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17th edition of etcetera magazine
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Number 17
Spring 2012
The magazine for former pupils and friends of Glasgow Academy and Westbourne School
The Hardy Boys: another mystery solved!
2 Etcetera
Keeping in touchThe External Relations office is situated in Colebrooke Terrace. Former pupils are always welcome to pop in for a chat and look round the school. Just give us a call to arrange a time. Our address is Colebrooke Terrace, Glasgow G12 8HE and you can contact us on 0141 342 5494 or at [email protected]
The Glasgow Academical Club 21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow G13 1RR President – John Taylor E-mail – [email protected] Secretary – Kenneth Shand Tel: 0141 248 5011 E-mail: [email protected]
The Academical Club pavilion is available for functions.
Academical Club’s London SectionSecretary – David Hall, 20 Cadogan Place London SW1X 9SA Tel: 020 7235 9012 E-mail: [email protected]
Do we have your e-mail address? It’s how we communicate best!
Editorial Contents3 A growing school!
4 On the road to success…
5 Anecdotage
11 Reunions and Get-togethers
13 Events
14 Regular Giving 2011-12
The Navy Lark
15 JW Hardy Trophy
16 Atholl days…
18 Academical Section
22 Westbourne
24 Updates
26 Family announcements
28 Obituaries
30 Picture Post
Malcolm McNaught, Director of External Relations [email protected]
Together we’re strongerHard as it is to imagine, it’s now over 20 years since two west end schools - both with proud single-sex traditions - combined to form the new, co-educational Glasgow Academy.
To those who know it well, there can be little doubt that what has emerged from that union is much stronger as a result of the merger. Never mind all the advances that increased financial resources have made possible, judged purely in terms of the number of parents who want to send their children to The Academy, there can be little comparison between the old and the new.
Talking of the old, it’s fascinating to learn the story of the JW Hardy Tennis Trophy, donated to the school a century ago this year. I’m delighted that Nicky Bannerman, of the PE Department, decided to investigate the story. After months of patient research, she has unearthed a story of one family’s gratitude to The Academy expressed in a wonderful gift from half-way across the world.
So many of the trophies awarded at Sports Day have family associations. It can be a great way of remembering an individual - or of a family celebrating their links with a school that has meant so much over the years.
Sheila Crawford
Fran Macdonald
The end of the Summer Term this year sees the retirement of two teachers who - more than most - epitomise the link between Westbourne and The Academy. Sheila Crawford, Head of Games, retires after 33 years’ service to the two schools. Her constant encouragement to our pupils to push themselves in terms of their athletic ability has seen many - boys as well as girls - achieving far more than they would have expected on coming to the school. Likewise Fran Macdonald - our retiring Head of Chemistry - joined the newly-merged Academy from Westbourne. Her pursuit of academic excellence and her tireless desire to see her charges ‘be the best’ has served as an inspiration to many hundreds of children over the years.
Many will know that we are about to embark on an exciting new project to provide The Academy with the science facilities that it deserves. We know that the Science and Technology Building will be key to the future for The Glasgow Academy. But schools are not just bricks and mortar - they are flesh and blood too.
Why has the merger been such a success? Look no further than inspirational teachers - like Sheila and Fran.
Etcetera 3
A growing school!The Academy has bucked the trend by continuing to
grow strongly through the recession. Since 2008, our
roll has risen from 1236 to 1336 (+8%). This success
has been achieved while retaining small classes and a
community feel at The Academy. The prospects for next
year are excellent, too, as we were heavily oversubscribed
for places in the entrance exams in January and our roll
is expected to rise by over 50 pupils in August 2012
compared to 2011.
We have been planning the next exciting phase in our
development for some time. The continuing popularity
of the school means we can move forward with our
ambition to build a new, state-of-the-art Science and
Technology Building on the site of the two Victorian
tenements we own on Colebrooke Street. These are
exciting times for Glasgow Academy as we look forward,
with confidence and enthusiasm, to the future.
Peter Brodie, Rector
Oxbridge successNo fewer than eight S6 pupils have received Oxford and Cambridge offers - a record number in recent years. They are Robyn Phillips (Biological Sciences - Merton, Oxford); Madeleine Airlie (English - Clare, Cambridge); Peter Charles (Geography - Emmanuel, Cambridge); Lily Mortimer (Law - Homerton, Cambridge); Christopher Simpson (Law - Gonville & Caius, Cambridge); Leanne Massie (Natural Sciences - Newnham, Cambridge); Catriona Murray (Natural Sciences - Murray Edwards, Cambridge) and Cameron Scally (Natural Sciences - Clare, Cambridge).
S6 pupil Jillian Hamilton will be one of the Olympic torchbearers as it travels through Glasgow on its way to the 2012 Games in London. Jillian, who hopes to study medicine next year, was nominated by the care home where she has been working for the last year. Jillian, pictured wearing her 1st XI hockey strip, is this year’s Captain of Athletics. Shortly after this photograph was taken, she helped win the West of Scotland Sevens Tournament for The Academy.
4 Etcetera
To drive the Stuart Highway, the 3000 km stretch of road which runs between Darwin in the north of Australia and Adelaide in the south, is a test of endurance for any vehicle. For the World Solar Challenge, the objective is simple: to complete this route in a little over six days, using only energy collected from the sun. I was delighted to join 11 other recently-graduated engineers to form the University of Cambridge 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge team.
The event is biennial and we were using a modified version of the 2009 car. Following several weeks of testing, on Sunday 16 October, 37 solar cars - including our Endeavour MkII - rolled out of the city, bound for Adelaide. After a couple of minor setbacks on day one, the race generally went well for us.
Although bushfires on the road caused problems on Monday and Tuesday, on Wednesday, despite the haze - and with the help of the trailer more often than we would have preferred - Endeavour II made it to Alice Springs.
By this point in the race, our teamwork was flawless - whether in the scout van, lead or chase cars. Endeavour herself is cramped, and with no air-conditioning the temperature can easily reach 40°C in Australia, so driving the solar car is by no means comfortable. Being responsible for logistics, I spent most of my time driving our trailer vehicle, a brand new Discovery 4 generously lent to us by Jaguar Land Rover. A hard life for some!
Rain and storms on Thursday were followed by a very overcast sky all day on Friday which meant there was a need
for more trailer support for the car. It was not until Saturday morning at 11am that the sun came out again. Police restrictions on solar power driving, as the roads get busier nearer Adelaide, meant there was no need to conserve power at this stage and so we averaged 80kph for the final 120km to Port Augusta. It was a very positive note on which to end our solar driving challenge. We finally reached Adelaide in 25th position having completed 1487km of the route under solar power.
I myself am not continuing at university but I intend to remain involved with the team as best as I can. Was the World Solar Challenge an opportunity not to be missed? Definitely.
Alisdair McClymont (2006)
On the road to success…
Etcetera 5
AnecdotageThree generations, one school
1st XV - winners of the Western Schools Championship, season 1926-1927Played 21; Won 15; Lost 4; Drawn 2; Pts for 323; Pts against 84Back: AC Watson; LM McClure; R Moir; FW Reid; AGM Cook; R Mitchell; DG McCallMiddle: HF Thomson; WF Knox; DH Newbigging (Capt.); IA Graham; JR FergieFront: AF Brown (Inserts: EUG Solbé; IMK Fair; AC Benson)
My late father - Ian Alexander Graham - was born in Bridge of Weir on 18 June 1910. He attended Ranfurly Castle School before being sent to Glasgow Academy, where he became School Captain in 1928. His Indian Trophy prize was a French clock with a plate which is inscribed ‘Glasgow Academy, The Indian Trophy, Won by Ian A Graham, 1928’. Several years ago the clock was handed to his Academical grandson, Peter IH Graham.
In 1928, my father left school to study Veterinary Surgery at Edinburgh University Royal Dick Veterinary College. While in Edinburgh, he met and married my Norwegian mother, Herborg Milda Maanum, who had come from Norway to study and learn English. My father sent both his sons - Henrik Alexander Graham (1954) and
myself, William MM Graham (1955) - to Glasgow Academy and his daughter, Milda Joan Graham, was educated at Westbourne until circa 1957.
Milda went on to the Astley Ainslie Institute in Edinburgh to qualify as an Occupational Therapist. She is an artist, lives in Oslo and has five grandchildren. While at The Academy, Henrik held the school record for the mile for many years. Henrik emigrated to Canada in 1957 and is in a care home in Montreal. He has one daughter there and three grandchildren. My own history is rather more mundane in that, unlike my brother and sister, I did not leave Scottish shores
primarily because while at school I met a Westbourne girl, Mary Nimmo, whom I married in 1960.
We have a son, Peter, who was born in October 1961 and attended the Academy from 1970 until 1978. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Edinburgh University and lives in Ayr with his wife, Mandy. Our daughter, Fiona, was born in November 1963 and attended Westbourne from 1972 until 1979 before going to Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen to obtain a BSc in Pharmacy. She lives with her (Hutchie) husband, Robin Dingwall, in Tillitudlem.
Bill Graham (1955)
6 Etcetera
Boarding House memoriesI was at The Academy from 1954 to 1960, and stayed at the Boarding House at 12 to 13 Belmont Crescent. We used to have malt of which we had our own individual jars in the basement. We all had our own long-handled spoons for getting at the dark brown contents. I enjoyed the tonic.
In the same basement we ironed our CCF uniforms and much KG3 was applied to our battle dress belts, and Duraglit shined up the brasses thereof as well as gaiters and buckles. The HLI cap badges for our Glengarries were put into
Silvo-filled tin lids and lit up. An old toothbrush was used to get at the nooks and crannies, and the badge polished up well after much rubbing with an old cloth. Progress at length produced the Anodised Cap Badge. Glengarries covered with Silvo were no longer a problem at last. I recall that we boarders used to try to be the smartest on parade. I remember being on my last parade proudly wearing my red badge that proclaimed that I had passed parts 1 and 2 of the Army Proficiency Certificate. Mr Jock Carruthers with the rank of Major said, ‘Well done, Hanlin!’ Not having been at that time of my erratic life a great academic scholar, I was so happy to have had that success.
I remember Lachlan Robertson of Geography, History and English. Also there was Mr Ogilvie of Geography, Mr Orr of Art (my best subject and why I am a portrait painter now). Then there was Runciman of Maths, Madame Faid of French, Miles of Latin, Knight of English, Parkes of Maths and the Boarding House, Farquhar MacIntosh, Mr Black, Preston and Newman and others. Of course, I recall Roydon Richards and Basil Holden - the two Rectors who were there in my time.
Am I right in thinking that Roydon Richards wrote the school song, ‘Qui Mos Erat Scholaribus’? I can hear the tune in my head as I write this, which reminds me that I have forgotten to remember Mr Coulthard, whom we called, ‘Jazzy Bill!’ He got us to go and Join the army. See the world…
It has been claimed in this magazine that the first Academy educational visits to the Continent took place in the late 1950s. George Porteous remembers the CCF opening up Europe to Academy boys even at a time when the Allied powers were still occupying large parts of it…
I came across this old photograph taken during a CCF visit to the 2nd Middlesex Battalion at Zeltweg, near Graz, Austria circa 1954.
The photograph is taken inside Schloss Schonbrunn, (Schonbrunn Palace), Vienna. I seem to remember seeing the famous Lipizzaner Stallions during our visit.
Among those present are (John) McCallion, (George) Porteous, (Rob) Chatfield, (?) MacPherson, (Robert) Wyburn, (Bobby) Low, (William) Jackson,
(John) McKinlay, (Iain) Riddell. The masters in charge were Ernie Dowson, and Jock Carruthers. (Ed. – But who’s who – and who are the others George has missed?)
