Origins
Our Lady’s High School is one of the oldest Roman Catholic secondary schools in Scotland, with its origins dating back to 1895.
Log books for School of Our Lady of Good Aid begin January 1875, with teacher, Rose Anne Trainer, “a certificated student of 2nd year from the Liverpool Training College”. The roll was 80-100 pupils. At this point, the school was primary only (infants plus standards I – VI).
A secondary department opened in 1895, but was still part of Our Lady of Good Aid School. The schools didn’t become separate establishments until 1925. Sadly we’re not the first in Lanarkshire, but we are incredibly early.
In 1946, OLHS became an all boys senior secondary with girls being sent to Elmwood in Bothwell. In 1972, Our Lady’s amalgamated with St Joseph’s, and the new school for both boys and girls kept the Our Lady’s High School name.
Badge
The badge of Our Lady’s High School shows the connections to our local area and the reason for our existence.
The bishop’s mitre links us with Motherwell Diocese.
The water connects us to both the River Clyde and to the Lady Well, an ancient holy well in Motherwell.
The fleur-de-lys is a symbol of Our Lady.
The five pointed stars, or cinquefoils, are a symbol of the Hamilton family. Much of Lanarkshire was owned by the Hamiltons in the past; the school is built on the home farm of Dalzell House, formerly a Hamilton stronghold.
Finally, the torch is a symbol of learning and knowledge.
Dalzell Drive building
In 1974, a new school building was completed on the present site at Dalzell Drive. The present school accommodation is set in a pleasant environment amid landscaped grounds and nearby parkland and woodland. Most of the accommodation is contained within one main teaching block. A second building contains specialist accommodation for music, physical education and technical education.
Record-breaking
In 1975 Our Lady’s had a school roll of 2325 pupils, which made it the largest school in Scotland at the time and earned it a mention in that year’s Guinness Book of Records.
Since then, the school roll has reduced due to boundary changes, the opening of another secondary school and population changes in the local area. One of the biggest employers in the Motherwell area used to be British Steel. Ravenscraig was one of British Steel’s biggest manufacturing sites and with its closure in 1994 local unemployment rocketed and many families moved away to find alternative work.
Jubilees
In 1999, the school celebrated the Silver Jubilee of its current accommodation and the Golden Jubilee of the War Memorial Chapel.
Sporting achievement
Our Lady’s provides a wide range of extracurricular activities and has a strong sporting tradition. Our senior football team achieved national success in 2000 when they won the Under-18 Scottish Schools Football Shield. This was the eighth time the school has won this prestigious trophy.
Former Pupils
Many well-known figures and personalities are former pupils of the school, including the late Cardinal Thomas Winning, Sir Matt Busby (manager of Manchester United Football Club), Billy McNeill (the player who skippered the Celtic football team to become the first British club to lift the European Cup) and Patrick Doyle, the renowned composer.
Headteachers
These details come from log books and newspaper reports.
- 1875 – 1885: Miss Rose Anne Trainer was the de facto headteacher
- 1885 – 1886: Miss Roseanne Fry
- 1886 – 1889: Mr Thomas McFadyen
- 1889 – 1902: Miss Mary Ann Coleman
- 1902 – 1931: Mr George Bennett
- 1931 – 1955: Mr Thomas Lynch
- 1955 – 1967: Mr Alexander Boyle
- 1967 – 1971: Mr James Scally
- 1971 – 1980: Mr John Tulley, OBE
- 1980 – 1995: Mr Anthony Quinn
- 1995 – 2009: Mr Bernard Love
- 2009 – 2017: Mrs Kathleen Sinclair
- 2017 – 2022: Mr Daniel Cardle
- 2022 – present: Mrs Louisa McGraw
