George Heriot's School is a Scottish

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Works * ...

and

secondary Secondary may refer to: Science and nature * Secondary emission, of particles ** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products * The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...

day school A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children and adolescents are given instructions during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compar ...

on Lauriston Place in the

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff. It was established in 1628 as George Heriot's Hospital, by bequest of the royal

goldsmith A goldsmith is a Metalworking, metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Nowadays they mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, goldsmiths have also made cutlery, silverware, platter (dishware), pl ...

George Heriot George Heriot (15 June 1563 – 12 February 1624) was a Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist. He is chiefly remembered today as the founder of George Heriot's School, a large independent school in Edinburgh; his name has also been given to H ...

, and opened in 1659. It is governed by George Heriot's Trust, a Scottish charity.

Architecture

The main building of the school is notable for its

renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...

, the work of

William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...

, until his death in 1631. He was succeeded as master mason by William Aytoun, who was succeeded in turn by John Mylne. In 1676,

Sir William Bruce Sir William Bruce of Kinross, 1st Baronet (c. 1630 – 1 January 1710), was a Scottish gentleman-architect, "the effective founder of classical architecture in Scotland," as Howard Colvin observes.Colvin, p.172–176 As a key figure in introduc ...

drew up plans for the completion of Heriot's Hospital. His design, for the central tower of the north façade, was eventually executed in 1693. The school is a turreted building surrounding a large quadrangle, and built out of

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

. The foundation stone is inscribed with the date 1628. The intricate decoration above each window is unique (with one paired exception - those on the ground floor either side of the now redundant central turret on the west side of the building). A statue of the founder can be found in a niche on the north side of the quadrangle. The main building was the first large building to be constructed outside the Edinburgh city walls. It is located next to

Greyfriars Kirk Greyfriars Kirk ( gd, Eaglais nam Manach Liath) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard. Greyfriars traces its origin to the south-west parish of Edi ...

, built in 1620, in open grounds overlooked by

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

directly to the north. Parts of the seventeenth-century city wall (the

Telfer Wall There have been several town walls around Edinburgh, Scotland, since the 12th century. Some form of wall probably existed from the foundation of the royal burgh in around 1125, though the first building is recorded in the mid-15th century, when ...

) serve as the walls of the school grounds. When built, the building's front facade faced north with access from the

Grassmarket The Grassmarket is a historic market place, street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In relation to the rest of the city it lies in a hollow, well below surrounding ground levels. Location The Grassmarket is located direct ...

by way of Heriot Bridge. It was originally the only facade fronted in fine ashlar stone, the others being harled rubble. "George Heriot's magnificent pile" became known locally, and by the boys who attended it, as the "Wark". In 1833 the three rubble facades were refaced in Craigleith

ashlar Ashlar () is finely dressed (cut, worked) stone, either an individual stone that has been worked until squared, or a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, generally rectangular cuboid, mentioned by Vitruv ...

stone. This was done because the other facades had become more visible when a new entrance was installed on Lauriston Place. The refacing work was handled by

Alexander Black Alexander Black may refer to: * Alexander Black (athlete) (born 2000), Semi-professional Australian rules footballer * Alexander Black (actor) (born 1983), American film actor * Alexander Black (theologian) (1789–1864), theologian and Free Church ...

, then Superintendent of Works for the school. He later designed the first Heriot's free schools around the city. The south gatehouse onto Lauriston Place is by

William Henry Playfair William Henry Playfair FRSE (15 July 1790 – 19 March 1857) was a prominent Scottish architect in the 19th century, who designed the Eastern, or Third, New Town and many of Edinburgh's neoclassical landmarks. Life Playfair was born on 15 ...

and dates from 1829. The chapel interior (1837) is by

James Gillespie Graham James Gillespie Graham (11 June 1776 – 11 March 1855) was a Scottish architect, prominent in the early 19th century. Life Graham was born in Dunblane on 11 June 1776. He was the son of Malcolm Gillespie, a solicitor. He was christened as J ...

, who is likely to have been assisted by

Augustus Pugin Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 181214 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and, ultimately, Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival st ...

