Appreciation: Sheriff Archibald Angus Bell QC

The sudden death of Sheriff Archibald Angus Bell QC, former Senior Sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin last month at the age of 78 was a great shock to his family and many friends. Archie Bell was a man of very wide interests, all of which were represented at his funeral service in St Andrews.

He was born and spent his childhood in Beith in Ayrshire. He attended Speirs School there.

Thereafter he was a pupil at the Leys School, Cambridge. He graduated in Arts at St Andrews University and in law at Glasgow University. His degree course at St Andrews was interrupted by naval service during the war in the Near East from 1941 to 1945.

He passed advocate in 1949. He built up a very substantial practice and took silk in 1961 at the relatively young age of 37. He was appointed a Sheriff at Glasgow on 10 September 1973 and retired on 10 September 1995. During that time he acquired a reputation as a fair and courteous judge and enjoyed the respect of the Glasgow Bar. He dispensed justice quickly and had no time for the law’s many delays. “It’s not the hours you put in, but what you put into the hours” he would admonish new sheriffs. He made a valuable contribution to the Glasgow Bench in the advice and assistance which, when asked, he gave to his colleagues. “My door is always open” he said to me only days after I had taken up my appointment in Glasgow. Many benefited from his advice based on his wide experience of the law and the courts. Nothing was too much trouble.

As Senior Sheriff, he presided over the weekly meetings of the Glasgow Sheriffs – never an easy task – with calmness and dignity. At his retiral dinner he seemed genuinely moved by the regard and affection in which he was clearly held by his colleagues.

He had published in 1999 a short book entitled “For a Shilling of Reward – a Glimpse at the Law of Scotland”, a good hearted and hugely entertaining book in which he gave his readers, drawing from his lengthy legal experience, an enjoyable collection of anecdotes and character sketches.

On retirement he changed his seat on the shrieval bench for a seat in the Big Room of the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse at St Andrews overlooking the first tee. He continued his recreation listed in “Who’s Who” as “Getting fun out of sport”. He had an immense involvement in sport throughout his life. He obtained blues at St Andrews University for cricket and hockey and also represented his university at rugby and football. But it was as an administrator and supporter that he gave most to sport. He was a past President of the Scottish Cricket Union, the Grange Cricket Club, and St Andrews University Rugby Football Club. He was an ex-director of Heart of Midlothian Football Club. In that capacity he drafted the original plan still in operation for a 10 Club Premier League. He was a regular attender at Murrayfield, Hampden, Lord’s and wherever in the world the English cricket team were playing. He was often to be seen on television at Lord’s in his accustomed position beside the gate where the players enter and leave the playing area. He organised and was president of the Capercailzies, a Scottish Cricket side which toured Hong Kong twice, Malaysia, Barbados and Western Canada. He was a man who, apart from enjoying watching sport, gave many of his leisure hours working for the enjoyment of others. He was proud of his membership of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the MCC, and the Purchasers, through whom he did much charitable work.

He had a wonderful memory for the faces of players of yesteryear, although, from time to time, this let him down. A story which he himself often told involved an occasion when he was invited to make up a four ball match at St Andrews. As the other players approached him, he said to one of them “I recognise your face. Did you not play on the left wing at Murrayfield for Scotland in the 1950s?” The gentleman, no doubt deeply touched, felt obliged to reply “Well – no – actually I’m Sean Connery!”

His ability as an actor was such that at one time he was offered professional terms to play a full Shakespeare season at the Byre Theatre at St Andrews.

He was also no mean poet, having published a small book of verse entitled “Blowing Bubbles”. One of these poems, entitled “West Sands, St Andrews”, was read at his funeral service. It concludes:

When earthly substance slips
from mortal frame,
And friends I loved will walk no longer there,
Though history may not record my name
My spirit here will linger in the air

Archie Bell was close all his life to his sisters Joyce and Catherine. He married Dorothy in 1949 and became stepfather to Veronica and Donald. In due course Kenneth and Alastair were born. Sadly, his marriage was dissolved in 1972. However, he remained in regular contact with Dorothy and all his family, and in particular his grandchildren, Sarah-Jane and Jamie, of whom he was immensely proud.

The words of Hilaire Belloc “There’s nothing worth the wear of winning, than laughter and the love of friends” come to mind when reflecting on Archie Bell. He had a wonderful sense of humour and fun which he readily shared. He found great pleasure in the company of his many friends from very varied walks of life. His friends in their turn felt enriched and privileged by their association with him. He will be much missed.

Brian A Lockhart