____________________________________________________________________

Dr Guthrie's Schools. Edinburgh. Scotland.

____________________________________________________________________

This website is dedicated

To the hundreds if not thousands,

of abused and sexually assaulted children

Who attended

Dr Guthrie's schools in Edinburgh.

The boys' school was closed in 1985,

And the girls' school in 1986.

____________________________________________________________________

If you want to dig deeper into the dark history of

Dr Guthrie's ragged schools,

This website may offer further information.

**************************************************

In particular, the abuse and mistreatment of the children who attended these institutions.

It reveals that these schools, often portrayed in a positive light as 'ragged schools',

were in fact penal institutions where vulnerable children were subjected to severe neglect,

torture and sexual abuse.

The website describes the lack of accountability for perpetrators,

the continuing struggle for justice by survivors and the efforts to expose

the truth about the horrific conditions and experiences in these schools.

It also highlights the need for recognition and support for the victims,

who have been largely ignored by the authorities and the media.

Isaiah 44:9-20

The statue in Princes St Gardens is a sarcastic mockery.

Of the child abuse survivors

Who attended

Dr Guthrie's schools.

dr thomas guthrie statue west princes st gardens edinburgh

We started this website in January 2023 after learning that, under Scottish law,

We had no case against Dr Guthrie's Association because all the abusers were dead.

Before survivors of horrific child abuse at Dr Guthrie's schools started a petition on Change. Org and created this website.

A web search for Dr Guthrie's Schools turned up page after page of glowing accounts of 'Ragged Schools'.

However, it's important to note that for 132 years, from at least 1854,

the institutions known as 'Dr Guthrie's Ragged Schools' were in fact children's prisons.

The creators of these Dr Guthrie 'Ragged School' websites consistently portray Dr Guthrie's institutions

as exceptionally beneficial, while completely disregarding their historical classification

as Juvenile Correctional Penal Institutions, Industrial/Reform Schools, Approved Schools, and List D Schools

dating back to 1854.

Furthermore, there seems to be a certain reluctance to acknowledge the very serious issue of child abuse that has occurred in these Dr Guthrie institutions.

The plight of the children who attended these schools, including instances of abuse, cruelty and profound suffering,

is deliberately hidden from public view and is not mentioned on any of these fairy tale "Ragged School" websites.

This website aims to provide a truthful and authentic account of Dr Guthrie's schools.

____________________________________________________________________

'' The child abuse investigation into Dr Guthrie's schools began on 28th May 2024.

The investigation into Dr Guthrie's schools ended on Friday, 21st June 2024.

Not a single Scottish or UK news outlet reported on the abuse.''

Survivors of Dr Guthrie's schools think it's a little unfair that children who were abused in Scotland and went to the wrong school don't get the same recognition as other survivors of child abuse.

It is indisputable that survivors of Dr Guthrie's schools have suffered abuse.

There is overwhelming evidence of sexual and physical abuse.

as well as instances of torture, including staff puncturing a child's spine with a key.

It is disgraceful that this abuse has not been reported in the Scottish or British media.

____________________________________________________________________

Dr Guthrie's Ragged Schools – Exclusively

For sadists

To abuse the impoverished.

In 1970, these schools not only gave children no education, but much less, including very little food,

Dormitories that mirrored the workhouses of the 1840s,

Swimming lessons in a now invisible pool where children were sexually abused,

Super treats like having their pockets sewn up in winter,

And outings where children were filmed and photographed naked.

These schools were never Christian.

They were evil.

dr guthries boys and girls schools edinburgh

In memory of my friend Frank Docherty, a true fighter for abused children,

Born in Glasgow on the 25th of May 1944,

Who passed away on the 30th of April 2017 at the age of 72.

Whoever the child abusers are, it doesn't really matter. Because no one has ever been arrested, and no one ever will be.

There has been no apology from the Dr Guthrie's Association and under Scottish law survivors can't sue Dr Guthrie's schools.

It's bad enough that those who survived horrific child abuse at Dr Guthrie's schools have no choice but to seek redress from the government. It is completely unacceptable to us survivors that the Dr Guthrie's Association continues to mock us with his statue.

