Number 27 Summer 2016 Katie’s road to Rio Editorial Contents A time to remember… 3 Katie Archibald – Fast track to Rio 4 The Glasgow Academy and “It’s been a great year to be an Accie!” Those - or similar - words have been spoken Gallipoli many times over the last few months - and possibly never more so than in the beautiful surroundings of the Glasgow City Chambers on the evening of 21 April at the Civic 8 Anecdotage Reception held in honour of the Glasgow Academical Club. 11 Teachers remembered John Beattie and his team have done a wonderful job of celebrating all that is best about 13 Glasgow Academical Club being a Glasgow Academical while keeping faith with their fellow Glaswegians - especially 17 Fundraising update with those who struggle with problems The party’s almost over: it’s been a great year… 18 Westbourne Section common to the less fortunate. Loneliness and homelessness have been two of the 20 Gordon Carruthers – an problems that the Club has tried to address appreciation in its 150th year. 24 Meetings, get-togethers and reunions One name on the lips of many Academicals over the past couple of months is that of Dr 26 Moving up, moving on… Gordon Carruthers who died aged 92 at the 28 Announcements beginning of March. He was a mainstay of 32 Public Schools and British The Academy for 37 years between 1948 Colonialism and his retirement as Deputy Rector in 1985. 33 Obituaries 38 Inspirations Gordon was one of a number of senior staff who interviewed me when - as 39 Dear Sir… student teacher - I arrived at The Academy looking for a job. As I remember things, my encounter with the Deputy Rector didn’t Do we have your e-mail address? seem to be an interview in the conventional It’s how we communicate best! sense at all. I certainly don’t recall any questions - rather I took the role of the audience while Gordon told me - with Keeping in touch great enthusiasm - all about life at Glasgow The External Relations office is situated in Academy. Colebrooke Terrace. Former pupils are always And yet he missed nothing. As many have welcome to pop in for a chat and look round observed, he had a slightly disconcerting the school. Just give us a call to arrange a time. way of sitting like an owl with his head Our address is Colebrooke Terrace, Glasgow cocked to one side listening for every G12 8HE and you can contact us on 0141 342 nuance in a conversation. With naughty 5494 or at [email protected] schoolboys he had a particular trick of The Glasgow Academical Club affecting deafness and asking miscreants to 21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow G13 1RR 22 April 2016 repeat their lame excuses until they either contradicted themselves or gave up trying. President: John Beattie E-mail: [email protected] hank you for the superb Gordon was one of the great characters We felt honoured to Secretary: Stuart Neilson 21 April. Dear Lord Provost - in such a beautiful of The Academy and he had a huge - to the exact day Tel: 07771 845104 half of the Glasgow at theth CityAcademical Chambers Club, on t On be and dinner anniversary influence on several generations of boys. reception were very kind indeed, E-mail: [email protected] be recognised on our 150 The affection in which he was held is building and in a city we feel lucky to be part of. The Academical Club pavilion evidenced by the tributes that flooded The welcoming words from Bailie Jonathan Findlay is available for functions. the food superb, and all of those present said how much they had enjoyed the - especially, the location. in from Academicals of all ages after his event Academical Club’s London Section death was announced. We have been pleased to have so many Academicals volunteering on city projects during the year, and we are continuing to support various Glasgow Secretary – David Hall, 20 Cadogan Place based charities to the best of ourrepresent ability. the city to the best of our abilities at Gordon Carruthers may no longer London SW1X 9SA Please be assured that we will pass on my thanks to those from your be with us, but it is clear that his all times. Tel: 020 7235 9012 influence lives on in the pupils he I would be grateful if you could E-mail: [email protected] organisation who put together the event. taught. Yours With best wishes Like us on Facebook; join us on LinkedIn John Beattie President Colebrooke Street, Glasgow, G12 8HE The Glasgow Academical Club The GlasgowTel: Academy, 0141 342 5494 [email protected] c/o External Relations, 2 Etcetera Cover photo of Katie Archibald - copyright. Reproduced with kind permission of Jamie Simpson/Herald & Times. Katie Archibald – Fast track to Rio Katie and friends after speaking at Senior School morning assembly Katie’s competitive spirit seems only to have been strengthened by such early challenges. It helped lead her from racing on grass at Highland Games events to racing on the hard track with City of Edinburgh Racing Club and on to Manchester where, very early on, coach Dave Brailsford identified Katie as “a really exciting prospect”. 