Highlanders Plaque

There's a plaque on display in Inverclyde Heritage Hub which has come from the now demolished Highlanders Academy in Greenock.  On the wall of the Hub is a photograph of the original Highlanders' Academy in Roxburgh Street, Greenock.

Source - Inverclyde Heritage Hub

The plaque is quite worn in places and is very wordy, but I've tried my best to transcribe what it says ... here goes!

This Public School which provides accommodation for 1015 scholars was … anno domini MDCCCLXXXVII, the jubilee year of the reign of her most gracious majesty, Queen Victoria.

Opened by the School Board of the Burgh of Greenock to reinstate the original Highlanders Academy situated in Roxburgh Street which had been founded by the Highlanders' Church and School Accommodation Society, the building of the Academy having been transferred by the Directors of the Society to the School Board in accordance with the Education Scotland Act 1872.

They were sold by the … to the Caledonian Railway Company and the price was applied by the Board to build and furnish the new Academy.  The foundation stone of which was laid by

Alexander Scott Mories Esq, Chairman of the Board on XVII September MDCCCLXXXVI being the Jubilee year of the original Academy, it having been decided to retain the name and thus transmit to coming generations the record of the fame of The Highlanders Academy.

Prominent among the members of the Society was Mr Daniel Macarthur, Merchant, who was for upwards of 17 years its energetic Acting Treasurer.

In remembrance of his long connection with the Society, Mr Macarthur's family have, with the sanction of the School Board, founded a prize to be styled The Macarthur Memorial Prize, to be awarded annually after competition, to the best scholar in the Academy.

The adjoining memorial plate inserted in the foundation stone of the original Academy was recovered on the demolition of the building by the Railway Company, as were also two glass vases containing newspapers of the day, documents connected with the Society, current coins of the realm, etc. Near this spot the vases have again been deposited.

This is an old picture of the Highlanders Academy in Mount Pleasant Street, Greenock recently demolished.

The Heritage Hub, in Cathcart Street in Greenock (just across from the James Watt Bar) is a fascinating place to visit.  As well as lots of fantastic pictures, films and artefacts from the area's past, there are copies of Lloyds Registers of Shipping, Trade Directories for the area and lots of books on every aspect of local history.  Anyone interested in researching local family history will find a great variety of resources to help. (Note - unfortunately now closed.)