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ALUMNI ALUMNI ALUMNI ALUMNI
Alumni2020-11-13T22:16:13+01:00

ARDVRECK ALUMNI
OUR CHERISHED OLD ARDVRECKIAN COMMUNITY

Since 1883, Ardvreck has been preparing boys, and later girls, for further education and life beyond. For over 135 years the school on the hill has inspired each child to develop their full potential through a spirit of achievement and educational adventure, in the process making friends for life. Every pupil at Ardvreck becomes an Old Ardvreckian and is warmly welcomed into the wider family community.

Our aim is to maintain strong links with our Old Ardvreckians and we encourage you to ensure that we have your current contact details so that we can keep in touch with you about upcoming events and OA news. If you have lost touch with the school, or know anyone else who has, we would love to hear from you.

In time, we hope to expand our alumni services to provide regular newsletters and invitations to OA events, as well as putting pupils back in touch with each other. Old Ardvreckians are always most welcome to return and visit the school, and can be assured of a warm welcome.  You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we enjoy sharing Old Ardvreckian news, photographs and memories of Barvicks, dams and dens and the Crabbie Hall to name but a few!

If you have not heard from us recently or if you think we may not have your current contact details, we strongly encourage you to email our Alumni Secretary, Annie Le Roy-Lewis, at alumni@ardvreck.org.uk; she can give you access to the login area of our Ardvreck Alumni page where you can update your details in full. If you do not have access to email then please call Annie on 01764 653112 so that she can update your postal address.

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ARDVRECK TIMELINE

OLD ARDVRECKIANS ON INSTAGRAM

We were saddened to hear of the death of Sandy ...

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We were saddened to hear of the death of Sandy Grant Gordon (OA 40-44), the patriarch of William Grant & Sons Distillers. Mr Gordon was credited with sparking the global demand for single malts and saw his flagship whisky rise to become the worlds’ biggest. Mr Gordon had a personal devotion to Scottish culture and was a major supporter of piping although he was not a piper himself. He was the personal sponsor of countless piping competitions and causes for more than 50 years, among them the Glenfiddich Championships. The Times obituary (credit for photograph), mentions a letter home from Ardvreck in which Mr Gordon remembers a golden eagle flying around the Crabbie Hall. We send his family our condolences. #glenfiddichwhisky #alumni

Congratulations to Old Ardvreckian Georgina ...

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Congratulations to Old Ardvreckian Georgina McKenzie Smith (OA11) who has been shortlisted for Young Journalist of the Year at the PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020. Georgina started work last year with Dundee based, DC Thomson, as a journalist on Shout Magazine (the modern iteration of Jacky magazine) and moved to become a journalist and sub editor for the Scots Magazine earlier this year. English lessons with Ardvreck’s now Headmistress, Mrs Ali Kinge, made Georgina realise how much she loved the subject and she still remembers reading her first ever Shakespeare play in Mrs Kinge’s class (Macbeth) and learning how to write a proper analytical essay. Mrs Kinge’s passion and encouragement with creative writing is something that she has never forgotten. Mrs Kinge also passed on a passion for good hand-writing and Georgina’s Ardvreck pen licence has got her far! Being shortlisted is a great achievement so early in Georgina’s journalism career. We wish her the best of luck at the awards which take place on 3rd December and look forward to following her career with great interest. #journalist #english #alumni

We were delighted to hear that Findlay McLean ...

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We were delighted to hear that Findlay McLean (OA19) has been selected for the Scottish Canoe Slalom team. This is a culmination of years of hard work that saw Findlay travel the length and breadth of the UK training and competing in the exciting canoe discipline of slalom. Findlay is hoping to join a long line of Scottish paddlers that have reached the higher echelons of the sport. Findlay’s sporting passion found a superb home at Ardvreck, with the School’s strong outdoor ethos encouraging pupils to embrace all that is on our doorstep in Highland Perthshire. We wish Findlay all the best with the Scottish Squad and look forward to following his successes into the future. #scottishcanoeassociation #sportsscotland #alumni

Many congratulations to Euan Moncreiffe (OA14) who...

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Many congratulations to Euan Moncreiffe (OA14) who has been awarded a place at Christ Church, Oxford to read Biology. Euan took Biology, Chemistry and History A levels at Glenalmond, and tells us that he ‘especially enjoyed studying history as an essay based subject to balance out the empirical intensity of the sciences’. He chose Christ Church as it has a healthy mix of arts and science students so he can keep his interest in history alive. Euan was in the Ardvreck shooting team and hopes to start this up again with the final aim of an Oxford Blue! He also wants to try out college rowing and maybe even some hockey on the side. Good Luck Euan … we look forward to hearing about that Blue! #alumni #christchurchoxford #rifleshooting

As Ardvreck starts a new academic year, it also ...

