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29Apr08
Welcome to this blog, please use it to share your memories of Thurso High School.
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Thurso High's 50th Anniversary Weblog 
Thurso High School opened its doors to pupils in August 1958 which makes it the 50th Anniversary of the school this year. To celebrate this occasion the school will be hosting an Open Day on Friday 7th November, followed by a Gala Dinner Dance on Saturday 8th November.
My first day at secondary school was the first day of the new Thurso High School building, but I remember that it was not quite ready and we went to the Miller Academy for that first day. To this day, if I smell fresh concrete, it takes me straight back to the area just inside the front door.. Don Gunn’s territory as jannie in those days.
I will be at the open day and the dinner, and can’t wait to see what the place looks like now, and perhaps to see some former classmates . I have never been back since I left in July 1963, but I have some very happy memories especially of Bill Shurie and Miss Ryrie, who encouraged my interest in reading, which has contributed to my work and leisure over the years.
I joined in the second year in 1964 after a first year at the truly dreadful Castletown Junior High School and left in 1967 from Class 4C where I recall I was regularly pretty near last out of a class of 30 odd. I left with a small handful of O Levels so I wont feature on the School’s roll call of academic success, very much a reflection on me rather than the School. The staff picture in the Groat included quite a few who I remember struggling heroically with not a lot to work with – Mr Kidd, the archetypical hard man gym teacher; Jessie Budge, a real character; Mrs Edwards, an American who taught French (I got 49 out of 100 three years in a row and gave up); the wonderful Mrs Pollock who gave me a well earned clip round the ear in Science after a wise crack too many when her test tube burst; Mrs (Granny) Gunn; Mr Wright who tried hard to get me though Mechanics O Level but to no avail; Mr Sim made History fascinating but I gave it up to do Geography instead with Mr Weir who was a nice man. For my sins I can’t remember the name of a very good English teacher, “Ma” somebody?
Some years later, by a series of flukes, I ended up taking a degree in History and Politics and history has been an abiding interest. So at least Mr Sim’s inspiration had a lasting effect. My daughter will soon go to university to take a degree in …. History and Politics! Its fascinating how a year with a single teacher, upon whom I would have made not the slightest impression, affected me later in life and even into the next generation. Not sure I can figure out how this happened but I am now Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Winchester. I guess it all started at Thurso High School although there was precious little sign of any academic promise at the time.
Best wishes to the School fifty years on. I remember it as a friendly place where I was very happy. I would certainly be interested in a reunion before senility settles in. I return to Caithness to see family and friends and am still very much in touch with classmate Nicky Cook and hear about some others from time to time. But where are you now Willie Mowat, Donnie Rosie, Stevie Wylie, Rosemary Mackenzie, Liz Mackay, Elizabeth Angus, Helen McLennan, David Banks (misspent youths playing cards on the bus in from Mey), Dorothy Reid, Lyn Jamieson, Jim Crawford, Jimmy Flannagan, Tony Thornthwaite, Chris Penny, Peter Sergeant, Peter Mackay, Margaret Gunn, Joan Sinclair, Margaret Miller, Susan McGregor, Lesley Smith, Jean Forbes, David Dunnet, Geordie Allan, Dennis Swanson, Hilary Horne – whatever happened to the Scout Hut which these last few named will remember, as will Margaret Gunn whose father Don was a legend Caretaker.
Tommy Geddes
1964-67
(not to be confused with my cousin of the same name who was a much more successful pupil years later).
I have just been looking with very fond memories at the staff photo of 1965. I would have been 13!! I loved being at Thurso High School – particular highlights include Mr Shurie’s English classes – I wish I could have told him how he fostered a lifelong passion for reading and poetry ; the annual G and S productions with Mr Lafferty; chemistry with Mr Bell and biology with Mr Black – I think I was the first person to do higher biology at Thurso High and he was really encouraging; French with Miss McLeod! I think we were really well taught and supported. Thank you. I wish I could attend one of the anniversary events – but will be teaching!
I was at Thurso High School from 1961-67 and have many good memories of the school and its teachers. I loved the photograph of the 1965 staff, so many of whom I remember well; Mr. Bell for Science, Mr. Sim for History, Miss Budge for Maths (arithmetic sums about how quickly baths could fill with water), English with Mr. Shurie, Latin with Mr. Sutherland, French and German with Miss Macleod and Miss Elliot. The last three teachers were especially inspiring to me as I now teach French and German!
As one of four sisters, three of whom were at the school at the same time, I recall teachers muddling up our names and thinking how could they not know who we all were. But now I know how difficult names of siblings can be at times.
Like my sister, Paula above, I think we received a very sound education for which I have always been grateful and I too would have like to take part in the celebrations and visit the school again. However I work down in the south of England which prevented me from coming up to Caithness.
Good luck to the school, its staff and students in the future.