Blairmore School

Infobox UK school
name = Blairmore School
motto = "Capta Majora" (Latin: "Strive for better things")
established = 1947
type = Private
city = Huntly
county = Aberdeenshire
country = Scotland
colours = Navy blue

Blairmore School was an independent boarding school in Glass near Huntly, Aberdeenshire until its closure in 1993.

History

Blairmore School was established in 1947 as an independent prep school for boys aged 8-13 by Colonel D.R. Ainslie D.S.O., B.A., a keen educationalist, Cambridge graduate and retired Seaforth Highlander. The school turned co-ed in 1975.

Pupil numbers peaked at 90 in 1989 but the economic recession of the early 1990s caused a decline in UK prep school subscriptions and in June 1993, with fewer than 30 pupils enrolled for the coming academic year, Blairmore became impossible to sustain financially and the school was forced to close.

Culture

The school was small and thrived on its homely atmosphere. Pupils were encouraged to spend time outdoors, taking advantage of the school's extensive grounds and rural surroundings. Daily sports were an integral part of the curriculum, while Scouting and camping were a key part of Blairmore life. Blairmore had its own riding school and stables, a woodland assault course, a ski-slope and Britain's only school ski lift.

In the evenings and at weekends, the woodlands around the school provided an ideal playground for the young boys and girls. Dressed in their "Woods Clothes" (as casual clothes were known), pupils played conkers, climbed trees and constructed dens, known as "cols" (short for colonies), from which daring raids were launched against rival groups. The most famous and long-lasting of these cols were the rival Stony Fort and Woody Fort.

Features

The school was divided into four houses, named after rivers in the North-East of Scotland: Deveron (red), Dee (green), Spey (yellow) and Don (blue).

Boarders slept in dormitories in the main school building, although for a period senior boys were accommodated in the neighbouring Glebe House. Dormitories were originally given simple topographical names but were later renamed with an ornithological theme. The boys' dorms included: Tower (which became Buzzard), South (Eagle), East (Harrier). The girls' dorms were: Side (Lapwing), Middle (Heron), Back (Plover). The dormitories in Glebe House were given local place names: Cairnie, Cabrach, Botriphonie.

Latterly, the school had a number of annual events including:
* The Dinky Safari, an obstacle race around the school grounds for model ("dinky") cars.
* The Blairmore Gathering, a Highland Games held on the school playing fields.

Blairmore had its own tartan [http://www.tartans.scotland.net/tartan_info.cfm@tartan_id=1360.htm]

The school had a long-standing rivalry with nearby Aberlour House. Other regular sporting opponents included Drumtochty Castle, Rannoch, Croftinloan, Lathallan, Gordonstoun, Peterhead Academy, Ardvreck,Aberdeen Academy, Aberdeen Grammar and the Gordon Schools, Huntly.

Headmasters

* 1947 - 1962 Colonel David R(onald) Ainslie DSO
* 1962 - 1967 Lt. Colonel Frank W Collard
* 1967 - 1987 Dan Latham
* 1987 - 1990 Andrew Keith
* 1990 - 1993 Duncan Hepburn

Former Pupils

* David Sole, Scottish rugby union captain
* Duncan Mcgillivray, champion bagpiper
* Charles Bremner, journalist and Paris correspondent of The Times
* Dr Stephane Bordas, Lecturer, University of Glasgow

Blairmore House

Blairmore House, the school's premises, is a Victorian mansion set amid 50 acres of woodland beside the River Deveron. It is 6 miles from Huntly, 40 miles from Aberdeen and 60 miles from Inverness. The house was designed by architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie [http://www.codexgeo.co.uk/dsa/building_full.php?id=M009731] and was built built as a private home in 1884 for Alexander Geddes, a wealthy businessman and great-great grandfather of Tory party leader David Cameron. Cameron's father, Ian Donald Cameron, was born in the house in 1932.Geddes is reputed to have made his fortune in the US and a safe belonging to him which survived the Great Fire of Chicago was installed in the house's Billiard Room. During WWII, the house was used as a military HQ for a group of Auxiliary Volunteers (later known as the Caithness Secret Army).

After the school's closure, Blairmore House was run as a private hunting lodge for a number of years. The building is now used as a prayer and intercession training school run by an evangelical Christian group, the Ellel Ministries [http://thebrokaars.blogspot.com/2006/09/cool-story.html] .

Blairmore House is now a Grade C listed building.