President Kim welcomed the renowned Scottish Rugby Captain of
Scotland Peter Currie Brown. Known as PC to all who know him. He
was the guest of Rotarian Eric B rown (norelation) who however was born
and brought up in Troon in the 40s and 50s in the same street as PC.
Peter
is a retired Chartered Accountant and was for 12 years Chairman of the
Scottish Building Society. He had an accountancy practice in the
Borders but had many clients in the hospitality industry thnroughout
Scotland. He is pretty much fully retired and lives with his long
suffering wife Jill in Dunbar.
Peter's talk
was split into two haves at the request of President Kim Keble-White as
there was a delay in the lunch service so the club effectively got two
very humerous talks instead of one!
The
assembled company were regaled with many of his famous rugby exploits,
including his three glorious wins of the "Auld Enemy".aka England. For
many who have followed rugby, the picture of PC lining up his winning
penalty kick for Scotland is indelibly printed in their minds! He
turned his back on the posts, wiped his nose on the right sleeve and
nonchalantly thumped the ball over the middle of the uprights!" ....
without a thought that he would miss.
Jock
Brown, Peter's father had also played for Scotland as an international,
but as a footballer. He had taught the brothers Peter, young Jock and
Gordon to kick a football with both feet and he was a great coach and
mentor. He instilled a winning attituide which produced, not one, but
two famous rugby brothers. All three were useful golfers too and
Peter is a member at Muirfield and Jock at Royal Troon.
It
is remarkable that Peter today remains Scoltland's highest scoring
forward, much of it thanks to his incredible kicking ability. Not too
many "kicking lock forwards" in the history of British or International
Rugby! Petger retired from Captaincy of Scoptland rugby in 1973
and won 27 caps in 10 years.
A great after
dinner speaker Peter had the assembled company in stiches with her
recollections and anecdotes. On a more serious note, Peter is a
Trustee of a new charity which introduces marginalised youngsters in the
Scottish Borders, aged between 16 and 25 to work or back, into
education. Be also, in his words "succumbs regularly ot the demands of
3 married children and 5 grandchildre".
The sign of a great speaker is to leave the audience looking for more and Peter certainly achieved that..
The rugby Brown brothers are not related to Eric Brown but were brought up in the same street in Troon
"Broon from Troon" in rugby circles means Gordon, but in our Rotary club it means Eric