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As Ardvreck starts a new academic year, it also welcomes back Emma Bruce-Gardyne (OA14) and Kristian Johnson (OA15) as gap students for the coming year. Emma and Kristian are both delighted to be back and very much look forward to helping the children have as much fun as they did when they were at Ardvreck. #alumni #gappies

As schools return for the Autumn Term, we are ...

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As schools return for the Autumn Term, we are delighted to hear that Teddy Thomson (OA16) has been appointed Captain of School at Merchiston. As a former Head Boy of Ardvreck, Teddy already has some experience in this role and we wish him well in what will be very different and challenging times. #headboy #alumni #merchistoncastleschool

We were very sad to hear the news that one of our ...

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We were very sad to hear the news that one of our oldest living Old Advreckians, Sandy Tod (OA33-37), passed away recently, peacefully in Comrie aged 96 years. Sandy lived in Strathearn for nearly 50 years and was well known in Crieff during the 80s and 90s when he ran the Scots Pine bookshop. Sandy worked at the family paper mill until the late 1950s before meeting his wife June on the West Coast during a family holiday and was married to her for more than 65 years. They had three children including Jenny, who taught English and Art at Ardvreck. Sandy and June moved to Crieff in the mid 70s and, following a yearning to work with children, Sandy returned to Ardvreck to teach Geography and History. Sandy was a keen athlete and amongst many photographs found recently by his family, was one of him winning the long jump at Ardvreck Sports Day. His parents were allowed to take him out from school after church on a Sunday and they had many happy picnics in the Sma Glen. We send our condolences to Jenny and the family. #alumni

We regularly hear people say 'you can tell a ...

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We regularly hear people say 'you can tell a child is from Ardvreck.' From being the first to volunteer, their humble confidence and adaptability to any situation, we are so very proud of our academic, adventurous and altruistic pupils, both past and present. #alumni

Beetle Campbell (OA09) is not alone in telling us ...

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Beetle Campbell (OA09) is not alone in telling us that memories of Ardvreck are the happiest of his childhood. Now he is happiest behind his camera from where he has started his film making business which, in the past three years has taken him around the world filming for travel & luxury brands. He has been featured on BBC Earth and has 31k followers on Instagram (@beetlecampbell). Beetle didn’t go to University, and decided instead to do 3 ski seasons. Aged just 21, he became the video reporter in Verbier - where his love for the camera began. When he returned home he decided he wanted to create a life around what he enjoys most - filmmaking. To see some of Beetle’s work please visit his latest About Me video: https://youtu.be/J9zlTY_JjVM or his website www.beetlecampbellfilms.com. #beetlecampbellfilms #alumni #outdoors

The Last Men Standing at Merchiston last term were...

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The Last Men Standing at Merchiston last term were Old Ardvreckians Rory Trafford (OA15) and Ollie Strudwick (OA15) who stayed on at the School until all the other boys had left. Rory (Deputy Head of House) and Ollie (Senior Prefect in House) were very deserving of one of only nine prizes awarded at the recent Merchiston virtual prize giving. Rory and Ollie share the Hearts and Balls Spirit of Charitable Endeavour Award for their considerable charitable endeavours, raising money (both at school and more recently virtually) and for their weekly visits to Braidburn School in Oxgangs, supporting children with special needs. They did this every week for two years and every Wednesday bought real energy and laughter into the classroom. Both boys have been excellent role models in their boarding house at Merchiston and we congratulate them both on being awarded such a coveted prize. This award clearly says an enormous amount about these young men as people - and they assure us that it all started at Ardvreck! #alumni

Campbell Ferrier (OA 68) got in touch with us ...

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Campbell Ferrier (OA 68) got in touch with us recently as he had unearthed some Ardvreck team photographs and he ‘wondered if any of these gentlemen are still about’! Photographs are in fact an important part of Campbell’s life as he is one of the founders of Miigen, a technology firm that is on a mission to take generations of old photographs, from old shoeboxes, into the 21st Century. Campbell hasn’t always been in technology, rather he worked for TNT (transport) for 31 years after having left Rannoch and travelled for a few years. Campbell’s many memories of Ardvreck include friendships forged, the tunnel to the games fields, the cold outdoor pool, winter hours (ie school work from 4-6), the carpentry shed and musical appreciation on a Sunday - to name but a few. Campbell is pictured here (on the right) with his Miigen business partner and of course as part of the teams of ’67 and ’68. If you are one of the ‘gentlemen’ in these photographs then please get in touch, so that we can hear what you are doing now and so that we reconnect you with each other. #alumni#oldphotographs

ARDVRECK – A BRIEF CHRONICLE

Here you will find a timeline of some key events that make up significant dates in Ardvreck School’s history and evolution.
It is by no means an exhaustive list!

