By Jennifer Hyland
Copyright dailyrecord
An 88-year-old grandad is to become one of Scotland’s oldest graduates after completing a degree with the Open University . Lawrence Taylor, who left school in 1955, has loved poetry all his life. But he waited until his 80s to take the plunge and sign up for a course in English Literature and Creative Writing in 2020. The dad of two, who lives with wife Anna, 87, in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, will graduate with a BA (Hons) degree from the Open University next month. It comes just months after his 22-year-old granddaughter Hope McKinnon graduated with an ophthalmics degree at Caledonian University. He said: “In 1955, when I was 18, I received two letters in the post on the same day. One was offering me a place at Glasgow University and the other was a civil engineering Consultancy. “I accepted the civil engineer consultancy and ignored the university one. Then one day in 2020 before the pandemic, I decided, why not? I was always an avid reader, I developed an interest in poetry once I’d left school. “We got married in 1959 and I went on to work all over the UK as a civil engineer and I was never without a poetry book. “I actually started at Strathclyde University as a mature student but they gave me cred-its for what I’d done and I finished up at the Open University. “I’m also a chartered civil engineer, but engineering and a degree in the arts doesn’t really sit well together.” Now Lawrence hopes to one day see his writing feature at the Oran Mor theatre in Glasgow in its long-running A Play, a Pie and a Pint series of afternoon productions. He is encouraging others to follow his path, regardless of their age. He said: “Anyone who has a notion, go for it. Get it done, improve yourself and enjoy it. “But there is no age limit on learning and the Open University is great for that.” Keen gardener Lawrence was also handed a prize at this year’s Bothwell’s Horticultural Society show for his onions, for the fourth year running. He said: “I chose onions as they were the only things the pigeons didn’t eat.” Alex Stewart was until now reported to be Scotland’s oldest graduate after receiving a Certificate of Higher Education from the University of Dundee in 2016 at age 87.
