THE harbour community in Watchet has said farewell to a man who for more than four decades had worked tirelessly, invariably behind the scenes, to revive the maritime fortunes of the town.

Bruce Scott’s memorials are the marina, which he helped develop from a derelict commercial port, and the Watchet Boat Museum, which he co-founded and now contains a unique collection of Bristol Channel flatner fishing boats, one of which he owned.

Most of all, he was remembered at his funeral as a kind and gentle man who was always there when something needed doing.

Arriving in Watchet after a successful career as a London photographer, Bruce immediately took to Watchet and the town took to him.

He became chairman and later commodore of the Watchet Boat Owners’ Association (WBOA), ran a business recycling wood, and campaigned vigorously on environmental issues.

Elinor Harbridge writes, residents of Watchet visiting the thriving marina or perusing exhibits in the boat museum will probably not know the name of the man largely responsible for both attractions.

Bruce, who died aged 90, was a man who would not take ‘no’ for an answer in campaigning for these projects.

On March 5, family and friends gathered at his funeral in Taunton to celebrate the life of the man who was ‘a good quiet man who never had a bad word to say about anybody’.

Bruce’s brother-in-law Gerald Wetherell, described him as ‘intelligent, witt, and erudite with occasional flashes of anger, but this did not detract from his qualities we all recognised’.

Graham Boswell, of Forum 21 (now West Somerset Green Forum), shared Bruce’s interest in wood and described how Bruce helped him with his wood re-claiming project: “He was never fazed by any task.”

Bruce and his wife Lorna were active members of the West Somerset community.

As part of Forum 21, they spearheaded the creation of the farmers’ market, still a regular feature in Minehead, and initiated the development of the Steam Coast Trail.

But the scheme Bruce was most proud of was Watchet Marina.

A keen sailor, he lobbied the council for seven or eight years for a marina to be run by boat owners.

It was opened in 2001.

WBOA’s Martin Stevens said: “Although the marina is not run by boat owners it is thanks to Bruce that it is at last in competent hands.

“The boat museum features some of Bruce’s idiosyncratic creations with wood, and is a lasting legacy of his work”.

Bruce and Lorna had two sons Nathan and Conrad.

Nathan said: “He was gentle and kind and a little bit of that rubbed off on everybody who knew him.

“Conversation was always easy and laughter was never far from the surface.”

The service was conducted by Gerald Wetherell and included works by Samuel Barber, Claude Debussy and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

‘Crossing the Bar’ was sung beautifully by David Milton.

In a moving tribute to her husband, Lorna Scott recited ‘The Life That I Have’.

Donations were requested for the RNLI.