Morgan Academy FPA

An example of what may have been the first blazer badge of Morgan Academy is also in the F.P. Archives. It features the front of the school, the crest of a deer, the letters M A, and the motto “God & Enough”. A later badge, introduced post W.W.1, more closely resembles the modern badge, but has no motto to it. It bears the letters D M A.

Until 1935, there was much confusion about the school motto. Originally “God and enough” in the time of the Hospital and the early years of the School, it went through a transition to “God has enough” and then to “God is enough” during W.W.1.

Although no official statement of changes of motto have been traced, a brochure to commemorate the reconstruction of the school in 1915 gave a detailed explanation as to why the motto was “God has enough”. However, from at least 1914, the school was using a stamp on school books on which the motto was “God is enough”. Confused? So was the redoubtable Rector, Dr. Leighton, who was obliged in 1934 to ask the Lord Lyon which was the true version. The latter declined to become involved in the matter.

The present school badge, considerably embellished from the deer’s head of the 1920’s, bears a reindeer’s head, spear points and drips of blood, together with the motto “God is enough”. It was designed in 1935 by the head of the Art Department, James ‘Curly’ Watson at the time who had been a teacher at the school since its formation in 1889. The badge was produced to meet the requirements of the Lord Lyon’s office for registration of the badges of the Dundee schools, Grove , Harris and Morgan.

Following the registration, the Lord Lyon authorised and issued a parchment of “Matriculation” to the school in 1935. This hung in the Rector’s room and was there until destroyed by the fire in 2001. A replacement copy has been issued by the Lord Lyon, shown below.

Below is a transcription of the text within the document.

EXTRACT of MATRICULATION of the Arms of MORGAN ACADEMY

The Lord Provost, Magistrates and Councillors of the City and Royal Burgh of Dundee as Education Authority for the said Royal Burgh, having by Petition unto The Lord Lyon King of Arms of date the second day of May 1935 on behalf of

MORGAN ACADEMY, Represented that the said Academy is a school under the management of the Education Committee of the Corporation of the Royal Burgh of Dundee. THAT the said Academy, which was formerly called “Morgan Hospital” was founded in terms of the will of John Morgan, an East India Merchant, who was born in Dundee on Twenty Eighth day of February 1760 and died in Edinburgh on Twenty Fifth day of August 1850, and now bears his name; AND the said Petitioners having prayed that suitably differenced Ensigns Armorial might be recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland as for the said Academy, the Lord Lyon King of Arms by Interlocutor of date seventeen May 1935 Granted Warrant to the Lyon Clerk to matriculate in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland in name of Morgan Academy, Dundee and of the Lord Provost, Magistrates and Councillors of the City and Royal Burgh of Dundee as Education Authority for the said Royal Burgh and of their successors as Managers of the said Academy the following Ensigns Armorial, vizt:- Azure, a reindeer’s head erased or, langued and gorged with a collar gules, chained and and between three spear heads points upwards Argent, embrued. The whole within a bordure also. Argent charged with three squares of the Third. In an Escrol below the shield this Motto “GOD IS ENOUGH”.

Matriculated the Seventeenth day of May 1955

Extracted furth of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland (Volume 51, folio 52)

this 17th day of May 2002

Elizabeth A. Roads

Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records.