Seamus McSporran

James Alexander Graham McSporran, BEM (9 January 1938 – 15 February 2026), better known as Seumas, (including renting bicycles to tourists), firefighter unit leader, assurance agent, petrol pump attendant, pier master, police officer, sub-postmaster, registrar of births, marriages and deaths, rent collector, shopkeeper, undertaker, barman, delivery driver of beer to the island's local pub.

He undertook National Service at the age of 18 as a storeman in the Royal Air Force, returning to Gigha on completion. By 1985 he had ceased to have jobs as shipping company representative or coastguard. In 1989 he received the British Empire Medal for his services. on the mainland, in April 2000 at the age of 62. His various roles were taken over by Viv and Andy Oliver.

In an interview he said that his wife Margaret (née Lindsay) had been a great help with his multiple duties. They never took a holiday and worked from 6am to 10pm. and again in 1992 when repossessed by a Swiss Bank. His brother is Willie McSporran, instrumental in the community buy-out of Gigha in 2001.

A Guinness Book of Records entry listed him as having the world's largest number of jobs.

He appeared on BBC's Nationwide in 1976, focussing on the reporter repeatedly encountering the same man, responsible for various jobs in the crew's visit to Gigha.

McSporran died at home in Ardrishaig on 15 February 2026, at the age of 88.