In scanning the following list of office-bearers who have steered the
Queen's Park from its birth to the triumphant celebration of its jubilee,
through many trials and troubles, counterbalanced by bright flashes of
success and glorious achievement, it will be seen that all, without
exception, have been men possessed of great abilities, business keenness,
and, best of all, the true amateur spirit. All the offices of the club were
discharged in an honorary capacity, until it was found that the work was too
great for the spare time the holders could devote to the proper performance
of their duties. This applied more particularly to the offices of secretary,
treasurers, and match secretary. The first and the last of these duties
devolved on the paid secretary when he was first appointed in 1894. It would
be invidious to state that one honorary official was more competent than
another in his own department, where all conducted the affairs of the club
with so much ability. Some presidents had comparatively quiet reigns, while
others again had their lot cast in strenuous times, and were presented with
difficulties which had to be faced courageously, and were successfully
overcome. The financing and building up of the three Hampden Parks required
great business acumen, both on the part of the officials concerned, and the
whole general committee of the club. As for the match secretaries, their
office was a most important one, as on them depended the success or failure
of the club, as no club which does not maintain its position on the playing
fields can hope to retain its popularity. Then there was always that esprit
de corps which bound every man in a common bond to uphold the prestige of
the club, and hand the name of Queen's Park down to his successor with
undiminished lustre. And these officials, having accomplished their mission,
dropped out, and left room for men equally able, and equally enthusiastic.
Rarely has it been known, they afterwards lost interest in the club, and its
doings. Conducted on such lines, it is easily understood how the unique
position of the Queen's Park, as the only amateur club of standing in
Scotland, has been upheld; and its present greatness can compare favourably
with its past, only the club exists now under changed conditions, which did
not obtain during the first twenty-five-years of its career. It has adapted
itself to these new conditions, with results which can only be considered
satisfactory.
Mr. A. Geake has been five times president, 1885-86, 1886-87, 1900-01,
1901-02, and 1902-03; Mr. A. Rowan thrice, 1883-84, 1884-85, and 1890-91;
Mr. William Sellar on three occasions, 1894-95, 1895-96, and 1896-97; also
Mr. James Lawrence in the three following seasons; Mr. Hugh Barnett,
1905-06, 1906-07, and 1907-08; and Mr. Tom Robertson, 1913-14, 1914-15, and
1915-16. The following occupied the chair for two seasons: Mr. James Grant,
1869-70 and 1870-71 ; Mr. H. N. Smith, 1871-72 and 1872-73; Mr. Thomas
Lawrie, 1880-81 and 1881-82; Mr. R. Browne, 1882-83 and 1889-90; Mr.
Stewart Lawrie, 1887-88 and 1888-89; Mr. Alfred Dalziel, 1903-04 and 1904-05
; Mr. James Allison, 1908-09 and 1909-10; Mr. John Liddell, 1911-12 and
1912-13; and Mr. Peter White, 1916-17, 1917-18, and 1918-19. There have in
all been twenty-seven presidents of Queen's Park during the fifty years. Mr.
George T. Samson occupied the chair in 1919-20 and 1920-21.
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