Creator of iconic Camelon statue lifts the lid on its creation
Forth Valley Sensory Centre logo.
The creator of an iconic statue housed in the garden of Forth Valley Sensory Centre in Camelon has revealed the secrets of its creation.
The tin man tactile sculpture, known as Douglas, has become part of the family at the sensory charity, and even acquired a ‘wife’. Two decades on from his installation in the sensory garden at the centre his designer has told of his role in creating the statue, and revealed the tin family may yet grow.
Forth Valley Sensory Centre supports thousands of people with sight and/or hearing loss every year and Douglas has become a familiar and much-loved presence for centre users, visitors and staff. John Cruickshanks, known as Ian, designed the tin man when working as a training officer at AL Gordon Engineering in Falkirk. Now 91, he started with the firm at 15-years-old and spent his entire career with the company, which originally produced copper boiler backs before moving into stainless steel and aluminium extractors.
On his return from 18 months of national service in South Korea, he worked his way up to being a foreman before retiring at 62. But he couldn’t stay away for long and was invited back as a training officer, passing on his extensive technical knowledge to young apprentices until age 73, which gave birth to the idea of Douglas.
Douglas the Tin Man on installation in the sensory garden, with Tom Binnie (left) and Ian Cruickshanks leaning on his shoulders and two apprentices who helped build him standing behind the sculpture, with another apprentice kneeling in front.
Apprentices were encouraged to take on creative projects to develop their skills, and it was through one of these that the Douglas came to life. Known then as the Tin Man, he was designed by Ian and built by colleague Tom Binnie and the apprentices, working one or two mornings a week for several weeks.
Made from steel and aluminium, with an aluminium hat and steel legs, he was intentionally created to be tactile, so people with sight loss could explore his features, such as his glasses, bow tie and top hat, through touch. Douglas was installed in the centre’s sensory garden around 20 years ago, gaining his name through a naming competition as a part of a fundraising initiative.
A full-length picture of Douglas the Tin Man with the Tin Lady, known as Cathie, in the sensory garden on a sunny day.
In 2018, a companion was commissioned for Douglas, as many people felt he looked a little lonely and deserved company. Artist Fiona Fleming created the Tin Lady, who was named Cathie through a centre competition, and is fondly seen as Douglas’s ‘wife’. The tin couple are well known for donning costumes at Halloween and Christmas, delighting centre users and visitors alike and helping to mark seasonal celebrations in a playful, inclusive way.
Speaking at the home he shares with his wife Margery in Bo’ness, Ian revealed that the tin family doesn’t stop there, as he and his son Paul both have smaller tin men statues in their gardens, joking that they could be the ‘sons’ of Douglas and Cathie. Ian has visited Douglas occasionally and staff at the centre hope he and Margery will be able to return for the 20th anniversary celebrations this year.
Ian“With the apprentices, I always tried to pass on my technical know-how and the importance of pride in good workmanship. I've a lot of pride in helping to create the tin man and how he's so well loved at Forth Valley Sensory Centre that he's been given a name and a wife. When the apprentices were making him 20 years ago, they had at the front of their minds that he had to have sensory features for people with sight loss. I designed him to be accessible but also fun and I think he's managed both very successfully. My son Paul and I both have small tin men in our own gardens, who knows, maybe they are Douglas and Cathie's sons."
Forth Valley Sensory Centre chief executive Jacquie Winning MBE“What began as an apprentice training project has become a lasting symbol of craftsmanship, inclusion and community spirit. Standing at the heart of Forth Valley Sensory Centre, Douglas the Tin Man represents both the area’s engineering heritage and the power of people coming together to create something meaningful, accessible and enduring. His special design means our centre users can get to grips with him but, as the memories kindly shared by Ian show, for the centre he is far more than just metal and rivets. It’s thanks to Ian, Tom and the apprentices, that Douglas, and now Cathie, and are a key attraction at the centre and have become part of the family here.”
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