. The school hall was designed by Donald Gow in 1893 and boasts a hammerbeam roof. A mezzanine floor was added later. The science block is by

John Chesser (architect) John Chesser (1819-1892) was a nineteenth-century Scottish architect largely based in Edinburgh. He was described as "the prime exponent of terrace design at the time". A very high number of his works are now category A listed buildings, evidenc ...

and dates from 1887, incorporating part of the former primary school of 1838 by

Alexander Black (architect) Alexander Black (c. 1790 – 19 February 1858) was a Scottish architect, born in Edinburgh around 1790 who is mainly known for his association with George Heriot’s School, where he acted as Superintendent of Works for most of his active lif ...

. The chemistry block to the west of the site was designed by John Anderson in 1911. The grounds contain a selection of other buildings of varying age; these include a wing by inter-war school specialists Reid & Forbes, and a

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

, now unused. A 1922

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...

war memorial A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war. Symbolism Historical usage It has ...

, by James Dunn, is dedicated to the school's former pupils and teachers who died in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Alumni and teachers who died in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

were also added to the memorial.

History

17th and 18th centuries

On his death in 1624, George Heriot left just over 23,625 pounds sterling – equivalent to about £3 million in 2017 – to found a "hospital" (a charitable school) on the model of

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and received its first royal charter in 1553 ...

in London, to care for the "puir, faitherless bairns" ( Scots: poor, fatherless children) and children of "decayit" (fallen on hard times) burgesses and freemen of Edinburgh. The construction of Heriot's Hospital (as it was first called) was begun in 1628, just outside the city walls of Edinburgh. It was completed in time to be occupied by Oliver Cromwell's English forces during the invasion of Scotland during the Third English Civil War. When the building was used as a

barracks Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...

, Cromwell's forces stabled their horses in the

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

. The hospital opened in 1659, with thirty sickly children in residence. As its finances grew, it took in other pupils in addition to the

orphan An orphan (from the el, ορφανός, orphanós) is a child whose parents have died. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usuall ...

s for whom it was intended. By the end of the 18th century, the Governors of the George Heriot's Trust had purchased the Barony of Broughton, thus acquiring extensive land for feuing (a form of leasehold) on the northern slope below James Craig's Georgian

New Town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

. This and other land purchases beyond the original city boundary generated considerable revenue through leases for the Trust long after Heriot's death.

19th and 20th centuries

In 1846 there was an insurrection in the Hospital and fifty-two boys were dismissed. This was the worst of several disturbances in the 1840s. Critics of hospital education blamed what they described as the monastic separation of the boys from home life. Only a minority (52 out of 180 in 1844) were fatherless, which meant, these critics argued, that poorer families were leaving their children to Hospital care, even through holiday periods, and the influence of disaffected older boys. 'Auld Callants' (former pupils) were prepared to defend the Hospital as a source of hope and discipline to families in difficulties. This argument about the value of hospitals, which reached the pages of ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' in late 1846, was taken up by

Duncan McLaren Duncan McLaren (12 January 1800 – 26 April 1886) was a Scottish Scottish Liberal Party, Liberal Party politician and political writer. He served as a member of the burgh council of Edinburgh, then as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Lord Provost, t ...

when he became

Lord Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority, who is elected by City_of_Edinburgh_Council, the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the e ...

, and therefore Chairman of the Hospital Governors, in 1851. McLaren pushed for the number of boys in the Hospital to be reduced and for the Heriot outdoor schools to be expanded with the resources thus saved. Duncan McLaren was the primary initiator of the 1836 Act that gave the Heriot Governors the power to use the Heriot Trust's surplus to set up "outdoor" (i.e. outside the Hospital) schools. Between 1838 and 1885 the Trust set up and ran 13 juvenile and 8 infant outdoor schools across Edinburgh. At its height in the early 1880s this network of Heriot schools, which did not charge any fees, had a total roll of almost 5,000 pupils. The outdoor Heriot school buildings were sold off or rented out (some to the Edinburgh School Board) when the network was wound up after 1885 as part of reforms to the Trust and the absorption of its outdoor activities by the public school system. Several of these buildings, including the Cowgate, Davie Street, Holyrood and Stockbridge Schools, were designed with architectural features copied from the Lauriston Place Hospital building or stonework elements referring to George Heriot. George Heriot’s Hospital was at the centre of the controversies surrounding Scottish educational endowments between the late 1860s and the mid 1880s. At a time when general funding for secondary education was not politically possible, reform of these endowments was seen as a way to facilitate access beyond elementary education. The question was, for whom; those who could afford to pay fees or those who could not? The Heriot’s controversy was therefore a central issue in Edinburgh municipal politics at this time. In 1875 a Heriot Trust Defence Committee (HTDC) was formed in opposition to the recommendations of the (Colebrooke) Commission on Endowed Schools and Hospitals, set up in 1872. These included making the Hospital a secondary technical day school, using Heriot money to fund university scholarships, introducing fees for the outdoor schools and accepting foundationers from outside Edinburgh. The HTDC saw this as a spoliation of Edinburgh’s poor to the benefit of the middle classes. Already in 1870, under the permissive Endowed Institutions (Scotland) Act of the previous year, and again in 1879 to the ( Moncreiff) Commission on Endowed Institutions in Scotland, and finally in 1883 to the ( Balfour) Commission on Educational Endowments, Heriot’s submitted schemes of reform. All were turned down. The reasons included Heriot’s continuing commitment to free and hospital education, and its maintenance of the Heriot outdoor schools after the passage of the

