Dollar Academy, founded in 1818 by John McNabb, is an

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 * Independe ...

co-educational day and boarding school in Scotland. The open campus occupies a site in the centre of

Dollar, Clackmannanshire Dollar ( gd, Dolair) is a small town with a population of 2,800 people in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. It is east of Stirling. Toponymy Possible interpretations are that Dollar is derived from ''Doilleir'', an Irish and Scots Gaelic word mean ...

, at the foot of the

Ochil Hills The Ochil Hills (; gd, Monadh Ochail is a range of hills in Scotland north of the Forth valley bordered by the towns of Stirling, Alloa, Kinross, Auchterarder and Perth. The only major roads crossing the hills pass through Glen Devon/ Gle ...

Overview

As of 2020, there are over 1200 pupils at Dollar Academy, making it the sixth largest independent school in Scotland. Day pupils are usually from the village of Dollar or the surrounding counties of Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire, Perth and Kinross, and Fife. The remaining pupils are boarders. Almost 50% of the boarding pupils are from overseas, with the rest being British nationals. The overall share of international students is about 20% of all students.

History

The ashes of John McNabb, Dollar Academy

Dollar was founded in 1818 following a bequest by Captain John McNab or McNabb. He captained, owned and leased out many ships over the decades and it is known that at least four voyages transported black slaves to the West Indies in 1789–91, less than twenty years before the

Slave Trade Act 1807 The Slave Trade Act 1807, officially An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom prohibiting the slave trade in the British Empire. Although it did not abolish the practice of slavery, i ...

. In 2019, in order to understand the extent of John McNabb’s involvement in the slave trade, research was commissioned in collaboration with external advisors. The school had been "shamed" about this connection in 1998. The school also teaches about McNabb's links to the slave trade in several subjects. McNabb bequeathed part of his fortune – £65,000, – to provide "a charity or school for the poor of the parish of Dollar where I was born".

Architecture

William Playfair was commissioned to design the building. The interior of the ''Playfair Building'' was gutted by a fire in 1961, but Playfair's Greek-style outer facades remained intact. The interior was rebuilt on a plan based on central corridors with equal sized classrooms on both sides. An extra (second) floor was concealed, increasing the total available space. The school was re-opened in 1966 by former pupil

Lord Heyworth Geoffrey Heyworth, 1st Baron Heyworth (18 October 1894 – 15 June 1974), was a British businessman and public servant. At the outbreak of WW1 he was employed as an accountant in Toronto, Canada. He served as a Lieutenant in 134th Battalion CEF ...

, and the assembly hall was rebuilt after the fire. The school library is a " whispering gallery" because of its domed ceiling. Many other buildings have been added to the school over time- such as the ''Dewar Building'' for science and the ''Maguire Building'' for art and physical education. And in 2016 the ''Westwater Buildin''g was added, named after Private George Philip Westwater, an FP killed in the

First World War 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 fig ...

at Gallipoli. This building contains the Modern Languages department and two Economics classrooms. The library dome, Dollar Academy

Traditions

Each year full colours and half colours are awarded to senior pupils for achievement in sporting or cultural pursuits. These awards merit piping on the school blazer (blue for cultural, white for sporting) and/or a distinctive blazer badge. Internationalists' Award ties are presented to pupils, prep, junior and senior, who has represented their country in sporting or cultural activities.

Pipe Band

The school has two main Pipe Bands. The "A" band won the Scottish Schools CCF Pipes and Drums competition every year from 2000 to 2012 and 2014 and 2015, as well as winning the RSPBA

World Pipe Band Championships The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow, Scotland. The World Pipe Band Championships as we currently know them have been staged since 1947 although the Grade 1 Pipe Band Competition winners at the annual Cowal ...

in 2010, 2014 and 2015. In 2013, the band was placed first at the last "Major" of the season, the

Cowal Gathering The Cowal Highland Gathering (also known as the Cowal Games) is an annual Highland games held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, over the final weekend in August. History The first record of an organise ...

. In 2015, the band won the Scottish, British, United Kingdom, European and World Championships, leading to them being awarded the title "Champion of Champions". Additionally, the Novice, or "B" band won the British, Scottish and European Championships in 2015, and was crowned "Champion of Champions".

