Until leaving Sao Paulo in 1973 to take up a business appointment in Rio de Janeiro, Duncan was a staunch and valuable supporter of the Society and an indefatigable worker both off and on the Committee during the forty-seven years he resided here. Our twenty-first President, born a Paisley "buddie" but with an Islay family background, was brought to São Paulo in 1926 by our eleventh President “WiIly” Dawson to work in the old Mappin Stores. Duncan rose to be chief buyer of this traditional British concern and, along the way married a hometown lassie Margaret, daughter of one of the Coat technicians working at the time at the Ipiranga mill. He became the father of two boys Ronald and Douglas, educated at St Paul's here and Paisley Grammar School and both obtained degrees in Glasgow in their chosen specialities, the older now living and working as a metallurgist in Canada, while the younger is a professor of modern languages at Hull University. Duncan frequently travels to Canada and the UK to enjoy the company of his grandchildren. He left “Mappins" in 1951 and became buyer for the São Paulo Gas Company and, after retiral in 1969, joined the Light where he is still working at the time this monograph is being written.

There never was a more “kenspeckle” member of our Scottish colony and Duncan, known as "Jimmy", has a host of friends and acquaintances among Brazilians and foreigners in all walks of life. Always active in the Society's sporting contests he played soccer regularly with some of the great figures of the past, such as our eighteenth President Archie McLean, In the old Britannia Football Club and later was regularly included in the Society's representation on the golf course and the bowling green. Coming of a theatrical family, he was no stranger in São Paulo dramatic and musical activities and some years back could always be seen on the SPAC stage filling a small character part in the Christmas pantos. His last musical appearance was as drummer in the “Brás Baun" at the Ceilidh following the 1973 Banquet.

He served on the Committee in 1932 and 1949 and again in an ex-oficio capacity in 1952. He was Vice-President in 1950 and President the following year. Duncan was responsible for a number of innovations to our Society’s procedures and functions and many of the little “touches" which are now traditional and are so much appreciated by our guests, such as the giving of "favours" to the lassies at Ladies Nights, were introduced by him. Before leaving for Rio, he did a considerable amount of groundwork analysing past minutes and compiling complete membership lists, all of which was of considerable assistance to the subsequently formed Historical Committee.