Bathgate Academy Explained
| Bathgate Academy |
| Address: | Edinburgh Road |
| Town: | Bathgate |
| County: | West Lothian |
| Postcode: | EH48 1LF |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Other Names: | --> |
| Former Names: | --> |
| Type: | Secondary school |
| Established: | 1833 |
| Founder: | John Newland |
| Local Authority: | West Lothian Council |
| Head Teacher: | Eileen Paxton[1] |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| Age Range: | 11–18 |
| Enrolment: | 965 (2019)[2] |
| Colours: | Red, blue, yellow |
| Accreditations: | --> |
| Affiliations: | --> |
Bathgate Academy is a mixed secondary school in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, also serving the nearby town of Blackburn.
History
Established by the will of John Newland (a Jamaican-plantation slave owner) in 1799,[3] [4] [5] the school was originally located on Marjoribanks Street;[6] its main building dates from 1833 and was designed by R & R Dickson.[7] In 1965, the Academy merged with Lindsay High School and moved fully to a new campus further east at Boghall two years later.[8] The existing Lindsay High building on Kirk Road was taken over by the local Catholic school, St Mary's Academy, which already had its own buildings next door – all were demolished in 1994. From 1970 to 1988, the rector (headteacher) was Ian McGregor.[9]
The original Academy building was taken over by West Lothian College (originally Bathgate Technological College) in the 1960s[10] when the secondary school moved to its current location – it was also used as annexe to Balbardie Primary School in the 1960s and 70s. After the college moved to new premises in Livingston,[11] [12] the old Academy lay unused for several years in the early 21st century before being converted to apartments, forming the centrepiece of a development.[13] [14]
Notable former pupils
- John McIntyre, Professor of Divinity and Principal of New College in the University of Edinburgh, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Dean of the Thistle
- Paul di Resta, Formula 1 racing driver and television presenter
- Richard B. Angus of Montreal, co-founder of the Canadian Pacific Railway and President of the Bank of Montreal
- Lieutenant-General Sir James Baird, senior British Army officer and Director General Army Medical Services
- Sir Andrew Stark, British ambassador to Denmark
- Jack Kane, Lord Provost of Edinburgh
- Robert Lyell Mitchell, chemist
- Marcus Fleming, economist
- Very Rev Alison Elliot, first female Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
- William Wolfe, Leader of the SNP
Notes and References
- Web site: Welcome from Head Teacher . Bathgate Academy . 7 February 2019.
- http://www.bathgateacademy.westlothian.org.uk/article/21598/School-Background School Background
- http://www.flagupscotjam.uk/connection/ The First Scots in Jamaica
- https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/bathgate-procession-john-newland-festival-22170721.amp Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival changes name due to Newland's links to slavery
- https://newlandsreachingacrossthewaters.wordpress.com/agriculture/a-distant-connection-newlands-sugar-in-jamaica-in-the-18th-19th-centuries/ A Distant Connection – Newlands & Sugar in Jamaica in the 18th – 19th Centuries
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/47759/bathgate-marjoribanks-street-bathgate-academy Bathgate, Marjoribanks Street, Bathgate Academy
- http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=200880 Bathgate Academy
- http://www.bathgateacademy.westlothian.org.uk/article/20837/Heritage Heritage
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-ian-macgregor-1310877.html?amp Obituary: Ian MacGregor
- https://www.europese-bibliotheek.nl/en/Books/Bathgate_in_old_picture_postcards/100-132980/Article/10#fragment Bathgate in old picture postcards
- https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/west-lothian-college-celebrates-50th-7400139.amp West Lothian College celebrates 50th birthday
- https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst92057.html West Lothian College
- https://www.zmarchitecture.co.uk/project/bathgate-old-academy/ Bathgate Academy, Miller developments
- https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/check-out-145000-bungalow-tucked-16514410.amp Check out the £145,000 bungalow tucked away inside this stunning A-listed West Lothian building
