Ardvreck Alumni - Old Ardvreckians, Ardvreck School, Perthshire, Scotland

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.

ARDVRECK TIMELINE

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Alumni Series: Paddy Duff

An Interview With Paddy Duff [...]

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Alumni Series: David Nicholas Henderson James

An Interview With David Nicholas Henderson James [...]

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Alumni Series: Sandy Trust

An Interview With Sandy Trust [...]

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Alumni Series: Molly Brocklehurst

An Interview With Molly Brocklehurst [...]

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Alumni Series: Pollyanna Murray

An Interview With Pollyanna Murray [...]

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Alumni Series: Charles Bushby

An Interview With Charles Bushby [...]

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OLD ARDVRECKIANS ON INSTAGRAM

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We were very proud to see three Old Ardvreckians taking part in a historic rugby match yesterday. Teddy Thomson, Rory Trafford and Ollie Strudwick all played for Merchiston against Edinburgh Academy with a 17-12 win. The match between the two schools is the longest running rugby match in the UK and yesterday was the 161st game. Teddy, Rory and Ollie all played together for the 1st XV at Ardvreck. From small beginnings ….. #rugby #merchistoncastleschool #alumni

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Until this summer, the family of David Hume didn't know that he had attended Ardvreck from 1940-1946. An Ardvreck postcard, sent as part of our alumni reconnect campaign, reached Mr Hume in July of this year whereupon he delighted his family with rekindled memories from his early school life. Sadly Mr Hume died a few months later but his daughter was delighted to be able to include Ardvreck School in his obituary …… #alumni #memories #family

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Ella McIntosh (08-14) is about to take part in the annual STOMP challenge at Murrayfield, which consists of running up and down all of the 7,400 steps of the stadium in aid of SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health). Ella was very keen on sport at Ardvreck and took part in every sporting opportunity that the school offered, ultimately captaining the hockey team in her final year. Her love of sport is clearly still much in evidence as she will be studying Sport and Exercise Science at Bath University next year. We wish Ella the very best of luck in her STOMP challenge next week, as she attempts to beat last year’s time of 51 minutes 7 seconds. If you would like to sponsor Ella, then please let us know so that we can send you her fundraising link. #alumni #sport #samhscotland

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Fergus Crystal (OA 82-87) divides his life between Aberfeldy and Extremadura, Spain where he works as an English teacher and amateur botanist/ornithologist. He recently got in touch to share some of his memories and we couldn't resist sharing them further! Fergus was encouraged to develop his interest in nature and his memories include being taken to see his first Black Grouse lek at the crack of dawn. He clearly loved Barvicks and building and breaking dams and even getting dragged up for school plays! He remembers obsessing about model aircraft and knitting a two metre-long scarf. He also remembers sledging until they could sledge no more and will never forget Pink Panther's sweat (a pink custard that smelled of boiled dog breath!). Fergus got in touch because he is very pleased to see that the School is still nurturing rounded personalities in a highland setting. #ardvreck #alumni #nature #memories

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Gemma Howard-Vyse (OA 09-12) recently spent a very worthwhile internship with the Scottish Field. Gemma wrote a number of set pieces for the magazine before being asked to write about anything she wanted, as long as it was related to Scotland. It didn’t take Gemma very long to decide that she wanted to write about Ardvreck. Currently studying Classics at Edinburgh University, Gemma has come to realise how unusual Ardvreck is compared to other schools - certainly with regards to the outdoor education. Gemma is hoping to go into editing or journalism and perhaps, one day, even write books. You can find Gemma’s article via https://www.scottishfield.co.uk/living/education/a-life-in-the-great-outdoors-at-ardvreck-school/ #outdooreducation #scottishfield

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Of all the stories that we receive from Old Ardvreckians, those that mention friendships rate the highest - always. Friendships made during those formative years remain very strong and memories recounted to us through letters and conversations are always about what friends ‘got up to’ at Ardvreck! Many of our alumni still see each other regularly and go on to become bridesmaids, ‘best men’ and godparents, not to mention sporting partners and often working partners with even the odd marriage here and there! Ardvreck still remains a playground from which friendships blossom and where friends for life are made. #oldardvreckians #ardvreckschool #friendships #friendsforlife

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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.