Bill McLaren’s ‘chaotic’ study to be recreated

Historians in Hawick are working through thousands of books, videos and clippings in a bid to recreate Bill McLaren’s “chaotic” research room.

The study of the “voice of rugby” was where match-day preparations took place during his 50-year career.

A recreation of the office will act as a centrepiece of an exhibition to celebrate Bill’s centenary.

Historian Murray Watson said he had spent two years going through 30,000 different items from the room.

Bill McLaren’s career behind the microphone began with BBC radio in 1953.

Over the following five decades he became one of the most recognisable and favoured voices on radio and television.

As well as being awarded an MBE, OBE and CBE, Bill became the first non-international player to be inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

Following his death in 2010, the Bill McLaren Foundation (BMF) was formed by former friends and colleagues in his hometown of Hawick.

Later this year the foundation will host a major exhibition to celebrate the centenary of Bill’s birth on 16 October 1923.

As well as building a replica of the famous Murrayfield scoreboard that sat above the East terrace, the exhibition will allow visitors to sit inside the original commentary gantry from the national stadium.

But taking centre stage will be the recreation of Bill’s study.

Murray, who is a volunteer with the BMF, said: “Bill was enormously thorough in his preparations with his commentaries and for his writing – and he did all of his research in a time long before Google.”

However, he said it was fair to describe the room as “chaotic” and added: “It was an absolute tip.

“It was full of books, newspaper cuttings, magazines and videos – there were three piles of videos from floor to ceiling.

“We have now resurrected all of the furniture that was in there, things like the desk, the chair, the shelves, the typewriter and even the empty Hawick Balls tins he used for pens and paperclips.

“For the exhibition we will put everything back to where it was left.”

During the exhibition at Hawick Museum, thousands of previously unseen artefacts and photographs will help tell Bill’s story from his early years, through his playing career and into his military service during World War Two.

The celebration, which will be held initially during October and November, will also feature items from…