Old Travel Blog Photograph Academy Edinburgh Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of The Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1822, the school's founders, Henry Cockburn and Leonard Horner agreed that Edinburgh required a new school to promote classical learning. Edinburgh's Royal High School provided a classical education, but the founders felt that greater provision was needed for the teaching of Greek, to compete with some of England's public schools. Cockburn and Horner recruited John Russell as a co founder and the three of them, together with other interested parties, put a proposal to the City Council for the building of a new school. The City Fathers gave their approval in 1823 and fifteen Directors were elected, comprising the three founders and twelve other luminaries, including Sir Walter Scott, Sir John Hay and Robert Dundas. The Foundation Stone was laid in June 1823 and the school opened for the first session in October 1824. In 1905, the school was divided into four houses or "Divisions": Cockburn, named after the founder Henry Cockburn, Carmichael, named after a former teacher, James Carmichael, Kinross, named after a former pupil John Balfour, 1st Baron Kinross, and Houses, representing the boys who lived in the boarding houses.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Cottages Cross Corstorphine Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of children outside cottages at the old village of Cross in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland. Although now a suburb of Edinburgh, Corstorphine was originally an agricultural village separated from the city by open countryside. There were really two villages, each of which retains its character: the old village was located a short distance south of the present main road, and the new or high village developed on the route of St John’s Road, the traditional main road from Edinburgh to Glasgow. As Edinburgh grew outwards the village was incorporated within the administrative area of the city in 1920 and since then housing developments pushing towards Corstorphine have completed the process of absorption.





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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Moffat Shop Goose Green Road Gullane Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Moffat Shop on Goose Green Road in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. Gullane is part of the John Muir Way, a long distance walking footpath along the coast between Musselburgh and Dunglass. Greywalls Hotel was built in 1901 to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyens; the gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll. Gullane is the home of Muirfield Golf Course which has hosted The Open Championship on numerous occasions. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.

The Clan Moffat are a family from the Scottish Borders who were powerful and influential as far back as the time of William Wallace. It is likely that the ancestor of the Moffats gave their name to the town of Moffat in Dumfriesshire. The name Moffat may be of Norse origin.



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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Hare and Hounds Edinburgh Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Hare and Hounds running team from the University in Edinburgh, Scotland. The first inaugural meeting of the great Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds running club was in 1890. The Hare and Hounds took to the stage with their first major race in 1890 for the University Blue, the most prestigious sports award for University athletes. This saw six runners compete for the club. They began to participate in more and more races as the turn of the century approached. Up until the First World War the Club also had an annual race against Dublin University in the capital of the Republic of Ireland, and this was seen to be the Haries’ main event of the year, with the home team usually taking the win.



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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Douneside House Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of Douneside House and garden by Tarland in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Sir Alexander MacRobert was a self made millionaire from Aberdeen. He came from a working class background and left school when he was twelve to start his working life sweeping floors in Stoneywood Paper Mill; his education was continued by attending evening classes and he gained several qualifications as his early career progressed. At the beginning of 1884 MacRobert travelled to India to take up employment in a woollen mill in Cawnpore, or Kanpur as it is now known. By 1920 he had built up a portfolio of companies enabling him to found the British India Corporation. He was raised to a baronet at the beginning of 1922, choosing to be named Sir Alexander MacRobert of Cawnpore and Cromar of the County of Aberdeen.



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

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