Sad to report the passing of Roy Walton, long time owner of Tam Shepherd's Trick Shop, in Queen Street.

London-born Roy, an ace card sharp, who wrote three volumes of card tricks, was a legend in magic circles.

Tam Shepherds has occupied the same premises in Queen Street, in Glasgow city centre, since the days when Queen Victoria was on the throne. The shop was established by Tam Shepherd in 1886 and has been run by the Walton family for the past 77 years.

The shop has kept countless generations of wee Glasgow boys and girls, and some not so wee, supplied with stink bombs, itching powder, whoopee cushions, black-face soap, and disguises.

Roy, his wife, Jean, and their daughters, Sarah and Julia, have been mainstays behind the counter for longer than I care to remember.

Thinking back, it must have been Roy who sold a wee me my first packet of stink bombs, and more boxes of 'Snappets' than I care to remember.

As fellow magician, and comedian, Jerry Sadowitz wrote on Twitter: "Very upset to hear that my friend and hero Roy Walton has died. The greatest card magician and the most exemplary human being I ever knew. Real giants move quietly among us and this one managed Tam Shepherd's Joke Shop in Glasgow for years. Devastated."

Condolences to all the Walton Clan, and to Roy's many good friends. You brought magic to so many lives...



PS The good news is, Sarah and Julia are to continue running the shop, so, wee Glaswegians yet to be born, can enjoy the same magic. mischief and fun as we did.