SON OF THE LATE ARCHIBALD JACK. NATIVE OF PORT GLASGOW. Teacher at Clune Park School. 

Archibald Jack was born in 1884 in Port Glasgow, and was the son of Archibald and Annie Jack. His father was a ship’s carpenter when Archibald was born, but rose to become a Shipwright in the local shipyards.

Archibald attended the local schools in Port Glasgow and Greenock, and is recorded in the 1901 census as a ‘Pupil Teacher’. Pupil Teachers were boys and girls of at least 13 years of age, who were indentured and paid to teach younger children throughout the school day and received their own lessons from the school teacher before or after school hours. These lessons were intended to prepare them for progression to teacher training college.

1903 was an eventful year for Archibald, with the death of his father on 19th June. That April, he had obtained a Higher grade pass in Mathematics in the University of Glasgow Preliminary examinations, and, despite only achieving a Lower grade pass in Latin, these passes were enough to enable him to go on to higher education.

In October 1903, Archibald enrolled at the Glasgow United Free Church Training College (forerunner of the Glasgow Provincial Training College, later known as Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde) for a two-year course of teacher training. He also matriculated concurrently at the University, where in session 1903/04 he studied Maths and History, passing both after resits. In session 1904/05 he studied English and Nat Philosophy (Physics). He failed his examinations in April 1905, and also failed the resits in October, but was allowed to take the examinations for a third time in March 1906, where he managed to pass both subjects.

Archibald completed his professional training at the Glasgow United Free Church Training College in July 1905, having come top of his class in Educational Woodwork and second from top in Physical Drill. He was duly recognised by the Scotch [sic] Education Department as a Certificated Teacher, with additional qualifications to teach Drawing and Manual Work in primary schools.

His first teaching appointment was at Jean Street School in Port Glasgow, the School Board having met in February 1905 and unanimously agreed to offer him an assistant teacher post, provided that he completed his training.

By the time he enlisted for war service, Archibald was teaching at Clune Park School, also in Port Glasgow, and residing with his sister Miss Jessie Jack at 19 Glenhuntly Terrace in Port Glasgow.

He served in France and Flanders as a private in Princess Louise's Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and that was where he died on a date which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records as 22nd April 1918. The Grave Reference Card prepared when burying him shows a date of 21st April. The card is prepared at the time, but the considered and therefore official date is the 22nd. Archibald is buried at St. Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, Robecq (Pas de Calais), where his mother had the words “He died that we might live” added to his gravestone. He was 34 years old.

Private Archibald Jack is remembered on the University Roll of Honour; on the Glasgow Provincial Training College War Memorial, located in the David Stow Building on the former Jordanhill Campus; and on the Port Glasgow Memorial, which was unveiled in October 1921, fittingly, near the port. Information from University of Glasgow Roll of Honour HERE

Buried at St. Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, Robecq, France. Grave Reference II. E. 19.

Newspaper Clippings relating to Archibald Jack

Archibald Jack