Education (Scotland) Act Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

in 1872 brought in publicly supported, compulsory elementary education. The Balfour Commission had executive powers and used these in 1885 to impose reform on Heriot’s. The Hospital became a day school, charging a modest fee, for boys of 10 and above. Up to 120 foundationers, no younger than 7 years of age, enjoyed preferential admission. Greek was not to be taught. The new George Heriot's Hospital School was, in other words, to be a modern, technically oriented institution. The outdoor school network was to be wound up and the resources used for a variety of scholarships and bursaries, including a number to be used for attendance at the

High School A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

and

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. These, rather than the new Heriot's day school, were to provide a path to university education for those able and interested. There were elements in this scheme of a response to contemporary European educational reforms, such as that exemplified by the German ''Realschulen''. The most uncontroversial aspect of the Balfour Commission’s scheme of 1885 for the reform of the Heriot's Hospital and Trust was the takeover of the "Watt Institution and School of Arts" by the Trust. This was to be renamed the Heriot-Watt College. This was not just a matter of the Trust providing financial support, but was part of a policy of encouraging technical education in Edinburgh. Provision was especially to be made for pupils to continue their studies after completing the higher classes of the new Heriot’s day school. The School and the College were both run under the Heriot board of governors until the development and financial needs of the College required a separation in 1927. The Trust continued to make a contribution to the College of £8,000 p.a. thereafter. In 1966 the College was granted university status as

Heriot-Watt University Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted univ ...

. In 1979 Heriot's became

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

after admitting girls. In the same year

Lothian Regional Council Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sc ...

attempted to bring the school in to the local authority system, but the Secretary of State for Scotland intervened. Jacobite broadside - Front view of Heriots Hospital

Jacobite broadside - Front view of Heriots Hospital

Modern era

In the early 21st century, George Heriot's has approximately 1600 pupils. It continues to serve its charitable goal by providing free education to children who are bereaved of a parent, such children being referred to as "foundationers". In 2012, the school was ranked as Edinburgh's best performing school by

Higher Higher may refer to: Music * The Higher, a 2002–2012 American pop rock band Albums * ''Higher'' (Ala Boratyn album) or the title song, 2007 * ''Higher'' (Ezio album) or the title song, 2000 * ''Higher'' (Harem Scarem album) or the title song ...

exam results. Heriot's Hospital, Edinburgh by Henry Fox Talbot

Headmasters and principals

Chronological list of the headmasters of the school, the year given being the one in which they took office. *1659 James Lawson *1664 David Davidsone *1669 David Browne *1670 William Smeaton *1673 Harry Moresone *1699 James Buchan *1702 John Watson *1720 David Chrystie *1734 William Matheson *1735 John Hunter *1741 William Halieburton *1741 John Henderson *1757 James Colvill *1769 George Watson *1773 William Hay *1782 Thomas Thomson *1792 David Cruikshank *1794 James Maxwell Cockburn *1795 George Irvine *1805 John Somerville *1816 John Christison *1825 James Boyd *1829 Hector Holme *1839 William Steven *1844 James Fairburn *1854 Frederick W. Bedford *1880

David Fowler Lowe David Fowler Lowe FRSE LLD (11 January 1843 – 17 January 1924) was headmaster of George Heriot's School from 1880 to 1908. Life Lowe was born in Leslie, Fife on 11 January 1843. He was educated locally and then went to the University of Edin ...

