On Monday 30th November, St Andrew’s Day, we hosted three entertaining virtual events. Our aim for the day was to give everyone in the Fettes community the opportunity to join us for at least one of these events, so they were programmed to span different time zones across the globe We were thrilled therefore to be joined by Fettes folk from all over the world,
Family for Life - News
OF Alastair Shepherd (Mo 1973-1977) has been appointed as the new custodian of the Scottish Barony Register, effective 1st December 2020.
As a current partner of Coulters Legal LLP, Alastair is due to retire from private practice in April 2021 after 40 years as a solicitor with Brodies, Henderson and Jackson WS and Coulters. Since qualifying in 1981,
We were treated to an exceptional virtual panel event on Thursday 12th November in honour of our 50 years of girls at Fettes. Dame Stella Manzie DBE (Ar 1976-1978), Dr Alison Brown, PhD (Ca 1973-1975) and Dr Jo Twist OBE (Ar 1986-1991) provided a meeting of great minds, giving us their view on the next five years… from Leicester, Colorado and London.
We are delighted to hear that OF Georgina McKenzie Smith (Ar 2011-2016) has been shortlisted for Young Journalist of the Year at the PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020. This is a wonderful achievement so early in her journalism career. During her time at Fettes, Georgina won many prizes including the Governor’s Prize for English in her final year. We spoke to Georgina shortly after her nomination was announced:
On 5th October 1870, Fettes College opened its doors to welcome its very first pupils. On 5th October 2020 we could not wait to celebrate the 150th anniversary of this moment!
We would have loved to invite everyone back to Fettes to celebrate with us, however, due to current restrictions, we had to change our plans and keep everyone safe. That did not stop us having a jam packed (albeit socially distanced) day marking this special occasion.
On 11th September 1970 Amanda-Mackenzie-Stuart (Gl-Ca 1970-1972) arrived at Fettes as an ‘experiment’. Her father, Lord Mackenzie-Stuart (Ca 1938-1942), was an Old Fettesian and a Governor and had asked the then Headmaster, Ian MacIntosh (Staff 1958-1971), whether she could join the Sixth Form as she was unhappy at her day school.
Old Fettesian Jake Wightman (Gl 2008-2012) finished 3rd in the 1500m men’s race at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday 14th August, completing the race with a time of 3:29.47.
On Saturday 23rd May, Old Fettesians based in the USA gathered online for our first ever virtual event, ‘Coffee & Catch-up with the Head’.
The Dedication Service of the 1939-45 Tablets were unveiled and the Memorial rededicated, at an open-air service held on Sunday, May 8, 1949 the anniversary of ‘ V.E. Day.’ Seats for relatives, Old Fettesians and other visitors had been set out on the terrace facing the Memorial.
We are thrilled that, with support from Old Fettesian Ryan Li (Gl 2010-2015) and his family, we are now able to offer greater digital connectivity to the Fettes community, via our new Fettes Community portal, which launched to Old Fettesians and former staff recently.
Colin Gilchrist (Ki 1980-1984) has adapted one of his entrepreneurial businesses to support the control of COVID-19 in society by critically supporting the ability to test, control, understand and help to support the return of social and economic stability.
Congratulations to OF Lorne Balfe (JS-Gl 1987-1995) on the news that he will score Hamish Grieve's upcoming animated sports comedy Rumble from WWE Studios & and Paramount Pictures.
The entire Fettes community is saddened to hear of the passing of our former teacher and Arniston Housemaster Eric Anderson who passed away on 22nd April 2020 aged 83.
Our thoughts are with his wife Poppy and children David and Kate at this incredibly sad time.
We are immensely proud of OF Anthony Gilbert (Gl 2001-2005) who has put his PhD studies on hold to return to full time clinical physiotherapy as a deputy physio lead during Covid19.
We are delighted to announce that from Tuesday 21st April, Fettes has committed to creating freshly prepared meals for Scran Academy to distribute to the most vulnerable in Edinburgh during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Service plays a huge part in the lives of all Fettesians and it’s wonderful when we see that mindset of thinking of others continuing when our students become Old Fettesians.
Fettes College is delighted to announce that Helen Harrison has been officially confirmed as Head of Fettes College making her the 11th Head in the College’s 150 year history.
Fettes: Our Place, the sumptuous, highly visual, coffee table book, that sits at the heart of our 150th anniversary plans, will be hitting the printing presses this summer before being published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Fettes College this coming October.
We recently announced plans to celebrate our 150th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of girls joining the College. These include a wonderful array of opportunities for Old Fettesians, parents, past and present, and former staff to join in during the academic year 2020-21.
Over the last few months we have been working hard behind the scenes to develop a new online portal, exclusively for members of the Fettes community.