John Magnus Tulloch

I have the fondest childhood memories of holidays with the Tullochs. Walking in the Yorkshire Dales, John always so dapper in his moleskin plus fours. Touring the Spanish countryside in the Alfa Romeo, with the Beach Boys playing, Hannah and I singing along in the back. Watching John sketch on these trips was a treat, capturing special moments with such care and style. I will greatly miss my adult chats with John. He took a keen interest in what was happening at work, in particular what my students were up to in their drawing classes. We could discuss the merit of a good gel pen for some time. And of course, you were always guaranteed the best of laughs. A warm, wonderful man who has left a huge space in his absence. Sending my love to Hannah and the family xxx

I first met John in the late sixties when I was lucky enough to secure the position of Production Manager of McCallum Advertising in Coates Crescent. Over the following years our paths took us in different directions, still in the advertising business. I was delighted on meeting up again many years ago, it seemed as though there had been no time lapse whatsoever. We shared a joy in the English language and he was delighted when I used the word 'eschew ' in a recent conversation. For a while it would feature in conversations as well as puns from it! We lunched in both Edinburgh and Glasgow and I particularly enjoyed my sojourns to The Canny Mans in Morningside, which had all the atmosphere of a gentleman's club, and gave John the perfect backdrop to regail me with his wealth of stories. I will miss hearing them, even though I may have heard some of them before, as the Franglais , Ersatz German and attempts at Polish and Russian were sure to add lustre in the telling. John, you will be sadly missed.

The gamut of emotions experienced when I heard of John's passing was like being hit by a howitzer (a nod to his military and history interests). Wonderful memories from McCallum days in the early 1970s, the Bistro evenings, playing snooker in the Press Club, through to always entertaining lunches and amazing hospitality at home. All give me some comfort. But what a huge loss of a very special human being. Wherever you are, you will be the life and soul of the pairty! Condolences to Carolyn, Jane & family, and Hannah.

I have just heard of Magnus’s passing - can’t really believe it - we shared the first mince pies of the season in his flat on 11th December and I left laughing as always. We first worked together some 45 years ago…he always got lost driving to Irvine Development Agency offices! What a lovely, talented, creative man, great pal, impersonator of politically incorrect European archetypes and a genuinely wonderful, gentle man. I will miss our (all too infrequent latterly) conversations, but we just picked up where we’d left off before. Jane, the girls and I send all our love to Hannah, Jane and all his extended family - what a joy you have had in having him as Patriarch.

I met John first over 16 years ago when I signed up for a morning session at Edinburgh College of Art ,he noticed me coming in and left the huddle of other students to warmly greet me and so our friendship began. John I soon discovered had the same sense of humour as myself and quips flew back and forth with alarming speed.
The end result was the tutor Derek requesting us to hold back at the end of one class to tell us he had been summoned to the principals office as a student from our class had complained about there being too much hilarity in the class. Derek required no explanation as to the perpetrators as he himself had enjoyed our repartee ,his verdict was that we should carry on until we were expelled!
He was a superb artist and I will treasure the works of art he has given me over the years.
I will sadly miss John and our weekly phone call or our get together at the life drawing session ,with as many rapid fire quips as we could fit into the time, a more entertaining fellow would be hard to find.

Life seems less interesting without John, but I feel so fortunate to have such happy memories of being in John’s company over Christmas and New Year holidays in Molitg. The sun invariably shone, champagne corks popped, the wine flowed, meals were shared, outings were arranged, and John’s wit, humour, enthusiasm and enjoyment of everything made those times extra special. In recent years, our friendship continued with regular emails, exchanging information and views on books, films, tv programmes, and exhibitions. John’s emails were always full of sharp, witty observations and criticisms (especially of certain politicians ), and together with his entertaining anecdotes, were so enjoyable and entertaining. I will miss, his friendship, the pleasure of being in his company again and receiving those emails.

A great neighbour in Grove Street an this delightful cartoon when we moved away and a manufactured 2cv from cut up aluminium cans - I really thought even more of John as we said Goodbye on that previous occasion

JMT thanks for all the good times we had he was a gentleman of quality and will be sorely missed.
Condolences to the family..
Phil Whyte

I first met John in 2016 through mutual friends, during the 'Art in Granton' exhibition we organised at a local Edinburgh charity. His harbour paintings ('Newhaven Boat Repair' and 'Granton Slipway' both Charcoal and Conte) were beautiful and very well received. We chatted and we ended up being invited to his flat. He made me feel as if I had known him all my life. His warmth, zest and wit, filled the room with laughter and love. He was a natural 'raconteur' (I think he would like that French word) who loved to share his memories, big and small. COVID interrupted our regular catch-ups. We were lucky to meet again at the Edinburgh Art Fair last year, and then at our mutual friends' house, not long before Christmas. Our renewed encounter was joyous. The few years of not seeing each other evaporated instantly and we all promised we would get together again in January.
Sadly it is not to be.
Thanks for the friendship John. You will be forever in our hearts.

