[Home] [Up]

Thomas Greig Ironside

Mr Murison’s successor was the long serving and respected Mr Thomas Greig Ironside, M.A., B.Sc., Principal Teacher of Science in Wick High School, who took the reigns on 22^nd September.  In the interim the school had been run for a short time by the 1^st Assistant, James Duthie, who had for some years been the Head Master of Janetstown Public School and for a short time in charge of the West Public School.

Mr Ironside was educated at Fauldhouse Public School where his father was Headmaster, at Daniel Stewart’s College, Edinburgh from 1902 to 1907 and then at Edinburgh University where he graduated in July 1911 M.A., B.Sc. with First Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.  His time at Daniel Stewart’s saw him become Dux, Gold Medallist and £100 Bursar.  In addition he won other prizes in 1903, 1904, 1906 and 1907.  Those included three bursaries of £15, the recipient of the School medals in Mathematics, English and French and the Ogilvie Prize in Latin.

This success continued at University where he gained second place in the Bursary Competition, open to students entering the University of Edinburgh, and  he was awarded the John Welsh Mathematical Bursary of £80.  During 1908 success came by way of the Newton Natural Philosophy Prize of £46 and in 1908 he gained a further £5 prize in Mathematics.  His academic record in Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Chemistry indicates twelve First Class Honours certificates in his studies and additionally he had similar success in Political Economy, Latin, Education, Educational Problems and Psychology. 

Mr Ironside also studied Botany and Bacteriology and those subjects deserve mention here.  He again performed with distinction gaining two first places and two second places in the various branches which he studied at Glasgow Technical College Evening Classes.  Clearly a man of high intellect he made the very best use of his skills in all spheres of his education.  He later put the training to good use in his chosen professions and he was also someone willing to put in great efforts through normal study and evening classes to gain qualifications of the highest order.

During Session 1911-12 Mr Ironside completed, under the Edinburgh Provincial Committee, the course of Training for Teachers of Mathematics and Science in Intermediate and Secondary Schools.  At that time he also gained an insight into Laboratory teaching by demonstrating for five terms under Drs Carse, Knott and Milne in the Physical Laboratories at Edinburgh University.  The full list of his achievements as a student are too numerous to include here but a framed list hangs in the Miller Academy Arts Building.

Having completed his teacher training course and before moving to Wick High School as Principal Teacher of Science, Mr Ironside taught at Robert Gordon’s Technical College, Aberdeen,  Alloa Academy Higher Grade School and Junior Student Centre and Vale of Leven Academy, Alexandria and worked in industry in Scotland and South Africa..  The three schools spoke highly of him as a teacher and a person.  He was praised for his professionalism and firmness of manner in matters of discipline.  The two industrial companies he worked for had an equally high opinion of his skills and professionalism.

The Nobel’s Explosive Company, Ardeer, Aryshire indicated that he worked in their factory as a chemist from July 1917 to December 1918 and only left their service, ‘on the account of the restriction of output caused by the cessation of hostilities.’  His work with the South African Nitrate and Potash Corporation was no less valued, Mr Ironside being described as conscientious, painstaking and energetic in his work and having qualities of initiative and sound judgement along with technical ability of a high order.  Again it was a change in the market situation that resulted in the termination of his work in South Africa.

After his appointment at Wick, and during his early years at Miller Academy Mr Ironside, clearly had ambitions to move to other schools south of the Ord.  To this end he obtained and had printed, at various times, certificates and references from those who knew him professionally.  This was, I think, a common practice at that time and meant that preparations were always in hand should a new challenge present itself.

One such reference was provided in 1923 by Alexander Robertson M.A., Rector of Wick High School and presumably presented by Mr Ironside along with his successful application for the post of Rector of Miller Academy in 1924. 

This reference states;

‘It is with the utmost pleasure and confidence that I write this certificate in favour of Mr T.G. Ironside, M.A., B.Sc., who has since October 1922, been Principal Science Master in this School.  He has had full charge of the Science Department, which is composed of three laboratories, and requires the services of two graduate assistants in addition to the Principal Master.

Mr Ironside came to us with credentials that showed him to have been a University student of great brilliance and promise, and his work with us has fully borne out the high expectations formed of him.  He has been highly successful as a teacher: he has greatly improved the tone and quality of the Science teaching in the school, the results he has secured at this year’s Intermediate and Leaving Certificate Examinations have been most creditable, and there is obvious promise of better in the future.  The whole makes a sound achievement in the short time he has been with us.

Mr Ironside has also borne his full share in the social and athletic side or our school life, and has exerted upon the pupils a wholesome influence for good.  I have found him uniformly a pleasant, helpful, obliging, and gentlemanly colleague.

I should be very sorry to lose Mr Ironside’s services; but I should heartily rejoice were he to gain the promotion which his high capacity entitles him to look for.

I need only add that Mr Ironside bears an unblemished character, and that I recommend him with confidence.’

In 1935, Mr Ironside applied for the post of Headmaster of his former school, Daniel Stewart’s College, and to the benefit of Caithness, and the loss of his former school, he remained at Miller for another twenty years.  In his letter of application he points out that he is exactly forty-six years of age, he gives his academic qualifications and then goes on to describe, in two paragraphs, a little about Miller Academy.  This part of his letter of application deserves transcription here as it tells us something of the school in the 1930s.

‘For the last ten years I have been rector of the Miller Academy, Thurso, a secondary school with a roll of 650 pupils of all stages – from infants to Leaving Certificate.  Our Leaving Certificate results consist of passes mainly on the Higher Standard in English, Mathematics, Latin, French, German, Science, Art, and Commercial Work and have won for the School an excellent reputation; but, as I have long felt that the Leaving Certificate curriculum tended to achieve erudition rather than education, I made the experiment last year of setting aside five periods per week in the Post-Intermediate Department for crafts, British Empire topics, present-day problems, and debating – work not leading to any examination but for cultural purposes only.  The experiment won the approbation of pupils, teachers, and parents and in no way impaired the examination results.

I have never claimed to be an exponent of sport, but, as a headmaster, I have shown myself a “sturdy beggar” when the interests of pupils required it.  The school, which I found hopelessly lacking in playgrounds, is now provided with a full sized football pitch.’

Mr Ironside’s application ended with a list of testimonials and the names of three referees.  The testimonials were provided by Provost Harper of Wick, Alexander Robertson, Principal Science Master at Wick High School, W. Bleloch, Chemists, South Africa and Nobel’s, Chemists, Ardeer.  His referees were Sir Archibald Sinclair, Norman MacDonald, Sheriff of the County of Caithness and F. W. Michie, H. M. Chief Inspector.

Mr Ironside’s time at Miller Academy, lasting almost thirty years,  is documented within the text elsewhere and there is no doubt that he had a great influence on the development of the school throughout this time.  He was, however, also active in other spheres.  He was a Town Councillor for many years and in this capacity topped the poll in Thurso at the end of the war and he later rose to Senior Baillie.  It is a matter for sadness that his healthy retirement was short but he nevertheless used this time to take an even greater interest in Council work.

I am told by his son, William Ironside, to whom I am much indebted for supplying documents relating to his father’s life, that Mr Ironside, outwith his school work, had an interest in designing mining equipment, photography, County Council and Town Council work and ‘playing’ at dividing his home ‘Viewfirth’ into several flats.

Mr Ironside retired on 2^nd April 1954 and received gifts from staff and pupils.  Above is his graduation photograph and below the plaque that was attached to a clock presented by pupils of Miller Academy on his retiral.  Photograph supplied by Mr T. W. Ironside’s son, Mr William  B. Ironside, Haster Farm, Wick.