St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
St. Margaret's School was an independent school
in the Newington
area of Edinburgh
, Scotland
. The curriculum was based on the Scottish education system. The school closed its doors for the last time once the summer term ended in June 2010.
Latterly, the school was co-educational until the age of ten (Primary Six). Thereafter the school was girls-only.
The School is named after Saint Margaret
of Scotland.
. Mr Buchanan housed his fledgling school in two identical specifically designed buildings, one on East Suffolk Road in Newington, the other on Egypt Terrace (now part of Cluny Drive) in Morningside
. The total cost of both buildings was £6,000. This equates to about £54,000 in today's money.
Mr Buchanan initially named his new school The Queen Margaret College for Young Ladies. The inclusion of the word College in the name was to emphasise that secondary education was available. Prior to the school's opening on 1 October 1890, Mr Buchanan had worked extremely hard to publicise it - placing daily adverts in The Scotsman
, giving out handbills to local businesses and creating a prospectus for potential parents. The result of his hard work was an opening roll of over 200.
Though the two schools were separate in some respects (each had its own Headmistress), girls and staff knew each other well and often commuted between the two campuses. Mr Buchanan was Principal of both schools and taught English.
Mr Buchanan died suddenly in 1897, aged only 48, of "cerebral apoplexy".
During Mrs Buchanan's Principalship, St. Margaret's went from strength to strength. In 1903, the school was the first independent school in Edinburgh to offer a "Leaving Certificate" (the equivalent of today's Standard Grade
and Higher
qualifications). In 1904, the school began Froebel training for staff, another first for the city.
There were, of course, some setbacks in this period. In December 1903, a fire broke out at the East Suffolk Road building. There was a considerable amount of damage and girls had to be taught temporarily at the Livingstone Halls on Clerk Street (now a video rental shop). In 1914, the Territorial Army requisitioned Mrs Buchanan's office for a period.
In 1926, Mrs Buchanan sold the Morningside school to Miss Muirhead, who renamed it St. Hilary's. In 1929, she sold the Newington school to Miss Matthew, who decided to keep the name St. Margaret's (a decision that much pleased Mrs Buchanan).
The Second World War meant that most of St. Margaret's, like many other schools, had to leave Edinburgh. From the academic year 1939/40 all the boarders and many of the day girls decamped to Strathtay. The school moved to Dunkeld
seven months later then to Auchterarder
in July 1944. When the war finished in 1945, there was no longer enough space to house all the pupils at East Suffolk road. As such, the division of the school continued until 1956.
The school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in 1950.
In 1960, Miss Matthew decided to transfer the school from private ownership to a Company Limited by Guarantee, to be administered by a Board of Governors. This came into effect on 1 January 1961, and since then the school has been truly an independent school.
In 1965 the school celebrated it's 75th anniversary, and to commemorate this the daughters of Mr and Mrs Buchanan donated a plaque.
In 1967 a Clothing Exchange which enabled the purchase of second-hand uniform was established, and continued until the closure of the school.
In 1983, St. Hilary's merged with St. Margaret's, reuniting once again the two schools. The merger necessitated a new school badge, which is still in use today. The badge is lozenge-shaped, and has the cross of St. Margaret surrounded by four martlet
s on the upper half, and the cedar tree of St. Hilary's on the lower half.
In 1990, the school celebrated its centenary. Several events took place throughout the year to commemorate this anniversary. One such event was a special trip in conjunction with the Forth Bridge (also celebrating its centenary) - girls (escorted by a piper) boarded a steam train bound for Dunfermline
, where they would visit St. Margaret's grave at Dunfermline Abbey
.
In 1998, the school merged with another independent girls' school, St. Denis and Cranley. Since that time there have been several changes in the buildings that house the school, with Senior College, Maclean House and Muirhead House all having been sold, and new buildings built and acquired closer to East Suffolk Road.
St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, we take for name and guide,
Beneath her noble title we work and play with pride,
And Fortiter Vivamus is the watchword on our crest,
That Living Bravely we may give each other of our best.
Fortiter Vivamus; Fortiter Vivamus!
Long may we remember this song we gaily sing,
To older, graver counsels this school-day wisdom bring,
To years that lie before us this challenge now we send,
That Fortiter Vivamus may go echoing to the end.
