Carluke teacher Jack McLellan dies suddenly

s CARLUKE lost a very good and very wise friend with the sudden death of John (Jack) McLellan on Sunday. He was 65 years old.

He was a man passionately dedicated to both the history of his town and the education of its future citizens as assistant head of the High School for almost a quarter of a century.

Born to Archie and Nettie (McMahon) on January 8, 1946, Jack attended Carluke Primary when it was still commonly known as The Wee School and went on to complete his schooling at Wishaw High, Carluke lacking a full-term secondary school at the time.

Even back then he displayed an obviously exceptional intellect and hunger for knowledge and this won him a highly coveted place at Glasgow University from which he graduated with an MA Honours Degree in History.

He completed his teaching qualification at Jordanhill and taught for many years at Larkhall Academy, becoming principal teacher of history.

A long and happy association with Carluke High School began in 1979 when he returned to teach in his home town as assistant head; it was a post he was to hold for 24 years before his early retirement in 2003.

During these years he made an enormous contribution to the school and to the education of its young charges.

A friend commented this week: “It is probably for his unique manner in carrying out his duties at Carluke High School that most people will have fond memories of Jack; that and his incredible knowledge, not just of history but of many matters.”

Sadly, his lifetime ambition to write a full hisory of Carluke was left undone.

Outside school, he was a prominent member of the Carluke Cage Bird Society.