School Projects
The Maggie Law Maritime Museum has a proud record of providing innovative approaches to heritage and community education. The Museum has sponsored many Projects with local schools over the years and below are a few examples.
Working with schools is such a positive experience because of the enthusiasm of the staff and pupils, and inevitably the involvement of parents and the wider community, within the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence. The contribution which these schools and pupils have made to our local heritage, is quite remarkable, and has given everyone a renewed sense of civic pride, and a deeper understanding of the importance of our heritage. Best of all, is the fact that these pupils of today are contributing to their own sense of heritage and laying this down for future generations.
The Museum has the capacity for school visits, and with advance planning, the Museum, the local fish processing businesses and the local heritage can be bound up in one educational visit. If your school or youth group is interested in visiting, please contact us.
Gourdon Primary School Film Project, 2015
The film presents the fruits of a wonderful collaboration between the children and teachers at Gourdon Primary School and the Maggie Law Maritime Museum. Together teachers and volunteers running the Museum designed a project to enable children to research the local culture of the ancient fishing village of Gourdon. Many exciting connections were made as children asked community elders and local people for their stories, recollections and knowledge of boats, bait, buildings and much more.
As children came to realise that school subjects such as history, literacy and mathematics are about real people and real problems, so the Curriculum for Excellence came alive.
As people from across the community recognised that their personal stories and knowledge was of genuine relevance to children’s learning, intergenerational communication began to flow and elements of the unique fishing culture of Gourdon have been recorded, curated and become central to community life.
This film is also available to buy on DVD: please see our Merchandise page for more details.
Gourdon School
"From Sea to Tea" film project
A documentary began production in October 2015 about the village of Gourdon. From Easter to June 2015, the Maggie Law Maritime Museum worked with the Primary Four pupils of Gourdon School, and along with Dave Ramsay, wrote this song which celebrates both the work of the fishermen, and the wonderful seafood journey from the North Sea to your table for your tea.
The pupils performed their song live at their awards day at the end of the summer term, and the song was recorded in their class room. They also researched the various species of shellfish, and collected and wrote some very fine seafood recipes.
Fundraising concert & CD: "Tales of the Sea & The Maggie Law"
Gourdon Primary School staff and pupils had great fun when a new fundraising CD, "Tales of the Sea and the Maggie Law," was recorded in April 2013 at a live concert in Gourdon Village Hall. The concert was held to coincide with the opening of the refurbished Maggie Law Maritime Museum and songs and poetry was performed which reflected on the importance of the sea to this and other communities.
An array of local talent took part including Dave Ramsay, Ray Milne, Primary Five pupils, Celia Craig, The Burns Quoir, Tom Roberts, Ross Hull, Pete Murray and Sue Briggs. Also featured was music from the accordion of the late Robert Gowans.
The CD was released on the 4th July 2013 to coincide with the 16th anniversary of the opening of the original Museum.
This double-CD is available to buy: please see our Merchandise page for more details.
Bervie School
Project: "The Life & Times of Hercules Linton"
In January 2015, the Museum sponsored the Bervie School Primary Four class to carry out a study of the life and times of Hercules Linton.
The purpose was to produce a portfolio which could be sent to the home of the Cutty Sark, at the Royal National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Other portfolios were produced for the school archive, the Museum, the Burgh Hall and the local library.
The pupils researched and wrote about the Bervie angle on Linton’s life, helping to plug a gap in the Greenwich Museum information. They also researched the crew members of the Cutty Sark and compiled a list of all the Scotsmen connected to this famous clipper, and this list is now portrayed in the Museum. The pupils wrote and recorded a song called the Ballad of Hercules Linton, which was performed for parents and community groups.
A highlight of the Project was a visit to the pupils by Martin Woodget, the great- grandson of the longest serving Master of the Cutty Sark. In 2014, Mr Woodget had very kindly presented a family heirloom, a model of the Cutty Sark, to the Maggie Law Maritime Museum.
Lathallan School
Partnership & collaboration
Prior to the refurbishment of the Museum in 2013, a partnership was forged with Lathallan School, an independent educational establishment at Johnshaven.
Through their Citizenship programme, pupils and staff became involved in learning about the rich maritime history of Kincardineshire and, through their fundraising efforts, nearly £500 was raised to pay for a new sign above the main door of the Museum.
A “Danceathon” also produced funds for technical equipment, and perhaps the major contribution of the school was the design and trialling of educational games and activities for children and pupils. This led to educational heritage collaboration between Lathallan and Gourdon Primary School, where the pupils at Gourdon refined and added to the range of educational activities, games, and information provided for the Museum.