One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in <i>Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954</i> (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen.

This photograph looks north west and shows the eastern, front elevation of the now demolished school building. It was located on the western side of Udny Green.

The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40:

"At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored.

"A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835.

"The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'."

The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous.

It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (<i>Evening Express</i>, 20th February 1953, page 5).

One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954 (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen.

This photograph looks north west and shows the eastern, front elevation of the now demolished school building. It was located on the western side of Udny Green.

The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40:

"At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored.

"A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835.

"The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'."

The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous.

It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (Evening Express, 20th February 1953, page 5).

Location

Udny Green

Keyword

Schools

Photographer