We travelled by train to London/Dover ferry to Ostend then wagon-lit second class to Graz. From memory my folks stumped up £14 for the trip which lasted the best part of two weeks. I remember foolishly waving my camera about just after we had been on the big wheel in Vienna (famous for its part in The Third Man) and a Russian soldier boarded our bus and removed the film from the camera.
I thoroughly enjoy Etcetera - particularly scouring the photographs for kent faces.
George Porteous (1955)
Nigel Kirk Hanlin ‘on parade’ at Nairn Games
see The Mikado at The King’s Theatre. Being in the Boarding House you could go if a friend went with you. That was the rule, and so Cattanach and I went to see this show and I met my first girlfriend there, who was Rena Hill from Newmilns.
Being a boarder it was great at 15 to be abroad in the big city at night, as you may imagine. This reminds me of the daring Martin Brollie of Woking and his nocturnal escapade from the Boarding House to St Andrews Hall, to see Cliff Richard and the Shadows. Effective use was made by him of the fire escape equipment at our dormitory window!
Nigel Kirk Hanlin (1961)
Etcetera 7
ComicsThese were periodicals which we read below the confines of the desk, when the subject or the teacher was not holding our attention. In the junior school it was the Dandy and the Beano which vied for our attention. In the Senior School we graduated to more sophisticated reading – no cartoons, only prose. The titles at our disposal were The Adventure, The Hotspur, The Rover and The Wizard. They all came out periodically from DC Thomson of Dundee, so we were not short of reading material. Although the content was maybe not up to W Shakespeare standards, at least we were practising our reading skills, albeit clandestinely. There was a good trade in exchanging, and it was possible to buy only the one copy of one comic and then exchange it for all the rest, in rotation, so that one could keep up-to-date with the on-going sagas in each publication. It was a help in perusing a copy of these gems of literature, to have a seat near the back of the classroom where these surreptitious activities were less noticeable to the teacher - although sometimes I suspect that they turned a blind eye to those who were not hanging on their every word.
InkwellsBefore the advent of the Biro, we all had to rely on pen and ink to make the copious notes that were considered a sign of industry and enthusiasm. Fountain pens were a developing fashion, but many of us had to rely on the ordinary pen which was dipped at very regular intervals into an inkwell which sat at the right hand corner of the desk – no concession to left-handers here. Also, at less frequent intervals, a member of the class would go round the desks with a large glass container of ink and top up those which were getting low. One of the childish pranks which helped to alleviate a humdrum lesson was to put a small chip of Carbide into the inkwell. This caused a very satisfactory chemical reaction, but did nothing for the quality of the ink. How we came by the Carbide to start with, I cannot remember – maybe we had to purchase it in the marketplace of the playground.
J ScougallDuring the war, he stood out as the only youngish teacher around. We were never
able to suss out why he had evaded the draft, but he was a welcome change to all the octogenarian members of the staff. His subject was Biology and he made it interesting to us (no reading of comics here!). One particular period I remember was when he gave us the run down on human reproduction. Although I personally had been well briefed on this subject by an older son of a neighbour, there was a palpable frisson in the air among some of my classmates who were obviously not so well informed on this subject.
David D Ogilvie……was another teacher who had the ability to hold our attention - this time on the subject of Geography. Although still able to recite the stations between Moscow and Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway, the thing that ‘Dodo’ impressed on my memory - and has stood me in good stead in later years - is that, when you have a good going anticyclone covering the British Isles, the weather will be calm and sunny. I can still get more information from a weather map that includes isobars than from the namby-pamby stuff that the TV services produce. The said ‘Dodo’ was also the person in charge of Detention which was held in his classroom. So a visit there during school hours was a pleasurable experience, but - after hours - it lost all of its appeal.
SmokingOur wartime generation was bombarded with advertising that smoking was sociable and ‘cool’. So it is not surprising that we were hooked on nicotine as soon as we could lay our hands on the stuff. As any addict will tell you, it is essential that you get your ‘fix’ at regular intervals and the school day is a long time to go without a ‘top-up’. Lunchtime provided an excellent opportunity to do this, if one could find a place to indulge - in privacy. Terry Todd, Bruce Young, and myself, being similarly afflicted with the need for a ‘drag’, managed to find a suitable spot to indulge. As it was wartime - and as our building had a high flat roof - it was the ideal spot for the Royal Observer Corps to have a lookout for enemy aircraft, and they had an eyrie up on the roof, accessible by a hidden ladder, which no-one seemed to know about, but which we discovered by
accident. It made an excellent “howff” for a puff or two before the afternoon lessons.
Smoking (2)Sometimes things got too fraught around the school perimeter, as the Prefects would mount anti-smoking patrols at lunchtime, so it was necessary to find alternative sites away from prying eyes. I remember on one occasion that Charlie Robertson (a doctor’s son) and I were indulging in a quiet smoke just down Otago Street in the grounds of the Red Hackle distillery, next to the river Kelvin. Suddenly Charlie said ‘Stub it out!’ and Charlie did likewise. Maybe he had sixth sense, but within seconds a Prefect patrol appeared on the scene and accused us of smoking. Fortunately, not being caught in the act, we were able to get away with the unlikely story that we were only out for a breather and interested in any wildlife about the Kelvin.
Robert RunciemanHe was our form teacher in the later stages of secondary school, and had the unenviable task of teaching us maths. While one could see the benefit of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication, when it came to trigonometry, algebra, calculus and all that other stuff, it got a bit divorced from everyday life - and he had a hard row to hoe. However, one pearl of wisdom he did impart which I remember to this day – ‘You may think that the subject of Geometry has no bearing on everyday life, but it teaches you to think constructively about any problem you may face in the future’ - has stood me in good stead in later years. Possibly all my succeeding problems have been solved by applying: ‘Given, Required, Construction, and Proof’.
A lesson in EconomicsAt the end of my time in the junior school, I was lucky enough to discover in our attic a whole packet of ‘Sparkler’ fireworks – 50 to the pack. As one could always use a spare bit of cash, it seemed an ideal opportunity to offer these for sale in the playground – no e-Bay in those days. As a selling price I chose 1 penny each, which would net me over 4 shillings, if I was successful, and 4 shillings in those days had a lot of financial clout. Anyway, I managed to sell the lot within
Jim Cunningham: the memories keep on coming…
8 Etcetera
a couple of days, and had customers still wanting more, and previous buyers who had purchased a bundle of 5 or more. So it came as a bit of a surprise to see these ‘multiple purchase’ entrepreneurs offering the stuff they had just bought from me at tuppence each, and having no difficulty in finding customers. 100% profit in a couple of days is not to be sneezed at, and - although they did not have a large stock to take advantage of - it taught me quite a bit about the market place.
Early LeaversWhile the vast majority of us had to be incarcerated in school until 3.50 pm, there was a family of Smiths who stayed in Ardmore near Cardross, who, because of the intricacies of the train timetable, had to be released early in order that they could get home on the same day that they left it. This involved a departure ten minutes earlier than the rest of us. Although we did not grudge them their premature departure, it was somewhat of a relief when the teacher would give the nod to our particular Smith that he should pack his bags and depart. It meant that there was only another ten minutes till we could follow suit. This was particularly welcome when the
afternoon session finished with a double period which is hopefully the closest most of us will experience which equates to a prison sentence. I expect that if one is in the Science Lab experimenting with chemicals that could blow the place apart, the mind wouldn’t be concentrated on the clock, but if one is mastering the intricacies of ‘amabo, amabis, amabit, amabimus, amabitus, amabunt’ (I hope I have got that right – it’s been over 60 years since I had to memorise this declension), or whether it should be ‘le table’ or ‘la table’, then an early release from a double period is much to be sought after.
Church ServiceThe very last thing at the end of every term was a church service at Lansdowne Church which was just on the other side of Kelvin Bridge. So the whole school would troop over there class by class. In the younger classes no thought was given to missing out on this activity, but - as one grew older - it was a temptation to start the holidays just that little bit earlier. Now Great Western Road was well served by Glasgow Corporation trams. We had the number 10, number 30, and I think Number 1, and there was a tram
stop just at the far end of Kelvin Bridge, with usually some members of the general public waiting to board. Thus it was possible - by keeping a wary eye open for approaching trams, and reducing or speeding up one’s progress across the bridge - that one could arrive at the tram stop just as the would-be travellers were stepping off the pavement to board the tram, thus joining their numbers without anyone in authority noticing. This was fine for those of us who were city-bound to get home, but a bit useless for West End, Milngavie, and Bearsden dwellers who would have had to double back.
A rejoinderAlthough all the foregoing may have given one the impression that schooldays were not the happiest days of my life, and honestly they weren’t, I am eternally grateful to the education that I got at the Academy which has equipped me well for my journey through life, and has enabled me to pen these few words with (I hope) a bit of reality and humour, and a fair grasp of the English Language.
Jim Cunningham (1949)
During some of my years in the Senior School I was a member of the choir and therefore joined other pupils and masters on the stage in the Well. In this position one had a view of the assembled school and looked towards the upper floors. In Transitus I was a treble and enjoyed singing the descants of the morning hymns, chosen by the Rector, Mr Roydon Richards, who I believe had also composed the descant for the school song. These descants seemed to soar up to the then blue-painted glass of the cupola.
In 1945, as the war drew to an end, a General Election was called - there having been no elections during the war. With a view to helping the boys to understand what an election was all about, the Debating Society, I presume, organised a mock election. My only significant recollection of the proceedings was a large banner which was suspended across the Well, at second floor level, exhorting us boys to ‘VOTE RED’. I thought it was a gross intrusion, but do not remember whether it influenced the election result.
Memories of the Well Another memory from 1945 was the Rector addressing the school at morning assembly on the occasion of the retirement of Mr W Barradell-Smith. The Rector’s address told us that Mr Barradell-Smith had taught at the Academy from 1907. His whole professional life had been dedicated to the school and I was much moved to see this popular and respected master standing on the stage in tears. Sadly his period of retirement was all too short.
I believe that a previous contributor to Etcetera may have mentioned that the morning hymns were accompanied by the Music Master playing the ‘hand-pumped’ organ which was also on the stage. I recollect the identity of only one of the boys who did the pumping, and in my opinion he was a likable rogue. This suggested to me that, to qualify for this important duty, one had to have committed some transgression which warranted this form of punishment.
WA McNicol (1946)
Duncan Paterson (1953) and James L Weatherall (1953) both sent in this photograph of Miss Currie’s 1944-45 Prep 4A Class. If you can name ALL of the pupils, please let us know!
Etcetera 9
Summer Camp at HerefordI recently made my first visit back to the Academy and took up two class photographs and a photograph of the boys attending the Summer Camp at Hereford. I was informed that a copy of the same photograph had just been received from another former pupil.
Talking to Joanna and Malcolm, I told them of my memory of the trip and they suggested I send it in to them for inclusion in this issue of Etcetera.
The memory I have is of the trip to Stratford upon Avon to visit the Shakespeare places. We met outside the church and - once we had broken up into smaller groups and a guide allocated - we proceeded into the church. One of the boys in our group called out to me and the guide stopped and asked what the name was again. I informed him of my name whereupon he asked if my father was called Peter. When I informed him he was, he told me that my father had worked for him when he went out to the Sudan to work.
Small world, isn’t it! (By the way I am in the front row third from the right.)
Hamish Bryson (1956)
Heading for HerefordFor all the years that I was at GA (1949-58) ‘Jimmy’ Scougall taught Biology. He taught in a dark lounge suit, neat shirt and tie, and a silk handkerchief in both top pocket and at sleeve – an urbane teaching style that meant that we did not slice up live frogs or eviscerate dead rabbits or fish. But Jimmy also ran summer holidays for the school. I attended my first of these when I had finished Transitus and I well recall a rain-soaked, midgie-bitten two weeks at Roy Bridge and resolving that, whatever its alleged scenic delights, the west of Scotland was definitely to be avoided.