*1908

John Brown Clark John Brown Clark or Clarke CBE LLD FRSE (30 April 1861 – 19 July 1947) was a Scottish mathematician. He was headmaster of George Heriot’s School from 1908 to 1926. He served as Vice President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1931–34. Li ...

*1926 William Gentle *1942 William Carnon *1947 William Dewar *1970 Allan McDonald *1983 Keith Pearson *1997 Alistair Hector
Thereafter, the title of Headmaster was changed to that of Principal. *2014 (January) Gareth Doodes *2014 (September) Cameron Wyllie (Acting) *2014 (December) Cameron Wyllie *2018 (January) Mrs Lesley Franklin *2021 (August) Gareth Warren

Other notable staff

James Craik James Craik (; 17276 February 1814) was Physician General (precursor of the Surgeon General) of the United States Army, as well as George Washington's personal physician and close friend. Biography Education and emigration to America Born on ...

, Classics, c.1822 to c.1832 *

John Watt Butters 250px John Watt Butters FRSE FRSGS (1863–1946) was a Scottish mathematician who served as Rector of Ardrossan Academy from 1899 to 1928. Early life and education He was born in Edinburgh in 1863, the son of Isabella Watt and John Butters, a ...

, Maths, 1888 to 1899 *

James Stagg Group Captain James Martin Stagg, (30 June 1900 – 23 June 1975) was a Met Office meteorologist attached to the Royal Air Force during the Second World War who notably persuaded General Dwight D. Eisenhower to change the date of the Allied ...

, Science, 1921 to 1923 * Donald Hastie, Games, 1949 to 1979 Hastie was reportedly the first full-time games master in Scotland. * Ray Milne, French and German, 1974 to 1978 * Sam Mort, English and Drama (1997 to 2001), in 2021

Unicef UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...

chief of Communication, Advocacy and Civic Engagement in Afghanistan

Sports and extra-curricular activities

Former pupils' clubs, the

Heriot's Rugby Club Heriot's Rugby Club, also known as Heriot's FP, is one of Scotland's senior rugby football clubs in the Scottish Rugby Union, whose Men's 1st XV play in the FOSROC . The women play in The club's home is in the Goldenacre area in Edinburgh.Bath ...

and Heriot's Cricket Club, carry the School's name and use the School's Goldenacre grounds. George Heriot's School Rowing Club competes at a national level and is affiliated to

Scottish Rowing Scottish Rowing (SR), formerly the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association, is the governing body for the sport of rowing in Scotland. It is responsible for promoting the sport in Scotland and also for selecting crews to send to the Home Internatio ...

. There is a

pipe band A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of Bagpipes, pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland b ...

, and around 120 pupils take tuition of some kind.

Notable alumni

Academia and Science * George Alexander Carse (1880 – 1950) - physicist (

dux ''Dux'' (; plural: ''ducēs'') is Latin for "leader" (from the noun ''dux, ducis'', "leader, general") and later for duke and its variant forms (doge, duce, etc.). During the Roman Republic and for the first centuries of the Roman Empire, ''dux' ...

in 1898) *

J. W. S. Cassels John William Scott "Ian" Cassels, FRS (11 July 1922 – 27 July 2015) was a British mathematician. Biography Cassels was educated at Neville's Cross Council School in Durham and George Heriot's School in Edinburgh. He went on to study at ...

, FRS (1922 – 2015) - mathematician *

Henry Daniels Henry Ellis Daniels FRS (2 October 1912 – 16 April 2000) was a British statistician. He was President of the Royal Statistical Society (1974–1975), and was awarded its Guy Medal in Gold in 1984, following a silver medal in 1947. He bec ...

, FRS (1912 – 2000) - statistician * Robert J. Ferrier (1932 – 2013) - organic chemist * Sir

George Taylor (botanist) Sir George Taylor, FRS FRSE FLS LLD (15 February 1904, in Edinburgh – 13 November 1993, in Dunbar) was a Scottish botanist. Life He was born at 5 West Preston Street the son of George William Taylor, a painter and decorator, and his wife, ...

