BORDERS poet and playwright Howard Purdie was quite emphatic, ‘Don’t make my obituary a solemn affair – I have had a jolly good time and I want to be remembered for that'.

A son of the manse born in Dumfries, Howard had his first introduction to the Borders when his father was called to Coldingham Priory.

At an early age he fell in love with language and words and initially became a junior librarian in Edinburgh.

However, this did not satisfy him and by now he was intrigued with the language as spoken by Borders folk.

“I wanted to know more about the words and pronunciation of ordinary people.

"I was inspired by Hugh MacDiarmid, so I listened and then tried to speak the words I heard around me. I have always loved the beauty of Scots words.”

Something of an adventurer, Howard later looked east and found himself reading his poetry to audiences at literary gatherings in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka as well as tutoring on a drama course at the Cape Cod Writers Conference in America.

At one point he spent nights sleeping on a railway platform with India’s dispossessed.

A spell in London working as a journalist found him writing a play – although his first real success as a playwright was back in the Borders when ‘Wha Daur!’ - written in the Border dialect - was staged at the Netherbow in Edinburgh.

However, by 1986 and living permanently in Innerleithen, he set up a successful series of traditional entertainment evenings called ‘Music, Verse and Stories’ at local hotels.

He also organised a series of ‘Scott Dinners’. These proved popular, with local actors playing Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg and company at the top table and the audience being the other diners.

In 1993 he founded the Innerleithen and Traquair Community Theatre company and wrote and produced six community plays, employing a professional director, choreographer and musical director.

This was followed in 1995 with ‘Border Bards’ which he set up with poet Lilian Brzoski which showcased a compilation of their poetry and song in the bardic tradition.

They also launched their show ‘Freedom Song’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before touring it in the Borders. That year also found Howard at the Stand Comedy Club during the Fringe as the Reverend Jeremiah Aye-Been which received excellent reviews.

His final play was ‘The Lament for the Little Boats’ focusing on the Eyemouth fishing boat disaster and featuring a fisher lassies choir.

Finding himself terminally ill, Howard did two things.

Firstly, he published a selection of his poems entitled ‘East, West, Hame’s Best’, correcting proofs while confined to bed.

The book is available from Whitie’s Bookshop, Peebles High Street.

Secondly, he bought two plots in the extension to Traquair cemetery.

As he has no family he explained to friends: “Tramps used to follow the byways of the Borders. There may not be many tramps left today - but if there is one and needs a grave, they can have it.

"I rather like the idea of a tramp being buried next to me!”

Howard Purdie died on Wednesday, June 20. He was 80 years old.

George C Cunningham