22/08/2025
Arnot Muir was born on January 1st 1930, at Dunearn Estate, in Fife, to parents Emma and Jim, who was a Master Painter, Decorator and Sign Writer, with a business in Kinghorn. In late 1934, Charlote (aka Lottie) arrived, making the Muirs a family of four.
Arnot and Lottie grew up in Kinghorn and had a very happy childhood.
Much of Arnot’s leisure time, as a child, was spent playing or watching football. Come Saturday, he was on the terraces cheering on the various Fife teams – but most often at Starks Park in Kirkcaldy, home of Raith Rovers – a team he was loyal to ALL his years. (Although Forfar Athletic also got a wee look in after he moved to Rattray in later life.)
As he grew up, Arnot was a promising player and turned out as goalkeeper for a few different Fife based Amateur and Junior football teams.
He was also a keen cinema fan – managing to see 2 or 3 films before getting back to the local chip shop in time for the first editions of the Saturday evening sports papers to check on the results of his favourite teams, especially his beloved ‘Rovers.
It was also in Kinghorn that Arnot first developed an interest in travelling fairgrounds, especially the beautifully decorated steam engines, lorries and living wagons. Having two of the most important annual fairground events in Scotland in nearby Kirkcaldy and Burntisland, probably helped develop this interest.
Arnot’s interest in the fairground and football met at East End Park Dunfermline at a young age as he noted the same old-time chip carts as he had seen at the Links Market, lined up behind the terrace to feed the hungry throng at half time in those post-war football attendance boom days.
The show folk getting a winter living there
Arnot's favourite roundabout, from all of his years, was Nathaniel Codona’s Autodrome, catching his eye with its beautiful decorative work
He said that his best early fairground memory was of a sunny summer’s day at Burntisland in the 1930’s, spent simply sitting in the sun for the whole afternoon, round the back of the fair, watching a showman signwriter, letter out a truck in bright colours.
Little did he know that 90 years later that passion would still burn bright!
On leaving school, Arnot joined the family painting & decorating business before being drafted to do his National Service. However, during National Service, Arnot suffered a serious illness and spent many months in hospital, but he eventually recovered and was discharged back to Kinghorn.
The effects of Arnot’s illness meant he could no longer pursue his career in the family painting business, so he secured clerical work in the then thriving linoleum industry in Kirkcaldy where he also met Norma in the 1950s.
Arnot and Norma married in 1956. It was a marriage that was to last for over 65 years.
Once married, they settled in Kirkcaldy, enjoyed holidays in their caravan and being involved in family events at Scone with Lottie & Archie, and their children, Susan & Alan.
Arnot made sure his niece and nephew enjoyed the best of times at his beloved Kirkcaldy Links Market – an annual treat Susan remembers very fondly as a core childhood memory!
After the linoleum industry declined, Arnot worked for a time in the Ministry of Defence and later with Fife Council, but the next significant chapter in their lives beckoned and in 1983 Arnot and Norma moved to Rattray to manage the newsagents’ shop, based in the High Street of Blairgowrie.
They quickly settled into the lifestyle of being newsagents – lots of early morning starts, but enough free time to allow Arnot to support Forfar Athletic and to continue his interests in fairgrounds and transport.
It was during this period that Arnot became known for his photography. He was never without his camera or camcorder and his trusty notebook and he leaves behind a magnificent body of work in terms of what he has recorded around the fairgrounds of Scotland, and of vintage buses, lorries and steam machinery – a veritable social history!
Retirement in 1995 then opened up Arnot’s diary for visiting fairgrounds all over the UK, leaving Norma and the cats happy at home, and when staying with Susan & Charlie down south, history repeated itself as he once again escorted “the kids” - Callum & Scott this time - off to St Giles’ Fair in Oxford for some more childhood memories to be created with the next generation.
Later years saw “The Three Amigos” – a phrase coined by Bob Couper, to describe the escapades enjoyed by Arnot, Bob and myself Alan Ingram– clock up the miles and the shows around Scotland. Not always without incident but greatly enjoyed by all
Arnot was quiet, perhaps sometimes a little ‘deep’ but insightful, enlightened, interested and interesting. Arnot could converse with anyone. He always chose his words well - it was always easy to call Arnot a very good friend.
This has been borne out in the many tributes to Arnot on the fairground social media pages since his passing. The word ‘gentleman’ has been used umpteen times to describe our Grand Old Gentleman of the Scottish Fairground Enthusiast Community.
Without shouting from the rooftops, Arnot promoted the fairground by giving illustrated talks to lots of groups.
He was also instrumental in founding the annual Kirkcaldy Fairground Model Show, which is integral to promoting the Kirkcaldy Links Market itself – an event that Arnot visited every year for 90 years without fail, only the 2nd World War and Covid got in his way.
He was the last living fairground enthusiast who could remember the days of steam roundabouts and the traction engines at work on the Links Market.
Arnot had Honorary Membership of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain bestowed upon him in 2006 - something that Arnot considered a massive honour and his proudest achievement.
Arnot also had Honorary Life Membership of the Fairground Association of Great Britain bestowed upon him
Over the years Arnot has visited fairgrounds all over the UK and was almost as familiar a figure to showfolk and enthusiasts on St Giles Fair in Oxford, or Loughborough Fair, as he is on the Kirkcaldy Esplanade at the Links Market.
Arnot touched so many people, in so many ways. He was a gentleman, with a kind soul with an enquiring mind and a genuine love of the fairground.
I'm his final months, Arnot moved to Northlands Care Home Blairgowrie, where he was looked after very well and staff made his last few months a special time then treated him with much kindness and dignity in his final days.
Arnot passed away, peacefully in the presence of family members, early on the morning of August 5th 2025, aged 95 years, 7 months and 5 days.
The Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Arnot Muir took place at Perth Crematorium on Thursday August 21st 2025 as family and friends gathered to say their farewells. Present was a strong contingent of fairground enthusiasts and Members of The Showmens Guild Scottish Section. Indeed as part of the Tribute, Chairman, Richie Wilmot spoke on behalf of the fairground community.
Arnot's sister Lottie, niece, Susan and her family ensured that Arnot's send off reflected all aspects of his long life, beautifully capturing his positive impact on those he met, his contributions and that he was a much loved family member and a very good friend to many people.
(The above is based on the Eulogy presented at Arnot's funeral, which was composed by Arnot's niece Susan and Arnot's sister, Lottie, in collaboration with myself)
Alan Ingram
22/08/25