(1904 - 1993) * Sir Thomas Dalling (1892 - 1982) - Professor of Animal Pathology at Cambridge and Chief Veterinary Officer to the United Kingdom *

John Borthwick Gilchrist John Borthwick Gilchrist (19 June 1759 – 9 January 1841) was a Scottish surgeon, linguist, philologist and Indologist. Born and educated in Edinburgh, he spent most of his early career in India, where he made a study of the local languages. ...

(1759 – 1841) -

Indologist Indology, also known as South Asian studies, is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent, and as such is a subset of Asian studies. The term ''Indology'' (in German, ''Indologie'') is o ...

* Professor Sir

Abraham Goldberg Sir Abraham Goldberg (7 December 1923 – 1 September 2007) was a British physician who was a Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine at the University of Glasgow. He was educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh and the Universit ...

(1923 – 2007), KB MD

DSc DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

FRCP

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

- Emeritus

Regius Professor A Regius Professor is a university Professor (highest academic rank), professor who has, or originally had, Monarchy of the United Kingdom, royal patronage or appointment. They are a unique feature of academia in the United Kingdom and Republic ...

of Medicine, University of Glasgow * Professor

Hyman Levy Prof Hyman Levy (1889–1975) was a Scottish-Jewish philosopher, Emeritus Professor of Imperial College London, mathematician, political activist and fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.StafHyman LevyGazetteer for Scotland, Retrieved 10 Febr ...

(1889 – 1975),

- Scottish philosopher, mathematician, political activist * Sir Harry (Work) Melville (1908 – 2000),

- polymer chemist and administrator * Professor

Hamish Scott Hamish Scott (17 February 1924 – 12 March 2010) was a Scotland international rugby union footballer. He played at Flanker and Number Eight. Rugby career Amateur career Born in Edinburgh, Scott was raised in St Andrews and attended the U ...

FBA FRSE (b. 1946) - historian * Professor

Gordon Turnbull Gordon Turnbull is a British psychiatrist and expert on post traumatic stress disorder. He is the lead trauma consultant at the Nightingale Hospital in London, visiting professor at the University of Chester, and Consultant Advisor in Psychia ...

(b. ) - psychiatrist * Professor Douglas C. Heggie (b. 1947),

- Personal Chair of Mathematical Astronomy, School of Mathematics, University of Edinburgh Media and Arts *

Nick Abbot Nick Abbot (born 22 August 1960) is an English radio presenter and currently presents ''The Late Show'' on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on LBC. Early life and career Abbot was born on 22 August 1960, and was educated at George Heriot's School, ...

(b. 1960) - Talk Radio presenter *

Ian Bairnson Ian Bairnson (born 3 August 1953 as ''John Bairnson'') is a Scottish musician, best known for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best ...

(b. 1953) - musician, member of

Pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

and The

Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project was a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of producer, audio engineer, musician and composer Alan Parsons and singer, songwriter and pianist Eric Woolfson. They were accompani ...

Emun Elliott Emun Elliott is a Scottish actor, known for portraying Dr. Christian King in ''Paradox'', Richie in ''Threesome'', John Moray in '' The Paradise'', and Kenny in ''Guilt''. Background Elliott was born in Edinburgh, Scotland as Emun John Mohamm ...

(b. 1983) - actor *

Gavin Esler Gavin William James Esler (born 27 February 1953) is a Scottish journalist, television presenter and author. He was a main presenter on BBC Two's flagship political analysis programme, ''Newsnight'', from January 2003 until January 2014, and pr ...

(b. 1953) - television journalist and presenter of ''Newsnight'' *

Mark Goodier Mark Goodier (born 9 June 1961) is a British radio disc jockey best known for his time on BBC Radio 1 between 1987 and 2002. He had two spells presenting the station's Top 40 singles chart, from 1990 to 1992 and from 1995 until 2002. He also h ...

(b. 1961) - Radio One disc jockey *

Mike Heron James Michael Heron (born 27 December 1942) is a Scotland, Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s. Career Heron was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and at ...

(b. 1942) - musician, formerly of the Incredible String Band *

Roy Kinnear Roy Mitchell Kinnear (8 January 1934 – 20 September 1988) was a British character actor. He was known for his roles in films such as The Beatles' ''Help!'' (1965), Clapper in ''How I Won the War'' (1967) and Planchet in ''The Three Musketeers ...

