Former Pupils & Staff

Please use this page to reconnect with former friends and colleagues, or to leave us a message.  We would love to hear tales and experiences from the past.

We would also love to receive any photos from past times to create an archive of Invergordon Academy.  These can be emailed using the Contact link at the bottom of the page.

Past photos and information can also be found at the Invergordon Archives site.

PLEASE NOTE: Comments are moderated before appearing on our website, it may take a day or two for your comment to appear.

100 responses to “Former Pupils & Staff”

  1. Went to school with Brian Poe who I believe was a master at your school. Trying to make contact with him.Can you help.
    Yours Ken VanThal

  2. Looking to make contact with Sean Rasmussen in Tech – went to school 2000-2006 but now living in New Zealand.

    • Hi David ! I used to be the French assistant during the year 1974-75. My name is Eve François (formerly Saulais). Now a bookseller at WHSmith in Paris. Did I ever teach you anything ? Best regards, Eve

      • Hi

        Yes, I recall you as assistant in our French class. Being a bookseller is a dream job! Well done! I went on to teach in both primary and secondary schools and also in universities.

        Regards

        David

    • Looking to contact any pupils from ’68-71. My name is Colin Crow. Went to Forms 4,5, and 6.Please look me up! 888 Bluff Mountain Road. Hot Springs, North Carolina US

  5. Thanks Michael, I am well aware of the Invergordon Archives site. It doesn’t surprise me there are no pictures of the teachers of that era as back then when classs pictures were taken the teachers were not in the photos, which is unfortunate to say the least.

      • Hi Mark it’s David,we used to live in same street(rosskeen drive) how the heck are you,think there’s two David Murray’s on this page,so bit confusing

      • Hi Mark, I was in school with you lived in Ross keen drive, how are you

      • Hi David my name is clark johnston,brothers scott ,Warren and sister Sheryl we lived at Fraser road and attended the academy best place I have lived I consider invergordon my home as I lived there fro 3years old to 14 years old miss it so much !!!

  9. I attended the Academy from 1968-71. I credit my education and the great friends for my success back home in the states. My time in Invergordon will always be a cherished memory. Thank you all ! Colin Crow. My email is hotsprings63@yahoo.com

    • PLEASE, anyone from ’68-’71 let me know how you’re doing. Those were THE best times of my life ! Love you all !

      • Hi Colin! I’ve just discovered the archive & read your post. I remember you from our class in the Academy & the good times we had back then.
        Kindest regards, Anne Cramb (née Macdonald)

      • Colin,

        Charles McHardy here. It has been a long time. I would be interested in getting in touch again and reminiscing!!

        Charles.

    • Hi Colin, you were in my year. I was Elizabeth Askew then. A few of our old class are on my FB page. I live just outside Edinburgh now, retired, happily married with three grandchildren, two of them still live in Invergordon. Glad you enjoyed your time in Invergordon. Regards Liz. X

      • Hi Liz,
        Not sure if you will remember me but I left the Academy in 1971 at the end of 6th year.
        Having wandered far and wide, I am now living in London but due to move North at the end of the year (Covid allowing).
        Happy to talk more if you have the time.

        Charles.

      • Charles, I remember you being in our class. You were Canon McHardy’s nephew I think. I left Invergordon after 2nd year. Mairi Mackenzie

      • Hi Maini,

        Thank you for getting in . You are absolutely right. So where did you end up after all these years? I hope you have had a good life so far and are happy and well.

        Charles.

      • Hi Charles, like most of us, I guess life has had its ups and downs. I lived in Geneva for three years working for IATA before returning to Scotland to have a family. I have three ‘children’ and four grandkids. Moved to Ottawa in 1993 and love it here. I retired a couple of years ago so now I escape the Canadian winter in Portugal where my eldest daughter lives. Altho this virus is going to impact our travelling for some time I think. How fortunate we all were to have grown up in Invergordon. Your uncle was our minister and we were so fond of him. How about you, how has life treated you? Where did it take you? Mairi (Mackenzie)

      • Hi Mairi

        Thank you for getting in touch. You are absolutely right. So where did you end up after all these years? I hope you have had a good life so far and are happy and well.

        Charles.

  10. Hi David and mark, I attended south lodge primary and invergordon academy. My name is Betty (Stewart) Farmer. So enjoyed my time in invergordon, meet a lot of lovely friends.

    • Would be good to hear from anybody who remembers the Rougvie brothers from mid to late seventies.south lodge primary then on to the academy.

