William Moffatt

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

William Moffatt or Moffat, Shetland author, was born on the 27th of August 1884 at Brunthill, Walls, the eighth child of John Moffat (b.9.9.1842), Brunthill) and his wife Jane Scott (b.6.5.1844, Whitesness, Walls). In the census of 1901, he is recorded as a mercantile clerk, living at 16 St. Magnus Street, Lerwick with his then married sister, Jemima Jamieson. By 1911 he was in Aberdeen, where he married Jessie Ann Gibson (b.Abt.1888, Aberdeen) on the 27th of December, 1911 at the Wesleyan Church, Crown Terrace. The couple had two children, Winifred (b.1913) and Roland (b.abt.1915).

The family settled in Leeds, where Moffatt worked in insurance and was a prominent member of the fledgling Rotary movement, as recounted in a history of the early movement:

" ... William Moffatt became District Chairman in 1924-25 and District Secretary went on to be a Director of R.I.B.I. in 1928. He was also at various times, Chairman of RIBI Club Service Committee and of the RI ( Rotary International ) Education Committee and became Club President after holding these other Offices ... He was bold enough to argue against Paul Harris, the movement’s founder, who believed that Rotary should focus on Children`s Work. Moffatt believed that Rotary should focus on the Community. He is also credited with putting forward the idea of an Information Meeting for prospective members and for suggesting to Paul Harris that Rotary could expand further by permitting more than one club to be formed in a City or town. Both of these ideas were controversial but were adopted throughout Rotary ... ... Moffatt was a regular contributor to the District magazine “Rotary In the Ridings.” In April 1947 the series of articles, which he had written on what were often regarded as problem areas of Club Service, were published in the book “Spotlight on Rotary” by William Moffatt, under the auspices of the District Council. In the Foreword he was described as a giant in the Rotary movement of the calibre of Paul Harris. Moffatt would not have thought himself worthy of such an accolade ..." (Extracted from http://www.rotaryfirst100.org/districts/districts/1040.htm)

In later life, Moffatt owned a house at Brunthill in Waas called 'The Bungalow', which he had renovated, and let out to visitors from time to time.

William Moffatt died in 1964 in Leeds. He left behind him five published works as follows: