Glenalmond College

Glenalmond College

Motto	Floreat Glenalmond
Established	1847
Type	Independent school
Religion	Scottish Episcopal Church
Warden	Gordon Woods
Sub-Warden	John Owen
Location	Glenalmond Perth Perth and Kinross PH1 3RY Scotland
Staff	52.3 FTE
Students	400+
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	12–18
Houses	Cairnies, Goodacre's, Home, Lothian, Matheson's, Patchell's, Skrine's, Reid's
School Years	S1–S6
Campus	Rural; 300 acres
Admission	Day & Boarding
Website	Glenalmond College

Glenalmond College (formerly Trinity College, Glenalmond) is a co-educational independent boarding school in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, for children aged between 12 and 18 years. It is situated on the River Almond near the village of Methven, about 8 miles (13 km) west of the city of Perth. The school's motto is Floreat Glenalmond ('Let Glenalmond Flourish'). The school is affectionately known as "Coll" by pupils and staff.

History

Trinity College Glenalmond was founded as an independent school by William Gladstone and James Hope-Scott (later Hope-Scott of Abbotsford). It was to be "north of the Firth of Forth, and removed from the vicinity of any large town, a College to be called The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Glenalmond, which may receive and board a large number of youths to eighteen years of age, and also afford a sound Clerical Education to young men destined for the priesthood". Gladstone and his father (Sir John Gladstone) inspected several sites before deciding on a site proposed by the landowner of Cairnies. Once the site was decided upon, John Henderson was commissioned as architect. The school opened its doors on 4 May 1847 to fourteen boys (though one boy, Lord Kerr, later Marquess of Lothian and Secretary for Scotland, arrived a day early). The first Warden (headmaster) was Charles Wordsworth.

Until 1990 Glenalmond was an all-boys school. Girls were then initially accepted into the sixth form only, and the school is now fully co-educational.

A history of the College to 1947, written by Guy St Quintin, is available from the school. In 2008 David Willington, a retired teacher, brought the history up to date, publishing 'Alumni Montium'.

Boarding houses

The pupils are allocated into one of seven houses, some named after staff who participated in the development of the school. There are instances of four or even five generations of pupils having been members of the same house.^{[citation needed]} The boys' houses are Reid's, Skrine's, Matheson's, Patchell's, and Goodacre's. The girls' houses are Home and Lothian. Until 1992 there was another boys' house called The Cairnies which was reopened in the summer of 2006 as a girls' form house but is now home to all fifth form girls. Skrine's has been upgraded with a brand new boarding house behind the trees on the western side of Front Avenue.

Pride and Privilege

Glenalmond College was the subject of a documentary broadcast on BBC 2 in Autumn 2008. Pride and Privilege chronicled a year in the life of Glenalmond and followed a number of pupils and teachers. Directed by Stephen Bennet, it detailed the first full scholar in the history of the school through his first year as he settled in. Its broadcast dates were 18 and 25 November, and December.

Glenalmond Rugby

Glenalmond College has a strong rugby tradition. The 1st XV play on Neish's which sits on raised ground above all the junior pitches, with one of the most stunning backdrops in the country. Rugby is played at Glenalmond every Saturday during the season and is always an occasion, with a significant proportion of the school either playing or supporting at the pitches. The old wooden stand is always full as the 1st XV players run up the famous Neish's steps to the sound of Highland Cathedral. Notable former players include Scotland and Lions players Rob Wainwright and David Sole, as well as current Scotland international Dougie Hall and Candian fly half Ander Monro.

Former pupils

• Sir Ernley Robertson Hay Blackwell – lawyer and civil servant
• Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin – Viceroy of India
• Alick Buchanan-Smith – politician
• Duncan Campbell – journalist and author
• Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll
• Alexander Cockburn – journalist
• Andrew Cockburn – journalist
• Patrick Cockburn – journalist
• Robbie Coltrane – actor
• Sir James Crichton-Browne – Lord Chancellor's Visitor in Lunacy 1875 - 1922
• James Cuthbertson – poet
• Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton – former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs
• Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
• Sandy Gall – former ITN newscaster
• Sir John Gilmour – politician
• Dougie Hall – rugby player
• Jonathan Hammond – Olympic shooter
• Gerald Howat – historian, teacher and cricket writer
• Phil Kay – comedian
• James Kennaway – novelist
• Miles Kington – writer and humorist
• David Litchfield – writer
• Joseph Leycester Lyne – preacher
• Malcolm MacColl – clergyman and publicist
• Kevin Macdonald – film director
• Alastair Mackenzie – actor
• Alexander Mann – bobsledder
• Allan Massie – journalist and writer
• Ander Monro – rugby player
• Sir Henry Primrose (1846–1923), Scottish civil servant who became Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue
• John Purvis – Conservative MEP
• George Rickey – sculptor
• Michael Rodd – TV presenter
• Archibald Noel Skelton – politician
• Dr Richard Simpson – Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament and former Justice Minister
• David Sole - rugby player
• Adair Turner, Baron Turner of Ecchinswell – businessman, Chairman of Financial Services Authority
• Rob Wainwright – rugby player
• David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn – diplomat and colonial administrator
• HM Bateman, Cartoonist

References

• The Glenalmond Register 1950–1985 and Supplement 1900–1949, published by Hunter & Foulis Ltd. 1986

External links

• Glenalmond College – official home page
• Glenalmond College's page on Scottish Schools Online
• The Old Glenalmond Club
• Pride and Privilege documentary director's film page