Rectors

*The Rev. Dr Andrew Mylne DD (1818–1850) *The Rev. Dr Thomas Burbidge (1850–1851) *The Dr John Milne LLD (1851–1868) *The Rev. Dr William Barrack (1868–1878) * George Thom (1878–1902) *Charles Dougall (1902–1923) *Hugh Martin (1923–1936) *Harry Bell OBE (1936–1960) *James Millar (1960–1962) – Acting Rector *Graham Richardson (1962–1975) *Ian Hendry (1975–1984) *Lloyd Harrison (1984–1994) *John Robertson (1994–2010) *David Knapman (2010–2019) *Ian Munro (current Rector)

Former pupils

Academia and science

*John Thomas Irvine Boswell, botanist * John Macmillan Brown, university professor and administrator *Andrew Clark, church of England clergyman, scholar and diarist * Sir James Dewar, inventor of the

Vacuum flask A vacuum flask (also known as a Dewar flask, Dewar bottle or thermos) is an insulating storage vessel that greatly lengthens the time over which its contents remain hotter or cooler than the flask's surroundings. Invented by Sir James Dew ...

* John Archibald Watt Dollar, veterinarian to four monarchs * George Alexander Gibson, physician and geologist * Sir David Gill,

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either o ...

* William Frederick Harvey, public health expert, Director of the Central Research Institute in India, Vice President of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

*Professor Sir Donald Mackay, economist *

Matthew Hay Matthew Hay (1855–1932) was a Scottish doctor and champion of Public Health. He was appointed Medical Officer of Health for the City of Aberdeen in 1888, a post he held until 1923. He was also Professor of Forensic Medicine at the Universi ...

, physician and forensic expert * John Robertson Henderson

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 so ...

zoologist and antiquary *Sir Hector Hetherington, social philosopher *

Henry Halcro Johnston Colonel Henry Halcro Johnston CB CBE DL FRSE FLS (13 September 1856 – 18 October 1939) was a Scottish botanist, physician, rugby union international and Deputy Lieutenant for Orkney. As a member of Edinburgh University RFC he represente ...

botanist *

James MacRitchie James MacRitchie (26 September 1847 – 26 April 1895) was Municipal Engineer to the Singapore Municipal Commission from 1883 to 1895. Singapore's oldest reservoir MacRitchie Reservoir was named after him in 1922. Early life and education Mac ...

, Municipal Engineer in Singapore 1883–95, Lighthouse Engineer in Japan * James Samuel Risien Russell Guyanese-British physician, neurologist, * Sir David Wallace,

CMG CMG may refer to: Companies * Capitol Music Group, a music label * China Media Group, the predominant state radio and television broadcaster in the PRC * China Media Group Co., Ltd., publicly listed Chinese holding company in the media sector * ...

FRCSEd The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...

, Surgeon * Andrew Wilson

(1852-1912) zoologist and author

Politics

* Herbert Beresford, Canadian politician *Sir

George Christopher Molesworth Birdwood Sir George Christopher Molesworth Birdwood (8 December 183228 June 1917) was an Anglo-Indian official, naturalist, and writer. Life The son of General Christopher Birdwood, he was born at Belgaum, then in the Bombay Presidency, on 8 December ...

, colonial administrator in India * Lord Constable CBE, KC,

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician and judge *

William Scott Fell William Scott Fell (20 July 1866 – 7 September 1930) was an Australian shipping merchant and politician. Fell was born at Elleray Villa, Rosneath, Dunbartonshire, Scotland and educated at Dollar Academy and Graham's Academy, Greenock, Scotl ...

, Australian Liberal politician and businessman *Sir John Dunlop Imrie

CBE, City Chamberlain of

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 ...

1926–1951, First Government Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago 1951–53 *Sir

George Reid Sir George Houston Reid, (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918) was an Australian politician who led the Reid Government as the fourth Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, having previously been Premier of New South Wales f ...

, Lord Lieutenant for Clackmannanshire and former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament * Sir William Snadden Bt,

politician * Euphemia Gilchrist Somerville, social worker and local politician *Sir Frank Swettenham, first Resident-General of the

Federated Malay States The Federated Malay States (FMS, ms, Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu, Jawi script, Jawi: ) was a federation of four protectorate, protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the United Ki ...

Mandy Telford Mandy Telford (born 5 June 1976) is the former List of presidents of the National Union of Students (United Kingdom), President of National Union of Students (United Kingdom), National Union of Students from 2002 to 2004, having served the previ ...

