At just 17, Jean Colquhoun became the youngest Scottish girl to earn the National Skating Association’s gold medal, launching a remarkable career that took her from international tours to performing with world-famous shows.

Her story is one of early success, global recognition, and a lifelong passion for skating that continues to define her legacy.

Jean Colquhoun was born in Falkirk, Scotland, in 1928, the eldest in a family of skaters. In 1945, Jean made history as the youngest Scottish girl to earn the National Skating Association’s gold medal, a remarkable achievement that set her on a path to international success.

This title opened some incredible doors for Jean, leading her to perform and tour the world with ‘The King of Pantomime’ Tom Arnold. She also proudly entertained the troops post-war alongside other renowned athletes, including Matt Busby, the legendary Manchester United manager, Jackie Patterson, the world flyweight boxing champion, record-holding swimmer Nancy Riach and Olympian runner CB Holmes.

While enroute to one of her international tours, Jean experienced a chance encounter with Hollywood royalty, none other than the legendary actor John Wayne!

During her time with the Tom Arnold show, Jean met her future husband, Ronald Stanley, who was also a professional ice skater. The couple married in 1948 and later welcomed a daughter Lorna.

When Jean was asked about the highlights of her career, she fondly recalled “I’ve had so many but Snow White at Wembley Arena playing The Queen” was her response as one of the most significant performances of her career. When asked if she found it daunting to perform before such a large audience, Jean, ever the professional simply shrugged and replied, “not really”, before moving on with the conversation.

Today, Jean lives with a Dementia at Gibraltar Nursing Home in Monmouth where the team place great importance on understanding each person's life history when they move in, to encourage a continuation of life which is linked to their past.

The team support and encourage conversations with Jean about her ice-staking journey and with the many memories framed on her walls Jean is able to share moments from her remarkable career and her beloved family.