However, two years later he advertised a three-week holiday (yes, three) to Hereford and I signed up. We were allocated special carriages at the rear of the train along with a large van into which was put all the luggage and our bikes and we were added on to a London-bound train. On reaching Birmingham, our section was uncoupled and we were added to a train for Hereford.
When we arrived there we cycled a few miles to the little village of Weobley and to the ample estate of a friend of Jimmy. He was a welcoming host and gave us the run of the estate – I am not sure if he
was a retired military man but the whole place looked pretty prosperous.
I do not recall when or by whom the tents and marquees were erected but they were all in place (along with the aromatic Elsans!) when we arrived - and they were to be our canvas village for the ensuing three weeks.
It was a memorable holiday – I recall no rain or midgies! Every two or three days there was a coach trip and over the time we visited Barry Island Park in South Wales, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, Worcester, Bulmer’s Cider Factory and a canning plant where local fruit was tinned, and of course Hereford itself.
Jimmy’s mother (a fairly large lady with one spectacle lens opaque) masterminded the catering along with staff from the school dining hall and we all of course pitched in preparing spuds and other veg for the huge cooking pots.
Having over the years run schools trips myself, I have some idea of what a high degree of planning and organisation must have gone into these holidays and I suppose that we just took it all rather for granted. But I have never forgotten those weeks and, if anyone reading this remembers Hereford, I am sure they will share this good memory.
David A Keddie (1958)
10 Etcetera
Schoolboy memories There have been a few letters in Etcetera recently from old boys recalling the Academy in wartime, so I thought I’d throw in my ‘two bobs worth’ - if that is still the term in decimal times.
I started at the Academy in the Autumn of 1943 when I am sure I would have described myself as being ‘4 and ¾’ years old. I still remember my first day at school if only because I created a minor scene when we were all lined up to go over the street to visit the air raid shelters in the main school grounds (presumably a necessary drill). My mother had told me not to leave until she came to collect me – so I refused to go! Eventually I was persuaded to go along. My first year teacher was Miss Walker, the class room being on the ground floor front of the Colebrooke Street building on the southern corner. My second year class was taught by Miss Duff but strangely I cannot now recall just where it was situated but it must have been in the same building. I well remember her writing the day’s date on the blackboard ‘12/3/45’ and asking if anyone saw anything odd about it. We all gawped at it for a while till one extra-bright young chap pointed out the obvious - that it was in numerical sequence (though I don’t think he used that term!). Coincidentally this date also impressed Lord Alanbrook in the War Office in London when he noted how it would not come again for another hundred years (Getting there slowly!).
My third year was in Mrs Hislop’s class in the next building up Colebrooke Street at the front. Mrs Hislop was, I believe, a young war widow. I have never seen her name mentioned in Etcetera so I have no idea what became of her.
I left the Academy at the end of that year when my father got a new job in Edinburgh. I still remember the names of many of my old class mates, but never saw or heard of any of them again. The 44 miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh was just too far to travel in those days. We even lost touch with our relatives in Glasgow!
The school mates I remember include: Norman Henderson, Jeffrey Kerr, Graham Simon, Melvin Aspin, Ian Aitken (who I remember lived in Airdrie. I went to a party at his house and was very impressed by the model aeroplanes hanging from the walls – which may have initiated my interest in aircraft which has continued to this day.) Douglas McFadzean, Murray Urquhart
(who I think I narrowly missed meeting in Sydney in 1966 when he was working for the accountants firm that did the audit of the company I was working for then), Roy Burdon (I remember going to a party at his house and watching a ‘home movie’ of what must have been the Academy sports day in technicolour - a rarity in those wartime days, and being fascinated by the Greasy Pole competition where two stalwarts whacked at each other with pillows over a tub of what I am sure was very cold water! Then upstairs to see what seemed to me an enormous model railway set up - much bigger tham mine!), Donald Smith (who left half way through the third year) and Tony Hatfield who left at the same time as I did.
There were also some others who lived around me in the Hyndland district: Noel Haig a few years older than I who lived in a flat above ours, Morton Hoey who lived across the street, Douglas Fisher, Ian Robertson, Kenneth Sandford. But as mentioned I never heard of any of them again. Not even a mention that I have seen in any Etceteras in the several years that I have been receiving them...
Regarding wartime recollections, oddly I have no memory of the barrage balloon recently mentioned in Etcetera as being in the playground. Perhaps by 1943 the requirement for it had passed. One memory I have is of often standing at the end of Colebrooke Street waiting to cross Great Western Road to catch a bus or tram home and having to wait for never-ending military convoys from the docks to pass before we could cross. On one occasion an escorting motor cyclist was run over and killed by one of the trucks, which held up the proceedings for quite a time. Fortunately I was too young to really
appreciate the tragedy of it. I remember the convoy route was indicated by a black number 70 on a yellow circle posted every half mile or so along the road. The day the war in Europe ended I was not at school but in bed at home ill with one of the childhood diseases I was prone to – mumps, measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever, German measles, I got the lot! Shortly after the war’s end I remember watching the school flag pole being re-erected - by being pulled upright by a truck - in the corner of the playground by the war memorial. Presumably it had been taken down early in the war to make the building look less like a military establishment with a parade ground in front of it.
Other recollections are of occasional lunches at Hubbard’s tea rooms in Great Western Road when my aunt who lived in Hamilton Drive for some reason could not give me lunch as she normally did, and of a shop just across Great Western Road which had a model of a warship, the Hood I think, in the window, and a boys’ outfitters (it may have been the same shop) which had a fascinating system of despatching your payment up a wire to the accounts office on the floor above. Just what propelled it with such speed I never worked out and never did yet. Some sort of spring, I suppose.
I do not recall any class photograph ever being taken of my years at the Academy but if there is one I would be very glad to see it now in Etcetera.
Angus McDonald (Class of 1956 - left from P3 in 1946)
Scott McCrone (1954) sent in this photo. We know very little about it, so please let us know - at [email protected] - if you recognise anyone.
Etcetera 11
Reunions and Get-togethers1970-75 ReunionIt was with a mix of curiosity and anticipation that I walked that familiar route along the Great Western Road to attend the Classes of 1970–1975 reunion. It had, after all, been almost 40 years since I had left school and headed south to college in England. Subsequently, my career had taken me to Switzerland and to the USA so that I had lost what little contact remained with my classmates.
Thanks to Mark Taylor and Joanna Wallace, I knew who was going to be at the reunion and that included several of my school friends. But, forty years on, what would they be like? I needn’t have worried. The years seemed to slip away as we reminisced about old times, caught up on what everyone had been doing, gossiped about classmates who were not present, discussed former teachers and recalled other memories.
The reunion started with a get together in The Well, now converted into a library. There were then the obligatory group photos followed by lunch in the magnificent new primary school building. After lunch we were given guided tours of the school and then we
all got together in The Well again.
I would be remiss if I did not add a word of appreciation to the senior pupils who were tasked with showing us around the school. They demonstrated remarkable tact, patience and good humour as a bunch of errant codgers embarked on a trip down memory lane.
I do believe that the reunion was a tremendous success. So much so that, in the ‘reunion after the reunion’ held at a nearby hostelry, a few of us decided to try to organise a dinner for our year. We are shooting for September 2012 so watch your mailboxes.
Charles Lewis (1973)
12 Etcetera
Having left school in 1974 and never having experienced a reunion in 38 years, there was a certain amount of trepidation as I walked into Colebrooke Street. This was swiftly displaced after 10 minutes as Mark Taylor and Malcolm McNaught made us very welcome. Father time had clearly taken its toll, but badges helped to identify old faces and conversation followed and memories became as vivid as if the events were yesterday.
Hi Joanna,
I would like to thank you and all the ex rel team for organising our reunion. I am sure there are different reactions from different years and different people within those years but personally I found the experience pleasant, moving, surprising and wonderful.
Pleasant to be together with school friends again (at school). I am sorry I did not take the train in from Neilston and the bus to the school! Moving as I felt shivers go up my spine to be in that
building again, seeing the rooms again and the memories of seven years of my life from 10 to 17 when The Academy formed me. (Deformed me?) Surprising to see people from my year but not my class whom I did not know well then and who are such charming interesting and engaging people. Wonderful because our meeting carried on in a pub for long hours after our visit to the school had finished.
Please say thank you on my behalf to our tour guide whom I managed to lose en-route who was just a great example
We had a good meal, a very positive speech from the Rector, Peter Brodie, and a good laugh revisiting the ‘old bits’ of the school. Baggie Aston, Ken Waine, Jimmy Jope, Lachie Robertson, Morty Black, Jock Carruthers, and of course Basil, amongst others were the centrepiece of conversation and all for different reasons! The one thing that was evident was the attitude and relationship between pupil and teacher as we walked
round the various classrooms: education has come a long way since the 1970s.
Needless to say the ‘lunch’ ended about one in the morning in the west end and most of the world’s problems had been sorted by that time.
Gavin Smith (1974)
Thanks for the memoriesof what nice folk The Academy can produce.
For sure, it’s age that is making me nostalgic, but it was such a positive experience that I am glad that I did not lose touch with the school and will be trying to contact my friends whom the school cannot contact.
Best regards
Johnny Monaghan (1972)(Two Highers, 6 O-levels - and a load of
great friends)
A walk down memory lane...
Tim Haggis (1969) sent in this photograph of Mr EBC Thornton’s 4A Class in 1967
Back row - Donald Cam-eron, Iain Howie, Alan McGregor, Bill Patrick, Donald Campbell, Martin Cousland, Garth Lamb, Sandy WhiteSecond row - Ian Daw-son, George McLaren, Nick Jewell, Lindsay Peden, Jimmy Cooper, Mickey McNaught, Murray Magowan, Ian Murray, Billy GrayFront Row - Ken McCracken, Adrian Flat-man, Andy Boyd, Rob-ert Johnston, Mr E B C Thornton, Lex Dowie, Nobby Sutherland, Iain Swan, George HowieSeated - Alan Gibson, Colin Scott, Ian Veitch, Tim Haggis
Class 4A in 1967
Etcetera 13
Events
Thursday 23 February involved an early start for over 60 members of the GA 100 as they met for a Business Breakfast in the Prep School Hall at The Academy. The event was sponsored by Voltage Marketing Group, which is run by current Academy parent Scott Simpson (1987).
After some networking over coffee and (very tasty!) bacon rolls, the group sat down to listen to Scott’s seminar on ‘LinkedIn - Maximising this Powerful Business Development Channel’. Judging by the number of questions asked, this was a very relevant topic - and there have certainly been lots of Academical/Westbourne updates and connections made on the site since! If you are on LinkedIn, there is a Glasgow Academy Group that we would encourage you to join.
There was quite a mix of business sectors represented, from architects to lawyers, travel consultants to hairdressers, and there was ample time at the end for some more networking. GA 100 is made up of former pupils and current parents of The Academy and provides a platform for business networking and opportunities. The next GA 100 event takes place in September and will be combined with the Senior School Careers Evening.
If you are interested in finding out more about GA 100 or about sponsoring a future event, please contact Joanna, [email protected]
The Spring Lunch takes place every year on the first Friday in March. This year for the first time it took place at The Academy, which proved a popular choice with the 50 or so Academicals who attended. Much in everyone’s thoughts was Iain Muir, the organiser for many years, who died in February after a long illness.
