Peggy Mackintosh

The far reaching impact of Inverness Royal Academy which until the introduction of a comprehensive education system and local authority catchment areas in the 1960’s and 70’s, welcomed pupils from as far away as the islands of Barra, Uist and Harris. Many pupils boarded in Inverness and accommodation was provided in two hostels within the city (one for boys and one for girls) at Hedgefield House, Culduthel Road (named the Inverness Academy War Memorial Hostel), and also within Drummond Park House.

This meant the school had strong links with the Gaelic culture of the Highlands & Islands both through it’s students and staff. The short audio clip is from Peggy Mackintosh (known as Peggy MacLeod in school) from the isle of Raasay near Skye. Her father was the bootmaker on Raasay, and you’ll hear Peggy refer to herself as ‘Peggy Shoemaker’ in this clip.

Peggy came to the Academy in 1944 aged 12 and a half. She had only left Raasay once before to have her appendix removed in Broadford Hospital a few months prior to her departure. She describes her journey to Inverness as ‘difficult’. Her father was by her side and they travelled by boat then train. It was her first ever train journey.

Some of Peggy’s brothers had attended Portree Academy, but the MOD had removed the steam boat service that took them there. Her father knew the Rector, DJ MacDonald and asked if she and her older brother may attend there. Angus went in 1939 and Peggy followed, then her youngest sister joined a year later.

A resident of Hedgefield Hostel, Peggy only got home a few times per year. She met her husband Andrew at the school, and his mother took her under her wing. Peggy would go to his for tea sometimes after school, but to do so, she would have to ask the hostel Matron at lunch time.

Peggy recalled the hostel dances where the 4th-6th year girls would select some 4th-6th year boys that could attend the dance; the list would then be taken to the Rector who would sign it off. Lucky for her, Andrew got to come along when she was in 2nd year. They won a dance competition; the prize was tickets to the Palace theatre where they had double seats to cosy up in.

A lot of the girls wouldn’t have their own dresses. Peggy recalls Ms Yule’s kindness in finding dresses for them all; “she was fantastic… she used to take dresses up from Edinburgh and share them out amongst the girls who had nothing… she was good to us… they were good to us really.”

This interview and research was untaken by Kerry Duncan in 2018.

Christine Gilsenan

Past pupil Christine Gilsenan remembers the school dances at Inverness Royal Academy. Footage recorded during the 50th school reunion for the class of 1967 at Kingsmills, Inverness in 2017.

Saving to help the war effort

Our renovation of the former Inverness Royal Academy building at Midmills continues to reveal interesting glimpses into its past. This week we want to share a National War Savings Association card with stamps which was recently found behind a skirting board.

In Britain, the National Savings Movement operated between 1916 and 1978 and was used to finance the deficit of government spending over tax revenues. The movement was instrumental in raising funds to support the war effort, and in peacetime it provided an easy and safe way for ordinary people to save small sums of money.

The British National War Savings Committee issued war bonds at 15 shillings & six pence (15/6) for each bond. Advertising slogans stated that for 15/6 124 cartridges could be bought for a soldier at the front.

The value of the bond would increase annually so that after 5 years it would be worth a sovereign (£1). 15 shillings & six pence was a large sum of money for many families so six pence savings stamps were issued which could be purchased weekly or whenever they could be afforded. After 31 stamps had been bought, the bond or certificate was issued.

You will see from the six pence savings stamps that during the First World War one of the early symbols of the movement was the Swastika – at this time it was a symbol of auspiciousness and good luck. The Swastika was abandoned before the start of the Second World War once it was adopted by Nazi Germany.

This card is stamped as belonging to Inverness Royal Academy, it has the membership number 207 and the six pence stamps date it to the 1916 -1918 period. Just legible on the front cover it states “If this Card is lost any person finding it will please drop it into a Post Office Letter Box. The Coupons are of value to the Member, but to no one else.”

However, we did not pop it in a post box instead we have passed it onto Jeanette Pearson, the Conservation Officer at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery. After 100 years languishing under the floorboards, the savings card is in bad condition with a lot of mould damage. Jeanette is going to stabilise its condition and help conserve it for the future. These early savings cards are very rare because they would have been cashed in and destroyed, so we are delighted to have found this important piece of the building’s history. Although imagine being the person who lost it all those years ago!

Phase 1

We recorded a series of interviews with Charles Bannerman at Inverness Creative Academy, in November 2020, in which he takes us on a tour round some of the key rooms in Phase 1 – the 1913 building which now houses artists’ studios. Charles explores the former Inverness Royal Academy sharing some of his experiences as a past pupil (1965-71) and later as a Chemistry teacher (1977-2013).

Starting at the main studio entrance, Charles takes us down the corridor…

Continuing on to explore his old teaching Chemistry classroom…

Into the Gym Hall for the boys …

… and finally we head upstairs to the Music classroom.