Fortiter Vivamus; Fortiter Vivamus!
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the Newington
Newington, Edinburgh
Newington is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about 15 to 20 minutes walk south of the city centre, the Royal Mile and Princes Street.It is the easternmost district of the area formerly covered by the Burgh Muir, gifted to the City by David I in the 12th Century...
area of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The curriculum was based on the Scottish education system. The school closed its doors for the last time once the summer term ended in June 2010.
Latterly, the school was co-educational until the age of ten (Primary Six). Thereafter the school was girls-only.
The School is named after Saint Margaret
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Margaret of Scotland , also known as Margaret of Wessex and Queen Margaret of Scotland, was an English princess of the House of Wessex. Born in exile in Hungary, she was the sister of Edgar Ætheling, the short-ruling and uncrowned Anglo-Saxon King of England...
of Scotland.
Foundation and early years: 1890-1897
St. Margaret's was founded in 1890 by James BuchananJames Buchanan (teacher)
James Buchanan was a Scottish teacher and founder of St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh.-Life and career:He was born in 1849 to parents John Buchanan and Janet Paton. He later attended St. Andrews University. There he received prizes in both Latin and English...
. Mr Buchanan housed his fledgling school in two identical specifically designed buildings, one on East Suffolk Road in Newington, the other on Egypt Terrace (now part of Cluny Drive) in Morningside
Morningside, Edinburgh
Morningside is a district in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is south of the areas of Bruntsfield, Burghmuirhead ; south-west of Marchmont, and south-east of Merchiston...
. The total cost of both buildings was £6,000. This equates to about £54,000 in today's money.
Mr Buchanan initially named his new school The Queen Margaret College for Young Ladies. The inclusion of the word College in the name was to emphasise that secondary education was available. Prior to the school's opening on 1 October 1890, Mr Buchanan had worked extremely hard to publicise it - placing daily adverts in The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, giving out handbills to local businesses and creating a prospectus for potential parents. The result of his hard work was an opening roll of over 200.
Though the two schools were separate in some respects (each had its own Headmistress), girls and staff knew each other well and often commuted between the two campuses. Mr Buchanan was Principal of both schools and taught English.
Mr Buchanan died suddenly in 1897, aged only 48, of "cerebral apoplexy".
The reign of Mrs Buchanan and the sale of the schools 1897-1929
As Mr Buchanan had died shortly before the new term was to begin, swift action was required. He had left a Trust for the school, and that combined with his life insurance payout provided for the support of his wife and children (who would have otherwise had no income) and paid off much of the loan on the school's two buildings. Mr Buchanan's wife, Mrs Annie Custance Buchanan (née Carr) was appointed as Principal and, despite having a young family to look after, threw herself into the role. She remained in the post for over 30 years.During Mrs Buchanan's Principalship, St. Margaret's went from strength to strength. In 1903, the school was the first independent school in Edinburgh to offer a "Leaving Certificate" (the equivalent of today's Standard Grade
Standard Grade
Standard Grades are Scotland's educational qualifications for students aged around 14 to 16 years, which are due to be fully replaced in 2014 when Scottish Qualifications Authority's Higher Still system becomes the main qualifications as part of the major shake up of Scotland's education system as...
and Higher
Higher (Scottish)
In Scotland the Higher is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate offered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. It superseded the old Higher Grade on the Scottish Certificate of Education...
qualifications). In 1904, the school began Froebel training for staff, another first for the city.
There were, of course, some setbacks in this period. In December 1903, a fire broke out at the East Suffolk Road building. There was a considerable amount of damage and girls had to be taught temporarily at the Livingstone Halls on Clerk Street (now a video rental shop). In 1914, the Territorial Army requisitioned Mrs Buchanan's office for a period.
In 1926, Mrs Buchanan sold the Morningside school to Miss Muirhead, who renamed it St. Hilary's. In 1929, she sold the Newington school to Miss Matthew, who decided to keep the name St. Margaret's (a decision that much pleased Mrs Buchanan).