The GA 100 Business Breakfast
Diary of EventsWe have a full diary of events this year. If you would like more information on any of them, would like to get involved or are keen to come along, please contact Joanna, [email protected]
Saturday 19 May 7.00 pm Westbourne Grand Reunion, Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow
Friday 15 June 12.30 pm Class of 1976-1978 Reunion, The Glasgow Academy
Monday 25 June 6.00 pm Regular Giving Thank You Reception, The Glasgow Academy
Saturday 25 August Class of 1972 Westbourne Reunion, The Blythswood Hotel
Friday 7 September 2.00 pm Class of 1992 Reunion, The Glasgow Academy
Friday 14 September 11.00 am Class of 1951-1955 Reunion, The Glasgow Academy
Friday 5 October 12.30 pm Class of 1976-1978 Reunion, The Glasgow Academy
Thursday 11 October 12.30 pm Kelvin Foundation Lunch
Friday 26 October 12.30 pm GASBAGs’ Lunch, New Anniesland
2.00 pm Class of 2002 Reunion, The Glasgow Academy
Friday 9 November 6.30 pm The 130th GAC Dinner, The Glasgow Academy
Glasgow Academical Club DinnerThis year’s dinner will be held in the Cargill Hall headed up by Club President for 2012/2013, Iain Jarvie. We are delighted to announce that Paralympian Kevin Simpson and singer, actor and broadcaster Fiona Kennedy will be speaking at the dinner. Further details will be announced in the summer edition of Etcetera.
14 Etcetera
The Navy Lark…A request from the editor for an article summoned so many memories that the challenge was what to omit. But it is the masters and fellow pupils who dominate. I had the good fortune to be Captain of Shooting and Cadet Cox’n in my last year. The shooting team was lucky to be led by Mr Parker, a Latin and Greek master nicknamed ‘Fess’ after the actor who played the title role in the 1960 film ‘Davy Crockett’! His unfailing courteousness and good humour meant that we took for granted that he would drive to the Dechmont ranges every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday in the summer term or be a fixture behind the firing point in the indoor range every other term.
A more ignominious note was struck on a moor beyond Milngavie when I thought that rigging a nautical construction (called ‘sheerlegs’) over a small stream would be good for the naval section. Without the benefit of health and safety regulation, my team managed to part the main span and drop the Rector in the water - only to repeat the feat with a smartly dressed Commander from HMS GRAHAM, Clyde Division RNR headquarters in the afternoon!
It seemed a naval career beckoned so I had the good fortune to join Dartmouth in September 1962. Indonesian Confrontation in a patrol boat with three Malay seamen and a section of Ghurkhas was a long way from the naval hut at the Academy. Having eventually gained one stripe I went to sea as a watchkeeper, gained a second stripe and went to Malta as an ADC. I still take lingering pride in the fact that Neil MacGregor, now the Director of the British Museum, flew out to be my best man when I married the daughter of a Colonel of the Royal Malta Artillery.
More sea-time followed and then a one-year course to specialise in communications and electronic warfare. Back to sea for both staff appointments and sea duty then a promotion to Commander that sent me off to the Pentagon for two years on exchange duty.
That was followed by command of HMS HERMIONE - a frigate with 220 men that saw my first moments in command as I drove her out of Chatham Dockyard to end the Royal Navy’s 400-year association as a Royal Dockyard. And alongside in Plymouth later on I was inordinately proud to invite Mr Parker on Board for dinner.
A Ministry of Defence job and two years at the Maritime Tactical School allowed promotion to Captain followed by three years with NATO at Northwood in Middlesex. A temporary rank of Commodore saw my wife and me in Naples, another NATO tour, from 1992-1995 while I enjoyed the delights of a most marvellous country as I led a large team planning for deployment into Bosnia, whilst being responsible for an organisation of over 2000 people running NATO’s Southern Region communications from Gibraltar to Turkey.
A final tour as Chief Naval Signal Officer in the Ministry of Defence and I felt that my time in the Academy’s naval section had given me both the interest and the impetus I had needed.
I left the Royal Navy in 1998 and have had ten years as a consultant working out of Brussels and eagerly anticipating joining the school Shooting Team at Bisley for dinner each summer – what splendid young people they all are: articulate, engaging and excellent company!
I look forward to maintaining my links with the Academy and find that Etcetera is the perfect way to do it.
Robert Howell (1962)
Regular Giving 2011-12Our 2011-12 appeal has got off to a steady start, so many thanks to all those who have already given. A total of just over £10,000 of new gifts and pledges has been received since November.
I am pleased to report that there has been strong support
for ‘Whatever The Academy Needs Most’ as well as for Bursaries. The Glasgow Acadepedia project - which would fund all past editions of The Chronicle and Westbourne School magazines being made available online - does need a boost. Putting these old publications online would mean all FPs could reminisce over - and revisit - their school days from the comfort of home. Our target for Glasgow Acadepedia is just £5,000. If just one hundred former pupils donated £50, this great project could become a reality this summer.
Thank you again to all those who have helped our 2010-2011 appeal get off to a good start. If you have any queries about giving to any of our projects - or to the school generally - please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
0141 342 5494
60-Year Reunion
Classes of 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955
A reunion for all former pupils
of Glasgow Academy who are
members of the Class of 1951-1955
will take place at The Academy
on 14 September 2012. The event,
which is being organised by
Norrie Judd (1951), Bill Mann
(1952), Ronnie Douglas (1953) and
Robin Paterson (1955), looks set to
be very popular.
Events continued
Etcetera 15
In 1912, JW Hardy presented The Academy with a very substantial solid silver tennis trophy in remembrance
of the connection his five sons had with the School. The Hardy Trophy is presented each year to the winner of the Senior Boys’ Tennis Championship and has been engraved almost every year since 1912. Last summer, realising the centenary was near, I decided to try and make a connection with the Hardy family. This proved more than a little difficult as The Academy’s last date of contact was 1912. The story starts here…
The first clue was engraved on the trophy. The town of Valparaiso followed JW Hardy’s name so, although not sure, I did think there was a possibility the family may still live in, or have a connection with, Chile. After weeks of searching through old school records and the far-more-recent internet, I traced a gentleman called Mr Iain Hardy who is the Honorary Consul in Valparaiso, Chile. I phoned Mr Hardy’s office in Chile and he realised almost immediately why I was calling. He knew about his family’s link with The Academy but was unaware of the trophy’s existence. Iain Hardy is a great-grandson of JW Hardy and he was as delighted as me that we had made contact. It was a very exciting and rewarding search and it is tremendous that The Academy has now re-established our links with the Hardy family. It has been of great joy to the family to know that their generous gift is still being used and valued greatly.
JW Hardy, a British gentleman, emigrated from Glasgow to Valparaiso in 1876 and, a couple of years later, his fiancée followed him. In the years that followed, they had six sons but unfortunately the youngest died in infancy. The remaining five sons were sent to Glasgow Academy for their schooling between the years of 1897 and 1909. The five brothers also sent their sons from Chile to Scotland for their education, this time opting for Loretto. All JW Hardy’s great-grandchildren have been educated in Chile.
The External Relations Department kindly organised an information pack
together with Accie tie and cufflinks that I sent to Iain via his brother in London. This was received with some excitement by Iain and his family and it gave them all a real taste of what The Academy is about in 2012. I hope that at some point in the future one of the Hardys may come and visit us at The Academy and finally see the trophy that links us.
JW Hardy Trophy 100 years of boys’ tennis
The Hardy boys
This handsome silver jug was presented to HPM Hardy in 1902 as a prize for the Mile Race. Are there any other ‘one-off’ trophies out there?
I would like to thank Simon Wood, Head of History and Modern Studies, who is also the school’s archivist. He helped me greatly in this search and kept the motivation going!
Nicky Bannerman (PE and Games Department)
The JW Hardy Trophy
16
In early 1959 - following postings in Linz, Munich and Liverpool - my father was given the job of running the Canadian Immigration Service in Glasgow. My parents were happy to accept this posting as my mother had a connection with Glasgow. Her parents, having moved to Glasgow from Switzerland and Germany in the late 19th Century, ran a bakery business from the West End in the Edwardian period, which, I was told, for a brief period rivalled Mrs Cranston’s, before they moved to Canada and her eldest brother was born in Glasgow during that period.
Having found a flat at Kelvin Court, in the West End, to which we moved in May there was then the problem of school - I being seven, my brother about two years older. The nearest primary school was Anniesland School on the Crow Road, and there we were sent. It was a large, forbidding red sandstone building with tall windows and high-ceilinged classrooms and corridors, separate entrances for boys and girls and a fence down the middle of the asphalt playground to keep them apart. The classes were large and I have a memory of us sitting in rows at wooden desks copying letters of the alphabet in exercise books which included on one line the letters, in copperplate, which were to be copied on the line below. To me this was ‘custard’ writing; to the teacher it was, no doubt, cursive writing. There must have been more to lessons than that, but we were only there a few weeks, a term at most, and this is the only one I remember.
I am not sure why we moved school. It was possibly to do with the pervasive use by the teachers of corporal punishment, the strap or tawse. Our previous school, Pershore House School, in Birkenhead, had the cane and the slipper, but these were used only for special occasions and only, as I recollect, by the headmaster.
Anyway move we did, to Atholl Preparatory School, Mugdock Road, a small mixed school on the northern outskirts of Milngavie which had the feel of a village school. Indeed, at that time, Milngavie could still, just, be regarded as a village, although one which had its own cinema. My father’s accounts show that he initially paid £38/17/-d a term for my brother and me to attend, later £19/8/6d for me, after my brother left for the Academy, rising to £20/- in my last term.
Atholl School had only three classrooms which, unlike those at Anniesland School, were proportioned with small children in mind and informally arranged. The Blue
Room, was for the youngest, the Green Room, for the middle age group (it may have been the other way around) and the Indian Room for the oldest, up to about nine years old. ‘Indian’ meant Red Indians, native Americans as they are now called but weren’t then. After our 1962 home leave to Canada, my parents gave the school a plaque of a Canadian Indian chief which was hung in that room.
The Blue and Green Rooms were separated by a folding wall. This was drawn back at lunch time to provide space for the children to eat their packed lunches and for other special occasions. Next to the Blue Room was a small office for Miss Davidson, head mistress, and the toilets. Miss Davidson’s furniture was grey and yellow and, being fond of her, grey and yellow were my favourite colours at that time. The classrooms were entered from an open wooden veranda which ran along the front of the school, the roof of which was supported on heavy green painted columns, and Blue and Green rooms were largely glazed on the veranda side. There were large tubs of red geraniums along the edge of the veranda. These were taken away during the late autumn each year, signalling the start of winter, and brought back in the spring. Beyond the veranda was a play area with flower beds. I can’t remember what the surface was - other than that it was not asphalt. There was no attempt to separate girls and boys and we played together at morning break and lunch time. There was a large shed to the left of the playground, behind which one could hide and where, I remember, I was caught with some other children chalking graffiti.
I don’t remember ever being in Blue Room; I think I was too old when I arrived: if so, I must have spent one more than one year in
the Green or the Indian Room. I think it was Indian Room where Miss Davidson taught. This may be why I remember her, but not the two teachers who taught in the Blue and Green Rooms. They were much younger than Miss Davidson, who must have been in her late 50s at the time. There was no corporal punishment and I do not recollect having to wear a specific uniform other than shorts and a shirt. Atholl did not insist on the grey flannel pull-over shirts we had worn at Pershore House. During my last year at Atholl, a school badge, featuring an owl, was designed for sowing onto blazer pockets and school caps. We were able to choose our own blazers. I chose brown because a friend had just left for the High School, and it had brown blazers. I don’t recollect having a cap so they may have been optional.
