Few people have demonstrated such an impact and commitment to the University of Aberdeen more than Derek Ogston. After first setting foot on campus at 17, he enjoyed a 70-year plus association with the University which, since his death in 2021, is continuing with a gift in his will.
Derek was born in Aberdeen in 1932 to Frederic and Ellen Ogston. Brought up in Aberdeen, along with brother Bill, the family moved to London with his father’s work in 1939. He attended King’s College School in Wimbledon and decided to board there when the family moved back to Aberdeen. A keen sportsman, he played in the school cricket team and became accomplished in rifle shooting.
Returning to Aberdeen to enrol at the University in 1949, an arts degree was followed by Medicine which saw him graduating for the second time in 1957. He joined the teaching staff in 1962 and, over the years, was Regius Professor of Physiology, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Vice-Principal, all the while caring deeply about student welfare. During his last four years of service, he was Senior Vice-Principal which saw him heavily involved in the quincentenary celebrations in 1995.
Derek met his wife, Dr (Cecilia) Marie Ogston, also an Aberdeen medical graduate, when he was a junior doctor. They married in King’s College Chapel in 1963 and raised their three children in Aberdeen, with grandchildren arriving along the way. They were both involved with the Aberdeen Alumnus Association and Derek also served on the University Business Committee and as General Council Assessor to the University Court, as well as gaining a number of further degrees.
Retaining a lifelong passion for music, Derek played an important role in the enrichment of music education at Aberdeen along with his close friend and cousin Margaret Carlaw. His financial support of the University stretched over many years and included Music scholarships, awards and prizes, a prize in Art History, support for the King’s College Chapel Choir and the Opera Society, and donations of art. Generous with his time as well as his financial support, Derek offered encouragement and friendship to many students.
Derek was made a CBE in 1995 and received an honorary LLD from the University in 2007 along with a Benefactor to the University award in 2016. He possessed extraordinary courtesy, patience, and selflessness and was the epitome of a true gentleman with a twinkling smile and sense of humour. He is greatly missed, but the gift in his will for the Ogston Postgraduate Scholarship, the Derek Ogston Music Scholarship, and the Ogston Music Prize will continue to provide exceptional opportunities for students for years to come.
Every gift in every will makes a difference and provides you with the opportunity to support the areas of activity where the University can make a significant impact on the world around us. If you would like to speak to someone in confidence about the direction of your gift to the University of Aberdeen, please contact Vanessa Holmes, Legacy Giving Officer, on +44 (0)1224 274132 or at vanessa.holmes@abdn.ac.uk.
