Kilgraston longest-serving staff
Whilst Kilgraston celebrates an important birthday in 2020, we are also celebrating some of Kilgraston’s longest-serving staff.
Amongst those who have worked here the longest, is Kilgraston’s Deputy Head, Mrs Carol Ann Lund, who has been teaching at Kilgraston since 1989. Head of Classics, Mrs Annie Bluett, started in 1991, teaching French and English before becoming a Housemistress for ten years and then became Head of Modern Languages. She said: “Kilgraston has given me my whole career and educated my children.”
Also celebrating long service is Support for Learning teacher, Mrs Pam Ferguson who started in the Junior Years School on supply for four weeks and has just started her 25th year at Kilgraston. She said: “I’ve got so many wonderful memories of Kilgraston and our amazing pupils. I particularly loved seeing a photo of Georgina Futong with Hilary Clinton during the last Presidential election in the USA. Having taught her in Reception and Lower First, I always knew that she would do something special and different. “
Junior Years School Secretary, Ms Trish Stack is another one of our longest-serving members of staff. She started at Kilgraston in 1997 as a Receptionist. She said: “From when I started, the staff and pupils were really wonderful to work with and have absolutely loved it ever since. Working with children is something I never envisaged and it makes my role unlike any other standard admin role and I think it’s pretty special.”
Our Head of Housekeeping, Mrs Lillian Friars is another one of Kilgraston’s longest serving staff, starting in 1993. Lillian said: “When I started working here, there were still a number of nuns working in the school so it has changed a lot over the years. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that Kilgraston is still a wonderful place to work.”
Kilgraston celebrating its 90th birthday - flashback to turning 50
With Kilgraston celebrating its 90th birthday in 2020, many of our alumnae, current families and staff have ordered the beautiful commemorative mugs.
However, one of our alumnae recently got in touch to share the mugs from the 50th anniversary celebrations.
Turning 50 in 1980, Kilgraston had an event in Perth City Hall to mark the occasion. There was also a competition to design a mug, this time won by pupil Shona Allan.
Thank you to alumnae, Fiona, for sharing this wonderful story and for the image of the 50th birthday mugs.
You are still able to purchase our 90th birthday mugs via [email protected].
Kilgraston’s birthday celebrations - we celebrate turning 90
Kilgraston’s birthday celebrations took place as our wonderful school officially turned 90, because on October 20th 1930 Kilgraston official opened as a school , the same day as the Feast of Mater Admirablis.
The house had recently been purchased by the Society of the Sacred Heart to transfer its boarding and day school from Craiglockhart in Edinburgh.
Before becoming a school, Kilgraston House had an interesting history. It was severely damaged in 1872 when the interior was almost completely destroyed by fire. In the First World War, John Patrick Grant loaned the house to the Government as a hospital for shell-shocked servicemen and at one time it was even occupied by the millionaire Andrew Carnegie, who spent part of his honeymoon here.
Over the years, the school has been extended and has had Royal visitors with Her Royal Highness; the Princess Royal opening the new Barat Wing in June 1987.
Today, we are proud of our School and our school family both present and past, and whilst our 90th birthday celebrations were restricted due to COVID, we marked this occasion along with the Mater Admirablis on October 28th, a week after our official 90th birthday.
Mrs MacGinty and our Senior Head Girl team
A special 90th birthday service saw Kilgraston’s Headmistress, Mrs MacGinty, our Deputy Chair of Governors, Ms Gammell and our longest-serving academic member of staff, Deputy Head, Mrs Lund all giving readings. We also enjoyed stunning musical performances by Deputy Head Girl , Libby, who played ‘In French Style’ by Savourna Stevenson on the clarsach as well as Lower Sixth’s Isabel who performed ‘Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt on the cello.
Lower Sixth Isabel
Morning break saw great excitement with a special 90th birthday cake for everyone.
Happy birthday Kilgraston.
You can watch the 90th birthday service below:
Kilgraston turns 90 years old in 2020
Kilgraston turns 90 years old in 2020, and in honour of this special milestone, alongside our 90th birthday mugs, we have commissioned beautiful commemorative pins which we hope our pupils will keep and cherish.
The pins feature our 90th birthday logo and are enamelled with silver finish.
Since Kilgraston was established in 1930, we have had an interesting history. Many people are not aware that Kilgraston as a school initially started in Edinburgh. However as it grew, so did the need for space. So in 1930, the Kilgraston estate was sold to the International Society of the Sacred Heart, a foundation devoted to the education of children, and the school was established with official opening taking placed on 20th October, the Feast of Mater Admirablis.
From the outset, each child was encouraged to develop talents in many different areas including sport, drama, art and music. The school continues these traditions and visitors can see the impressive display of paintings and sculpture throughout the school.
Here’s to the next 90 years of Kilgraston. Cor Unum.