Robert McQueen Pearson

Robert went to school locally, then enrolled at the University of Glasgow in 1907. He studied for an Arts degree, taking English, Maths, Greek and Education, and lodging at 15 West End Park Street. While attending the University, he studied concurrently for a teaching qualification from the Glasgow Provincial Training College, forerunner of Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde. He completed his professional training at midsummer 1910 and gained the Teacher’s General Certificate, with additional qualifications to teach singing and physical exercises in primary schools. The College examiners did, however, recommend that he should take a further course in nature study. Robert taught temporarily at Grantown Grammar School in Grantown on Spey from 24 October to 4 November 1910, and was then appointed to Grahamston School in Barrhead on 6 November 1911. He was still in post when he joined up for war service in May 1916.

Robert became a private in the 11th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which formed part of Kitchener’s New Army. He was killed on 2 November 1916, in one of the series of engagements collectively known as the Battle of the Somme. He is name is inscribed on the Lutyens-designed monument at Thiepval near the Somme River. In this instance, his middle initials are mis-transcribed as ‘McD’, rather than ‘McQ’. Private Robert McQueen Pearson is also remembered on the Glasgow University Roll of Honour, the Roll of Honour of the Glasgow Provincial Committee for the Training of Teachers, and the Glasgow Provincial Training College war memorial, located in the David Stow building on the former Jordanhill Campus.