St Margaret's School, Edinburgh
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| Motto |
Fortiter Vivamus (Latin: "Let us Live Bravely") |
|---|---|
| Established | 1890 |
| Closed | 2010 |
| Type | Independent |
| Location |
4 East Suffolk Rd Edinburgh EH16 5PJ Scotland |
| Gender | Female |
| Ages | Nursery–18 |
| Founder | James Buchanan |
St. Margaret's School was an independent school in the Newington area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The curriculum was based on the Scottish education system. The school was one of three all-girls, private, fee-paying schools based in the Edinburgh district. The school was famous in Edinburgh city as a prestigious, elite all-female school. A private boarding school to cater for students staying from home was offered and often housed a small group of students. The school competed alongside other female-dominated private schools in the country.
St. Margaret's was founded in 1890 by James Buchanan. Buchanan housed his fledgling school in two identical specifically designed buildings, one on East Suffolk Road in Newington, the other on Egypt Terrace (now part of Cluny Drive) in Morningside. The total cost of both buildings was £6,000. This equates to about £54,000 in today's money. The school was named after Saint Margaret of Scotland.
Buchanan initially named his new school The Queen Margaret College for Young Ladies. The inclusion of the word College in the name was to emphasise that secondary education was available. Prior to the school's opening on 1 October 1890, Buchanan had placed daily adverts in The Scotsman'; giving out handbills to local businesses and creating a prospectus for parents. The result of this work was an opening roll of over 200.
Though the two schools were separate in some respects (each had its own headmistress), girls and staff knew each other well and often commuted between the two campuses. Buchanan was Principal of both schools and taught English.
As James Buchanan had died shortly before the new term was to begin, swift action was required. He had left a trust for the school, and that combined with his life insurance payout provided for the support of his wife and children (who would have otherwise had no income) and paid off much of the loan on the school's two buildings. His wife, Annie Custance Buchanan (née Carr) was appointed as Principal and, despite having a young family to look after, threw herself into the role. She remained in the post for over 30 years.
During Annie Buchanan's principalship, St. Margaret's went from strength to strength. In 1903, the school was the first independent school in Edinburgh to offer a "Leaving Certificate" (the equivalent of today's Standard Grade and Higher qualifications). In 1904, the school began Fröbel training for staff, another first for the city.
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