  11. I used to go to invergordon academy it was a good school dont know how to contact people as now i am in America. Great times!

  12. I went to invergordon academy the year it opened, gosh, almost fifty years ago, my sons, Paul and Steve also went to invergordon Academy and today my granddaughter starts.

    Invergordon academy has a longstanding reputation to be very proud off.

      • Hi Mairi, are you still in Ottawa? I am in Chelsea QC, but work in Ottawa. We came to Canada in 1999 and my brother followed a few years later and is in Ottawa too. I was at the Academy 1979-1982, my Grandmother lived at 4 Queen Street so I wonder if we know each other. Would love to connect.

      • Hi Jill, I lived at 15 Queen Street and then 4 Gordon Terrace. My grandparents lived in Ferry Row then 14 Queen Street. I moved away in 3rd year in the late 60’s before you would have been at the Academy. My sister also lives in Ottawa. Would love to connect. My email is mc2649@gmail.com

    • Hi Wendy
      I’m Billy Fraser my sister was Alana Fraser. i’m living in the Bristol
      area now but just wondered if you remembered me and if possible do
      you know where Alana is living now as we have lost touch over the last
      few years. I believe it could be Alness

  14. Hello Glen here and I was in Invergordon Academy for 1986-1992 and I was wondering if there is any teachers that may have taught me still working at Invergordon Academy.

      • Wow, Dr Ferrier! Man of Iron! 😀 He ignited my passion for science 🙂 I was in the same year as his son Hugh. Unfortunately my family moved to Glasgow in 2000, in my first year, so I wasn’t there long.

  15. Hi, my name is Sophie. And I was wondering if there are any surviving/ gone recently that may have taught me. (1995- 2001)

    • Hi Sophie,
      I hope all is well with you.
      There’s just myself, Dr Ferrier and Miss Mackay left from that period!
      Most of the rest went over the last few years. Feel free to contact me directly for more info.

      • Okay, not too many then how about teachers that have left say in the year 2014 and later. Would there be any of them that much have taught me

      • Hmm perhaps Mr Morris, Ms Brown and Mrs Potter from 2014. A few left this summer: Mr Page, Mr Fernie, Mrs Hanson, Miss Hayes. Before that there was Mrs Kemp, Mrs Fraser (English), Mrs Fraser (HE), Mrs Wylie, Mr Scott. Mr Stewart, Mr Bryce and Mr Berry left about the same time as you I think. A few staff moved to other jobs, Mr Maxwell, Mr Steven, Mr Smith, Mr Robinson, Ms Nixon…..

      • Oh god Ms Fraser she was scary, Mr Bryce left??? I thought he was still there. It’s a shame about Mr. Fernie he was the best loved him (hated French).

  16. I too would be interested in any information of the old School/house at Invergordon where my brother and I lived and went to school. There was on one classroom and the school/house was on a hill surrounded by land broom and bogs. The date was around 1944. Would appreciate any information. My father was serving at either Invergordon or Alness.

  17. Miss Hayes started as a young Latin teacher. I think we may have been her first class. Perhaps in about 1973? She made us lovely sweets. Perhaps to soften the blow of very hard Latin translation!

    • Hi Nancy. I remember when Miss Hayes started. Seems a long time ago now. But happy memories

  18. Pupil at Invergordon fromy 1978 to 1983. Great memories of the place though probably not the best behaved pupil they ever had!! Now a teacher myself for the past 22 years in Coventry. Best memory was a football tour of Germany in first year (1980)- what we got up to!!!! Also loved the discos in the hall where I got my first snog in second year ha ha.

    • Hello Brain , Bill Gauld here. As i remember there was quite a few memories to be told about those years at the Academy. Have to say it was a great place to grow up and think back to Inverbreakie Farm and my time in school there with fond memories

      • Hi Rona I used to be you’re neibour in ness gardens early 70,s my name is clark,my brothers scott ,Warren and sister Sheryl hope all the family are doing well take care and look after yourself.

  20. Left Invergordon in 1966 aged 14 was going to start 3 Rd year next term would like to hear from anyone of that year

  23. Anyone from the 4th, 5th, & 6th forms (’68-’71), if you could reach out to Anne Cramb (nee MacDonald) and ask her to shoot me an email (hotsprings66@yahoo.com) I’d hugely appropriate it! I miss Invergordon soooooo…much!

  24. My name is Alastair Kennedy, I was from Alness and went to Invergordon Academy from 1965 to 1971. It would be grate to hear from anyone who knows me. I am now retired and living in South Africa.

