Tom Wade Tom’s father was an Englishman who worked on Alvie Estate as a butler and married a local girl. He served in the First World War, during which he was caught in a gas attack, causing him subsequent health problems. When he left the army he set up a confectioner’s shop. Tom was born in Kingussie in 1922, part of a family of five, and on leaving school was employed in the finance department of a civil engineering firm, before leaving to join the RAF in 1942. He completed a tour with Bomber Command and was commended for bravery, receiving the Distinguished Flying Medal and going on to serve in India. After the war he married a Newtonmore girl, Nan. He returned to a variety of jobs such as working on the railway, labouring and driving a grocery van. He took over the family business, Wade’s Café, in Kingussie, before running the Paper Shop until his retirement in 1987. His local government career started when he was elected to Kingussie Town Council in 1964. He became Town Provost (see picture below) four years later, holding the post until local government reorganisation in 1975. Following the elections, Tom served on Badenoch and Strathspey District Council.
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Tom Wade
Tom’s father was an Englishman who worked on Alvie Estate as a butler and married a local girl. He served in the First World War, during which he was caught in a gas attack, causing him subsequent health problems. When he left the army he set up a confectioner’s shop.
Tom was born in Kingussie in 1922, part of a family of five, and on leaving school was employed in the finance department of a civil engineering firm, before leaving to join the RAF in 1942. He completed a tour with Bomber Command and was commended for bravery, receiving the Distinguished Flying Medal and going on to serve in India.
After the war he married a Newtonmore girl, Nan. He returned to a variety of jobs such as working on the railway, labouring and driving a grocery van. He took over the family business, Wade’s Café, in Kingussie, before running the Paper Shop until his retirement in 1987.
His local government career started when he was elected to Kingussie Town Council in 1964. He became Town Provost (see picture below) four years later, holding the post until local government reorganisation in 1975. Following the elections, Tom served on Badenoch and Strathspey District Council.
He was also elected as a Highland Councillor in 1995. He retired from the Highland Council in 1999 due to the ill health of his wife, and subsequently joined Kingussie Community Council, serving for many years as treasurer.
Outwith politics, Tom was closely involved with shinty, as a player, trainer, referee and adminstrator. He played a huge part in the development of Kingussie Camanachd Club.
In 2011 he was bestowed with the title of Freeman of Kingussie for his lifetime of community service.
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