Nomination for National Car Club Awards Lifetime Achievement
Drummond Black, The Jowett Car Club
Having joined the Jowett Car Club in 1963, it was not long before the enthusiasm, sense of humour and selfless contribution of Drummond Black became felt by all in the club, and it continues to this day.
The regional sections are the heart of the JCC, and the first challenge for any member of the Scottish Section of the club is geography. Scotland is a big place, and distances significant when driving to see other members in cars built between 1906 and 1954. This has never been a barrier for Drummond, who has travelled thousands of miles, even through Scottish winters, to come to the aid of others from across the club restoring cars and keeping them on the road over many years.
The Scottish section has been a very active one over many years, not just socially and organizing events (including five national rallies in recent years for the whole club) but also in remanufacturing parts no longer available for the benefit of all Jowett owners. For many years this has been led by Drummond as Section Chairman.
Not content with contributing at a local level, Drummond was Editor for the club’s monthly newsletter, The Jowetteer, between 1969 and 1977. His sense of humour and diligent approach to technical accuracy once again meant his work was very well received by members.
Drummond was subsequently elected Chairman of the club between 1979 and 1982, as the oldest one make club in the world this prestigious position was one that members felt he was ideally suited for him to hold.
Drummond is the young one at this AGM in 1981 when he was Chairman.
Countless hours went into his work as Editor and Chairman over several years, whilst also working hard with the Scottish Section, but even these obligations were not enough for someone with this level of drive and passion for Jowett cars and the club.
Competition Time
Recognising the sporting pedigree of Jowett cars, Drummond joined other members in the club on the first ever International Classic Car Marathon, as always thinking of others before himself he arranged sponsorship and followed the team around reporting on the event. He then went on to compete for years afterwards with other club members – no mean feat in 1950s cars travelling in the most extreme environments for hundreds of miles, something his experience in Scotland no doubt helped with!
Drummond on the far right at the launch of the 1989 Pirelli Marathon Jowett Sport team.
Drummond swallowed by the Jupiter and getting the finishers medal in Cortina.
Having enjoyed competing in rallies, Drummond also acted as marshal on several Le Jog events, in spite of freezing temperatures and high winds he remained enthusiastic throughout. As rally competitors will tell you, without the marshals and other volunteers these events simply couldn’t happen, and once again the selfless side gave Jowetts another chance to shine.
Drummond, the kilted one, at the end of LeJog 1994 with John Brown, the organiser, and fellow competitors.
Recent Years
Having supported the club for many years, the relentless positive attitude and passion that Drummond has for Jowett cars and the JCC continues. The club needed a treasurer it could trust to ensure its financial health for the long term, as a club that is 94 years old ensuring the next 94 years so that the cars remain on the road.
For many people simply being the treasurer of a large organization with hundreds of members would be enough. But over the last few years Drummond has led a team organising three very successful annual weekends for club members. He has continued as Chairman of the Scottish Section to solve several technical issues required in order to restore Jowett cars and keep them on the road. He even travelled from Scotland to South East England to share his vast technical knowledge and provide practical assistance with last minute dramas on a restoration project.
Current projects include documenting a complete engine rebuild with the Scottish Section to preserve huge amounts of knowledge for future generations, as well as converting readily available Javelin gear-change columns into much rarer Jupiter columns, a complex but critical task for anyone restoring a Jupiter to its former glory. He has also redesigned and is manufacturing completely new water pumps which have long been a problem.
One thing that speaks volumes to members is the respect with which Drummond is held by every member of the club and its leadership team, and the love that many have for someone able to quickly use humour to diffuse conflict, who will always freely give up his time to explain the technical detail, history or thinking behind any aspect of Jowetteering often over the phone or by e-mail into the evenings. Every decision he makes is preceded by an overriding principle: “Do what is best for the club” - whether at meetings discussing events, the direction of the club, or complex financial matters that face all car clubs over the years, and as a result everybody in the club knows that whatever he is asked Drummond will always provide a straightforward, honest answer to almost any question, and his relentless enthusiasm is infectious for everyone he comes into contact with both inside and outside the club.
Volunteering Activity
Is there no stopping this individual? Drummond’s non-stop enthusiasm has taken on many volunteering positions, in business, sport, education and Charity work.
a) As an active member of the Federation of Small Businesses for 15 years, he worked closely in assisting the small business community in the creation of local employment.
b) Drummond was accepted as a “ Frontrunner “ in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, initially in the training of the 16,000 event volunteers (Clydesiders) and then taking a leading roll when the Queens Baton Relay spent seven weeks touring Scotland prior to the opening ceremony
c) His management and business experience has been put to very good use in many West Lothian High Schools with Drummond leading business based lectures to senior pupils and running “Interview and Selection” sessions to help prepare them for the jobs market.
d) Drummond also assists his wife, Ruby, in supporting a local charity that caters for people with special needs by giving them free Cruises on the Union Canal in Scotland. He also does fundraising for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Drummond remains a key member of the club in its executive committee as Treasurer and Director of the club, and we feel very strongly that his 55 years of contribution to the Jowett Car Club wholeheartedly deserves to win the Lifetime Achievement Award.