But in 1980 the Scottish Rally Championship found itself with no title sponsor and nothing in the bank and an approach was made to numerous companies, including Esso Petroleum. After years in the retail and training side of the business Murdo had newly been appointed the Public Affairs Manager position for Scotland and expressed interest in sponsoring a nation wide series of events rather than one-off unrelated sponsorship opportunities.
However, the company started changing in the 1990s. Like all oil companies business life was becoming harsher, criticism stronger and the once kindly image being tarnished in the face of constant opprobrium from protesters. The oil companies were fast becoming the harbingers of doom and the scapegoat of politicians. All thoughts and thanks for the heat and life they had generated blown away by the winds of environmental change and political whim. There was no room for the kindly face of public affairs. More hard nosed PR agencies and individuals were needed to deal with more critical forces.
After completing national service with the Merchant Navy, Murdo joined Esso Petroleum in 1965 where he worked for almost 30 years before retirement in 1994, but if I thought the phone would fall silent, I was wrong. Very wrong. Thereafter I was inveigled into all sorts of activities and escapades. He was a director of the Highland Fund, the Harris Tweed Authority and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, a former President of the Burns Gaelic Trust and he played a vital role in the annual Scottish Gaelic MOD each year. He was also a Justice of the Peace serving in Court on a regular basis.
He was sociable, generous and kindly, as well as stubborn and infuriating at times. The phone would ring, and before the softly spoken ‘Lewis lilt’ or ‘Hebridean brogue’ had finished talking the listener was already saying yes and nodding in acceptance to whatever was being asked.
When I look back on his life I marvel at the serious escapades and daft antics into which he and his Esso colleagues, and him and I personally, got into, and more importantly got out of, but even more to the point, also got out of such risky capers to save the company’s reputation. This is not the place to reveal such exploits as the behemoth which is Esso/Exxon wouldn’t react too kindly to some of the tales which could be told. From a beached 39,000 ton oil tanker on a north east coast to sorting out vandalised playgrounds in the city to dealing with politicians both local and national who would look you square in the eye and shake your hand - before stabbing you in the back on their own personal march to power and influence.
And yet it was all conducted with the natural charm, generosity and grace of a man from Bragar on the Isle of Lewis who had nothing but humanity and goodness in his heart.
Even coping with various ailments and operations over recent years didn’t slow the man down. I recall one midnight phone call when he was left stranded in his wheelchair in an empty corridor by staff at Edinburgh Airport. He was still recovering from an operation which required the use of a wheelchair for a few weeks and yet had still endeavoured to attend a meeting of the Harris Tweed Association in Stornoway. He was helped off his flight after returning to Edinburgh but left abandoned in a corridor. Shocking, but Murdo just laughed it off reckoning the overworked night staff had simply forgotten. No rancour, just another footnote in a remarkable and forgiving life.
Oh, did I mention he could be infuriating? When I was all for complaining to the Airport management and calling in the newspapers, Murdo didn’t want to cause a fuss. Anyway, he had already moved on to his next project.
To those who said no-one is irreplaceable – they hadn’t met Murdo Morrison.
He had been in hospital for the past couple of weeks but sadly passed away on Sunday morning. Our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances right across the globe. A force of nature has left the planet.