I found this exhibtion photo of his works at the art exhibition, as well as the description he sent us to include in the programme. 

J’ai eu la chance de rencontrer John à Caramany dans le sud de la France. J’ai beaucoup apprécié son humour, sa gentillesse, son auto-dérision et sa grande intelligence.
Chaque fois que je verrai une Maserati je penserai à lui….
Je vous présente mes plus sincères condoléances.
Ghislaine.

I have such happy memories of days and evenings at John’s flat in Grove Street. Whether watching the Grand Prix with Jane & all (during her unrequited longing for Mika Hakkinen phase) or sociable evenings drinking him dry of Jack Daniel’s or anything else to hand. The consummate host and gentleman of many tales.

I will always smile at his description of his marital status as ‘currently between ex-wives’. Classic!!

My sister and myself were just coming back from a pleasant lunch in Perth to her home in Pittenweem. We passed the sign for the Crook of Devon. “Twinned with the Thief of Baghdad” quipped John about 15 years ago as he and I passed the sign on our way up north.
It comes to mind every time we pass it. Ever so slightly more poignant now…

I’m finding it hard to believe that we won’t see John again. We first met when Sheila and I enrolled in a German evening class and we started to meet up at Costa in Bruntsfield for coffee or hot chocolate before the class. We soon became firm friends and it transpired that John knew my husband Euan from advertising days in the early 70’s. We all met up regularly for lunch at each other’s homes or a restaurant for birthdays. I loved John’s paintings. He was a very talented artist. There are so many things I’ll miss about John, a genuinely beautiful person. He’ll always have a special place in my heart. ❤️ Catriona Barrowman

John was an exceptional person, always smiling and very warm. He had presence and knew how to tell stories.
We saw each other rarely
but we liked each other.
A beautiful person of whom we will keep a very good memory and who will remain forever in our memories.

My memories of John from way back when, are full of smiles and laughs and good advice. Despite being little and roughly 6/7 years old, I remember how he managed to make me feel better and happier with a very well chosen comment. Stoic, but then very silly, reflecting how life really is - and I continue to take that with me through my life. It was a pleasure knowing you Mr Tulloch! X

John’s Sixtieth…
I was detailed to keep John away from Grove Street until the evening.
I decided we were going to catch the train around ten in the morning over to Methil to watch East Fife take on Queen of the South. Pretty uneventful game as I recall. Highlight was the pie stall almost collapsing (slight exaggeration for effect) after being hit by an mis - kicked ball.
Train back to Haymarket and a couple of pints in Ryries.
Got the call from Caroline to bring him home around half six. I made sure he went in first which, because John was invariably polite, was’nt always easy. Anyway, John went into the totally dark hall and switched the light on. 30 friends, positioned at either end of the hall shouted ‘Happy Birthday John!’ in unison and he fell over as if poleaxed.
Not the response the guests were expecting.
He revived reasonably quickly and after a few expletive peppered sentences, the party began.

Daddy T - we have so many fond memories with you in both Australia and Scotland. So many great laughs, chats and even a few sing songs! You will be sorely missed by all.

The Sydney Panzer Grenadiers will continue on in your memory and will toast a wee dram to you.

You were a legend and a true gentleman. Rest in peace. Love Tricia xxx

So many memories - so little time and space to share.

Jonno was a great friend. We first met in my small studio on Albany Street. It was a photo shoot for frozen vegetables that he was handling - that's all I can remember, although I'm sure he would have had a list of quips flooding out of him.
Somewhere around 1979/1980.

I cannot remember where it transitioned to being friends as well as client and photographer. There was probably beer or wine involved - both more than likely.
We enjoyed each other's company and had many laughs.
Even in the days before email, when I got my first fax machine, screeds of writing and jokes would roll out onto the floor. Some of the ones I sent to him came back with the spelling or punctuation corrected! I'm writing this piece in trepidation worried that I get a bolt from the blue...

The great thing about really good friends is not having to worry if there's a communication gap. I would pick up the phone or he would or an email would be sent. Everything picked up and ran just as before.

He knew my wife Irene before I did (why didn't he warn me) and my daughter Alexis loved him too.

