A question for reasoned speculation.
Having been largely responsible for bringing the Spec to the attention of the public in 2002 as a result of my public petition to the Scottish Parliament (PE306) I am keen to set the record straight on the, somewhat limited, extent of my knowledge on the subject, which was brought to my attention by two members of the Faculty of Advocates who responded to my survey regarding declaration of Masonic membership by stating that the Spec was a far bigger problem in the justice system given the number of judges who were members and the fact that they must come across their brethren from business in the Scots courts.
I am also keen to set out what we have gleaned about this secretive organisation, which came mostly from a vanity publication the society had published in 1968 to celebrate their bicentenary. LINK
This book was a starting point for a full examination and poses a question to those who visit the blog.
The question being, how do you find the Spec? ARE THEY KNAVES OR FOOLS, CUNNING CONSPIRATORS OR BUMBLING BUFFOONS? To see the two opposing arguments in detail click on the link in the drop-down menu at the top of this page and go to Part 2 of this blog.
When I first researched the membership of the Spec, one of the most high-profile members on the internet was Ewan Brown. Ewan, a director of Noble Grossart and Lloyds TSB. Ewan was chairman of ENTICO (Edinburgh New Transport Initiative Company) which later morphed into Tie (Transport Initiatives Edinburgh) an arms-length company set up by Edinburgh City Council but dominated by big business, which always had the majority of directors on the board.
Ewan’s photos were everywhere touting his favourite theme, trams. Trams from Leith to the airport, and trams to the new Forth Road Bridge, linking with the light railway/tram lanes on the multi-modal bridge. Money was no object as congestion charges and punitively high bridge tolls and toll road revenues would provide the cash. The brave new world of trams and tolls was dashed when the Edinburgh public overwhelmingly rejected congestion charging and the general public did the same with road/bridge tolling. Seeing what was coming Ewan alighted from his seat as chairman of the board of Tie before the trams fiasco crashed into the buffers.
PR pics of Ewan’s tram days are now collectors’ items.
But, we got the bridge that was crucial to Ewan’s master plan anyway, whether we needed it or not. And, like the much-curtailed, late and over-budget tram project, it is on record as the world’s most expensive. LINK
So when Ewan Brown was honoured with a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours list one can only assume it was for his services to Scottish banking as Chairman of Lloyds TSB. That was a success wasn’t it?
Not in need of knighthood, because he already was given his gong by Maggie Thatcher, was another ex-extraordinary Spec member Sir Nicholas “Niki” Fairbairn, who despite his public opposition to homosexual activity LINK has been named as being a visitor to the Elm Guest House where vulnerable boys from care homes were abused by high-profile public figures.
I knew Niki slightly, but well enough to say I’m wouldn’t be surprised by anything that this trew-wearing Tory did, but I had to reconsider that view when I read of the depths of depravity that he had plumbed with another QC and fellow Spec member, Robert Henderson. LINK
One might be forgiven for questioning whether the fraternal bonds of the so called “sodality” favoured the findings of the Nimmo Smith inquiry in which Robert Henderson Q.C. featured prominently, but that would be just speculation.
The Spec certainly chose an appropriate motto: “Semper Honos, Nomenque Tuum, Laudesque Manebunt” Translating as “your honor, your renown, and your praises will last forever” (Virgil)
With Ewan’s trams, Niki’s trews, and Henderson’s abuse of trust we certainly won’t forget these extraordinary members of the Spec in a hurry, but whether that memory will be for their praiseworthiness is, well, a matter of speculation!
Update 24 June 2019
Times reports that a Scots lawyer is being sought for extradition into allegations of child abuse made by Susan Henderson, daughter of Robert Henderson QC, who together with Nicholas Fairbairn QC and Sheriff Andrew Lothian were cited along with two others of abusing Susan when she was a child. All three were members of the Speculative Society of Edinburgh. Another two lawyers were named in the article. All are deceased.
It seems as if the movers and shakers of our society are allowed to abuse with impunity in their lifetime and only come under scrutiny when they are dead for some years. A bit like Savile, et al. LINK
UPDATE 13 Oct 2024
Recently, as a party litigant, I opposed a petition by Fife Council for the sale of Common Good land, part of a garden at New Row Dunfermline. Also opposing the petition were Central Dunfermline Community Council, who in 2020 had received pro-bono assistance from the Faculty of Advocates in the form of an opinion of their objections by advocate Michael G. J. Upton.
The case was delayed for various reasons and in 2023 a date was set for the hearing at which time the CDCC sought an update from Mr. Upton who declined to assist them further on the basis that some of the community council members were friendly with Mr. Tom Minogue, who had said some unkind things about a society that Mr Upton was a member of.
Surely this can’t be true? I know for a fact that Michael, when dealing with the actions of Robbie the Pict in relation to the Speculative Society of Edinburgh, wrote to his former under-graduate acquaintance George Monbiot stating: “advocates cannot choose or reject clients.” Given this statement it seems that unlike Mr. Pict I am beyond the pale.
Say it ain’t so Michael?
See also HERE: The Speculative Society of Edinburgh Part2 for fuller details.