As for lessons, I remember being able to long divide shillings and pence into pounds shillings and pence (‘Lsd’ for short) - to do so took about half a page of a note book and produced a real sense of achievement, so there must have been arithmetic. There was also dictation, the teacher reading and the children copying down what was read, to test, presumably, spelling, not my strong point, and hand writing, ditto. There was history. I have an abiding impression that Scotland’s golden age came to an end when Alexander III rode his horse off a cliff and when, for some reason, shortly afterwards the Maid of Orkney drowned while travelling somewhere in a coracle, both events being illustrated by line drawings in whatever text book we used; which is why they have stuck in my memory. After then it was all down-hill with increasingly futile warfare both among the Scots and with the English, punctuated by Wallace losing his head, Bruce finding a spider, and the murders of Rizzio and Darnley in the reign of Mary Queen of Scots. It was only many years later that I learnt what eventually happened to Bothwell; not nice!
There was composition and comprehension. I have an exercise book somewhere from about this time in which I record what I did during a summer holiday and on Guy Fawkes night as well as something about sputniks and in which I answer various questions about passages read in school. There was botany, which I enjoyed as it mostly involved putting wild flowers in test tubes in racks with their names written on small white circles of paper pinned below. There was art with chalk, crayons and poster paints for drawing, and potatoes for stencils, and craft: various things being made or decorated which were then
Atholl days…
The Atholl school badge
Etcetera 17
taken home for parents to find a use for. I remember, in particular, making finger puppets for a stage show put on by the pupils and that these survived for many years afterwards.
There was sometimes ‘Listen with Mother’ on the radio and, in the Indian Room, music and motion to music on the radio - classical (pop music didn’t exist, at any rate not outside the Saturday morning flicks at the Anniesland cinema) or to records from Miss Davidson’s record collection, the troika ride from Lieutenant Kijé being a particular favourite. For some reason I remember talk about the 1950s being a new Elizabethan age; something to do with the new Queen’s reign bringing in a new era of prosperity. There were no extra-curricular activities, trips to museums, swimming or weekends away, such as those that my children, both of primary school age, enjoy. Comparing this curriculum with that of my children, it now seems somewhat narrow and unadventurous but, given that Britain was still recovering from the war, this is probably an unfair comparison.
I do not recollect whether the moor was out of bounds. Whether or not it was, it was still a place to explore, with a stream and hidden island, at least it was an island in the imagination of a young boy, and with birds to identify and wild flowers to find and pick for the botany test tubes.
There were two highlights of the Atholl school year. The first was the annual Christmas Nativity Play, held in the Green and Blue Rooms with the partition thrown back, the allocation of parts being based on year in the school and age. I eventually graduated from animal to wise king, having bottled out of playing Joseph, the principal speaking part, because of nerves - something that I should not have been allowed to get away with. For Christmas the rooms were festooned with coloured paper chains, all the children working on these and generating a great deal of excitement. The second was the summer sports day, held in the grounds of one of the big houses further up Mugdock Road, with the usual sack, three legged and egg and spoon races and, no doubt others.
Written work was awarded stars. Gold stars, which were metallic and shone, for full marks, usually 10/10, then silver stars and coloured stars for less stellar performances. In my case gold stars were the exception. I have not been able to find any of my reports from Atholl, but have found my last report from Pershore House, which is excellent, and my first report from the Academy, which is not. So it does not appear that I made the best use of my time at Atholl, at any rate not academically.
During my first two years at Atholl, we continued to live at Kelvin Court and - my father working in Glasgow and my mother not driving - must have done the journey to and from school on the bus or the train, either with my brother, or when he moved to the Academy in the autumn of 1960, by myself. I have memories of hanging around a derelict tenement across the road from the Milngavie end of the moor on the way home and throwing stones through its windows, a popular school boy pastime, not just for me; also of buying sweets from the shop which still operated from a basement at one end of the tenement. Bubble gum sheets with flags-of-the-world cards, and candy cigarettes, sherbet dip, as well as liquorice from the half penny or penny tray, were favourites. Some items were, I recollect, still priced in farthings although they were no longer in circulation.
Glasgow in the late 50s and early 60s had a colourful range of buses, rather like the range of coloured colas that were then popular drinks for small boys. As long as I stuck to the blue double-decker buses, I could not get lost since they all ran between Milngavie and Anniesland. The route of the number 12 was straight to Anniesland through Bearsden. The number 13 took a more exciting and scenic route though countryside on the western, still semi-rural, outskirts of Milngavie then back into Bearsden and through Westerton to Anniesland and beyond. A favourite schoolboy pastime, which for some reason I associate more with the number 13 than with the number 12 bus, was making small planes out of discarded bus tickets. They were stiff card, different colours for different prices, on the blue buses, matches and fag ends to throw out of the upstairs windows. There were also red and green buses, but they went to mysterious places like Yoker and Dalmuir and were to be avoided; two-tone, yellow and orange as I recollect, City of Glasgow buses; there were also city trolley buses and trams which did not come out to Milngavie or, indeed, much
past Anniesland. I have few memories from that time of the trains that ran between Anniesland and Milngavie but may have taken the train to school. I do remember a family outing at about this time to try the new electric trains, the blue trains, when they first came into service. It may be that before then the service was not reliable. Electric trains were common in Germany and Switzerland at that time, but still a novelty in Britain. My father considered Britain to be somewhat behind the times in this respect, which is probably why I remember the family outing when they first came into service.
In my last year at Atholl we moved from Kelvin Court to a house in the country between Mugdock and Strathblane. After that I was driven to school by my father on the way to work, and picked up at the end of the day by my mother who, by then, had passed her driving test and bought a car.
Having young children, I now find it difficult to believe that I travelled between Atholl and Anniesland on my own. But a few years ago my mother confirmed this. As she put it ‘How else was I to get there?’ Indeed, even when we had lived in Birkenhead, and I was only six when we left, I had walked to and from Pershore House School on my own. How many parents with young children at Atholl now let them do this?
In the autumn of 1962, I moved to the Academy. Miss Davidson retired and, shortly afterwards, died. Years later, I learned that I had come close to being asked to leave Atholl. Whether this was because of the graffiti, the broken tenement windows or the bus ticket plane, or some other series of misdemeanours, was never explained. It did, however, set a precedent for both at the Academy and at every subsequent academic institution I attended, apart from Oxford University. But that, as they say, is another story.
Peter Aeberli (1959-1962)
Sports day at Atholl – Peter thinks the lady in the middle of the picture is Miss Davidson
18 Etcetera
Academical Section
With over half of my one-year term behind me, I thought I should let you know what has happened and what is due to happen!
The upgrading of facilities at New Anniesland is now complete. We have a refurbished bar and adjoining area which can be utilised for a variety of purposes. Part of the cost has been met from the fundraising efforts of the friends of the late Gordon Mackay. The bar will be called ‘The Gordon Mackay Bar’.
We will be upgrading the Ladies’ toilet areas in May and we will also have disabled access to the premises as well as disabled toilet facilities. The majority of costs incurred for this element will be met by The Academy and we are very grateful to them for their support. Lastly the bar in the squash court building has been made functional again after many years of not being operational.
The purpose of all these improvements is to attract more functions at New Anniesland which in turn will improve our Club income.
Creating sustainable income is vital (as well as a challenge!) and to this end
we introduced the Academical Lottery which provides much-needed income to support the various sections. If you have not yet subscribed I would ask you to do so – you should already have received an application form by e-mail. The annual Sports Club Ball took place on 24 March at the Hilton in Byres Road, Glasgow. It was a great evening, enjoyed by all.
2015 is the year we celebrate the Club’s 150th anniversary and I am pleased to say that Jimmy McCulloch has agreed to be the initial Chairman of the committee responsible for our arrangements in 2015. Jimmy has already been in contact with various Academicals, including Hugh Barrow and Bill Mann (both of whom have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Academical club), to get the ‘ball rolling’.
We continue to enjoy an excellent relationship with The Academy and in particular have received a great deal of support from the school’s External Relations department.
The Sports Club Sections continue to be in good shape with numbers holding up well – it’s a sign of the times that we have more hockey members than rugby at the moment. Various social events have been held at New Anniesland.
President’s report: The view from the middle
We had a successful Annual Dinner in November in the Cargill Hall and I attended the London section dinner at the end of March.
At the moment, we are reviewing all our Club Memorabilia (International caps, jerseys, and cups etc) with a view to having these displayed appropriately and given the prominence they deserve.
We currently need volunteers to help run our Club and the various sections. At Club level, for example, we need a Bar Convenor and a Subscription Secretary, perhaps even someone to promote our upgraded facilities at New Anniesland to generate income for the Club.
We have in the past been very lucky to have Academicals who are prepared to give time to the Club, but we cannot rely on them forever and some of them are saying to me that they feel it is time to hand on the ‘baton’. At Sports Club and Section level we need new blood with new ideas. – let me know if you want to help for a year or so. The Club and members would be grateful for your help.
I’m always happy to hear from anyone about matters pertaining to the Club. My e-mail is [email protected]
John Taylor (1970)
The upgrading of facilities at New Anniesland is now complete.
.
19
Glasgow Accies’ RugbyAt the time of writing, the 1st XV have two competitive games remaining, which compares well with last year when, due to weather, the last game was played in May. This year saw part one of the new league system which now allows us to compete on a regional basis and play local teams such as East Kilbride, Allan Glens, GHK, Marr, but also gives us fixtures with Newton Stewart and Stewartry.
The 1st XV have had mixed success this year with some impressive victories and after a good win over Allan Glens we are currently fifth in the league. Captain Stu Smith commented that this bodes well for next season and added that the younger members of the squad have integrated well and we are developing a seam of good young talent. Next year there will be promotion and relegation and therefore everything to play for and, hopefully, we will be well-prepared for the challenge.
The improvement to the team’s fitness and tactical skills have been down to coaches Ewan Smith and player coach Elliott McLaren. Big Al Kellock (an Allan Glen’s man) commented after watching a recent game that we were a well-prepared and well-drilled side. Praise indeed for our hard-working coaches!
The 2nd XV deserve equal credit for their performances over the season; they still have four games to play but are sitting fourth in the league with strong local competition from clubs with
1st XVs in higher leagues including Garnock, West, Marr, Hillhead, and Greenock. Thanks must be given to Nigel Campbell who - whilst working mid-week in Annan - has been able to organise selection and other matters from afar. Ross Chassels has captained the side with his usual air of professionalism and the younger members of the team have benefitted from the older and wiser heads in the team. There is an end-of-season thriller lined up against GHK!
Turning to social events, there was a very successful Boxing Day extravaganza primarily organised by Richard McKnight. This year the weather was kind and we managed to host two games after a pre-match lunch. A 1st XV select played the Exiles and we saw the return of a few old friends in Ali MacLay, Adam Howie, Stuart Low, Grant Strang, Stuart Ker and others. The result was irrelevant but we witnessed some good champagne rugby. On the other pitch we fielded a ‘Golden Oldies’ side against GHK who, it has to be said, pulled some fit and competent old timers out to give us a good hiding. The evening then progressed with mulled wine and hot dogs followed by the legendary karaoke and fun.
The clubhouse bar and ladies’ toilet are currently undergoing a facelift and revamp partly with money raised in memory of Gordon Mackay and the new facility will be honoured in his name. We are planning a festival day to celebrate the
opening of the new facility in April with the help of the Mackay family and some of Gordon’s old friends. Hopefully, this will include a couple of rugby matches, hockey and - as ever - a hell of a party. We will let you know the date when it is arranged.
Lastly, we have to thank our kind friends and sponsors this season for their generous support as we would not be able to function effectively without their assistance.