I could go on and on - as we all could. The photographs I am sharing are from my 60th birthday - a frightening 14 years ago.

Jonno took it upon himself to write and deliver one of his very funny lift-ups and put-downs. You will note that we were all in tears of laughter.

It was a great shock to hear he had left us. At least we have great memories and photographs of a wonderful, much-loved man, to look back on.
I do hope there is an upstairs and that he is there organising things

Your pal

Robbo

We will always remember Daddy T with love and gratitute. He had an uncanny witt, old schoool charm and he was foreever the gentleman. Young at heart and comfortable in whatever crowd he found himself in, his time with us was too short. He left a indelible mark on us all and his trips down under will be sorely missed.
With love, Ange & Adam xxxxx

When I think of John (although I don’t think I’ve ever called him by his real name he was always Daddy T to me) I think of how he made me feel. He always made me feel welcome and at home. Walking into the flat on Grove street with the black and white tiled floor, the stain glass window in the hall and the world’s biggest cheese plant in the living room. The fire would be on, the kettle on or drinks poured, and ready for a chat, no matter what time of night I would arrive back there with Hannah after a night out. He was always so bright, funny, full of stories and ready to hear yours, he was never rushed. We should all be a little more like John. X

I'll miss our get togethers and our wee soujurns

John and I met, talked and e mailed frequently but you always think of something after you have rung off or pressed send. So this is my PS Email


Tumlock
I know you’re gone but maybe God is a Meta shareholder or a personal friend of Zuckerberg and this will be forwarded on. Just a brief note to say thanks for all the fun friendship and
camaraderie over nearly 80 years. I’ll miss the phone calls, emails, texts,
jokes, festival fringe, boozy lunches, franglais, ersatz deutsch, silly voices and all that jazz.
Because we didn’t always agree it often made me question my own thoughts and beliefs - but I was usually right!
Your kindness to others and thoughtfulness only slipped at the end when you selfishly swanned off to Parardise without as much as a ‘ do you mind?’ or a ‘pip pip’ leaving friends and family to pick up the pieces and struggle on.
Anyway travel safely and wisely!
your chum
Orrance


Sent from Laurie Palmer's iPhone

Dear John was a dear friend and had the kindest heart of anyone I have ever known, John was such great fun his wit anf humour made every meeting we had such an enjoyable experience,, He was an extremely well read man and could grasp the essence of a topic with great precision, intelligence and humanity. I can hear him now rearranging my text and making better sense of my prose as among other qualities he was a great communicator and had a maserty of language including his love of German. He was a great artist and his love of the sea and boats ran through his Orcadian roots. John had a passion for life And conquered .his ilness with stoicism and good humour in the last two years. I feel a great loss and miss John very much as a very dear friend and share the loss and extend condolences to all his family and friends.

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore,

when the world seems to shine like you had to much wine, that’s amore,

He loved this and I just keep hearing it. Thanks for it all John - hope you’ve found the Ferrari and the track xx

A real gentleman, sadly missed.

Just a small but vivid memory: John and I shared a flat overlooking the piazza Santo Spirito a few years ago. First morning there I found the coffee - not sealed and not kept in the fridge. A wee aluminium coffee pot. Things didn’t bode well for the enjoyment of our first Italian coffee although looking out on the market being set up in the beautiful square would compensate somewhat I thought. John had just finished a period of chemotherapy and it had knocked the stuffing out of him. His fingers were numb and he had difficulty with achieving basic tasks like buttons and laces. His frustration was very evident to me and, being in the same boat, I felt for him. He was back to his normal self when he completed his getting ready to greet the world tasks.
Anyway, back to the coffee.
Wee aluminium Bialetti, stale coffee, crusty sugar = one of my/our most enjoyable cups of coffee ever. I don’t know why even yet but it was more than coffee.

John… we met just after I have rented my first flat in Edinburgh. I believe it helped us to get to know each other the bus stop we were meeting on, my polish accent and my grandmother’s pierogi. With time John became like my Scottish grandfather to me. We were writing essays together for my college, I was cooking him Polish food and listening about Polish-German-Russian history. We was giving me relationship love advices. When I lost my first child John was the first person I went to share this with and went he got ill, he came downstairs and shared that too. He drank whiskey with my grandad when my grandparents came to visit, spoke German with my mum and played chess with my brother. He came to my practice with a broken tooth and cooked for me when I was heavily pregnant with my daughter who he unfortunately never got the chance to meet. John also never met my husband, yet he put our wedding picture in his living room saying his proud of me. John an older neighbour who became my family. You will be profoundly missed 💔

Numb at the moment. So many memories - fun and important memories. But where to start?