Private school ???

[cazdan]

Hi, can anyone tell me if there was a private school in Thurso called Thorfynn House ?would have been around the end of 1800 's thanx

[stumpy]

Just from memory, I mind seeing an old photo of a stern-looking wifie and her class of young ladies from the late 19th/ early 20th century. Think the class was held in a house in Duncan Street or Rose Street, can't remember exactly (I'm on a break at work so can't check). I think the photo may be on the Thurso Heritage website.

[XR2]

This may be the old West Public School now the Environmental Research Institute in Castle Street (I think!) Thorfinn terrace is an early part of the atomic scheme, Thorfinn terrace area was likely just fields back in those days.

[stumpy]

The "Atomic" streets were given a mix of Norse names like Sweyn, Thorfinn and Thorkel and local ones like Rockwell and Brownhill (and I've no idea about Fulmar Road, they likely just thought a seabird name would do the trick), don't think Thorfinn Terrace was named after anything in particular.

The West Public was built about 1870, but I think there was at least one "young ladies' " school in one of the big houses further up near the old quarry . It was more of a finishing-school, teaching the kind of things polite young ladies were supposed to know, than a modern school.

If I hadn't fallen asleep in the chair last night I'd have had a rake for the picture: might have been in one of Hetty Munro's books but I honestly can't remember.

[poppett]

There is a house called Thorfinn on Duncan street (or one of the parallel roads) which was one time owned by the headmaster of the High School. It stands in its own grounds and would have been on the edge of town when it was built.

Thorfinn Terrace and Thorfinn Place were built on land which would have formed an extension of the Glebe grazings or perhaps part of Pennyland Farm.

[cazdan]

Thanks everyone will have a look for Hetty Munroe's book and keep looking for info x

[thirsaloon]

Answered this ladies question through thursointeractive and then noticed this post, but it was the rear of a house in Janet Street, the girls school was in Brabster Street