Number 29 Autumn 2017 Exciting beginnings Editorial Contents Changes, changes… 3 Latest news 4 The First World War and The Anyone who has had a look at our website at www.theglasgowacademy.org.uk over the past Glasgow Academy couple of months will have noticed that it doesn’t look the same as it did. 6 Prize Giving But it’s not just the looks that have changed. The website has been completely redesigned and rebuilt to make it much more informative and user-friendly for parents, 12 150th Sports Day pupils and, of course, former pupils. 14 Ricky Munday - Everest Diary There’s a new Alumni section which contains a host 16 Exciting beginnings of useful former pupil information. For example, there’s a Reunions and Events section as well as a 25 The Queen’s Birthday Honours List gallery of photos of past events, the most recent of which was the Westbourne Grand Reunion 26 Announcements in May. 30 Obituaries You may find our Publications archive section 34 Recognising your support particularly useful. There are copies of the Chronicle dating back to 1899 and the Westbourne magazine going back to 1928. There are 35 Open Events even back copies of Etcetera so that, if this is your first, you can see what you’ve missed in previous editions. …and that brings me to another change that is coming over the horizon. For the past 11 years we have been sending you copies of Etcetera at a rate of one roughly every 6 months. It’s a great privilege to be able to tell stories about this great school and about all the fascinating and inspiring people who have attended it over the Do we have your e-mail address? years. It’s how we communicate best! And the evidence is that you rather enjoy reading it. How do we know? Because you keep telling us, that’s why. Someone was kind enough to describe it as ‘an incredibly wonderful publication’ after the last edition. Keeping in touch However there’s a new piece of legislation that will come into force in May 2018. It’s The External Relations office is situated in called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You’ve probably heard of it or Colebrooke Terrace. Former pupils are always read something about it. welcome to pop in for a chat and look around the school. Just give us a call to arrange a time. It is prompting us look to again in more detail at our privacy policy and the ways in which we communicate with our school community. Our address is Colebrooke Terrace, Glasgow, G12 8HE. Over the years we have worked hard to ensure that we keep your personal information secure and we will never share it with third parties without your express permission. You can contact us on 0141 342 5494 or at That is not going to change. [email protected] The Glasgow Academical Club We want to continue to send you Etcetera, to tell you about forthcoming events, 21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow, G13 1RR dinners or reunions, to send you information about international rugby tickets etc. So we are looking closely at anything more that we will need to do in the future to carry President: John Mason on doing that. Email: [email protected] The Academy Club pavilion is available for How can you help? functions. Visit the Contact pages of The Academy website and complete the Alumni Contact Academical Club London Section Details form to update your details including your email address, phone number and President: Alex Gray how you would like us to contact you. Alternatively you can put pen to paper and Email: [email protected] write to us using the address opposite. We are proud of all that has been achieved with the help of the Academy community. Like us on Facebook; join us on LinkedIn The most recent example is the award-winning Saunders Centre. Without your support and encouragement that wonderful building would not have been built. That’s the kind of thing we hope will never change. With best wishes Malcolm 2 Etcetera Record Higher pass rate at The Glasgow Academy – again! The Rector, Peter Brodie, said: “I am delighted for all our pupils who worked hard and gained the results they wanted - and for the teachers who did all they could to support them. I am particularly encouraged by our series of record Higher pass rates, which are all the more impressive given that we have an open entry policy and present pupils for a significantly higher number of Highers (averaging around five per pupil) than many schools. “The rounded nature of our school is evident in our record number of ongratulations to Glasgow Academy pupils on their record pass sports internationalists this year, a rate at Higher - 97.2%. The best in the West of Scotland. This is record performance at the British Cthe third year running that Glasgow Academy pupils have gained rowing championships, record entries record results at Higher. and awards achieved for the Duke of Edingburgh award, and a series In contrast, nationally the Higher pass rate entries gained A grades (compared of outstanding dramatic and musical fell this year, from 77.2% to 77.0%. to 37.1% nationally). Amongst events. Our pupils who toured Canada (rugby) and Holland (hockey) 40 Academy pupils gained 5 or more high-performing departments, Drama, in August and those on leadership straight A grades at Higher. Hospitality and Latin gained 100% A grades. training in the Lake District have 66.5% of Academy Higher entries certainly earned a good time and I At Advanced Higher, 51.1% of were awarded A grades this year congratulate all pupils across the years Academy entries were awarded (compared to 28.7% nationally). who did their very best.” A grades (compared to 31.7% At National 5, 71% of Academy nationally). Two Gold medals at he Glasgow Academy has had its most Tsuccessful British Rowing Championships British Rowing Championships ever with our crews winning two Gold medals, one Silver and one Bronze. Special mention goes to the Girls J18 quad of Holly Wicklow, Louise Miller, Holly Allan and Jenny Olney who took their race by the scruff of the neck and took on Henley Rowing Club to take Gold. In doing so, they reversed the decision of three years ago when The Glasgow Academy four of Wicklow, Rankin, Somerside and Neilson took Silver behind Henley RC in the same event. Alex Milne continued to dominate the J16 field with commanding performances throughout the regatta and took a well-deserved Gold. Olney and Wicklow also took Silver in the Girls J18 pairs and Kitcher and Colley Bronze in the Girls J16 pairs. Very well done to all our rowers who took part. Etcetera 3 The First World War and The Glasgow Academy Simon Wood, Head of History and Academy Archivist, considers the events of 100 years ago and sheds some light on school life during one of the most important years of the First World War. y 1917 the first world war had active sports programme, academic prizes, Russell who were both killed in 1915. entered its third year. The impact school debating and all the activities Bof the war on the school was being of a busy educational establishment. The school was very active in identifying keenly felt. The Academy Chronicle was Yet the war intruded in a number of Academicals who served and fell. As the published four times a year and, amongst ways. The Officer Training Corps was year ended the following was soberly its varied content, it recorded those increasingly professional in its approach to stated: ‘On December 13th, 1917, the who served, those who gained honours training and descriptions of the training number of Academicals who have ‘fallen during the war and those who fell. The at Barry show the boys being prepared on service’ amounts to 262.’ casualty lists and dates tell their own story. for leadership and fighting in trench Simon Wood, Head of History and There are particular clusters of casualties conditions. The boys were also involved in Academy Archivist between April and May as well as towards forestry work in the Schoolboys Timber the end of the year. This fits with two Camps that operated to provide valuable major actions undertaken by the British wood for trench construction. The boys Donald Mackintosh army. The first was the Battle of Arras and were based in Aboyne and Banchory remembered the second the Battle of Passchendale. By in Aberdeenshire with other Glasgow 1917 the British army had evolved into schools during the spring and showed Glasgow Academical and First World War a formidable fighting force. Lessons had a competitive edge when trying to cut hero Lieutenant Donald Mackintosh, who been learned from the Somme and the down and prepare the most timber. The received a posthumous Victoria Cross, was action at Arras illustrates the importance school also made a worthy contribution remembered at a special ceremony on of planning and integration of action by producing Fearnought gloves for the Tuesday 11 April marking the centenary of between infantry, artillery, armour and the navy. The formidable Miss MacCallum his death. air force. The Battle is seen as a success by organised this and the archive contains a His valour was honoured with the historians and Academicals were heavily number of letters from naval commanders unveiling of a WW1 VC centenary paving involved. Of particular interest is the thanking the school for these warm and stone by Glasgow’s Lord Provost Sadie presence of Academicals in the Canadian dry gloves, which were welcomed by Docherty, beside the Glasgow Academy military forces.