Robert Gordon's College

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Coordinates: 57°8′55″N 2°6′9″W / 57.14861°N 2.10250°W / 57.14861; -2.10250
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For the former adult education arm of the college, see Robert Gordon University.

57°8′55″N 2°6′9″W / 57.14861°N 2.10250°W / 57.14861; -2.10250

Robert Gordon's College
Address
Map
Schoolhill

Aberdeen
,
AB10 1FE

Scotland
Information
Former nameRobert Gordon's Hospital
TypePrivate day school
MottoOmni nunc arte magistra which translates to "Now is the time for all of your masterly skill"
Established1750; 274 years ago (1750)
FounderRobert Gordon
Local authorityAberdeen City
Chairman of the GovernorsKevin Reynard
Head of Senior SchoolClare Smith
Head of Junior SchoolJane Tulloch
Head of CollegeRobin Macpherson
Staff415
GenderCoeducational
Age3 to 18
Enrolment1,600~
HousesBlackfriars, Collyhill, Sillerton and Straloch
Colour(s)   Navy and Gold
PublicationThe Gordonian
Former pupilsGordonians
Websitehttp://www.rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk

Robert Gordon's College is a co-educational independent school for day pupils in Aberdeen, Scotland. The school caters for pupils from Nursery through to S6.

History[edit]

Robert Gordon, an Aberdeen merchant, made his fortune in 18th century Poland trading from the Baltic port of Danzig, (Gdansk). Upon his death in 1731, he left his entire estate in a 'Deed of Mortification', dated 13 December 1729, for the foundation of Robert Gordon's Hospital, a residential school for poor boys. The fine building, designed by William Adam, was completed by 1732, but lay empty until the Governors had sufficient funds to complete the interior. A statue of the Founder was added in 1753 in a niche above the door. During the Jacobite Rising in 1746, the building was requisitioned by Hanoverian troops under the command of the Duke of Cumberland and was known as Fort Cumberland. The hospital opened its doors to its first 14 pupils in July 1750. East and West wings with classical colonnades, designed by the architect John Smith, were added in 1830–33, partly funded by the generous bequest of Alexander Simpson of Collyhill.

Robert Gordon's intention was to found “an Hospital for the maintenance, aliment, entertainment and education of young boys, whose parents are poor and indigent and not able to maintain them at schools and put them to trades and employment”, in other words, to give poor boys of Aberdeen a solid education and foundation for life. Until 1881, the pupils received their education, board and lodging and a uniform free of charge but in 1881, the status of the institution changed and it became a fee-paying day school with the new name of Robert Gordon's College. The charitable aspect continued, with Foundations and Bursaries being available for boys whose parents could not afford to send them to be educated there. In 1882, evening and day classes in vocational subjects were instituted and made available to adults who were seeking to further their education. In 1903, the vocational arm was designated a Central Institution. Its name changed in 1910 to Robert Gordon's Technical College and, in 1965, to Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology. In 1992, RGIT gained university status and became the Robert Gordon University. The school has continued to be known as Robert Gordon's College.

Boarding facilities for pupils returned in 1937 with the establishment of Sillerton House in the west end of Aberdeen. It closed in 1995. In 1989, RGC became a co-educational school. In 2010, the new Junior School was officially opened and six years later, the Wood Centre for Science and Technology and the Craig Centre for Performing Arts were officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal.

Robert Gordon's College consists of a Nursery, Junior School and Senior School for children aged 3 to 18 years. Robert Gordon's College follows the Scottish curriculum.

Arms and motto[edit]

The coat of arms shows the boar of the Gordon family, and a fort or keep on a red background, similar to the towers on a red background on the coat of arms of Aberdeen.

The current coat of arms dates from 1917. They were changed when it was discovered that the college had not registered the coat of arms that were previously in use as was legally required. A new college seal was produced once new arms had been approved by the Lord Lyon.

The Latin motto of the college, "Omni nunc arte magistra" translates to "Now is the time for all your masterly skill"; it is more commonly presented as "Be The Best That You Can Be". It dates from 1882, after the school had been converted into a day school and a new coat of arms and seal came into use. The motto was suggested by William Geddes, a professor of Greek at Aberdeen University, and comes from the Aeneid, reporting the words of the god Vulcan.[1] The original seal of the hospital contained the motto "Imperat hoc natura potens", translating as "by nature's sovereign command", which was taken from the Satires of Horace.[2]

House system[edit]

The school has four houses, to one of which each student is allocated upon entering the school. The houses compete in various activities (such as netball, football, mathematics, cross country, poetry, and various other events) throughout the year and gain points which contribute to the annual John Reid Trophy award. The house system was introduced at Christmas 1928 to encourage competition in various sports.[3][4]

The four houses are:

  • Blackfriars – named for the Dominican friars (or black friars due to their garb), that once had a convent adjacent to the school grounds.
  • Collyhill – named for Alexander Simpson of Collyhill who bequeathed a large sum of money to the school, which allowed for more boys to join the school.
  • Sillerton – The origin of the Sillerton house name is not clear, but it is believed that, in Robert Gordon's lifetime, he was known as Gordon of Silverton (siller being Scots for silver), and on a 1746 map, the school is identified as Sillerton Hospital.
  • Straloch – named for Robert Gordon of Straloch, one of the first graduates of Marischal College, studying humanities, mathematics and philosophy.

Notable former pupils[edit]

See also: Category:People educated at Robert Gordon's College
The "Auld Hoose" of Robert Gordon's College, by night

Former pupils include:

References[edit]

  1. ^ Strathdee, RB (December 1950). "The Seals of the Hospital and Colleges, Part II". The Gordonian. p. 180.
  2. ^ Strathdee, RB (June 1950). "The Seals of the Hospital and Colleges". The Gordonian. p. 84.
  3. ^ "(title missing)". The Pelican. No. 25. Winter 2017–18. p. 12.
  4. ^ "School Sport Notes". The Gordonian. May 1929. p. 280.
  5. ^ Stewart, Heather (2 January 2018). "Kirsty Blackman: 'Excuse me, I'd rather shake hands'". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Sir Arthur Keith". The Gordonian. June 1931. p. 121.
  7. ^ "Son of famous scientist helps launch Kosterlitz Centre". University of Aberdeen.
  8. ^ "NIVEN, William Dickie". Who Was Who (online ed.). A & C Black. 2007 [1920]. Retrieved 30 March 2014 – via Oxford University Press.
  9. ^ "Nicol Stephen". Scottish Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2006.
  10. ^ "Celebrity-toppling Alastair Storey sees catering trade as table laden with opportunity". The Scotsman. 24 December 2012.
  11. ^ Marshall, John (1978). A Biographical Dictionary of Railway Engineers. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 214. ISBN 0-7153-7489-3.
  12. ^ "'97-'98 Class List". Rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  13. ^ "John West". Aberdeen City Council. Archived from the original on 25 November 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  14. ^ Scott, Kirsty (13 June 2007). "Fresh-faced challenge". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2013.

External links[edit]

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