Tributes have been paid to a popular Old Kilpatrick man who sadly passed away recently.

Robert Simpson, 94, was a regular at Dalmuir-based charity Men’s Shed, a place he would light up daily with his ‘patter and camaraderie.’

An engineer and draughtsman during his working life, Robert joined the men’s group in a bid to stave off loneliness following the loss of his wife Jessie in 2020.

And son Ross credits the shed – which brings together like-minded men through their carpentry – as giving his dad a new lease of life in his final years.

Speaking to the Clydebank Post, Ross said: “He always had a positive outlook on life.

“He was at the Men’s Shed on the Monday and died overnight, Monday into Tuesday morning.

“It was definitely a shock for us.”

Before adding: “The whole family thought his time with the Men’s Shed really made a huge difference, and it kept him going a lot longer that perhaps he might of.”

The youngest of seven children, Robert – who leaves behind two sons - enjoyed holidaying with family in Northern Ireland as a youngster, as well as building canoes and rowing them on the River Clyde.

He also liked to wild camp, a hobby he took with him through life.

He started his professional life as an apprentice engineer making diesel engines for sugar processing equipment, before later working on local government contracts making windows for council-built buildings.

He also spent 12 years working in India working in the tea plantations, before returning to Scotland in the late sixties and moving to Old Kilpatrick, where his sister lived.

Ross explained his father loved his garden, painting and drawing, travelling and going to concerts, often found in the opera, the Theatre Royal or the City Halls.

He also had a passion for reading.

In his retirement, and after losing Jessie, Robert found the Men’s Shed, and with it a place he could put the skills he had learned during his life to good use.

Ross added: “I think the Men’s Shed made a huge difference to him.

“We were looking after him, I don’t mean actively but we were his closest next of kin.

“We were keeping an eye on both of them and when my mother died, we would do far more with my father.

“But the reality is, when he went to the Men’s Shed, he was getting a completely different aspect to life.

“More to do with how he was brought up, all the folk in Men’s Shed were in Singer’s or John Brown’s, all the engineering, places that have sadly gone now.

“He grew up working like that and having that outlook on life, making things work, and he just loved going down there.

“It was nothing to do with us, he was doing that, on his own, and he forced himself to do it because he always liked to keep active.”

During his time at the Men’s Shed, Robert was instrumental in drawing up plans for early changes and additions including the invalid ramp.

Joint treasurer of the group Alex Falconer led the condolences to Robert, insisting he will be sadly missed.

He said: “What a lovely man can’t believe he’s gone. He was one in a million.”

Another member said: “This is so sad he was my friend from the beginning and a great help. I will miss him.”

A third added: “So sorry to learn about Bobby’s passing, a true gentleman & a fine example of civility being a great strength in handling  relationships,  benevolence & humanity.”