The Francis Street building (FSB) which now houses e-Sgoil. (Photographed using a drone.)
From Chalk to computer
by Angus Maclennan
The Francis Street Building
1843 till 2018
If you are interested in architecture and history, it’s worth your while spending some time studying the e-Sgoil building on Francis Street the next time you happen to be passing.
From the outside, you will notice immediately that this is a building which has undergone a number of structural changes through time. If you pop in for a visit, and you are very welcome to do so, you will discover that the most up-to-date technology is being used to deliver a range of educational services from there to venues across the length and breadth of Scotland. Despite this, the developers have managed to preserve the character of the old building.
After the Reformation of 1560, the Church of Scotland’s policy, under the stewardship of John Knox, was to establish a school in every parish. This worthy policy was maintained after the Disruption of which resulted in the setting up of the Free Church of Scotland in 1843. Although there was an ‘Established Church’ school and a couple of private academies in Stornoway, the Free Church congregation bought a site for a new school on Francis Street and as soon as they had completed the Kenneth Street church, they set about constructing the school.
A stair with a landing leading nowhere
Lady Matheson granted them the site on which the Seminary now stands for a rental of a pound per year and a school room and teacher’s house was built.
Following the passing of the Education Act of 1872, a new building was constructed beside the original school.
A very progressive educationalist, Mr W J Gibson, was appointed as Rector of The Nicolson Institute in 1894. The Nicolson Primary had existed on Sandwick Road since 1872 and, when the Free Church building was given to The Nicolson Institute School Board, Gibson sought to extend it and establish Secondary provision on the site.
Part of the existing building was demolished and four spacious classrooms were built in its place within the impressive red sandstone façade which still forms the Francis Street frontage. This extension was opened in 1896 although there was a delay of two years before the ornate staircase was installed.
The original building had fallen into serious disrepair by this stage and was demolished in order to make way for the Seminary. There were no more major structural changes to the building until it ceased to be used around 1994 and re-opened as Museum nan Eilean in June 1995.
The rooms to the rear of the building were poorly constructed and had to be demolished. That is why the building contains the unusual architectural feature of a y-shaped staircase, with a mezzanine landing, which no-longer serves any purpose in relation to access. Above the middle landing hangs the bronze plaque commemorating the young men who left the school to join the forces during World War 1, never to return.
e-sgoil’s Head Teacher using the technology
Because some of the artefacts which were housed in The Francis Street building during its stint as a museum were so valuable, very heavy steel doors were installed and metal grills had to be fitted to the windows. The Museum eventually relocated to Lews Castle but, as the grills were very tastefully designed, they were left in-situ.
In 2016, the building underwent a major refurbishment before e-Sgoil staff moved in. Structural changes were kept to a minimum apart from one classroom being sub-divided. State-of-the-art IT equipment was installed to facilitate the teaching of a wide range of subjects across the country.
It is particularly satisfying to see an iconic building such as the FSB redeveloped in a sensitive way especially when it holds so many fond memories for those who passed through its portals as pupils.
The building as most people view it
Please note that a Gaelic version of this article is to be found in the Summer/Autumn 2018 issue of Sy Gone By, the Society’s bi-annual magazine
.