Obituary: Frederick James Lilley Main

With the death last month of Frederick Main, Scots law lost one of its wittiest, wisest and most capable practitioners.

Freddie, as he was known to all, was born on 7 March 1927 in Galashiels. He was educated at St. Mary’s School in Melrose and Morrison’s Academy, Crieff. He served with the Black Watch towards the end of World War II, including a period in the SIB (Military Police) in Gibraltar. His time as a policeman, although short, left him with a healthy scepticism of police officers, evidence of which lasted for the rest of his life.

After graduating from Edinburgh University he served as an apprentice with the then firm of Bonar, MacKenzie and Kermack, W.S. (now Bonar MacKenzie W.S.) in Hill Street, Edinburgh. On becoming a solicitor he stayed at the firm, eventually becoming a partner. During his time there he supervised the training of a large number of apprentices who have gone on to eminence in the law and other fields. Any of them will tell you that he was a hard task master, but that he gave a training second to none to leave trainees well equipped for their career ahead.

In 1976 he retired from Bonar MacKenzie & Kermack W.S., and bought a hotel on the north west coast of Scotland. As he told it, he drifted back in to the law from there and, after a short time, had a thriving practice under his own name in Glenelg. This, as he said, came about because he could see little point in advising people on their legal difficulties for free, when he could give the same advice and be paid for it.

Freddie’s forte was courtroom advocacy. In all the courts where he practised he was tenacious in placing his client’s position fully and fairly before the court. He earned and kept the respect of all who met him in this role. From the bench, both sides of the bar, and indeed the dock and witness box, it was rare to find a bad word said about him.

Off duty he was the best of company. He was a sociable man, with a ready and non-malicious wit, and an endless fund of stories. He was always ready to advise those colleagues who sought help, and the advice given was usually accurate and to the point.

Freddie died whilst still in practice, and would not have had it any other way. I talked to him once, a few years ago now, about retiring and he was dismissive of the idea. He said that he preferred to work for as long as he was able and capable, and could see little point in learning to play golf at his age, and with the nearest golf course about thirty miles away.

He is survived by his wife Rosemary, whom he married in 1951, two daughters and a son, and four grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held in St. John’s Church, Edinburgh on 7 March 2001.