(1934 – 1988) - actor *

Iain Macwhirter Iain Macwhirter (born September 1952) is a Scottish political journalist. He is a political commentator for several newspapers, an author and documentary film and radio presenter and a former Rector of Edinburgh University. He has worked at both ...

(b. 1953) - journalist and Rector of the University of Edinburgh (2009 – 2012) *

Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a fo ...

(1756 – 1823) - painter *

Ian Richardson Ian William Richardson (7 April 19349 February 2007) was a Scottish actor. He portrayed the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's '' House of Cards'' (1990–1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading S ...

(1934 – 2007) - actor * Mike Scott (musician) (b. 1958) - musician and composer, founder of

The Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...

Alastair Sim Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE (9 October 1900 – 19 August 1976) was a Scottish character actor who began his theatrical career at the age of thirty and quickly became established as a popular West End performer, remaining so until his ...

(1900 – 1976) - actor *

Ken Stott Kenneth Campbell Stott (born 19 October 1954) is a Scottish stage, television and film actor who won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1995 in the play '' Broken Glass'' at Royal National Theatre. He portrayed th ...

(b. 1955) - actor * Bryan Swanson (b. 1980) - Sky Sports chief reporter *

Nigel Tranter Nigel Tranter OBE (23 November 1909 – 9 January 2000) was a writer of a wide range of books on castles, particularly on themes of architecture and history. He also specialised in deeply researched historical novels that cover centuries of Sco ...

(1909 – 2000) - historical novelist * Robert Urquhart (1921 – 1995) - actor *

Paul Young (actor) Paul Young (born 3 July 1944) is a Scottish television actor and presenter. Young was born in Edinburgh, the son of the actor John Young. He was educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh. He started acting as a child. His first performa ...

(b. 1944) - actor Law and Politics *

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh OBE WS NP (born 5 October 1970) is a Scottish politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ochil and South Perthshire from 2015 to 2017. A former member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Ahmed-Sheikh served ...

(b. 1970) - SNP politician *

James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern James Peter Hymers Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern, (born 2 July 1927) is a British advocate. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, Lord Advocate, and Lord Chancellor (1987–1997). He is a former active member of the House of Lo ...

(b. 1927) - Advocate and former Lord Chancellor *

David McLetchie David William McLetchie CBE (6 August 1952 – 12 August 2013) was a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 1999 to 2005. He was Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Edinburgh Pentlands con ...

(1952 – 2013) - former leader of the Scottish Conservatives *

Doug Naysmith John Douglas Naysmith (born 1 April 1941) is a British Labour Co-operative politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North West from 1997 until standing down at the 2010 general election. Early life Doug Naysmith was born i ...

(b. 1941) - Labour politician and former MP for Bristol North West *

Keith Stewart, Baron Stewart of Dirleton Keith Douglas Stewart, Baron Stewart of Dirleton (born 31 October 1965) is a British lawyer who specialises in criminal law. He was appointed Advocate General for Scotland on 15 October 2020, succeeding Lord Keen of Elie who resigned over Unit ...

- HM Advocate General for Scotland *

Gordon Prentice Gordon Prentice (born 28 January 1951) is a British former politician of the Labour Party who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pendle in Lancashire from 1992 to 2010. Early life He was educated at the independent George Heriot's School ...

(b. 1951) - Labour politician and former MP for Pendle *

Stephen Woolman, Lord Woolman Stephen Errol Woolman, Lord Woolman, (born 16 May 1953), is a Scottish legal academic, and a retired Senator of the College of Justice. Early life Woolman was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and studied law at the University of ...

(b. 1953) - Senator of the College of Justice * Kenneth Borthwick CBE DL JP (1915 – 2017) - Lord Provost of Edinburgh (1977 to 1980), Chairman of the 1986 Commonwealth Games * Sir

Adam Wilson Sir Adam Wilson (September 22, 1814 – December 28, 1891) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Canada West. He served as mayor of Toronto in 1859 and 1860 and in the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada for York North from 1860 ...

(1814 – 1891) - 15th mayor of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, member of the

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper C ...

