Pinkie House and the ‘King’s Room’
The oldest part of Pinkie House is the massive central tower erected by the Abbots of Dunfermline, probably dating from the late fourteenth century. A hundred years later the rooms immediately to the north were added, comprising approximately what is now the Headmaster’s house. Around 1600 the building came by inheritance into the hands of Alexander Seton, King James VI’s Chancellor. He was a man of considerable distinction and was held in such high esteem by the King that when, in 1603, the latter left for London to add the throne of England to that of Scotland, he entrusted into Seton’s charge at Pinkie his son, Charles, later to become King Charles I. It has always been assumed that Charles, during his three years’ stay there, occupied what is still called ‘the King’s Room’.
Foundation and the Rev. Thomas Langhorne
The Rev. Thomas Langhorne arrived in Musselburgh in 1820 and soon won the respect of a large number of the country families in the area. He started offering private tuition to the boys of these families and, although he occupied a large house at Stoneyhill, the number of his pupils increased so rapidly that he was forced to look for more accommodation.
He took Loretto House on lease in 1827 and two years later, with his school flourishing, he bought it. During those two years he appears to have enrolled no fewer than 69 boys. At first they were mainly day boys but there were some boarders among them too, and it was this element which interested. Langhorne most.
Within a year or two there were boarders only, and to this extent it may be claimed that Loretto was the first boarding school in Scotland. Certainly, it is the one which has lasted the longest.
Service and the Christmas Truce
A great number of Old Lorettonians (OLs) served during the two World Wars, with many sadly giving their lives. Several OLs were also honored for their bravery, a testament to the character instilled at Loretto.
We have a set of medals belonging to one OL in particular, Major Gerald Hedderwick, which contain a Military Cross. This was awarded to Major Hedderwick for displaying ‘the greatest zeal and gallantry’ and ‘fearlessness and devotion to duty.’ Major Hedderwick – who was also Vicegerent of Loretto during the 1930s – served again during World War Two at the age of forty-seven, but was killed in action near Arras in 1940.
In addition to this, OL Captain William Kerr was the recipient of a Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. He is described as having ‘dashing and devoted bravery’ and his VC is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London.
It is also widely reported that the historic Christmas truce during WW1, where a game of football was played during an unofficial ceasefire, was instigated by a Lorettonian. In honour of this, a stained-glass window memorial was installed in our Chapel in 2014.
Welcoming girls to Trafalgar Lodge
In the early 1980s, in an effort to increase pupil numbers and boost the School’s academic profile, the Governors agreed that Loretto should become co-educational. Trafalgar Lodge was converted into a boarding house and, in September 1981, twenty-four girls joined Loretto’s Sixth Form.
Former Headmaster David McMurray (1976-84) said at the time, “It will be our aim to integrate the girls into the life of Loretto in every possible way, making little distinction between them and the boys as far as their everyday lives are concerned. They will eat in the dining hall dispersed among the boys’ tables, will attend classes as normal, take exercise as normal, though the nature of their exercise will, of course, be different, take part in the CCF, in all cultural activities and be under all normal rules of the school.”
The number of girls at Loretto has continued to grow over the years, as has their wonderful and vital contribution to School life, and we are delighted that our pupil body is fast-approaching an equal split of girls and boys.