The statue is an insult to all survivors.

____________________________________________________________________

If you have been a victim of child abuse at one of Dr Guthrie's schools,

You should not keep it a secret any longer.

If you haven't already told the police, you should do so immediately.

You will be given a crime reference number and, if you feel you have been harmed,

You can make a criminal injuries claim or, if you wish,

Apply for compensation through the Scottish Government's redress scheme.

No matter how serious the abuse you have suffered,

You will not be able to sue Dr Guthrie's Association SCIO in a Scottish court.

So don't waste your time trying to take them to court.

To apply to the Scottish Redress Scheme.
Visit the Scottish Redress Scheme website for more information.

https://www.mygov.scot/apply-for-scotlands-redress-scheme

____________________________________________________________________

If you are a survivor and feel you need to talk to someone, you are not alone.

If you feel comfortable doing so, you may wish to consider contacting these people.

https://future-pathways.co.uk

____________________________________________________________________

Those responsible for the abuse remain unidentified and unpunished.

The suffering endured by the pupils of Dr Guthrie's 'ragged schools' was of such a profound and harrowing nature, that I can say with confidence that only a small proportion of the 450 Scottish child abuse witness statements that I have read come close to describing it.

"As of early 2023, this statement was accurate.

However, I have since come across distressing reports of abuse following the Abuse Inquiry's investigation into Approved and List D schools.

That began on Tuesday 9 January 2024."

____________________________________________________________________

Edinburgh City Council.

It was claimed that the Council did not directly employ the workers at Dr Guthrie Schools.
The Council stated that it was not responsible for the manner in which the children were treated and that it was not responsible for the alleged mistreatment of the children.

Here's an article from The British Newspaper Archive, easy to find online.

The Scotsman - Thursday 20 February 1969.

When the administration of Scotland's approved schools changes into the hands of local authorities

under the new Social Work "Scotland Act"

In December 1970,

The same council classified the statue of Thomas Guthrie as a B-list.

In the same year,

Children were sexually abused and tortured in Dr Guthrie's schools.

____________________________________________________________________

Dr Guthrie's Association.

Following the closure of the schools,

Dr Guthrie's Schools Association changed its name to Dr Guthrie's Association.

And was officially incorporated as a new charity in 1986.

The original buildings and surrounding land were sold, and the charity then used legal precedent to support its claim that it wasn't connected with the schools and therefore wasn't responsible for any illegal activity.

However,

Before we can obtain any records that a survivor might need about their time at a Dr Guthrie school,

The Dr Guthrie's Association must give their permission.

This blatantly corrupt set-up

That doesn't take survivors into account,

Is another example of the disregard with which survivors are treated.

Under Scottish law.

The only thing Dr Guthrie's Association

Is being held responsible for is our records, not the abuse.

____________________________________________________________________

National Records of Scotland Catalogue Repository Code 234.

Records of Dr Guthrie's Schools, Edinburgh.

https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=GD425&st=1&tc=y&tl=n&tn=n&tp=n&k=&ko=a&r=GD425&ro=s&df=&dt=&di=y

Many of the schools' records are closed for 100 years:

individual closure dates are given in the catalogue.

Access to closed records cannot be granted except with written authority from:

Azets, Secretaries and Treasurers,

Dr Guthrie's Association SCIO.

Exchange Place 3, Semple Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BL.

____________________________________________________________________

In 1970, you drove through the front gate of Dr Guthrie's Boys' School in Liberton, Edinburgh.

There was a sign saying 'Dr Guthrie's School for Boys'.

I thought that the symbol on the sign resembled the emblem of the Free Church of Scotland.

The sign, with a burning bush on a sky blue background, read Dr Guthrie's Boys' School.

The background logo of the Free Church of Scotland is sky blue.

While the background logo of the Church of Scotland is dark blue.

Although I'm not sure if the Free Church of Scotland had anything to do with Dr Guthrie's schools

- as it would be easier to find a needle in a haystack than information about Dr Guthrie's schools -

Thomas Guthrie was a founding member and moderator of the Free Church of Scotland.