, former President of the National Union of Students * James Galloway Weir, Liberal MP and sewing machine entrepreneur *Rt Hon Lord Keen of Elie PC QC, Conservative Party politician lawyer

Media and arts

Henry Clark Barlow Henry Clark Barlow, M.D. (May 12, 1806 – November 8, 1876) was an English writer on Dante. Early life Barlow was born in Churchyard Row, Newington Butts, Surrey, 12 May 1806. He was the only child of Henry Barlow, who, after spending the yea ...

, literary scholar *

Ian Hamilton Finlay Ian Hamilton Finlay, Order of the British Empire, CBE (28 October 1925 – 27 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, writer, artist and gardener. Life Finlay was born in Nassau, Bahamas, to James Hamilton Finlay and his wife, Annie Pettigrew, bot ...

, poet, playwright, artist and experimental garden designer * Alasdair Hutton OBE TD, announcer, former journalist and politician *

Alan Johnston Alan Graham Johnston (born 17 May 1962) is a British journalist working for the BBC. He has been the BBC's correspondent in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and Italy. He is based in London. Johnston was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip on ...

, BBC Gaza correspondent taken hostage in 2007 * Doreen Jones, casting director *

Fraser Nelson Fraser Andrew Nelson (born 14 May 1973) is a British political journalist and editor of ''The Spectator'' magazine. Early and personal life Nelson was born in Truro, Cornwall, England but raised in Nairn, Highland, Scotland. He attended Nairn ...

, journalist * George Henry Paulin, sculptor *

Jessie M. Soga Jessie Margaret Soga, LRAM (21 August 1870 – 23 February 1954) was a Xhosa/Scottish contralto singer, music teacher and suffragist. She was described as the only black/mixed race suffrage campaigner based in Scotland. Soga was a lead member o ...

LRAM Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) is a professional diploma, or licentiate, formerly open to both internal students of the Royal Academy of Music and to external candidates in voice, keyboard and orchestral instruments and guitar, as ...

, contralto singer and suffragist *

Jo L. Walton Joseph Churches Lindsay Walton (born 15 April 1982) is a British poet, fiction writer, and editor. Background Jo Lindsay Walton is the author of at least thirteen published works of poetry, fiction, and experimental writing. He is known for his us ...

, poet * Harry Raymond Egerton Watt, film director * Andrew Whalley, architect

Law

Lord Brodie Philip Hope Brodie, Lord Brodie, (born 14 July 1950) is a Scottish lawyer and one of the Senators of the College of Justice, a Judge of Scotland's Supreme Courts. Early life He was born on 14 July 1950, the son of the late Very Rev Dr Peter ...

, judge * Andrew Constable, Lord Constable * Caroline Flanagan, President of the Law Society of Scotland 2005 * Richard Keen, Baron Keen of Elie, Advocate General and Justice Minister *

James Avon Clyde, Lord Clyde James Avon Clyde, Lord Clyde, (14 November 1863 – 16 June 1944) was a Scottish politician and judge. Early life Clyde was born on 14 November 1863, the son of Dr James Clyde LLD (1821-1912). His father was a teacher at Dollar Academy and ...

, judge

Military

Sir Charles Morton Forbes Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Morton Forbes, (22 November 1880 – 28 August 1960) was a Royal Navy officer. He served in the First World War, seeing action in the Dardanelles campaign and at the Battle of Jutland and, as captain of a cruise ...

, naval officer *

Colin Mackenzie Colonel Colin Mackenzie CB (1754–8 May 1821) was Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist. He surveyed southern India, ...

, army and political officer in India

Royal or noble

*The Master of Bruce (future 13th

Earl of Elgin Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the ...

) *Various members of the Ethiopian Imperial Family including the nephews of

Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...

*James MacArthur of Milton, Chief of Clan Arthur *The Master of Moncreiff (future 7th

Baron Moncreiff Baron Moncreiff, of Tulliebole in the County of Kinross, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 9 January 1874 for the lawyer and Liberal politician Sir James Moncreiff, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a Bar ...

) *Sir Arthur Bolt Nicolson, 9th Bt

Business

* Iain Anderson, automotive industry executive * David Greig, landowner * Lord Heyworth of Oxton, Chairman of Unilever and ICI *Sir Archibald Page, engineer and electricity supply manager * Sir William Reid - mining engineer and joint author of the "Reid Report" on the state of British mining *Sir

Wei Yuk Sir Boshan Wei Yuk (1849 – 16 December 1921) was a prominent Hong Kong businessman and member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Early life, education, and business career Sir Boshan was born in Hong Kong in 1849, the son of Wei Kwon ...

