Old Photograph Academy Perth Perthshire Scotland

Old photograph of the new Academy in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. While able to claim a strong connection to the Perth Grammar School founded in the twelfth century, the name Perth Academy first appears in 1542. The first Rector of the school was the Honourable John Murray, later named the Duke of Atholl, at this time it was considered a purely honourable title, before later being given to the head teacher of the school. By April 1762 accommodation was first provided for the school. At this time education in Perth was provided by a variety of smaller institutions each specialising in a particular field. By 1800 it was felt that the disparate nature of these, often cramped, buildings was detrimental to the efficiency and success of the schools. This, combined with a new appreciation of the value of education, led to a new building being built to house the different schools. Designed by Robert Reid, later the King's architect, work on this building was started in October 1803, and finished for the start of the teaching year in 1807. The building housed the Academy, at the time specialising mostly in Maths and the sciences, the Grammar, specialising in mostly Classics, History and Philosophy, the English School, the French school, the Drawing and Painting school, and the Writing school. Together they were known as the public Seminaries, and were housed on Rose Terrace, near the North Inch of Perth. The Academy moved to its present site at Viewlands in 1932, construction on the building having begun in 1930.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.