Murdo Maciver 12th July 1957 - 24th July 2022
Murdo was born in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. This was the family home, where he grew up with his five brothers.
A view of Stornoway from across the bay at Lews Castle, built in the mid-19th century.
Col Sands
A short stroll away from the family home, this is Col Sands, a beautiful long and sandy beach and clear waters. One of Murdo’s favourite places as a young boy, and where he and brothers spent their childhood.
Murdo's family
Murdo’s parents: Angus and Peggy Beaton Maciver. His mother passed away just before Murdo’s 5th birthday, and his father just before his 19th birthday. Angus worked in the Harris tweed mill.
After finishing his schooling at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, Murdo realised that he wanted to discover the world outside of the island and fulfil his broader ambitions. With a difficult decision to make, he finally left the island as a teenager and went to find work in Glasgow. After some odd-jobs, he travelled down to London, where he worked in an accountancy firm. Thereafter, he regularly travelled back to see his family.
Murdo’s brothers. With him here are Colin, Kenny and Angus.
With Angus and George. (His brother, Calum not in the pictures).
With Kenny and his wife Isobel.
With his niece, Helen and brother Andrew, and George’s ex-wife, Joyce and Andrew’s wife, Sam.
With his brother, George, who the family lost in 2023. This was taken at George’s wedding to Joyce.
Over the years, the Maciver brothers settled with their families in different parts of the country, with Murdo in London, George in Plymouth, Calum in Southampton, Colin on the Isle of Skye, and Angus and Kenny remaining on the Isle of Lewis.
Whilst working full-time, Murdo completed a Diploma in Management Studies with a Distinction. He completed several other courses, qualifying with Distinctions each time.
Murdo's journey through his career
For a few years, Murdo worked with United Parcel Service (UPS) at the Company’s head office in London. His heart was never in the commercial sector as it was elsewhere – to work with the homeless. These are many of the organisations he worked for or volunteered with, the most recent being with the housing association: Notting Hill. This was his last job, running a service for older people with care needs. He loved his job and his colleagues, and he made a huge difference to the service users and to championing older people’s care needs in Hammersmith & Fulham.
A few of Murdo's friends
Many of Murdo’s friends celebrating on his Civil Partnership in Lake Garda, Italy, in September 2019
Murdo on holiday
Murdo loved his holidays. As a sun worshiper he always chose sunnier climes, from Kenya to Dubai, the Gold Coast in Australia to the beaches of Goa in India, to his favourite Greek islands. His plan for retirement was to settle in Spain, where he would buy a home for his family and friends to use and enjoy.
Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
Murdo's legacy
Murdo lived a life of simplicity: uncomplicated and honest. Having lost his parents when he was young, and grown up with five brothers in the small village of Col, on the outskirts of Stornoway, life was indeed simple, although not easy in the early years of his life.
This prepared him for a life in London, where he settled. His closest friends described him as kind, compassionate, thoughtful, and humble. He possessed an often mischievous sense of humour, self-deprecating, with the ability to brighten any room when he walked in. His work colleagues often referred to him as “a rock”, with a unique ability to put others before him and help them solve their problems. This enabled him to work with those with support needs, including people who were homeless, missing children, young people with challenging lives, and the frail and elderly. He was one of a kind.
Murdo’s legacy has been defined by his warmth and generosity, bringing joy and light to the lives he touched. He is gone, but his light continues to shine.
Dedication for Murdo's memorial bench: 2nd December 2023
Inspiration for Murdo's memorial bench
The Terrace Gardens lie on a small hill, overlooking the river Thames on Richmond Hill, London. This peaceful and tranquil place has been part of a park, established in 1887. It was one of Murdo’s favourite places to visit and relax in, often enjoying picnics with some of his friends or for taking a stroll.