His name won’t be familiar to the current generations, although it will be only too well recognised by those who competed throughout the 1970s right up to the 2000s. As a lifelong member of Highland Car Club he first appeared on navigational club rallies before progressing to special stage events, and in 1980 he won the Scottish Rally Championship Division 2 Co-Driver’s title alongside Champion Driver Wilson Girvan.
Like many people, Bob’s rallying had to play second fiddle to work and his rallying outings were often constrained by commitments to Morrison Construction, a business founded in Tain in the 1940s which rose to become one of the biggest construction companies in Scotland with Bob rising to the position of Company Director before he retired.
That meant that he was rarely able to commit to a full championship season but in 1990 he almost ‘accidentally’ got sucked into the whirlwind that was Donald Milne and scored enough rally finishes with him to finish 17th overall in the 1990 Co-Driver’s Championship. The following year Milne and Wilson swept all before them, culminating in them winning the national Scottish Rally Championship Driver and Co-Driver’s titles in 1991. A second championship title eluded Wilson in 1994 when he finished 3rd overall without being able to contest the full season!
Awards and trophies were never the target, the sole aims were the fun, the challenge and the craic. One could almost see the shoulders relax when he stepped out of the office into a rally car.
Our condolences to Bob’s wife Anne, his extended family and wide circle of friends.
Note: The funeral service is scheduled to take place at the United Reformed Church, Crescent Rd, Nairn IV12 4NB, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 12:00 midday, followed by burial at Nairn Cemetery, Househill Terrace, Nairn IV12 5AP.
