OVER 63 YEARS AT SAME DEALERSHIP

PICTURED ABOVE: Willie with the Hamilton Ross team, including Jamie Gardiner, group operations director, upon his retirement

Friday last week (October 4th 2024) marked the retirement of multi-branched Scottish dealership Hamiliton Ross Group's longest serving member of staff, Willie Bilsland - who had spent over 63 years with the business.

Willie started with Hamilton Brothers on the 21st of November 1960 aged 15 as an apprentice and was on the tools right up until last week, showing his incredible work ethic over the past six plus decades. The dealership says he has been part of the business through all three generations, providing a wealth of knowledge on the company's history with many stories from across the years. 

Willie photographed with the old Hamilton Bros Ltd van

Jamie Gardiner, group operations director, said, "Willie Bilsland has worked for my family business for almost 64 years which surely must be a UK record - or up there with one of the longest? A true gentleman, he has been an incredible asset to our business over several decades and will be truly missed."

Jamie continued, "We don't think we will ever see someone emulate this length of service again, and we are hugely indebted to Willie for everything he has contributed to the company over the years. People like Willie are what makes businesses succeed and we owe him so much for his hard work and joyful attitude that he brought to work every single day.

"From everyone at the Hamilton Ross Group, we would like to say thank you to Willie once again and wish him all the best for a long and happy retirement with his vintage tractors and family."

Willie's history

Willie started his career with Hamilton Brothers in November 1960 when he joined their original depot on Glasgow Rd as an apprentice agricultural engineer, aged just 15.

Having grown up on a farm, Willie developed a passion for all things agricultural at an early age. Willie even completed his apprenticeship in just two years - something that would usually take four years back then.

When Hamilton Brothers moved to the Abercorn Street Workshop, Willie was promoted to field service engineer where he carried out repairs on farms in Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire and Argyll and the islands.

In the 1980s, Willie took on the role as service manager. During this time Willie won Merit Awards, including the ‘Master of Service Award’ from Massey Ferguson in 1985-1986 and Kubota Tractors ‘UK Service Manager of the year’ in 1991.

In 2001, Willie moved back to the workshop as a service engineer and has worked in this post until his well-earned retirement, servicing and repairing tractors and groundcare machinery.