School reunion
Nostalgia kicks in for developer
The man who redeveloped the former Rutherglen Academy is hoping to get his old classmates back together - nearly two decades after he first thought of the idea.
David Lang bought the Melrose Avenue building in 2001 after it was put up for sale by South Lanarkshire Council.
He then transformed the iconic structure into 36 flats as well as building around 60 new homes on the site. The 66-year-old even took the old gym hall floor for his own home when they were lifting it.
Now living in Glasgow’s west end, David hopes to get as many people together for a school reunion in March next year.
Working with the group of former pupils including his sister, Connie Young, David is calling on those who attended the school between 1965 and 1970 to get in touch.
“The school meant quite a lot to me,” David says.
“I really enjoyed my time there and I have a lot of good memories and I’m sure there will be a lot of other people out there who feel the same way.
“I haven’t seen most of my classmates now for the best part of 50 years, so it would be nice to find out what how they are getting on.
“When I bought the school, I actually wanted to do this in the old building before people moved in, but it never happened.”
Rutherglen Academy has a rich history, as well as an interesting list of former pupils and staff.
Built in the late 19th century, the empty school playground was famously hit by one of the few bombs dropped on Rutherglen during World War II.
It eventually closed its doors in the early 70s, but the building was given a new lease of life in 1974 when the new Stonelaw High School opened.
A new Stonelaw was built on Calderwood Road leaving the old
building empty until David breathed new life into it.
Among the list of former pupils is Ultravox singer Midge Ure, artist Stephen Campbell and Jim McColl, who is now Scotland’s richest man. Stan Laurel also attended the school when his family lived in Rutherglen.
Adam McNaughtan, the Scottish folk singer who wrote the Jeely Piece Song, taught at the school and has spoken to David about getting involved with the reunion.
Another former teacher was Norman Buchan, an influential Labour MP.
“Mr Buchan was my English teacher,” David added. “There is such a rich history at the school.”
David was able to preserve much of that history when he developed the main building. Because it is a listed structure, the exterior had to be maintained.
He and his sister now hope to get a committee together to help organise the reunion, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 9, 2018, in Rutherglen Town Hall.
They are also calling for any pictures or memorabilia from their time there.
One item he does not expect to get his hands on is the Baxter Cup, which was handed out to the best athlete each year.
David himself won it twice, but looking back, he laughs: “The year the school closed my younger brother won it, but the mother of the boy who won it the year before refused to give it back because she said the school didn’t exist anymore. “I doubt we’ll see that again, but it would be nice to have something like that displayed on the night.”
* The reunion is open to anyone who attended Rutherglen Academy between 1965 and 1970.
Tickets cost £25 and include a buffet and some drinks.
For more information, contact David via email at david.lang@ ntlworld.com or by calling 07710129777.