our ‘collectors’ board at the entrance to the museum. His place there reflects the enormous input he made to the museum and its predecessors.

Tam had volunteered with the museum from the early’80s, becoming a trustee and forming the Biggar Archaeology Group and Young Archaeologists’ Club. He led the MSC team who built the Moat Park Heritage Centre in 1988 and went on to renovate Gladstone Court, Greenhill and the Albion Museums. It was as an archaeologist, perhaps Scotland’s greatest amatuer, that he made his name. Awarded an MBE for his contributions, he was responsible for the discovery and excavation of sites in Upper Tweeddale and Upper Clydesdale from the mesolithic to early industrial including the Glenochar bastle and underwater archaeology at many reservoirs. His premier achievement was to recognise that an excavation at Howburn Farm was producing lithics which matched those found in northern Germany from the upper palaeolithic era thus pushing back the record of the first people to inhabit Scotland in the post-glacial period. The museum won many awards through his efforts including the prestigious Pitt Rivers Award.

Tam will be remembered for his ability to inspire scores of others to get involved in archaeology through his industry, drive and humour. His legacy is on display for all to appreciate at Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum and will hopefully be a permanent reminder of the work of this great man.

Our thoughts and sympathy are extended to his family.