Royal Caledonian Schools Trust - The Caley, as it's affectionately known, wasestablished in 1815 to help educate the sons and daughters of Scots whowere serving, or who had served, in the armed forces, and the childrenof poor Scots in London. This article detais our long history. More details can be found below or via our website - www.rcst.org.uk .

Today, almost two hundred years later, the work continues in a way, which, we believe still meets our founders' intentions.

We help with educational grants for school clothing,school trips, school fees and help with living expenses for those infurther or higher education.

Our founders set no age limit so the Caley can also help with those who need a second educational chance.

The Caley also sponsors projects that benefit groupsor qualifying students, and awards scholarships to help those whodecide to use a gap year to help less fortunate communities.

Here is our history... 

The Highland Society of London launched an appeal in 1808to raise money for an Asylum to house and educate the many young Scotswho were roaming the streets of London, having been orphaned by theNapoleonic wars. It took seven years to raise sufficient funds and toprepare the necessary Act of Parliament needed to create the Asylum.

Caley kids enjoying scones

Finally, on 14 June 1815,The Caledonian Asylum was launched by Act of Parliament. The originalLife Guardians included their Royal Highnesses Frederick, Duke of Yorkand Albany, Edward Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Augustus Frederick,Duke of Sussex and Earl of Inverness.

Others included the Dukes of Marlborough, Buccleuchand Queensbury, Gordon, Argyll, Montrose, Roxburgh, and ArthurWellesley, Duke of Wellington.

Following its incorporation the Guardians started the long process of finding a site for the Asylum. In March 1819the first six boys were elected and six good London women were paid ashilling (5p in today's currency) a week to care for them.

The first Asylum was opened in December 1819 in Hatton Garden and was replaced in 1826by a newly built Asylum in Copenhagen Fields, Islington. It remainedthere for 77 years and lent it's name to the "Caledonian Road".

Children in a Caley school room

Initially the scholars were all boys but in 1844, following some alterations, a space was found in the Asylum for a new school for girls.

In 1852 Her MajestyQueen Victoria became Patron and the Asylum was renamed the RoyalCaledonian Schools, although legally it was and still is the"Caledonian Asylum". Royal patronage has continued since then.

When the Asylum was built in 1826 Islington was a quiet little village but by the end of the century things had changed. On 12 December 1901 the London Correspondent of the Aberdeen Daily Chronicle wrote:

"The Immediate neighbourhood is not pleasant. Cheekby jowl with the Asylum sits Pentonville Prison whose precincts havebeen darkened by the worse criminals the nation affords, and around itgathers the scum of all the nation on earth. Indeed one might walk thewhole length of the Caledonian Road from Kings Cross to Holloway andHolloway again for a day and see nothing that his eye could rest onwith pleasure except perhaps the "weel-faured" faces of the boys andgirls of the Asylum in their dainty highland dresses."

Topping out ceremony at Bushey

Concerns like this had already lead to the Directors deciding to find a new site. By the end of 1897they had decided to move to Bushey in Hertfordshire. Eventually aftervarious appeals £37,400 was raised and the new schools project was upand moving. Part of the money came from the London County Council whopurchased the old Asylum for £16,000, demolished it and built flats.These flats still remain and our history is remembered on the gateswhich are adorned with thistles.

The School in Bushey, which still stands in AldenhamRoad, cost £40,000 and was built by Kerridge & Shaw of Cambridge.The architect was William Emerson, the then President of the RoyalInstitute of British Architects.

The Memorial Stone for the new Building was laid on 10 May 1902 by Her Royal Highness the Princess Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg, a glittering occasion with great ceremony.

Later that month Bushey saw another procession whenthe children arrived from London by train and marched from BusheyStation led, of course, by the Schools' pipes and drums.

The Schools, with the Chapel which was
destroyed during the Second World War.

It was through the pipes and drums that the Schoolsleft their permanent impression in Bushey with regular church paradesand at local ceremonies. For many years the Caley Pipes and Drumsplayed their part in Armistice Day commemorations at the Bushey warmemorial.

With many Caley scholars joining the armed forces itis believed that ex-Caleys will have played their part in virtuallyevery armed conflict since 1835.Caley lives were lost in both the First and Second World Wars. Duringthe Second World War the dining room was damaged due to enemy actionand the school chapel was destroyed due to an electrical fault.

From 1903 to 1948 education was provided at the Schools. The regime was strict but the children received a good Scottish education. After 1948 the children attended local state schools.

Many royal visits to the Schools took place. In 1925the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VIII visited theSchools, and the following year the Duke & Duchess of York (wholater became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) came to presentprizes. This was the beginning of a long association with the Schoolsfor Queen Elizabeth who as Queen Mother made two further visits andalways took a real interest in the work of the schools.

In 1986 our present Patron Her Majesty the Queen opened Coltart House, the then new 6 th Form accommodation.

Pipe majors of the future

By 1995 theDirectors, having given consideration both to the future of the Schoolsand the wishes of the original founders, decided that the best way tocontinue their work into the 21st century would be to close the Busheypremises, sell them and invest the proceeds of sale to provide anincome for a new Educational Trust.

The buildings were purchased by the Purcell School,one of the four principle music schools in the UK, so music continuesto grace these important buildings - only now the pipes and drums havebeen exchanged for other classical instruments.

Since the educational trust was formed we havehelped hundreds of young Scots and awarded over one million pounds ingrants. A whole new generation of Caley Scholars is emerging.

Her Majesty The Queen, our patron, opens
"The Hub" in Inverness, we co-ordinated the
fundraising for this project.

Our links with the Armed Forces remain strong and wehave recently launched an educational project which continues our workin helping to alleviate the effects on service children caused by themoves required of their parents.

Children enjoying the Adventure Welfare
Services 2004 Summer Camp

> Royal Caledonian Schools Trust .