James Forbes started working for the estate as a 16 year old straight from school in 1968 and has recently celebrated 50 years working for the Burnett Family on Leys Estate. 

He started off in the estate maintenance department and spent much of his time clearing drains and ditches with his trusty spade! We found out recently that one of his first tasks when he started working for the Burnett’s was to dance with Mrs Burnett at an Estate post wedding party  in the village Crathes Hall – on the orders of Mrs Birnie, the Factor’s wife!  

Over the years he has been aided with the onset of modern machinery and he plans to go to part time work from 2019 onwards and go back to where it all started in clearing estate ditches and drains, but this time using an excavator. The event was celebrated at the Milton of Crathes with the presentation of a fishing rod which will be of benefit when James eventually edges into retirement. With the Milton being a few yards from River Dee and the Crathes Castle East Lodge where James was born, and beside the Milton Railway Station , with Trains being a lifelong interest, where better to mark such an occasion. Thank you for the last 50 years and here is to many more!