Stuart was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire, to Agnes, a nurse, and Eric, the local doctor. When Stuart was 6 the family moved to Bieldside and later to Greenock, near Glasgow, where Eric became medical officer for public health. After a few years they settled in Peterculter, where Eric took over the medical practice in the early 1950s.
Stuart’s early years were shaped by his father’s career as a GP and his mother’s as a nursing sister. He went on to attend Robert Gordon’s College before following in his sister Barbara’s footsteps by studying medicine at Aberdeen University. Here Stuart excelled academically and athletically, making his mark at the Aberdeen University Boat Club. He also embraced student life, forming friendships that lasted a lifetime. And it was also here that he met his future wife, Irene Robertson. They married in 1966, beginning a …
