The four childhood pals who escaped a life of mining to make their millions

IT was the Roaring ’20s and the world was dancing to the rhythm of the jazz age.

But in the Midlothian mining village of Loanhead in Scotland’s industrial heartland the only soundtrack was the constant thundering of trains carrying thousands of tonnes of coal from Bilston Glen Colliery to the furthest reaches of the British Empire.

Most people ended up down the pit.

But that fate didn’t befall four friends from the town who were all born and raised within a few hundred yards of each other in 1926 and 1927.

Incredibly, Donald Bell, James Cherrie, Willie Cossar and Willie Thomson all went on to become millionaires.

The four close pals grew up together and strove to get on in life, inspired by each others’ success.

Only Donald Bell, who turned 90 last week, is still alive.

Willie Thomson and Willie Cossar died within months of each other in 2012 and James Cherrie passed away in 2014.

Donald has spoken to The Sunday Post as he wants to share the story of the four millionaire friends before it is lost.

Willie Cossar

Born: 1926
Died: 2012
Lived: Australia
First job: MacTaggart Scott, Loanhead
Job: Welder rising to become manager of a host of factories for Queensland Can Company
Family: survived by wife, Agnes

Willie Thomson

Born: 1927
Died: 2012
Lived: Scotland
First job: Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange
Job: Draftsman turned car salesman and business owner
Family: survived by two children

James Cherrie

Born: 1926
Died: 2014
Lived: New Zealand/Australia
First Job: MacTaggart Scott, Loanhead
Job: Pattern maker turned foundry owner
Family: survived by two daughters

Donald Bell

Born: 1926
Lives: Canada
First job: Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange
Job: Electircal engineer turned salesman and business owner
Family: Has son

“I am the only one left,” he said.

“I just think it’s important to tell our tale – four working class boys who attended Loanhead Public School who went on to become millionaires around the world – Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Scotland.

“Yet none of us went to university. It’s quite incredible really.

“We all had good personalities and worked hard – I don’t really think there was a secret to our success.”

Donald moved to Canada and built an electrical sales empire. Willie Thomson was a Scottish car sales giant. Willie Cossar oversaw a factory empire in Australia. And James owned a foundry in New Zealand.

Donald, who still lives in Canada, said despite his advancing years he remembers their school days like they were yesterday.

“We would have been five when we met, and little did we know the path our lives would take us on.”

All four left school early and started work.

James landed a jobs in his early teens delivering bread for a local bakers.

Donald delivered groceries in a horse and cart for Penicuik Co-op.

After leaving school, James joined local engineering firm MacTaggart Scott and saved his wages to pay for a fresh start in New Zealand with wife, Ena.

By the 1950s he owned a foundry in his adopted homeland, which thrived.

He retired to Australia in the 1980s having built a comfortable life for himself, Ena and their two daughters, Pauline and Lynette.

He kept close ties with his family in Scotland, including his sister Mary, who still lives in Loanhead.

Two years younger than her brother she still remembers the four pals well.

“They always seemed to be making and building things as youngsters,” she said.

“James was very quiet.

“And the group of friends he went around with at school were quite unremarkable too.

“I have no idea why they all went on to become so successful.

“Maybe hearing about their pals achieving things spurred them on.

“As a family we were always very proud of James.”

Narrowly avoiding being called up for the Second World War because of their age, the pals did National Service instead.

Serving in the Forces sowed the seeds of travel for all except Willie Thomson, who stayed in Scotland to make his fortune.

He started his working life as an apprentice draftsman at the a pit in Newtongrange.

But a motorcycle accident left him badly injured and unable to continue work.

He started up a new career – exploiting the booming post-war demand for cars in the late 1940s.

His West End Motors brand would become famous across central Scotland.

Father-of-one Donald moved to Canada where he set up a multinational electrical sales company called Beldon Sales Ltd that still exists today, but is now run by his son, Robert.

But as well as being a shrewd businessman, Donald admits to having some luck in his career.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” he said, thanks to investments that have left him “quite comfortably off”.

While Donald’s post-national service path took him to Malaysia with the Royal Navy in the 1950s, his pal Willie Cossar would soon be even further afield.

He joined a Norwegian whaling station in South Georgia in the middle of the South Atlantic.

He eventually returned to Loanhead with £2,000 in saved up wages, met his wife Agnes and then emigrated to Australia.

Speaking from her home in the Gold Coast where she still lives, his widow Agnes, a former nurse, said: “He always said the time at the whaling station instilled him with a strong work ethic.

“But I think he was always a good worker – all those four boys seemed to be.

“I didn’t know them when they were younger but got to know them in their adult lives and they all must have driven each other on.

“They were as thick as thieves.”

Willie got a job as a welder in a Queensland factory before moving up the career ladder landing increasingly senior roles.

By the time he retired he had made a small fortune.

The only time he returned home to Scotland was after he died.

Wife Agnes scattered his ashes after he succumbed to leukaemia in August 2012.

“It was his last request to have his ashes scattered in Scotland,” she said.

It’s left Donald the last of the four Loanhead millionaires alive.

“There are no more annual catch-ups but I’d like people to know the story of me and my pals,” he said.

“It is four good examples of hard work, luck and perseverance to succeed.

“That message is as relevant today as it was 90 years ago in 1926.”