The Madras College Archive

     


Former Teacher Biographies

Lindsay Sinclair Gunn Matheson MA (1944 - 2019), Rector
 
 

Lindsay Matheson was born in 1944 in Edinburgh to the Very Reverend James Matheson and his wife Janet, Matheson was the third of five children. He started his education at Blackhall Primary in Edinburgh, while his father – who would go on to become Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1975 – was the minister at Blackhall St Columba’s Parish Church. In September 1951, when Matheson’s father accepted the post of minister at Knox Church in Dunedin, the family left Scotland for New Zealand and remained there for a decade.

Back in Edinburgh from the age of 15, Lindsay Matheson attended George Watson’s College before going to St Andrews University, and subsequently Oxford, to study Medieval History. He gained his teaching diploma at Moray House School of Education at Edinburgh University and less than a month after marrying Katherine began his teaching career in 1970 at Banff Academy.

He became head of history at Lochaber High School in the early 197s and then Assistant Head Teacher at Inverurie Academy. He next went to Milnes High School in Fochabers before the last move in his teaching career when he was appointed Rector of Madras College in 1997. He retired from this position in 2007.

After retirement he continued to pursue his affection for St Andrews, often to be seen supporting school sports at Station Park, being involved as a Church member and singing in local choirs. He set up the Madras College Archive Group and chaired and promoted its activities. He also chaired the 'Campaign for a New Madras College in the 21st Century' and subsequently the 'St Andrews Environmental Protection Association Ltd.'. In this role he was instrumental in the rejection of what he believed was a 'weak and flawed' decision to build a new school at Pipeland and after legal challenges this was overturned and has resulted in the new school being built at Langlands.