Doubts death was linked to Falkland school abuse

Teenage boy might not be ‘forgotten victim’ of Christian Brothers’ evil regime

He lies beneath a striking headstone dedicated to the Christian Brothers who once ran the former St Ninian’s School in Falkland.

What makes the grave of 14-year-old Alexander Harvey, who died in 1960, particularly unusual is that he is buried between two men of the Christian Brotherhood – Richard Albeus Fitton, who died at Falkland aged 75 in 1958, and John Kevin Nugent, who died aged 78 in 1977.

But speculation that the young boy buried in Falkland cemetery is a “forgotten victim” of the recently publicised abusive regime at the former St Ninian’s School remain unfounded, according to an investigation by a local councillor.

Rumours have been circulating the Fife village that Harvey, thought to be an orphan, may have died at St Ninian’s amid suspicious circumstances.

Speculation has intensified following the recent court case which last week saw a former teacher and head teacher jailed for 10 years and five years respectively at Glasgow High Court after being found guilty of abuse said to have taken place at the school in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Further allegations have been made about physical and sexual abuse by other staff dating back to the 1960s into the 1970s.

Most Falkland residents are shocked that the Christian Brothers regime was responsible for such heinous and depraved acts.

Yet according to one well-established Falkland businessman who contacted The Courier and asked not to be named, some older residents have told him there were rumours as far back as 1960 about abuse at the school, but nobody did anything about it because the Brotherhood was seen as ‘untouchable’ in those days.

The businessman said: “There’s also been a lot of speculation about what happened to young Alexander Harvey. Is he a forgotten victim from the type of abuse we’ve seen recently in court?”

Now, research by Falkland Fife councillor David MacDiarmid has suggested there was likely to have been a more rational explanation for Harvey’s death.

Having managed to track down a copy of Harvey’s death certificate, it states that the cause of his passing was “congenitally abnormal heart valve: diffuse myocardial fibrosis.”

According to a registrar’s report signed at the procurator fiscal’s office in Cupar on March 3 1961, Harvey died “shortly after having engaged in a boxing match under supervision at said orphanage. The boxing match was stopped immediately on the deceased complaining of being tired”.

Councillor MacDiarmid said: “The young lad seems to have passed away after boxing. There is very little knowledge of this event within the community of Falkland.

“I suppose, I am intrigued as to why nobody seems to remember anything about Alexander’s death.”

The headstone at Falkland cemetery, top, the former St Ninian’s School, left, and Councillor David MacDiarmid.