– nineteenth-century Hong Kong businessman and legislator

Sport

* Iain Anderson, first-class cricketer * Jim Thompson, Scottish 7s rugby player * John Barclay,

Scottish rugby The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU; gd, Aonadh Rugbaidh na h-Alba) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Styled as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league ...

player * Hamish Brown

mountaineer Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...

and writer *

Adam Kelso Fulton Adam Kelso Fulton (10 April 1929 – 27 August 1994) was a Scottish rugby union internationalist. International career Positioned as scrum-half, he was capped twice playing both games against France at Murrayfield in 1952 and 1954. T ...

, Scottish rugby player * Cameron Glasgow, Scottish rugby player * Rory Lawson, Scottish rugby player *

Graeme Morrison Graeme Morrison (born 17 October 1982 in Hong Kong) is a retired Scottish rugby union footballer. He played for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland as a Centre. Rugby Union career Amateur career Morrison played as a schoolboy for, Dollar Academy, ...

, Scottish rugby player *

Jennifer McIntosh Jennifer McIntosh (born 17 June 1991) is a Scottish Olympic sports shooter and fantasy author. McIntosh is the daughter of four-times Commonwealth Games medalist Shirley McIntosh and Donald McIntosh, and the elder sister of British Olympic sho ...

, Rifle shooter, five times Commonwealth Games Medallist, double European Champion and two-time Olympian * Shirley McIntosh, Rifle shooter, four times Commonwealth Games Medallist *

Seonaid McIntosh Seonaid McIntosh (born 15 March 1996) is a British sports shooter who became the World Champion at the 2018 ISSF World Shooting Championships in the 50m Prone Rifle event. In 2019 she became Britain's most successful female rifle shooter of all ...

, Rifle shooter, double Commonwealth Games Medallist, double European Champion and Olympian * Archibald MacLaren, gymnast, fencing master and author * Mike Adamson, former Scottish rugby player and referee * Hugh Stewart, cricketer and cricket administrator

Miscellaneous

Sara Mendes da Costa Sara Mendes da Costa (born c. 1966) from Brighton became the fourth permanent holder of the iconic role of the voice of the UK Speaking Clock, first established in 1936, at 08:00 BST on 2 April 2007. Biography On 23 October 2006, to mark the ...

, voice of the

speaking clock A speaking clock or talking clock is a live or recorded human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observato ...

*Charles Maxwell Heddle, merchant *Sir Thomas Morison Legge, factory inspector * Tom Kitchin, Michelin starred Chef * G. A. Frank Knight, minister, archaeological author and conchologist

Notable teachers

Andrew Bell Andrew Bell may refer to: * Andrew Bell (artist) (born 1978), British-born American toy designer * Andrew Bell (engraver) (1726–1809), Scottish co-founder of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' * Andrew Bell (educationalist) (1753–1832), Scottish ...

(1753–1832), educationalist and divine (Mathematics Master) *

Patrick Syme Patrick Syme (1774–1845) was a Scottish flower-painter. Life Syme was born in Edinburgh on 17 September 1774, and educated there. In the Scottish public exhibitions, which began in 1808, his flower-pieces were much admired. In 1803 Syme took ...

(1774-1845), flower painter * Patrick Gibson (1782–1829), landscape painter (Professor of Painting) * William Tennant (1784–1848), linguist and poet (Master of Classical and Oriental Languages) * Prof

David Laird Adams David Laird Adams (1837–1892) was a Scottish academic who was professor of Hebrew and oriental languages at the University of Edinburgh. Life He was born at Woodside in Blairgowrie, Perthshire on 18 February 1837.''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotican ...

(1837–1892) (Classical and Oriental languages) *

Adam Robson Adam Robson (16 August 1928 – 15 March 2007) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He played as a flanker. Rugby union career Amateur career He was playing for the Edinburgh College of Art. A relative Andrew Gordon suggested he pl ...

(1928-2007), Scottish Rugby Internationalist (Head of Art) *

Jilly McCord Gillian McCord is a Scottish former rugby union player who played lock for Royal High Corstorphine RFC and Watsonians Ladies Rugby at a club level, and the Scotland women's national rugby union team. She made her debut as Scottish Captain ag ...

(History and Modern Studies Teacher)

References

External links

*
Exam Results 2006Dollar Academy's page on Scottish Schools Online
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1818 Category A listed buildings in Clackmannanshire Listed schools in Scotland Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Boarding schools in Clackmannanshire Independent schools in Clackmannanshire Dollar, Clackmannanshire