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General First nameOliver Lawson (Olly)
LastnameBalfour
GenderMale
CountryScotland
Date of birth1936-02-23
Place of birthEdinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Date of death2022-07-29
Place of deathEdinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland


About

From The Scotsman, 8 September 2022

By Jack Davidson

Olly Balfour was an outstanding figure in the history of squash in Scotland. A highly talented and extremely skilful left-handed player, he won several Scottish Championships in the 1950s and 1960s, when he earned 45 Scotland caps, then a world record and a feat which entered the Guinness Book of Records. Very naturally gifted, he was described as “elegant and a joy to watch” and a player “who could hit a winner from anywhere”.

One highlight among his caps was when as part of the Scottish team in 1964 they beat England for the first time since the match’s inception in 1930, a success enhanced by his defeat of Jeremy Lyon, a leading world class player. Another came in 1965 when he beat Jonah Barrington, playing for Ireland, shortly before Barrington began dominating the world scene.

According to former leading Scottish tennis and squash player Harry Roulston: “He was good enough to have been one of the best in the world if he had moved to London. The courts there were ‘hotter’ then and a higher degree of fitness would have been required.”

Olly was generally considered to have been the best player not to have represented Great Britain. Over many years he represented Edinburgh Sports Club and Watsonians Squash Club with distinction, accumulating multiple club championships. In 1971, he was appointed president of the Scottish Squash Rackets Association and in 1982 awarded Honorary Membership of the Sports Club.

An excellent tennis player, he represented the Westhall Club and was a leading light particularly in East of Scotland circles, captaining the District several times in the British inter-county Championships. His forte was doubles, in which he won the Scottish Mixed Doubles title in 1959 at Craiglockhart with former Wimbledon junior champion Norma Seacy. With regular partner and club-mate Sandy Gillies the pair were regularly District champions and competed well nationally.

Oliver Lawson Balfour was born in Edinburgh to parents Ion and Anne, and brought up in the city along with elder siblings Gordon and Margaret. His father ran the family car dealership Westfield Autocar. From 1941 to 1952, Olly attended George Watson’s College where, aged 15, he first played squash. Rugby practice had been cancelled because of a frozen pitch and a friend suggested trying squash instead.

His natural ability was apparent, doubtless aided by his ability at tennis, which he had been playing since aged 11. He represented the school at tennis, for which he was awarded his colours and was appointed a Prefect in his final year, in 1952, when he left to study engineering at Heriot Watt College. Soon after he reached the final of the Scottish Junior Squash championship and before his twentieth birthday had made his debut for the senior Scotland team.

Following the death of his father, it was thought that the family business might benefit from accountancy input, which led to Olly switching to undertake a Chartered Accountancy apprenticeship with Graham, Smart and Annan in Charlotte Square. As that involved attendance at Edinburgh University classes, one bonus was qualifying to represent the university at squash, being credited as “one of the architects of a period of success”. He was also selected for Scottish Universities against English Universities, twice registering notable victories.

Once qualified as a chartered accountant, in 1960 he joined the family motor business, later becoming managing director before the company joined the Appleyards group. In addition to his national squash titles he won several East and West of Scotland titles as he cemented his place as the best player in Scotland.

At club level with Watsonians he won the prestigious Gray’s cup in the early 1960s while more than a decade later played a major role in helping the club secure its first National League title with a record of “played 16, won 16”, and also its first Scottish Club Cup, the Scottish Quaich.

At tennis he combined competitive play with recreational play as a founder member of “The Racketeers”, an invitation-only club with an emphasis on attacking play, which combined sociability with fixtures against non-mainstream clubs.

On 23rd July 1960, Olly married Joy Kilpatrick – whom he had met while she was studying chemistry at Edinburgh University – in Bury, Lancashire. The couple enjoyed a long and happy marriage during which they had four children, Kenneth, Bruce, Andrew and Sarah. Joy predeceased Olly in 2005.

In about 1974 Olly reverted to accountancy practice, becoming insolvency partner with Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, latterly Price Waterhouse Coopers, before retiring early in 1994. Troublesome back injuries brought an end to his squash career by the late 1970s but he began swimming for fitness as he continued to enjoy playing tennis recreationally, particularly on family holidays at Crieff Hydro.

Golf was another interest, which he played mostly recreationally as a member of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society and the Honourable Comp of Edinburgh Golfers, although he did have a single figure handicap at one stage. He and his wife were also members of an informal “Hits and Misses” golfing society, comprising a number of like-minded couples who enjoyed golfing and socialising together.

A Rotary Club member, Olly was also a Moderator of the High Constables of Holyrood House, ceremonial bodyguards of the Queen. On his retiral he and two colleagues with over 100 years’ service between them were granted a private audience with Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh. Widely considered a real gent with a generous spirit and a twinkle in his eye, Olly was universally liked. He is survived by his children and nine grandchildren.

Media


Archive statistics Career1955 - 1960
Tournament wins5
Matches14
Match wins8


Tournament wins 1960 - Border Championships - Scotland (Amateur)
1959 - Border Championships - Scotland (Amateur)
1958 - Grantown-on-Spey (Amateur)
1957 - Border Championships - Scotland (Amateur)
1956 - Border Championships - Scotland (Amateur)


Tournaments Border Championships - Scotland - 1960 Scottish Championships - 1959 East of Scotland Championships - 1959 Border Championships - Scotland - 1959 East Lothian - 1959 Border Championships - Scotland - 1958 Grantown-on-Spey - 1958 Scottish Championships - 1957 Border Championships - Scotland - 1957 Border Championships - Scotland - 1956 Grantown-on-Spey - 1955