1883

W E Frost leaves Glenalmond and sets up school at Dalmhor in Crieff

1884

School moves to Springbank

1885

School moves into its own new premises at Dalvreck

1905

Rifle Club founded. First Rugby Blue – J. Burt-Marshall for Cambridge

1908

Semi Jubilee celebrations. Purchase of surrounding ground.

1909

First O.A. Dinner – North British Hotel (now the Balmoral), Edinburgh.

1915

Ardvreck beds on Ambulance barges

1917

First Ardvreck Scouts – not attached to the Baden-Powell movement.

1920

Unveiling of the St Michael’s War Memorial

1921

Joan English born. 1st girl pupil at Ardvreck. (Margaret English born 1925).

1922

Bill Frost dies. Buried at Ochtertyre.

1925

The Usher Pavilion erected. First ‘Founder’s Days’, July 5th.

1927

Electricity replaces gas at the school.

1929

First general O.A. Dinner – Grosvenor Restaurant, Glasgow.

1930

Formation of 43rd Perthshire Scout Troop.

1931

Building of Crabbie Hall, Open Fives Court rebuilt beside the covered one.

1933

Jubilee Celebrations. Access Tunnel to the games field built under the Comrie Road.

1939

Acquisition of The Heugh

1942

Ardvreck boys provide ‘comforts’ for the troops.

1955

First O.A. Rugby Cap for Scotland – W S Glen.

1956

Start of Ivor Ramsay Essays

1960

School becomes an Educational Trust

1962

Ardlarach built. The San becomes ‘Brae of Ardvreck’. Launch of the new House system: Barrie and Scott formed from the Greeks, Buchan and Burns from the Trojans.

1964

Construction of the classroom block. Demise of the Five Courts.

1968

First Day Pupils

1970

Appeal: Classroom Block extended. Modernisation in Heugh and Main School.

1973

Present Swimming Pool completed replacing one by R Turret.

1975

Appeal: levelling and draining of the top pitch.

1976

Admission of girls.

1979

First edition of The ‘Ard Times. Launching of Friends of Ardvreck. Start of Pre-Prep.

1982

Launching of the Centenary Appeal. First School Ski holiday – Zell am Ziller in Austria.

1983

Centenary Celebrations. Opening of the Centenary Building.

1984

Opening of MacLellan House, The Heugh having been sold.

1985

Opening of Erskine House.

1987

Ardvreck’s first visit to Rua Fiola.

1989

Opening of the Music School. First Ardvreck Prep Schools’ Netball Tournament.

1990

Levelling, widening, lengthening and draining of lower games pitches.

1991

New Pavilion opened, replacing the Usher pavilion.

1992

Swimming Pool covered. New Classroom Block completed.

1993

First Hosting of the Triangular Athletics at Ardvreck. 50th issue of ‘Ard Times. Pre-prep and Form 2 move to new premises.

1994

Victorian Era Celebrations of the Centenary of the change in the school’s name. Opening of Ardvreck Nursery Department.

1995

National V.E. Day holiday. Friends Reels Party in the Crabbie on a V.E. Day theme.

1996

Inaugural Ardvreck Invitation Rugby Sevens Tournament.

1998

Francis Finlay, O.A., cuts the first turf for the Finlay Hall. First school visit to Chateau de la Baudonniere.

2000

Millennial Match at Culdees Castle between Ardvreck 1st XI and a Gentleman’s XI, Centenary of one played there in July 1900. Opening of the Finlay Hall. Demise of the old Carpentry Hut. Andrew Foster Assault Course constructed. Advent of Ardvreck Pipe Band.

2003

Participation for the first time in Scottish Schools’s Clay Pigeon Championships

2004

New record set in St. Patrick’s Shield, British Prep Schools’ Trophy 798/800.

2005

Ardvreck boys British Prep Schools’ Ski Champions.

2006

Canadian Delegation collects Piper James Richardson V.C.’s pipes after 75 years in the school museum.

2008

125 Celebrations.

COVID-19 UPDATE

Ardvreck's Approach

Ardvreck is currently operating as a Virtual School with a full provision of academic, co-curricular, pastoral and spiritual programmes. 
Our main priority has always been the health, safety and welfare of pupils, staff and all those in our wider community. We look forward to welcoming back our pupils as soon as possible.
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Ardvreck's approach to COVID-19 
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