Royal Caledonian School, Bushey
Encyclopedia
The Royal Caledonian School was a residential home and school for Scottish
orphans, initially in London
and subsequently in Bushey
, Hertfordshire
.
The Caledonian Asylum was launched in 1815 to provide a home and education for Scottish children in London who had been orphaned in the Napoleonic Wars
.
John Galt, the novelist, became secretary to the Asylum in 1815.
The first Asylum was in Cross Street, Hatton Garden
, London
from December 1819 until 1826 when it relocated to Copenhagen Fields, Islington
.
Its long residence in Islington resulted in the naming of Caledonian Market and the Caledonian Road
. In 1852 Queen Victoria
became Patron and the Asylum was renamed the Royal Caledonian Schools, although legally it was and still is the "Caledonian Asylum". At that time it catered for about 70 boys and 50 girls. The Asylum's band occasionally played at charitable and other events.
By the late 19th century the Islington site, near to Pentonville Prison, was recognised as unsuitable, and a new boarding school was built in Bushey
, Hertfordshire
.
The Royal Caledonian offered education until 1948, after which resident children received their education at local schools, in later years Queens' School
which lies adjacent on Aldenham Road.
In 1996 the premises were sold to the Purcell School
.
The proceeds of the sale were used to create the Royal Caledonian Schools Trust, which continues to provide support to "children (no age limit) of Scots who have served in the Armed Forces, or the children of poor Scots living in the London area".
Another objective is to allow the children of Scots serving in the armed forces a level of continuity in their education despite the frequent re-posting of their parents.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
orphans, initially in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and subsequently in Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
History
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
John Galt, the novelist, became secretary to the Asylum in 1815.
The first Asylum was in Cross Street, Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden is a street and area near Holborn in London, England. It is most famous for being London’s jewellery quarter and centre of the UK diamond trade, but the area is also now home to a diverse range of media and creative businesses....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from December 1819 until 1826 when it relocated to Copenhagen Fields, Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
.
Its long residence in Islington resulted in the naming of Caledonian Market and the Caledonian Road
Caledonian Road (London)
The Caledonian Road, in Islington, North London is a road, about one and half miles long, running north-south from Camden Road near the junction with Holloway Road to Pentonville Road in the south. It is often known colloquially as the "Cally" and forms the entirety of the A5203.The street is...
. In 1852 Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
became Patron and the Asylum was renamed the Royal Caledonian Schools, although legally it was and still is the "Caledonian Asylum". At that time it catered for about 70 boys and 50 girls. The Asylum's band occasionally played at charitable and other events.
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
The Royal Caledonian offered education until 1948, after which resident children received their education at local schools, in later years Queens' School
Queens' School
Queens' School, near Watford, Hertfordshire, is a state funded secondary school.It is currently designated a Specialist Sports and Science College.-History:The story of Queens' begins with two schools in Watford in the early 20th century....
which lies adjacent on Aldenham Road.
In 1996 the premises were sold to the Purcell School
Purcell School
The Purcell School is a specialist music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2003, which was received on behalf of the school by Prince Charles, who...
.
The proceeds of the sale were used to create the Royal Caledonian Schools Trust, which continues to provide support to "children (no age limit) of Scots who have served in the Armed Forces, or the children of poor Scots living in the London area".
Another objective is to allow the children of Scots serving in the armed forces a level of continuity in their education despite the frequent re-posting of their parents.
Notable Alumni (Old Caleys)
- Charles MackayCharles MackayCharles Mackay was a Scottish poet, journalist, and song writer.-Life:Charles Mackay was born in Perth, Scotland. His father was by turns a naval officer and a foot soldier; his mother died shortly after his birth. Charles was educated at the Caledonian Asylum, London, and at Brussels, but spent...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Malcolm McEacharnMalcolm McEacharnSir Malcolm Donald McEacharn was Mayor of Melbourne from 1897 to 1900. He was a well-known Australian shipping magnate in the early part of the twentieth century and successfully stood for the Division of Melbourne at the inaugural federal election, held in 1901.- Early life :McEacharn was born in...
, Australian shipping magnate, mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and politician. - James Thomson (B.V.)James Thomson (B.V.)James Thomson , who wrote under the pseudonym Bysshe Vanolis, was a Scottish Victorian-era poet famous primarily for the long poem The City of Dreadful Night , an expression of bleak pessimism in a dehumanized, uncaring urban environment.-Life:Thomson was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland, and, after...
, poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...