Robert Louis Stevenson in Edinburgh

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Education

While he was living at Inverleith Terrace, the young Robert Louis Stevenson attended his first school, a local one at Canonmills, which is now Canonmills Baptist Church. Unfortunately, it was a painful experience for him as he was teased for his unusual appearance. In addition, the school was very near the polluted river, the Water of Leith. He only attended this school briefly, however, before moving to Mr Henderson’s school in India Street.

Canonmills School

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Mr Henderson’s Private School

The first school RLS attended after moving to Heriot Row was Mr Henderson’s private school at 36 India Street, just around the corner from his new home. He started at this school on September 30th, 1857. One of his fellow students remembered him as an eccentric boy, playing the fool on a day trip to North Berwick. Due to ill health, he found even two days a week at school too much and was withdrawn after only a few weeks, although he returned briefly in October 1859.

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Edinburgh Academy

Robert Louis Stevenson attended Edinburgh’s leading school, Edinburgh Academy, in Henderson Row when he was ten years old for a period of 15 months. Once again, however, he was often absent because of illness. One of his teachers, D’Arcy Thompson, a classics master, made a strong impression on him by treating the students respectfully, as young adults. Thompson later wrote an account of his time at the Academy, called Day Dreams of a School Master, in which he argued for broader female education and the dignity of the teaching profession. In many ways, he was ahead of his time.

Despite his poor attendance, Stevenson regarded the Academy as his Alma Mater.

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Burlington Lodge Academy, Isleworth, England

The next school Robert Louis Stevenson attended wasn’t in Scotland. It was in England in 1863. Following family trips to Europe for health reasons – the health of his parents, that is – Thomas Stevenson enrolled his son at Burlington Lodge Academy, a boarding school in the Spring Grove district of Isleworth, a town in the Southeast of England. The young boy’s aunt, Jane Balfour, lived in the area and three of his cousins were already attending the school.

During his time there, Stevenson produced a schoolboy magazine featuring three stories he had written (“The Adventures of Jan Van Steen”, “The Ghost Story” and “The Wreckers”). He wrote proudly to his parents, saying: “I have appeared before the public as an author”.

By the time his 13th birthday came around, Stevenson wrote to his father telling him he was miserable at the school and pleading to be taken home. His father collected him at the end of the term.

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Mr Thomson’s Private School

On 3rd October 1864, RLS started at yet another school, this one at 40 Frederick Street in Edinburgh, which he attended on and off until he went to University in 1867. The school was a small, private one with only twenty pupils, run by Mr Robert Thomson, who earlier in life had qualified as an Advocate in London. His school was specifically intended for ‘backward and delicate’ children. At this school, Stevenson studied French, Latin and Geometry. The students were not required to do any homework, which freed up their time for other pursuits. Once again, however, Stevenson’s schooling was interrupted by both illness and holidays in Scotland with his mother and father.

Mr Thomson’s school was located at this site, but unfortunately the building has changed considerably since then. The school was located in the upper part of the building but that section has since been replaced.

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Edinburgh University

In November 1867, in accordance with family tradition, Robert Louis Stevenson started studying civil engineering at Edinburgh University. Unfortunately, he had no real interest in or aptitude for the subject – really, he wanted to be a writer – so, not surprisingly, he spent much of his time avoiding lectures or, worse, disrupting some of those he did attend. His years as an engineering student were lonely ones for Stevenson, and he seems to have made no lasting friendships during this time. During the summer breaks, he was sent to study marine engineering works, in particular breakwaters, at Anstruther and Wick, and to inspect various lighthouses around the coast of Scotland, but those failed to spark an interest in the subject. In 1871, he finally told his father that he didn’t wish to proceed with an engineering career. His father was bitterly disappointed but accepted the inevitable. It was decided that Stevenson would return to University in November of that year and study law instead, an equally prestigious profession. Unfortunately, Stevenson had as little interest in law as he had in engineering. Nevertheless, and rather amazingly, he was called to the bar in 1875. Despite qualifying, he only appeared in court once and afterwards chose not to practise. Instead, he chose to travel the world and marry and write some wonderful stories that have stood the test of time. He chose to become his true self.

Despite having little interest in the subjects he studied, RLS did have some fun times at University, although one of those times led to him being arrested! His ‘crime’ was to take part in a two-day snowball fight on the street between the Old College and the nearby Surgeons Hall on Nicolson Street. He claimed he had only been an observer and got off with a reprimand. Also during his time at University, he joined the Speculative Society, an exclusive debating club, and was invited by three of the other members to join them in editing a new periodical, The Edinburgh University Magazine. It ran for only four issues, but in those four RLS published six of his own articles.

Next … The Stevenson family tomb at New Calton Burial Ground