Dr Guthrie's schools have been investigated for child abuse.

The schools have been listed as a non-religious voluntary organisation.

During my time at Dr Guthrie's Boys' School, it was exclusively for Protestant boys.

And attendance at church every Sunday was mandatory.

Job advertisements in the 1960s newspapers often specified that only Protestant applicants would be considered for school jobs.

____________________________________________________________________

So many people have been denied a decent future because of Dr Guthrie's schools.

Children who were abused within the walls of the institutions have cried so much that the buildings are saturated with horror.

They were simply children's prisons and torture centers, masquerading as schools.

____________________________________________________________________

There is a 100 year D notice at Dr Guthrie's schools.

No matter where I look on the internet,

I can't find many photographs.

There was a swimming pool at the Boys' School which was also used by the local schools.

I can't find any photographs of the swimming pool.

dr guthries boys school swimming pool edinburgh

dr thomas guthrie statue protest princes street edinburgh

"Non Oblitus"

The boys' school in Liberton was an institution where vulnerable children

Were subjected to torture and sexual abuse.

The truth about these atrocities will be exposed.

There has always been horror in this building.

In 1970, I was sent to Dr Guthrie's Boys' School. I was eleven years old. I was sentenced to three years care and protection. I was falsely accused of stealing three empty ginger bottles.

My father struggled with alcoholism and mental illness.

He suffered from PTSD and was on a war pension.

He ended up as a patient at Erskine Military Hospital.

Instead of receiving care and protection I was tortured and abused for 29 months and given virtually no education.

I first complained about the abuse in 1988. My complaints were then dismissed and I was told I needed witnesses. I have made no progress since my first complaint in 1988.

I contacted the Child Abuse Inquiry in December 2015.

No arrests have been made.

I have not received an apology,

And as of the time of this writing (28/10/2023).

The Abuse Inquiry has not yet investigated Dr. Guthrie's schools.

____________________________________________________________________

In Scotland, the average life expectancy for people who were in care as children is only 63.

These statistics would suggest that more than half of the children

Who attended Dr Guthrie's schools before 1973 have died.

Dr Guthrie Association is very fortunate to have benefited from Scotland's delayed investigation into child abuse - there are countless victims out there who are no longer alive to voice their complaints.

How many victims of abuse have died over the years?

Without ever receiving even the most minimal form of recognition or justice?

____________________________________________________________________

Anyone who attended a Dr Guthrie's Boys' or Girls' School is welcome to post a comment on this website.

As are family members.

To contact me, please click on one of the options below.

Survivors have our own Facebook group controlled and operated by us.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1581096342197510/

Sometimes when you click on the Facebook URL, you get a blank page. Just click the C and reload the page and the group page will be accessible.

Please sign the petition. Do not let them get away

with horrible child abuse.

https://www.change.org/p/remove-the-thomas-guthrie-st

You can find me at.

https://x.com/ search for GuthriesSu24583

The best lawyer in Scotland.

https://www.digbybrown.co.uk/offices-and-contacts/edinburgh-office

dr guthries list d school liberton edinburgh

dr guthries boys approved school dormitory liberton edinburgh

I made a complaint to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry over nine years ago about some truly horrific child abuse. I was hopeful that it would lead to some form of justice and closure.

It is unfortunate that nine years later, no apology has been made to me or to those who survived

Dr. Guthrie's schools.

What is particularly disgusting is the way in which the organisation responsible for this despicable abuse, Dr Guthrie's Association, is still being portrayed online and in the Scottish media as a Christian "ragged school" charity.

These people have refused to apologise to survivors of Dr Guthrie's schools.

And have denied any responsibility for the abuse that took place there.

Legally and socially, it shouldn't matter if Dr Guthrie's schools were Approved or List D.

We were abused in this institution as children.

Those who survived Dr Guthrie's schools

Endured some of the most distressing forms of child abuse and torture.

We believe that we, too, deserve the same level of justice as other abused children.

We hope our voices will be heard.

We expect justice and closure like any abused child would want.

____________________________________________________________________

Check out our Dr Guthrie Statue video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFFmhEmEVb8