Glenalmond College

Infobox Secondary school
name = Glenalmond College

motto = "Floreat Glenalmond"
established = 1847
type = Independent coeducational boarding secondary
grades = S1–S6
city = Perth and Kinross
state = Scotland
country = UK
campus = Rural; 300 acres
head_label = Warden
head = Gordon Woods
students = 395
website = [http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/ www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk]

Glenalmond College (formerly known as 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 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

Glenalmond College was founded as an independent school by William Ewart Gladstone and James Robert Hope (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", which may receive and board a large number, say ultimately 150 to 200 youths from eight to eighteen years of age, and also afford a sound Clerical Education to young men destined for Holy Orders". Gladstone and his father (Sir John Gladstone) inspected several sites before deciding on a site proposed by George Patton of Cairnies. Once the site was decided upon, John Henderson was commissioned as architect. The school opened its doors on the 4th May, 1847 to fourteen boys (though one boy, Lord Ker, later Marquess of Lothian and Secretary for Scotland, notoriously arrived a day early). The first Warden (headmaster) was Charles Wordsworth.

Until 1990 Glenalmond was an all-boys school, but it is now co-educational. The proportion of boys to girls is currently 2:1 although increasing numbers of female applicants has given rise to talk of a third girls' boarding house.

A full, published history of Glenalmond College, up to 1956 is available from the school; e-mail for information [mailto:[e-mail]] . A retired master is currently bringing the history up to date, which could result in publication in 2008.

Boarding houses

The pupils are allocated into one of seven houses, 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. 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' sixth form house. Skrine's has been upgraded with a brand new boarding house opposite Big rugby, behind the trees on the western side of Front Avenue.

Chav Hunting

The school was at the centre of some controversy in August 2007 when it was discovered that some pupils at the school had produced a video "Chav Hunting". The video was made for a house show which was seen by members of the senior 2 years and also by many of the staff. The school has said that the video was made two years earlier and the pupils involved had all since left the school. [cite news | publisher=BBC | title=School condemns 'chav-hunt' spoof | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/6944534.stm | date=2007-08-13 |accessdate=2007-11-25]

Former Pupils

Former pupils are known as OGs (Old Glenalmond).
*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
*James Cuthbertson - poet
*Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton - 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
*Gerald Howat - historian, teacher and cricket writer
*Joseph Leycester Lyne - preacher
*David Litchfield - writer
*James Kennaway - novelist
*Miles Kington - writer and humorist
*Malcolm MacColl - clergyman and publicist
*Kevin Macdonald - film director
*Alastair Mackenzie - actor
*Allan Massie - journalist and writer
*John Purvis - Conservative MEP
*Michael Rodd - former BBC Tomorrow's World TV presenter
*George Rickey - sculptor
*Archibald Noel Skelton - politician
*David Sole - rugby player
*Adair Turner, Baron Turner of Ecchinswell - businessman
*Rob Wainwright - rugby player
*David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn - diplomat and colonial administrator
* [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mann Alexander Mann] - bobsledder (Team Germany)

References

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

External links

* [http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/ Glenalmond College] - official home page
* [http://www.scottishschoolsonline.gov.uk/schools/glenalmondcollegeperthkinross.asp Glenalmond College's page on Scottish Schools Online]
* [http://www.oldglenalmondclub.co.uk/h/n/OGC/membership/ALL/// The Old Glenalmond Club]