Gavin Smith (1974)
Above: Christmas spirit: both teams are still smil-ing broadly after the Exiles’ match on Boxing Day
Below: Dave Gourlay hands over the Old Crocks’ Trophy to George Breckenridge, the captain of GHK side
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Ladies’ Hockey Club News News from the Pitch1st XI – NL Division II – Accies finally found their winning form in an exciting game against Highland, where we recorded our only league win of the season (so far!). We have fared somewhat better in the Arthur McKay Scottish Women’s Plate Competition where we beat Cala Whites 6-0 on 19 February. Despite hopes of reversing the 4-11 defeat suffered earlier in the season, however, the team lost 3-1 against Edinburgh side ESM in their last 8 tie on 18 March. Post-Christmas has also seen the election of Steph Mill to the position of Vice-Captain to replace Caroline Sweetman - who has defected back East to Watsonians. Caroline will be sorely missed, particularly at fitness sessions but Steph’s enthusiasm for the game and its associated off-pitch socialising is a definite asset to the committee.
2nd XI – West Division I – The 2nd XI are enjoying a post-Christmas winning streak (correct at time of going to press) but have been enduring some pretty horrific Scottish winter weather. Although we have seen fewer postponements this year, playing in driving hail and sleet has not been particularly enjoyable. Thankfully, we have had some lovely victories against Cumbernauld and Greenock that have gone some way to make up for freezing limbs and mild hypothermia. The 2nd XI have progressed to Round 3 of the Scottish District Cup where we have been drawn against George Heriots FP II.
News from the SidelinesNew Addition – Niamh Breakey and husband Leon have welcomed son Colm into their family, joining brothers Cormac and Lewis. The 2nd XI are looking forward to meeting this new addition to the Accies family when the weather gets a little warmer.
Socials – Accies have enjoyed a packed social and fundraising calendar this year. Highlights have included the annual Halloween/Fireworks fancy dress night, the Christmas dinner and the inaugural festive raffle. The section enjoyed dancing the night away with the rest of the sports club at the GASC Ball at the end of March.
Support the ClubAccies are always looking to strengthen the club and new members are welcome at training (Tuesday evenings, 6.45 pm to 8.30 pm at Upper Windyedge). Schoolgirls over the age of 14 are encouraged to join and we are actively looking for a junior goalkeeper to develop and share playing duties with both existing keepers. If you would like to be kept more up-to-date with what the section is doing, you can sign up to our newsletter mailing list at
our website – www.glasgow-hockey.com – and you can follow us on Twitter - @GALadiesHockey. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Gibson Pension & Investments Ltd for their continued financial support of the section; it is much appreciated.
Erica Dickson (1999) Hockey Club Captain
Fancy Dress Night prize-winners ‘The Ninja Turtles’ - we could give you their names, but it’s better fun to guess…
Glasgow Academical ClubNotice is hereby given to members that the Annual General Meeting of
the Club will be held at 6.30 pm on Tuesday 12 June 2012 in the Pavilion, New Anniesland,
21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow G13 1RR.
The Secretary will make available copies of the Report and Accounts to any member, on request to the above address.
Kenneth D Shand Secretary
The Glasgow Academical Sports Club Annual General Meeting will be held prior to the above meeting commencing at 6.00 pm in the Pavilion, New Anniesland.
.
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London SectionThe London Section welcomes all newcomers to the Greater London area and, while the External Relations office at The Academy is very efficient in identifying those immigrants to London, there may be others’ movements which are not known to the school. Please contact David Hall, Secretary/Treasurer of the London Section – [email protected]
The London Section has a Committee which covers a broad spectrum of school leaving age and you may be interested in knowing a bit more about them:
President - Gordon Low (1984) Gordon studied Modern and Medieval Languages, then Law at Selwyn College, Cambridge. Following graduation he joined the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie, where he is now a partner in the London office.
Secretary/Treasurer - David W Hall (1961) Qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1966 and emigrated to Canada with Coopers & Lybrand. Moved to the Bahamas, in 1970 and then to California in 1975. Returned to the UK in 1978 and has managed a Family Office in London since then. Lives in Kent.
Other Members of the CommitteeColin Buchanan (1945)
John Deans (1978) Heriot-Watt University (BA Hons). Now Managing Director of Rothschild.
Rod Graham (1990)
Anthony Frieze (1983) Anthony studied Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford. He is now partner in the new London-based communications agency, Pagefield, where he leads the financial service practice. Immediately before Pagefield, he joined the Conservative Party’s implementation unit, also advising the Shadow Secretary of State for Education. In 2004-5 Anthony was the Conservative Party Candidate for Darlington and remains actively involved in local politics.
Peter Marr (1982) Peter attended Edinburgh University. Currently working for William Blair & Co, having worked in the financial
services industry since 1986, both in asset management and investment banking, with a particular specialisation in US equities. Lives in Richmond.
Melanie McLean (1986)
Hazel McNaught (2004) Hazel studied law at Newcastle University after joining the Academy in Transitus. Now in London, Hazel qualified as a solicitor in 2011 and works as a family lawyer. Undeterred by her trade, Hazel is set to marry James, a corporate lawyer in July this year.
Karen Smith (2000) Karen ventured north to the University of Aberdeen to study Economics.She was accepted onto the European Financial
Olympic Hockey Honours for LauraGreat Britain Hockey has named former pupil Laura Bartlett (2006) as its 2011 British Olympic Association Athlete of the Year. The award is presented to the top-performing British athlete of the year and is selected by Great Britain Hockey on behalf of the British Olympic Association. It recognises Laura’s outstanding performances for Scotland over the past twelve months and her demonstration of the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect.
After the announcement, Laura said: ‘It is a great honour to receive such an award and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way. It has been a great year to be part of such a successful Scotland squad.
It’s been tough recovering from my injury and I would like to thank all of the physio support that I received in Scotland and England. I feel I’ve come back stronger and I’m looking forward to the challenges over the next year.’
Management Graduate Program at General Electric and worked financial rotations in Amsterdam, Prague, Paris and London. Karen then worked within GE Commercial Finance in Banking & Capital Markets. In 2009, Karen left the corporate world to join the family business. She is based in London and currently works within the Senior Sales Team.
Cameron Wilson (1999) Cameron (Cammy) attended the Unversity of Aberdeen where he earned an MA (Hons) in Business Management, followed by the University of Strathclyde Business School where he earned an MSc in Finance. Now in London, Cammy is an Equity Sales Trader with MainFirst Bank.
Getting their money’s worth: Alex (left) and David Gray (right) at the London Section Dinner in March with President, Gordon Low.
Annual DinnerThe highlight of our year is the Annual Dinner which, this year, took place on March 23 at The Caledonian Club when we maintained the high level of attendance experienced in recent years.
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Westbourne
Gillian Sinclair (1978) Although not an official reunion, it is around 20 years since Hilary Grierson (Ramsay), Heather Hart (Marshall) and I have met up with Pamela Donnelly (Ward) and Susie Halley (Bruce) Class of 1978. However, we did manage it on Friday 10 February in the Tickled Trout in Bearsden.
ObituaryH Julie (Dykes) Reid (1954)8 June 1936 – 29 October 2011
Julie Reid was born in Hyndland and, on moving to Bearsden, she started her education at Killermont Primary before she moved to Westbourne School for Girls in 1945, aged 9. Her mother wanted to make her a ‘lady’! On her first day she met Sandra Lyons (nee Hood) who - in time - became her ‘oldest and dearest’ friend.
Once settled in at Westbourne, she achieved excellent academic results and spoke very highly of her inspirational English teacher and Head Mistress Miss Rose Harris (later Mrs Henderson). Miss Harris told her that she had achieved the top Higher English result in Glasgow and later Julie was Dux (1953) and Head Girl in 1953-54.The replica cup always took pride of place in her Bearsden home. Her Academical father, Andrew Dykes, played rugby for Scotland and was a scratch golfer, passing these sporting genes on to Julie who played right wing for the hockey 1st XI for three years and first team tennis for two years.
On leaving school, Julie went to Glasgow University where she graduated in English and History. Tennis led to her meeting her future husband, Ronald Reid, in Elie and in 1959 they were married after she had enjoyed a spell in London on the Harrods graduate management scheme. They had five sons, but unfortunately the marriage ended in October 1971. With both of her parents having died earlier, as a single parent her strength of character shone through. This, together with the support from close family and friends, saw her both ensure a happy upbringing for her five boys and a fulfilling career. After a period working for Cadburys, she retrained as an English and History teacher at Jordanhill College, starting at Douglas Academy in 1974 where she remained until her retirement.
Her organisational skills, her passion for her family, her pupils, literature, history, music, theatre and the arts remained with her throughout her life. She actively participated in a wide variety of societies and community groups, generating a wide circle of friends, whom she hugely valued. To the end, Julie had an energetic thirst for reading, knowledge and learning which, regrettably, her physical health was not able to match. Her passing has left a gap for many.
Phil Reid (1977)
The Westbourne Grand Reunion Dinner Invitations have now been sent out for this exciting event, due to take place on Saturday 19 May at the Grand Central Hotel. Tickets are selling fast, so please do return your booking form asap if you are planning on coming along. Tables will be arranged in year groups, so the more from your year group you can rally along the better!
If you haven’t received your invitation or would like any further information, please contact Joanna, [email protected] or 0141 342 5494.
See you all in May!
Susan McAlpine (1990) In November 2010, the day after his 8th birthday, my son Riley became the youngest black belt student in ‘Soo Yang Doo’ for the Aberdeenshire Area. In November 2011, he gained his ‘First Tag’ (black belt plus one). Now I have decided if you can’t beat them just join them – and I have. I suppose you are never toooo old to learn something new. Riley is now 9 and I started the class the day after my 39th birthday.
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Kilimanjaro ClimbThis summer Jane Rutherford (2009) and I are planning on undertaking the challenge of a lifetime, scaling the height of the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. A fellow ex-pupil of The Academy, Shona Ambrose (2006), got in contact with Jane earlier last year encouraging her to put together a group from Dundee to take on the challenge in aid of Childreach International.
Childreach is a charity that helps young people in developing countries gain access to health care, education and protection. In Tanzania they focus on providing vocational skills at centres across the region, which educate children in IT, carpentry and English. The skills
that young people gain at these centres really do help improve their futures by increasing their chances of finding work.
We met whilst at The Academy, and enjoyed many of the outdoor pursuits that the school had to offer, with both of us taking on the expedition section of our Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Iceland, and with Jane spending a month in the challenging landscape of Greenland. Our weekends at school were also filled with winter mountaineering weekends as well as rock-climbing and hockey. These experiences have stuck with us even now at university. Last year we completed Ben Nevis, Scotland’s own tallest peak - however, we are well aware that these mountains are very different. For one thing, there will be no fish and chip shop at the bottom!
We will be setting off from London on July 14 for Nairobi airport, Kenya. From there we will cross the border into Tanzania and that’s where our trek of a lifetime will really begin! The climb is expected to take six days and we will be following the Machame route which is known for its high success rate as it offers the best acclimatisation time.
Over the next few months we will be holding bake sales, raffles, cake stalls and any other events we can to raise the money needed to go. For anyone who wants to see our progress or learn more about what we are doing, feel free to visit
Favourite teachers remembered…Mrs CrawfordI’d like to give a special mention to Mrs Crawford of the PE department, as she really was an inspiration and a great help during my time at the school and I wish her luck in her retirement at the end of the year. I’d also like to wish Miss Calder of modern studies luck in her charity work for cancer sufferers through her run, as it is such a worthy cause. She has also been a great support and she is an outstanding teacher, one whom I shall never forget.