Sports * Bruce Douglas (b. 1980) - Rugby Union player *

Charles Groves Sir Charles Barnard Groves CBE (10 March 191520 June 1992) was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors. After accompanying positions and conducting ...

(1896–1969) - cricketer * Andy Irvine (b. 1951) - Rugby Union internationalist * Iain Milne (b. 1956) - Rugby Union player * Kenny Milne (b. 1961) - Rugby Union player *

Robert More Sir Robert More (21 May 1581 – February 1626) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons from 1601. More was the eldest son of George More, Sir George More of Loseley and his first wife Anne Poyning ...

(b. 1980) - cricketer *

John Mushet John Mushet (10 October 1875 — 10 March 1965) was a Scottish people, Scottish first-class cricketer and real estate auctioneer. Mushet was born at Edinburgh in October 1875, where he was educated at George Heriot's School. A club cricketer fo ...

(1875–1965) - cricketer * Gordon Ross (b. 1978) - Rugby Union player *

Ken Scotland Kenneth James Forbes Scotland (29 August 1936 – 7 January 2023) was a Scotland international rugby union player and a Scotland international cricket player. He played at full-back in rugby union.Bath, p157 Rugby Union career Amateur career ...

(b. 1936) - Rugby Union internationalist *

Polly Swann Polly Swann (born 5 June 1988) is a British rower and a member of the Great Britain Rowing Team. She is a former World and European champion in the women's coxless pairs, having won the 2013 World Rowing Championships at Chungju in Korea, and t ...

(b. 1988) - Member of the GB Rowing Team, and Rowing World Champion * Douglas Walker (b. 1973) - sprinter Military * Colonel Clive Fairweather (1944 – 2012) - 2nd in command of the SAS during the Iranian Embassy siege. *

David Stuart McGregor David Stuart McGregor VC (16 October 1895 – 22 October 1918) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

(1895 – 1918) - Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross Religion *

Graham Forbes Graham John Thomson Forbes, CBE is a priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church. He was Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh from 1990 until June 2017. He was born on 10 June 1951 and educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and the U ...

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(b. 1951) - Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh * Hector Bransby Gooderham (1901 – 1977) - priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church * Gordon Keddie (b. 1944) - Reformed Presbyterian minister and

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

James Pitt-Watson James Pitt-Watson (9 November 1893 – 25 December 1962) was a Scottish minister and academic. He was Professor of Practical Theology at Glasgow University and served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1953. He has b ...

(1893–1962) - theologian and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland *

Brian Smith (bishop) Brian Arthur Smith (born 15 August 1943) was the Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Life and career Early life and education Smith was born in Edinburgh and educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Who’s Who 2008 ( ...

(b. 1943) - Bishop of Edinburgh (Scottish Episcopal Church) 2001–2011 Other * James Aitken, aka "John the Painter" (1752 – 1777) - mercenary *

Hippolyte Blanc Hippolyte Jean Blanc (18 August 1844 – 17 March 1917) was a Scottish architect. Best known for his church buildings in the Gothic revival style, Blanc was also a keen antiquarian who oversaw meticulously researched restoration projects. ...

(1844 – 1917) - architect *

Archie Forbes Archibald Peter Sturrock Forbes CBE (5 May 1913 – 27 January 1999) was a Scottish colonial officer who was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative Development in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). Biography Forbes ...

(1913 – 1999),

- Colonial administrator * Norman Irons (b. ) - former Lord Provost of Edinburgh * Sir

Andrew Hunter Arbuthnot Murray Sir Andrew Hunter Arbuthnot Murray (19 December 1903 – 21 March 1977) was Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Scotland between 1947 and 1951, Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, and a Justice of the Peace. The son of Alfred Alexander Arbuthnot ...

(1903 – 1977) - former Lord Provost of Edinburgh * Stuart Harris (1920 – 1997), architect and local historian

References

External links

* *
Profile
on the

Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 schools in the United Kingdom's independent education sector. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the busin ...

website {{DEFAULTSORT:George Heriot's School Buildings and structures completed in 1628 School buildings completed in the 17th century Renaissance architecture in Scotland Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh Educational institutions established in the 1650s Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Old Town, Edinburgh Independent schools in Edinburgh William Bruce buildings William Wallace buildings 1628 establishments in Scotland