William Paul Sutherland

William Paul Sutherland, known as Paul, was a quiet, kind, honest, gentle and caring man who knew all his patients personally, writes his daughter Fritha.

During 18 years in his Allan Street business he never charged for sight-tests and was always available for domiciliaries.

Born in 1937, the eldest of five children and a dentist's son, Paul studied Ophthalmic Optics at Stowe College in his home city of Glasgow. He married Grace in 1964 and relocated from Glasgow to Manchester and then Scunthorpe with their four children. Paul joined an optician's co-operative, but an opportunity arose to buy into a local practice which he eventually bought over.

In search of 'the good life', the family moved to the Orkney Islands in 1976 where Paul worked in a practice with Orcadian Brian Clark. They returned to the mainland in 1985, finally settling in Blairgowrie in Perthshire where Paul worked for Duncan & Todd Group as a locum.

Several years later, a reorganisation of the group led to redundancy, so Paul decided to work for himself again. In 1988 Paul Sutherland Opticians opened in Blairgowrie with just one patient on his list.

Today, there are 800 patients on his books, all of whom have came to him through word-of-mouth based on his professional reputation, his generosity and his good name.