2016 has not been the easiest year. Katie recently came in for criticism for t is a crisp, March morning at she received during her visit.) an accident on her motorbike, which Colebrooke Street. Katie Archibald ruptured a knee ligament. So her After a year out in France and then (2012) is back for the first time to ‘beloved Triumph’ is now off limits in I deciding to pursue her cycling while talk to the Senior School about how – in favour of her four-wheeled mini until working in the family business (Archers just a few years since leaving – she has August. The injury meant that Katie Sleepcentre) as a telesales operator, Katie raced to cycling success as a member missed out on the World Championships was recruited into British Cycling’s of British Cycling’s Olympic in London in March and it was ‘very Olympic Development Academy in Development Academy. different and really difficult’ for her November 2013. to watch her teammates struggle in Despite some nerves beforehand, Katie Since then she has racked up a number qualifying, meaning a disappointing very confidently explained how she of titles, records and accolades: Katie bronze on the podium. decided not to take up her place to study became Scotland’s first female track French at Glasgow University to focus But Katie demonstrates a care for and cycling world champion in 2014. on cycling. And she encouraged the understanding of her sport which goes That year she represented Scotland pupils not to be afraid to follow the beyond her personal determination to at the Commonwealth Games and less conventional route in pursuit of succeed and a desire to support her team won a bronze medal in the points race their goals. mates. She is passionate about the need before going on to win two titles at the for excellent facilities to allow talent Afterwards, once there had been a European Championships. 2015 saw in cycling to develop. She firmly notes chance to say hello to a few former Katie become a triple European ‘new velodromes enable cycling talent’ teachers, pose for photos with some of Track Champion in the women’s team and points to Edinburgh’s Sir Chris Hoy, the pupils – and sign a few autographs! – pursuit (as part of the Great Britain Newport’s Becky James and Glasgow’s Katie is relaxed and happy to chat about team), the individual pursuit and the Mark Stewart as prime examples. her path, or should I say fast track, to elimination race. cycling with Team GB. Katie is definitely keen to get things Sporting ability is in Katie’s DNA. Her right, whether on the track or in terms Katie’s memories of The Academy father, Ian, was a bright athletics prospect of public speaking. She requested that include another FP taking assembly in the 1980s while her brother, John, was we film her talk in the Cargill Hall so (Darius in 2011), of enjoying sport – a seriously fast junior Scottish swimmer. that she can review it and see how she especially hockey – but also of feeling Katie was also a West District and Scottish can improve for the future. This sort of she was something of a rebel. This is Schools swimmer – and she could have conscientiousness – coupled with natural a streak she has not entirely lost: Katie been forgiven for being put off cycling sporting ability and a determination to is known for sporting a variety of hair altogether… Aged just 7, she was cajoled succeed – is exactly what has helped colours (pink, blue, green…) as well as to bike the 18 miles from Lochinver to Katie achieve so much already, and put for her speed, grit and love of racing. Achiltibuie by older family and friends. her on the exciting road to Rio. Nevertheless, at Glasgow Academy Katie As Katie says, it was a ‘baptism of fire’ was clearly able both in terms of sport in the saddle. Later, in her early teens, Whatever path she takes in the future, and academically, despite her view that Katie’s father set another challenge when one thing is certain: the whole Glasgow she was not always a good pupil. (A view, he led the family up Mont Ventoux – Academy community – and many more which did not seem to be shared by legendary for being one of the most besides – will be cheering her along in teachers, based on the warm welcome gruelling climbs in the Tour de France.