Nicola Murray (2011)
Sheila Robertson (1964) sent us this Westbourne photograph from around 1959. Sheila has generously offered a bottle of champagne to whoever can name all the girls in the photograph. Good luck, ladies!
our tumblr page: http://dundeekiliclimb-forchildreach.tumblr.com/
Or if you are keen to help us get one step closer to Kilimanjaro here are our donation pages:
Jane: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/kilimanjarojanerutherford
Jill : https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/jillianscott1
Jillian Scott (2009)
24 Etcetera
Updates
Douglas Aitken (1950) Well done to Academy rowers Ross Urquhart and Ronan Murphy on winning Scottish crew of the year! However, even us geriatrics can do something prize-worthy. I do religious stuff for Central FM Radio - currently based in Falkirk - and we entered our Good Friday Reflection, which I had written and which four of us recorded, into the Jerusalem Trust Awards. The Trust is supported by the Sainsbury family and the prizes are presented by Lady Sainsbury at a ceremony in London. We were told that we had been shortlisted - for the second year in succession - and the competition this year was BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC Wales and RTE Radio 1. Believe it or not, we won and were presented with a suitably-engraved glass block and a cheque for Central FM for £2,000. Not bad for the auld yins? Two of us are in our late 70s and the other two in their mid-50s. I am the only Academical among them.
David A Christian (1982)Mr Handyman – On Time, Done Right™ When we moved house a couple of years ago, I really struggled to find a decent tradesman that I could trust to do a good job and not leave me feeling that I had been ripped off. By coincidence, having been a franchise consultant for some years, and just about the same time as I moved house, I came across the opportunity to bring a new franchise
into the UK, which very much promotes many of the values I was brought up to believe in and would have solved most of my problems. So, rather than continue to be a consultant, I decided to jump ship so to speak and become a franchisee myself, by piloting a Mr Handyman franchise.
The aim of the business is simple: to provide safe, professional and reliable property maintenance and repair services that our customers trust and feel comfortable using time after time. Our multi-skilled professional Service Technicians all have a minimum of 15 years of property maintenance experience and are Disclosure Scotland checked. We are committed to the highest standards of professionalism and our work comes with a 100% guarantee. I’m delighted with the levels of interest already - and particularly in the levels of repeat business. We are currently servicing customers mainly in Glasgow’s Southside and City Centre but soon hope to be able to expand this service to the North side and then throughout the West of Scotland. www.mrhandymanservices.co.uk
Douglas M Gibson (1962)In October 2011, Douglas published his book of memoirs, Stories About Storytellers. It deals with his career as the leading publisher in Canada, working directly with major fiction writers such as Alice Munro, Robertson Davies and Alistair MacLeod and major public figures like Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney and Paul Martin. The
book begins with his first encounter with the work of a Canadian author, the humorist Stephen Leacock, in the Glasgow Academy library, where he was ‘sheltering from the Glasgow rain’. He enjoyed Leacock’s jokes so much that he became an inky-fingered lunch-hour librarian at the Academy - which, arguably, set him ‘stumbling towards a literary career’. Published by ECW Press, the book (ISBN 978-1-77041-068-8) is available in the UK through Amazon.
Andrew Gilmour (2004)Captain Andrew Gilmour RAMC is pictured here with his girlfriend, Rosalyn (also an army doctor), on the steps of Old College at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in December. Earlier that day he had passed off as a Professionally Qualified Officer having spent 11 weeks training at the Academy. He has now begun further medical training at the Defence Medical Services Training Centre at Keogh Barracks near Aldershot, and is looking forward to joining a regiment as their Medical Officer later this year.
The winning team: Douglas (back right) with Dave and Margaret Tooth
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Dr William Gavin Greig (1958)I was at the Academy between 1947 and 1958. I am now a retired medical doctor living in Capetown, South Africa. I recently completed a BA degree from the University of South Africa majoring in Latin and German and I have been admitted to the honours course in Classics. I remember all my teachers at the Academy with affection and respect.
Although I did try, I was unable to achieve much on the sports field due to chronic asthma and I was not very successful academically due to what would probably now be called Attention Deficit Disorder. I managed to cope with these weaknesses eventually.
I am glad to see that Latin is still being taught at the Academy.
Scott Jamieson (2002) Having graduated from University of Dundee in 2007, Scott Jamieson spent two years working in NHS Tayside as a junior doctor, after which he decided to take some time away from the normal medical career progression to spend three years at sea working for the Royal Navy. Scott is currently serving as a Surgeon Lieutenant on board the Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset in the Middle East. The Plymouth-based warship is currently deployed as part of the Combined Maritime Forces patrolling the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman on multi-national maritime security operations in the region. Scott is often the only doctor for seven hundred miles or more off shore. He commented: ‘This is a challenging environment to work in. Delivering medical support to enable Somerset to operate in this isolated environment is
a key part of my job. I am pleased to be helping the Royal Navy and to continue to be part of Somerset’s on-going mission in the region.’
Susan (Ross) McGarry (1998) 1998 - the year of Darius, without which Dr Shirley’s Biology lessons would not have been the same. Married: Dr Anthony McGarry in 2005. Careers: Eyes do it for me; my husband prefers legs! Home: We love Milngavie but are still drawn to Brookfield at weekends where my family are known as “the Mulbery family of” - 100% due to my mum’s amazing taste. Biology/Chemistry: Together Tony and I have managed to create three amazing boys Fraser, Lewis and baby James. Dreams: Hopefully they will all make it to GA senior school one day so they can learn to explore with the Duke of Edinburgh and party with future kings!
Love to all my friends, Suz x
Colin Potter (1991)Colin is pleased to announce the launch of his architectural practice ‘ARCHITECO’. Pursuing his passion for the environment, Colin specialises in sustainable and low-energy design. In addition to his two architectural degrees, Colin has gained RIAS Accreditation in Sustainable Architecture and is a Certified Passive House Designer, thereby ensuring his practice can offer exceptional, cutting edge solutions. More information can be found at www.architeco.co.uk
Preet Sandhu (2000)Congratulations to Preet who was named Businesswoman of the Year at the 2011
Scottish Asian Business Awards dinner in November. Preet is founder of the Glasgow-based property rental business Happy Lets. The evening turned into a bit of a family affair as her father, Charan Gill, received a lifetime achievement award at the same ceremony.
Jamie Swanson (2010)Jamie has been playing in the Scotland team in the Under 20s Six Nations Rugby Tournament in recent weeks. After four defeats in a row, there was little to encourage the side until the last game of the competition against Italy. Although they were 11 points down at one stage, the superior fitness of the Scots paid off in the end. Head Coach, Peter Wright, summed it up in two brief sentences: ‘We were dead and buried. But we won.’ For a coach with Peter’s pedigree to describe the game as ‘one of his top three rugby experiences’ tells you everything you need to know about the game. Well done, Jamie!
Jim Weatherall (1953)My years at the Academy, 1945-1949, were very happy. The teaching was first class and gave me an excellent grounding. Bob MacLennan was my best man in 1962, now the Lord MacLennan of Rogart. His family were very good to me as my father had died in 1939. We are still in touch and my wife and I look forward to our Golden Wedding in May 2012.
Scott Jamieson
Jim Weatherall sent in this photograph from his time at The Academy. It features ‘Dodo’ Ogilvie - but who are the pupils?
26 Etcetera
Family announcementsBirthsPaul Allan (1995) Sara and I had a little baby girl called Jessica Sophia Allan, born on 1/11/11. She weighed in at 8.4lbs
Michael Currie (1995)Oliver Currie was born on 9 August 2011 in Paisley and seems to be happy wee chap, but keeping dad (Michael), mum (Hazel), big bother (Robert, born 2010) and sister, Sophie, entertained and busy!
Richard Inglis (1999)My wife, Katy, and I are delighted to announce the arrival of Alice Bethia Inglis - a little sister for Olivia. Alice was born on 23 October 2011 at the Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore.
Douglas Lockhart (1993) Douglas and his wife Joanne are delighted to announce the arrival of their identical twin daughters, Olivia Grace and Megan Rose, born 10 December 2011.
Greg MacDougall (1997) Greg and his wife, Helen, are very proud to announce the safe arrival of Olivia Anne, born at 5.22pm on 3 January 2012 at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary weighing in at 8lbs 1oz. Her big brother, Tom, is fascinated with her.
Peter Reid (1993) Pete and Farah Reid recently welcomed the arrival of their first daughter. Dune Mackenzie Reid was born on October 26, 2011 in Austin, Texas. Aside from parenting, Pete is also busy with his own law practice - Pete Reid Law, PLLC - which specialises in business litigation and sports law. Pete currently has offices in Austin and New York City, and one day hopes to open a Scottish office too
David Tolmie (1992) My wife, Sonya, and I were delighted to welcome into the world our first child, Heather Jane Tolmie, born on 7 November 2011.
Dune and Pete Reid
Jessica Sophia Allan
Heather Jane TolmieOlivia Anne MacDougall and big brother Tom
Etcetera 27
Engagements
Scott Chassels (1998) I got engaged to Jen Mackenzie in December last year and we are now busy planning and very much looking forward to our wedding up in Inverness on 14 July this year. We actually got engaged while on a ski trip with Glacius Travel, a company set up and run by Ian Barrie who was the year below me at school.
Andy Holmes (1989)On Christmas Day, I got engaged to my future wife, Fiona Reid, from Kilmacolm.
John Howie (2002) John got engaged to Claire Buchanan on holiday in Les Arcs in January 2012. John is now working in Aberdeen with Subsea 7 as a Senior Project Engineer.
Weddings Fiona Begley (2003) I got married on 24 September 2011 to Paul Ferguson. We got married in St Ninian’s Church in Kirkintilloch followed by a reception at the Barony, Strathclyde University, where we were both students.
Paola Fallone (Former staff) Congratulations to Paola who got married on 5 November 2011 and is now Paola Sangster.
AnniversaryKen Waine (Former staff)Elspeth and I had our 65th wedding anniversary on 8 February 2012.
Scott Chassels and Jen Mackenzie
Below: Fiona Begley and Paul Ferguson
Paola Fallone, now Paola Sangster
28 Etcetera
Obituaries
Richard C De’Ath (1944)24 October 1927 - 28 November 2011
Richard Chisolm De’Ath was born in Huddersfield before work brought his father, a chief chemist at J&P Coats, to the West of Scotland. He was a pupil at The Academy from 1937 to 1944. He then went to the Glasgow School of Architecture at Strathclyde University and graduated as a Bachelor of Architecture before starting his national service with the Royal Engineers.
After serving in the Middle East, where he designed bridges, in 1951 Richard was headhunted to join the firm then known as Keppie Henderson, where predecessors included Charles Rennie Mackintosh and John Keppie. During his career he worked on a variety of projects from university, college and school buildings to commercial and industrial developments as well as hospital projects in Scotland, England and Ireland. His designs encompassed buildings from the modern home of Glasgow Sheriff Court to numerous hospitals and his own environmentally-friendly German Huf Haus.
Richard left Keppie Henderson in 1987 and concentrated on painting, travelling across Europe and regularly exhibiting in the Scottish Society of Architect Artists’ exhibitions, as well as sailing and motor racing. In his 70s, inspired by the programme Grand Designs, he decided to plan his own Huf Haus; this was the solution to the possibility of leaving the large, family home in Helensburgh’s Abercromby Street. He built the beautiful, light-infused residence in the garden.
Richard loved the new house and died there, as he had lived, surrounded by his own paintings and his art collection. Predeceased by his wife Marjory in 1980, he is survived by his daughters, Anne and Winnie, and sisters, Ursula and Rosemary.
Peter Forrest (1944)17 February 1926 - 8 September 2011
Peter died peacefully at home with his beloved wife, Ellen, at his side. He is survived by Ellen, loving daughter Alison, and much-loved grandsons, Kyle and Duncan.
John Leggat (1943)30 May 1926 - 23 February 2012
John died peacefully at the Victoria Infirmary. Beloved husband of Christine, much-loved father of Hilary, Lorna and Alastair, loving grandpa to Robbie, Lindsay, Heather, Douglas, Fergus, Donald, Findlay and Lorne and dear brother of Mary (in Australia).