Miss Matthew, World War Two and Independence 1929-1960
Prior to buying the school and taking on the role as Principal, Miss Matthew was already established at St. Margaret's, being a Housemistress and a teacher of Latin. It was her who came up with the school's motto, Fortiter Vivamus, which translates from Latin as Let us Live Bravely.The Second World War meant that most of St. Margaret's, like many other schools, had to leave Edinburgh. From the academic year 1939/40 all the boarders and many of the day girls decamped to Strathtay. The school moved to Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
seven months later then to Auchterarder
Auchterarder
Auchterarder is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the famous Gleneagles Hotel. The 1.5 mile long High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "Lang Toon"....
in July 1944. When the war finished in 1945, there was no longer enough space to house all the pupils at East Suffolk road. As such, the division of the school continued until 1956.
The school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in 1950.
In 1960, Miss Matthew decided to transfer the school from private ownership to a Company Limited by Guarantee, to be administered by a Board of Governors. This came into effect on 1 January 1961, and since then the school has been truly an independent school.
New buildings, a new badge and the centenary 1961-1990
This period brought many changes to the school buildings, with the acquisition of Craigmillar House in 1962, Craigmillar Park Church in 1965 (now Buchanan House), Senior College in 1983 and Muirhead House in 1984. The building of Matthew House was completed in 1972, and extensive refurbishment work was carried out on the Pavilion and the science laboratories.In 1965 the school celebrated it's 75th anniversary, and to commemorate this the daughters of Mr and Mrs Buchanan donated a plaque.
In 1967 a Clothing Exchange which enabled the purchase of second-hand uniform was established, and continued until the closure of the school.
In 1983, St. Hilary's merged with St. Margaret's, reuniting once again the two schools. The merger necessitated a new school badge, which is still in use today. The badge is lozenge-shaped, and has the cross of St. Margaret surrounded by four martlet
Martlet
A martlet is a heraldic charge depicting a stylized bird with short tufts of feathers in the place of legs...
s on the upper half, and the cedar tree of St. Hilary's on the lower half.
In 1990, the school celebrated its centenary. Several events took place throughout the year to commemorate this anniversary. One such event was a special trip in conjunction with the Forth Bridge (also celebrating its centenary) - girls (escorted by a piper) boarded a steam train bound for Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
, where they would visit St. Margaret's grave at Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is as a Church of Scotland Parish Church located in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. In 2002 the congregation had 806 members. The minister is the Reverend Alastair Jessamine...
.
The modern St. Margaret's 1991-2010
Since its 100th year, St. Margaret's has continued to develop and remains true to the values of its founder, James Buchanan.In 1998, the school merged with another independent girls' school, St. Denis and Cranley. Since that time there have been several changes in the buildings that house the school, with Senior College, Maclean House and Muirhead House all having been sold, and new buildings built and acquired closer to East Suffolk Road.
Closure
It was announced on the 10th of June 2010 that the school was going in to administration and would be shut down at the end of the academic year, the 29th of June. This was due to a great debt which the school had gained due to low pupil numbers and high staff numbers. An online fundraising campaign to try and save the school was launched, but it was announced on 21 June that this had been targeted by online fraudsters who set up bogus email and bank accounts to target the parents of pupils at the school. On 23 June it was announced that the parents takeover bid to save the school had failed.School song
The lyrics of the school song are as follows:St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, we take for name and guide,
Beneath her noble title we work and play with pride,
And Fortiter Vivamus is the watchword on our crest,
That Living Bravely we may give each other of our best.
Fortiter Vivamus; Fortiter Vivamus!
Long may we remember this song we gaily sing,
To older, graver counsels this school-day wisdom bring,
To years that lie before us this challenge now we send,
That Fortiter Vivamus may go echoing to the end.
Fortiter Vivamus; Fortiter Vivamus!
Music
St. Margaret's has a strong musical tradition, and in 1984 the school choir won in the Youth Choir section. Llangollen International Eisteddfod.Former pupils associations
As a result of mergers with St. Hilary's and St. Denis and Cranley, there are currently three associations supporting former pupils: The St. Margaret's Association, The St. Denis and Cranley Association and The Cranley Club.Charitable Status
St. Margaret's is registered as a charity in Scotland, with the number SC 002635.Further reading
- Patrick, L.M.D. & Bowie, J.L.F.: Fortiter Vivamus. Mainstream PublishingMainstream PublishingMainstream Publishing is a publishing company in Edinburgh, Scotland, founded in 1978. It is associated with the Random House Group, who bought Mainstream in 2005....
, 1990. ISBN 1-85158-229-0.