Tarradale Schoolhouse
Attribution: unknown or not recorded
Tarradale Schoolhouse
Attached to the original school building, this building is now a private residence, currently occupied by the widow of a former headteacher at several schools throughout Ross & Cromarty, including Park School, Maryburgh School and Invergordon. It has however been home to several head masters:
Attribution: not recorded or unknown
Kenneth Alex. Maclean, headmaster, Tarradale Public School, Muir of Ord (1876-1910)
Originally from Achiltibuie, Kenneth MacLean first taught at Plockton before moving to teach at Port Glasgow, returning to Ross-shire in 1875 to become the first headmaster at Tarradale Public School.
He was married at Perth in 1877 to Catherine MacDonald. He retired from teaching in 1910, retiring to live at Malton Villa, Conon Bridge. He returned to teach in 1914 when the new headmaster went to serve as a Captain during WW1. Catherine died in 1926 and Kenneth died in 1934, a week after his 90th birthday.
Kenneth and his wife had ten children:
Donald MacDonald was born in 1877 and became a minister, serving as an army chaplain during WW1. By 1934, he was working at Kirkoswald. He died in 1960 at Girvan.
Murdo was born in 1879 and studied medicine at Glasgow University during WW1 and was exempt from service. He was a registered medical practitioner, living at Ashington, Northumberland in 1939 and died in 1954.
Margaret Ann Matheson was born in 1881 and became a teacher where she was a school mistress at a school in Durham on the 1911 census. She died in 1951 at Keighley in Yorkshire where her surname was then Kirk.
John Kennedy was born in 1884. He emigrated to Australia and served with the Australian forces during WW1. He died in 1956 at Sydney, Australia.
Christina Mary was born in 1886. She married Donald Forbes, banker and son of John Forbes of Forbes Grocers and Bakery. Their daughter Margaret was killed in 1940 due to enemy action, whilst she was tending to the patients in her care. Christina died in 1974 in Inverness.
Kenneth Alexander was born in 1888 and studied medicine at Edinburgh University where he was also a member of the Queen’s Rifle Volunteer Brigade Royal Scots from 1906 until 1908. From 1908 he was in the Officers Training Corps and when war broke out in 1914 he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Lieutenant in 1914 and captain in 1915, with the 35thy Field Ambulance at the 21st general Hospital, Alexandria, Palestine (Ismailia).
It is believed he died in 1950.
Catherine MacDonald was born in 1890 and studied English Literature at Cherwell Hall College, Oxford where she was awarded a three-year Fellowship for further study at Edinburgh University, in 1913. She died in 1960 at Fulham, London.
Mary Sage was born in 1892 and trained to be a nurse at the Royal Infirmary, Sunderland between 1913 and 1916. She was married at Durham in 1924 and on the nursing register of 1937 she was living at the family home at Malton, Conon Bridge, her father having died three years beforehand. She died in 1967 at Newtonmore.
Helen Barbara Kennedy was born in 1894 and became a missionary working in Shanghai and Jamaica. She died at Inverness in 1983.
Eunice Alice Millar was born in 1895 and became a midwife. She was living at Malton, Conon Bridge in 1926. She was married in 1932 at Kirkoswald, where her brother was minister. She died at Balintore Farm, Kirkhill in 1972.
Most of the siblings are buried at Urray cemetery.
Alexander Fowler, headmaster, Tarradale Public School (1910- 1946)
Alexander Fowler was the son of William Fowler, headmaster at Culbokie School. He was a pupil teacher at Cowdenbeath whilst studying at Edinburgh University and before taking up his post at Tarradale, he was a highly popular teacher at Barrhead Public School. On the retirement of Mr MacLean in 1910, Alexander was appointed as the new headmaster of Tarradale Public School with a salary of £165 together with a free house.
During the First World War, he took a leave of absence from his teaching career and served as an officer with the Ross-shire Mountain Battery. On his return to work he again became heavily involved in the community as a Scout Leader where he attended Jamborees at Wembley in 1924 and Liverpool in 1929. He also conducted many camps at The Ness, Fortrose. He was at one point, charman of the Scottish Community Drama Association and produced, wrote, acted and directed many plays.
He was married in 1920 to Margaret ‘Jane’ Reid, a school teacher working at Invergordon. They had two children. Their daughter trained as a nurse and married a doctor, she emigrated to California. Their son remained local to the area and died in 1993.
Margaret died in 1942 and Alexander retired in 1946 where he continued his useful work for the young. He was described as a forceful man as powerful in his acts of community service as his physique and intellect, He was the type of Dominee, admired by all, zealous in the care and direction of his pupils and so very kindly and helpful in all his associations with fellows in village activities.
Mr Donald MacKay from Munlochy moved to become headmaster at Tarradale.
Donald MacKay – Headmaster Tarradale Junior Secondary School (1946-1961)
Donald MacKay was native to Barvas, Isle of Lewis and educated at Nicolson Institute and Aberdeen University. Between leaving school and starting University, he served with the Ross Mountain Battery in WW1 and was decorated for bravery in the Dardanelles expedition of 1915.
He began his teaching career at Nicolson Institute followed by head teacher at Lionel, Port of Ness and Munlochy, before moving to Tarradale in August, 1946. He had a career spanning 42 years, 36 of which were at two of the biggest Junior Secondary Schools in Ross-shire; Lionel and Tarradale. During his time at Tarradale he had been chairman of the Governors of the MacKenzie Bequest, a body which supported the school and the local community centre, establishing the pavilion and its playing fields. He had been president of the Social club and at the time of his retirement in 1961, he was the Honorary President of the Muir of Ord Rovers Football Club as well as the Badminton and Bridge Clubs.
Throughout his years at Muir of Ord, Tarradale school was always his primary concern, especially the inception in establishing the Junior Secondary Department with its varied activities. He also promoted school activities on the sports field, a music festival, concerts and many social events which were ‘heartily responded to his example’.
He retired home to Stornoway and died in 1984, aged 88.
Mr Alexander Fraser (Alasdair) – Headmaster Tarradale Junior Secondary School (1961- 1975)
Alexander Fraser was born at Aciltibuie in 1904 and was the second youngest of nine children. His father was recorded as a crofter, but appears to have been quite a successful farmer, ensuring his children were all well-educated. Amongst his children, 1 became a policeman, 1 a nurse who married a doctor in Peru and more than a few teachers.
He married a fellow teacher, Margaret MacRae Gunn Nicholson at Inverness in 1940 and they had six children, all with Gaelic names. Alasdair was heavily involved with An Commun Gàidhealach in the area, which promoted the survival of the Gaelic language and culture.
In 1940 he was an assistant Head Teacher at Dingwall academy before his promotion to head teacher at Conon Bridge Public School. From there he moved to Tarradale Junior Secondary School in August 1961.
He moved to a house named ‘Hazelrigg’, Muir of Ord when he retired and died in 1975.