John (Iain) S Muir (1953)23 July 1935 - 22 February 2012
John Scott Muir - Iain - died suddenly at home on Wednesday 22 February. Husband of Anne, father of Scott, Alan, Keith, Helen and Geoffrey, and a loving grandfather. A full tribute to Iain will appear in Etcetera 18, in the summer.
Dr Alexander R Morrison OBE, FRFPS (1943) 25 December 1925 - 21 November 2012
Alexander Reid Morrison was a pupil at The Academy between 1936 and 1943. He excelled in classics, translating the Book of John from original Greek into English and from school he entered the medical faculty at Glasgow University.
He was an industrious student and published a prize essay on acute appendicitis in the journal Surge. After graduation in 1949 he spent two years in National Service in Kenya, returning as a house surgeon in the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, where he gained experience in general surgery, eventually leaving to join a general medical practice in Newcastle upon Tyne. Later he entered the field of medical administration in the NHS in Newcastle, from where he was promoted to be chief medical officer of the Highland Health Board, based in Inverness.
There, his honesty and determination to help earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues. He had a sense of humour and at one time his purchase of a yellow sports car caused much amusement to friends. In Inverness he made a major contribution to planning of the new Raigmore Hospital and was awarded an OBE for his service. Tolerant and kind, he did not advertise his Christian faith but each Sunday was to be observed dressed in the Morrison tartan, proceeding on his way as an elder to church.
He is survived by wife, Cecily, and leaves three sons, Angus, Colin and Alastair.
Henry (Harry) W V Noble (1945) 12 December 1927 – 18 December 2011
Henry (Harry) William Valentine Noble was born in Paisley. His parents were members of two prominent local families, namely Buchanan of Hunter Hill and Noble of Aldhall. Both of his grandfathers served on Paisley Town Council and his grandfather Buchanan was the first Chairman of the Scottish Milk Marketing Board.
Harry spent two years at Craigholme and then attended Glasgow Academy from 1936 to 1945 where he enjoyed all sports, particularly golf. At the end of the war he was called up and served in the Scots Guards. Following his service, he joined the family business of egg and produce merchants, which he expanded considerably. During his career he sat on the committee of the Scottish Egg and Provision Trade Association where he served a term as President.
Harry had many interests outside work. He started his golf career at Haggs Castle in 1938 and at various times was a member of Pollok, Western Gailes and Elie. He was Captain of Pollok in 1975 and enjoyed many happy years there. He was also a prominent member of Pollok and Viking Curling Clubs for over 30 years, being President of Pollok Curling Club in their Centenary Year in 1979. Latterly, Harry and his wife, Mae, spent most of their time in Elie although Harry always kept in touch with the west through his many friends, especially those at Pollok and the Queen Anne Golfing Society. He was also a very keen bridge player and was a prominent member of the Haggs Castle Bridge team in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Harry Noble
Etcetera 29
He met his wife, Mae Lauder, at Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s Badminton Club in 1950. They were married at the church in 1954 and enjoyed a long and happy marriage. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his great sense of humour. Harry is survived by Mae, his daughter Lynda, son Guy (1977), grandchildren Kerr, Valerie, David and Andrew, and son-in-law Gavin Smith (1974).
Major General Ronald M Pearson CB (1943) 25 February 1925 - 14 December 2011
Ronald Matthew Pearson was born in Bonnybridge where his father was a village GP. He attended Glasgow Academy from 1938-1943 and then studied at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School followed by Glasgow University. He qualified with his Licence in Dental Surgery from the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1948.
When he decided to become a dentist, Ronnie Pearson was following in the footsteps of three uncles. Little could he have known then that he would also step into the shoes of one of them who had become Honorary Dental Surgeon to the Queen (QHDS). Ronnie’s career began in West Africa in 1949 followed by service in Cyprus and in a variety of locations in the UK. In 1976 he became Deputy Director of Dental Services, United Kingdom Land Forces, before holding the same post with the British Army of the Rhine from 1978-1982, during which time he became a Fellow of the British Institute of Management. Already made an MBE in 1959, he was appointed CStJ (Commander of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem) in 1983 and CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath) in 1985, the same year he retired as Director of Army Dental Services, a job he had held for three years. 1985 also marked the end of his tenure as the QHDS.
In retirement Ronnie became very involved in community life in Crieff. He drove ‘Bertie the Bus’ for a local charity for the elderly, fundraised for the church and the Order of St John and joined many clubs including the National Geographic Society and the local music and film societies. Other interests included driving, caravanning, gardening, trout fishing, DIY and photography.
Always busy and well organised, he was as loyal in his army service as he
was devoted, generous and proud of his family – a man who epitomised the virtue of living life to the full. He is survived by his wife, Eileen, daughters Carol and Shirley and three grandchildren.
Bruce A J Russell (1983)20 September 1965 - 6 December 2011
Very suddenly but peacefully at home, Bruce, dearest son of Robin and Ann, brother of the late Kara, brother-in-law of Simon and devoted uncle of Zoe.
Prof Andrew Skinner (Former Governor)11 January 1935 - 21 November 2011
Professor Andrew Stewart Skinner was born in Glasgow, the second of four children of Andrew Paterson Skinner, a Black Isle-born sales executive with the National Cash Register Company. Andrew became a key figure in the life of the University of Glasgow and a major authority in his academic specialty, the history of economic thought.
Professor Skinner graduated MA from the University in 1958 and BLitt in 1960. After lecturing in Dundee, he returned to Glasgow as a lecturer in the Department of Economics in 1964 and he became
a titular professor in 1977. He served as Daniel Jack Professor of Political Economy from 1985 to 1994 and Adam Smith Professor of Political Economy from 1994 until 2000. Andrew was Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 1980 to 1983, Clerk of Senate from 1983 to 1990 and Vice-Principal from 1991 until 1996. He was awarded the honorary degree, DUniv, in 2001 and served as a nominated Governor of The Glasgow Academicals’ War Memorial Trust from 2001 until 2004.
Professor Skinner’s publications include many papers and books on the life and works of the political economist Adam Smith. In recognition of his research achievements, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1988 and of the British Academy in 1993.
Andrew is survived by his wife, Mary, and his sister, Patricia.
William L Wright (1938)9 May 1921 - 27 January 2012
Formerly of Uddingston, Pollokshields, Glasgow and latterly Blairgowrie, Bill died peacefully at Perth Royal Infirmary. A dearly loved husband of Marguerite, father of Marian, Elspeth and Ian, and grampy of Christopher and Jenny.
Ronnie Pearson
30 Etcetera
Picture Post
Jimmy Murray (1950) sent us this photograph featuring the Masters XI which played against the School XI in 1950. But what are their names and does this photograph evoke any long-dormant memories?
Right of ReplyDear Malcolm,
It is a great joy to read Etcetera and to find it covering as well a wide span of years, past and present. May I exercise the right to reply, or at least comment, in the case of Douglas Alexander’s (1944) letter in the last issue?
Douglas says that Glasgow has to be the least-bombed city in Britain saying that most of the bombs fell on Clydebank. This makes me wonder where he was on the night of the 13/14 March 1941 and again on a Monday night in April. If he was safely residing in the South Side he might not have known what havoc was being experienced in the West End. It is true that the City Centre was left almost untouched. Did he not know however that - further west - we were having not just ‘bombs’ but parachute mines causing severe devastation, such as in Leicester Avenue (Kelvindale) when we ourselves lost all our back windows and a ceiling living, as we were, nearby.
Then there was the horror of Dudley Drive, Partickhill, and Anniesland - not to mention the near miss of the BBC Headquarters and Queen Margaret Bridge. On the Monday night in April there was a bomb on Westbourne Gardens killing one occupant - all very mild, of course, compared to the land-mines of the earlier blitz.
All the locations I have mentioned, and many more, were well within the Glasgow City boundary.
Martin How (1949, left Transitus in 1942)
Back row - Brian Mitchell, Robert Burnside, Hugh Fenwick, ? Mee, Rab Turpie, Sandy McNeish, John Thomlinson3rd Row - Michael Greenhill, Martin Frame, Billy Niven, Ian Gardiner, John Alcock, Michael Roemmele, Douglas Miller2nd Row - Jim Bolton, Alan Thomson, Gor-don MacPherson, Roy Burdon, ??, Quentin Jeffries, Alan McDonald, Tom ForresterFront row - Don McIntosh, Campbell Hous-ton, ? , Mr George Allman, John Mason, Larry Sellyn, James Forrester
Hugh Fenwick (1955)
To complete the names query for Michael Greenhill’s 1953/54 class photo (Etcetera 15, page 7)
Back Row – 4th left, between Hugh Fenwick and Robert Turpie, is JAH Taylor2nd Row – Alex Montgomery / Angus McDonaldFront Row – Stuart Mackie / JU Marshall (labelled “Jummy” by Baggy Aston)
Regards
Martin Frame - ‘the one with big ears’ - (1955)
(Ed. Well, is it Mee or Taylor in the back row – and what about the difference in opinion in the front row?)
Class 4A Maths, Sept 1952 - June 1953
Etcetera 31
You wonder (Etcetera No.16) how many of the golf team of 1948 are still swinging. Cousin Charles (CA Robertson) died in Canada many years ago where he worked as a GP. His younger brother Richard (Group Captain RG Robertson RAF) also died young. Their mother succeeded both her husband and her sons. Their father (Dr G Gladstone Robertson) swam for the British Olympic team in the 1920s.
Jack Ross (1949)
Dear Sirs,I was delighted to find my picture in Etcetera as part of the 1948 Golf team. What a handsome team we were. Thanks for Euan for digging out this photo.1. Myself, I was still actively competing until a couple of years ago when my legs caused problems.2. Michael Grant was a close friend for 40 years after 1948 until sadly he died at an early age.3. Bob Gibb sadly is no longer with us. He was a stalwart member, Club Champion and Captain at Kilmacolm.4. Ronnie Gray moved to England (he was English) and I believe is still around but I don’t think he continued golfing.5. Peter Gemmill - I met him from time to time at the Glasgow GG where we are members. I believe his family law firm has ties with the Academical Club.6. Mac Stewart became a stalwart at Helensburgh where, according to the History of the Club of which I have a copy, he accumulated many trophies before giving up the game when in his sixties.7. Charlie Robertson - my memory of Charlie was that his mother was a mainstay of West of Scotland Ladies Golf, but I have no idea where he got to in life.
Best regards to the Club and to Euan.
Marshall N Ferguson (1951)
Dear Mr McNaughtAs ever I read the latest issue of Etcetera (16) with great interest. I am not sure what it says about me when, 56 years on, I am still able to name everyone in the class photograph sent in by Bruce Patrick. In fact it depicts Miss Anderson’s class of 1954/55 rather than 1955/56 and here is the cast list (from left to right and back row to front row):
John Clement, James Rodgers, Jimmy Mackintosh, Jim Shearer, Rob-bie Kerr, Campbell Smith, George Hay and Richard Brown.Alan Burnett, Jim Cordiner, Kenneth MacLennan, James Walker, Bruce Patrick, Michael Thom and Ian MacNaughtan.Graham U’ren, Alasdair Garrow, John Evans, Miss Anderson, Gordon Coventry, Dan Gardner, Michael Weetch and Simon Paterson.Alasdair MacDonald, Bill Shepherd, David McCracken, Derek Balfour, Kenneth Millar and Michael Sadler.
Regards
Campbell Smith (1965)
Hi JoannaI know three of the guys in the ‘Where are they all now?’ photo on page 9 (Etcetera 16). They were in my class, which was 1956, I suppose, as I left after 5th year in 1955. So I think that the photo was a year or two earlier than the 1957 David Evans mentions.
Back row 5th from left - Jock Fleming Back row end right - Derek Guthrie2nd back row centre - Scott Nelson
John Dover (1956)
Still to the fore?
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