    • Well Hello Alastair!!
      It’s Alistair Malcolm here. I too am retired (10 years) and stepped foot in Ross-shire last week for the first time in over 40 years. Didn’t make it to Alness/Invergordon but my short visit started me Googling and I came across this website and your post.
      Congratulations on making 65, sadly some haven’t.

      • Alastair great to here from you. Please send me your e-mail address so we can catch up.

      • Hi,
        My e-mail is: alistair ‘dot’ malcolm ‘at’ yahoo.com

        (Edited by moderator to protect your email from spam!)

    • Alistair, Don Munro here,,I lived opposite BRIDGEND SCHOOL, have been in contact with Sam for many years. I think from memory, he and his wife had enough of living in SA, and were due to return permanently to the uk, at the beginning of this year, but have heard nothing from them since he returned. could you be kind and pass my email address to him ( doremy@iprimus.com.au ) TKS for ur help, Alistair. I gather u
      decided to stay on in SA ??

      • Have written to you Don a couple of times at your mail address and on Skype (Fyrish12) but had no reply will try again ?? Regards,
        Samuel.

  25. I spent half a year at your school as an exchange student from Germany in 1996. I really enjoyed it and had a great time in Invergordon. By now I am an English teacher myself and a happy mum of 3 beautiful little daughters ..time goes by so quickly🙏
    Happy new year to everyone from Aachen❤️

  26. Does anyone know what year mr patterson the geography teacher died he lived in the cottages its just that someone asked me i left invergordon academy in 1984

  27. I would love to hear from people from my years in Invergordon academy,my namis David Murray and I was there from 1977 till 1981

    • Hello David, I was at Invergorden academy those dates. My older brother,mark, was also there. We lived Rosen drive, number 7. Moved to Grimsby in 1980 I think it was. Drop me a line afraser143 at gmail dot com..

    • Hello David I remember you from school ..an Aberdeen fan of I remember rightly ….I was just looking through this site and noticed a comm not from you from 2016..I often wondered what happened to a lot of my old school friends ..I am in touch with James wares ..Neill Haywood and Abby McPherson…I have lived and worked in Grimsby since leaving in 1980

  28. Mr. H, you seem to be the go to guy. Could you possibly shoot me an email. Colin ’68-’71. Thanks.

  29. Anyone in 5th year 69-70 or 6th year 70-71 please get in touch. Coming up on 50 years!!!😜

    Charles McHardy

    • Yes it’s good to see your name and Alistairs on this site also Colin Crow who was with us for a time in Invergordon. Still living locally hope this finds you all in good health. Doesn’t time fly!!!!!
      Yvonne Gallacher (Maclennan)

      • Great to hear from you. Still in Invergordon? Every day I think of Invergordon. Somewhat envious! If you have any pic9 to share..please let me know.

  30. Hello Mr A atleast I shall never be forgotten haha 😂
    I am very well thank you how are you? And yes I would love to come visit my old school I bet it has changed so much now! I own my own business in hairdressing so been busy with that plus I work with children in a residential setting 🙂

      • Great to hear! I hope your business survived lockdown! I have to confess that my other half got so good at cutting mine I’m not going back!! Residential is very tough but can be very rewarding – good for you!

      • It was very tough through lockdown but Since July I have been rushed off my feet! It’s been a bit hard to balance work life around my own children I have 5 2 step children 3 of my own and my eldest who are twin girls go to high school next year I am dreading it 😂😂

  32. Hi Michael, my name is Linda Mackay, was janitor for a good few years at Invergordon Academy. One of our daughters, Debbie Mackay , who now lives and works in Johannesburg, is planning a visit to our home in Banff at the beginning of Nov and she says she would like to visit the academy to meet up with Miss Mackay with whom she spent 2 days in her class trying to gain more experience teaching children. She taught Business at Capetown International School before moving up to Jburg where she is now a financial director. Is Miss Mackay still one of your staff and would she welcome Debbie to chat with her and her pupils about her experiences in RSA.?? Debbie’s email address will be attached below. Kind regards Linda Mackay.

    • Hi Linda!
      Great to hear from you! I remember you both well.
      It would be lovely to see Debbie. Judy Mackay retired a couple of years ago. She is local so could probably organise a meet.
      Visiting is a little tricky due to COVID but we’ll see what we can do.
      We’re on October break right now but if you’d like to call the school from the 25th we’ll get something sorted 😀
      Hope you are all well!

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