Thomas Taylor Bisset
May 21 1876 – Feb 2 1943
Tom was a native of Dunbar, where he lived all his life. He was an enthusiastic
photographer, recording many instances of local life in the town of Dunbar and
modestly supplemented his income as a postal worker by producing various series
of postcards for sale to the public for a period of over thirty years.
He spent all his working life in the Postal
service and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal upon his retirement, after
46 years of service. He was known as a man of outstanding ability and
intelligence and was also renowned for his kindliness and desire to be helpful
to others. He had a great love for the town of Dunbar and was deeply interested
in its history. It was claimed by others that no one was better versed in it
and he was a source of knowledge to many outsiders regarding the historic
places in the town and its neighbourhood. He also advised people from various,
distant locations regarding information about their relatives who had
long ago left the district.
Tom was associated with many organisations in the
town. He was assistant honorary secretary of the Dunbar and Skateraw Lifeboat
branch for 46 years, turning out to coordinate rescue services at all hours of
day and night and also played a prominent part in carrying out the Lifeboat
Flag Day arrangements. The RNLI presented him with a painting of a shipwreck as
recognition of his services. Some of the other organisations that he was
associated with were the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, the Lifesaving Society,
Dunbar Philanthropic Society, Dunbar Mutual Savings Society, the Observer
Corps, the British Legion, Dunbar Castle Masonic Lodge, the ancient Order of
Foresters (Court Star of the East), the Lads Naval Brigade (swimming instructor),
the Temperance Society and the Postal Workers Union (Branch Honorary
Secretary). He served in the First World War, having several narrow escapes,
but ultimately returning home unscathed.
His variety of interests, his compassion for
humanity and his unwavering good nature brought him a wide circle of friends. In
fishing circles along much of the local coast he was a well-known and popular
personality. He was known to have made contact with John Muir, the
conservationist, exchanging letters, photographs and books with each other.
