Solicitor Dennis Collins, 87

Former solicitor and honorary sheriff Dennis Collins has died at the age of 87.

Born and raised in Dundee, Mr Collins graduated from St Andrews University and served his apprenticeship with legal firm Gray, Robertson & Wilkie before becoming a partner in firms Pollock & Smith, Carlton Gilruth and Blackadders.

He became Dean of the Faculty of Procurators and Solicitors in Dundee in 1988, serving in the role until 1990, and was the last dean to be honoured by being appointed an honorary sheriff.

He was also a lecturer in Scots Law at St Andrews University and subsequently Dundee University from 1960 to 1979.

Mr Collins was a Writer to the Signet and, for 20 years from 1976, the Agent Consulaire for France.

A member of the Guildry, he was an Assessor to the Lord Dean of Guild for more than 20 years.

For more than a century his family belonged to Ward Chapel, now Dundee Congregational Church.

Mr Collins was joint chairman of Lord Armitstead’s Dundee Trust, responsible for the annual distribution of its income to Dundee charities and schools.

For more than 25 years he was honorary secretary of the Dundee Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

A keen family man, Mr Collins had many interests including golf, angling and gardening, as well as a finely honed interest in stamp collecting.

He was a member of Dundee and District Philatelic Society for more than 70 years, a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society of London and a member of several specialist societies.

He is survived by his wife Elspeth, to whom he had been married for 55 years, their daughter, son and four grandchildren.