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A Hutchesons' History

The history of Hutchesons' Grammar School sheds light on the history of Glasgow over the past 360 years. When George and Thomas Hutcheson set aside money in 1641 for their school, they lit an educational torch which has been burning brightly ever since.

George Hutcheson's drive to build a school to benefit children came from his unfulfilled desire to be a father. The brothers originally intended the School to be for orphans. Archibald Edmiston, an orphan himself, became the School's first pupil in 1643. The stonebuilt Hutchesons' Hospital building in the Trongate - in the heart of Glasgow - survived the devastating fire that destroyed so much of the city in 1652. It survived, too, the ravages of civil war in Oliver Cromwell's reign before peace - and the monarchy - was restored.

PE class in front of G and THutchesons' Grammar School began to grow in size and reputation, requiring several moves to accommodate its multiplying numbers. It twice changed address before Ingram Street became home to the school in 1802. By 1815, the year of Waterloo, the roll had risen to 76. By 1839 it stood at 120 which prompted the Patrons' decision to build a new school in Crown Street, Gorbals. The location was described as 'possessing quietness of situation, good air and a roomy open site'. The new building was opened in 1841 and remained in use until 1960. The photo above shows boys doing gymnastics under the watchful eyes of the founders' frozen into the stained glass windows.

Kingarth StIn 1876, Hutchesons' Girls' School opened its doors for the first time in Elgin Street. The Girls' School was extremely successful and the number of pupils enrolled was far greater than the building was designed to hold. One final move saw Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School relocated in 1912 to the present Primary School building in Kingarth Street.

A site on Beaton Road in Crossmyloof became home to Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School half a century later in 1960. It was seen then as an extremely fashionable building, daring in its modernity. Despite these many changes to the schools over the centuries, the single most significant change occurred in 1976. The year marked the amalgamation of Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School and Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School, to form Hutchesons' Grammar School, the co-educational institution which remains in this form today.