Following in Our Founder’s Footsteps
Fettes is a unique and special place which owes its existence to the generosity of Sir William Fettes. It was a gift in his will that made Fettes College, and its impact over generations, possible.
Upon his death in 1836, Sir William gifted the residue of his estate for the maintenance, education and outfit of young people whose parents had either died without leaving them with sufficient funds for that purpose or who, from innocent misfortune during their lives, were unable to give suitable education to their children.
This visionary gift enabled Fettes College to be built, guided by Sir William Fettes’ belief that education is of the utmost importance in shaping a young person’s life.
In 1870, the first 53 students arrived, many of whom were orphans or the sons of impoverished parents and most of whom had their fees paid in full through philanthropy.
Today, we are grateful to Sir William Fettes for the outstanding school bearing his name and the strong community that has formed from this.
Fettes Moving Forward
We remain committed to our founder’s values and strive to deliver an exceptional education that gives young people the confidence and tools to go on to lead successful lives. It is important to us that students understand what it means to give back, a reflection of the philanthropic spirit demonstrated by Sir William Fettes more than 150 years ago.
Providing significant means-tested bursaries continues to be a priority, empowering these children to realise their full potential and achieve a future they didn’t know was possible. The profound impact of a bursary is lifelong, as shown by Dougald Dick (Ki 1946-1950) later in this brochure. Dougald chose to leave a gift in his will to help others experience a Fettes education, after being given this opportunity himself. We are tremendously thankful to Dougald and to all those who decide to give back to Fettes through a gift in their will. Every generation of Fettesians has benefited from the generosity of those that have gone before them, beginning with the legacy of Sir William Fettes. It is very special to see this tradition of kindness continue.
Remembering Fettes in your will enables the school to advance and progress with confidence. If,after you have looked after your loved ones, you choose to leave us a gift, you will be helping Fettes sustain its future for those following in our footsteps. These donations are instrumental in supporting our ambitions going forward.
I wanted to include the Fettes Foundation in my will because I was a Foundation Scholar when I was at Fettes from 1952 to 1957. Without that financial support, I would not have been able to benefit from one of the best all round schools of its kind in the UK. Fettes has fantastic provision for education.
Old Fettesian
Although it is many years since I retired from working at Fettes, the activities I engaged in there, apart from teaching, are very much still at the core of my own life. This is one of the reasons I have decided to make a provision for Fettes in my will to support pupils who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Former Staff
How your gift could make a difference
Gifts in wills have been transformational for Fettes in many ways over the years. Since its formation in 1998, the Fettes Foundation has received more than £3.8m in legacy gifts and we are incredibly grateful for this support. These donations have achieved so much, from funding for bursary award holders to the improvement or creation of new facilities and assistance for particular departments, which leaves a lasting impact on the experience of Fettesians.
Every gift in every will, however large or small, makes a difference.
Frans ten Bos (Gl 1951-1955)
Frans was an English-born rugby player of Dutch parentage. When the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, his family fled to France and got on a cocoa boat heading from West Africa to Britain.
After attending Lathallan Prep School, Frans moved to Fettes in 1951. It was, at this time, the strongest rugby school in Scotland and he played a dominant role in the famous XV which remained unbeaten in a school match for five years.
Frans went to Oxford University, gaining a Rugby Blue and it was therefore no surprise when he was selected by Scotland for the 1959 Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham. He played rugby for Scotland from 1959 to 1963 and won 17 caps. It was at Fettes that this talent was encouraged and nurtured.
Frans went on to lead a thriving printing business in London which, upon retirement to Glen Prosen in Angus, he sold.
In discussion with his family, the unrestricted legacy of Frans ten Bos was directed towards the restoration of the Pavilion to inspire the next generation.
Dougald Dick (Ki 1946-1950)
David Douglas Dick (Dougald) came to Fettes in 1946 as a Foundation Scholar. He enjoyed his four years at Fettes, where amongst other things, he represented the school in shooting, gained his lifelong love of playing squash, learned to play the bagpipes, and became a formidable Scottish country dancer.
After gaining a degree at the University of St Andrews, Dougald’s career took him to Sri Lanka, India, and Hong Kong, where he became known as ‘Mr Shipping’ due to his role as Chairman of an international shipping consortium. He retired to Australia in the late 1980s with his late wife Joan. Dougald never forgot the opportunities opened up for him by his education at Fettes and often reminisced about his time at the school.
Dougald chose to leave a gift in his will to support students who would benefit from a Fettes education but whose parents or guardians do not have the necessary funds to pay for it.
Through the generosity of the bursary, and of the school, I have been able to defy others’ expectations of me and in turn rewrite the narrative of my life.
Jove (CW 2021-2023) Bursary Award Holder
When I first joined Fettes I was a shy teenager who could barely look people in the eye. Fettes has built my confidence up and made me a confident young man, who holds close the values of kindness, tolerance and hard work.
Ed (Mo 2020-2025) Bursary Award Holder
David Allardice (Mo 1978-1984)
David’s time at Fettes taught him to open his eyes to the outside world and not to take everything at face value. As a university student, David and his friend James spent a summer travelling around South East Asia. This trip was ultimately a defining period for David.
He went into a career in banking and fund management, quickly returning to work in Asia with his home becoming Hong Kong, though he worked all over the region. Eventually, he tired of the finance world and realised what he really wanted to do was to travel and to organise extraordinary travel experiences for others, setting up his own company specialising in this.
There comes a time when we must all prepare our wills and I’ve committed myself to leaving at least 80% to charitable causes… Fettes gave me the foundations I needed for my success, and this is my small contribution to the success of future Fettesians.
David Allardice (Mo 1978-1984)
David came to realise that it was Fettes that had helped develop his enquiring mind and a sense that so much can be achieved by broadening your experiences.
He chose to leave a gift in his will to fund a new medical hub at Fettes, centralising the school’s medical and pastoral care services in a sector-leading facility designed to support the physical and mental health of all students.
David was able to make the journey to visit Scotland and the school one last time in 2022, where he stood on the site of the future development. The Allardice Centre opened in March 2026 thanks to David’s generous legacy.
Ronnie Guild (Staff 1950-1981)
Ronnie ‘Cocker’ Guild arrived at Fettes in 1950 after a colourful period of war service, mainly in India, and Oxford. His speciality was geography and he wanted above all to give those he taught a concern for the lived environment that surrounded them, which he cared deeply about.
In the early 1960s, Ronnie took over the ‘waiting house’, Inverleith, as Housemaster and in time he took over command of the CCF which he ran for several years. He then moved on to the ‘Outside Service’, an alternative to the CCF involving various kinds of community service. Ronnie’s instinctive kindness and concern for other people meant that this suited him down to the ground. It also strengthened the link between the school and the local community.
A notable character, Ronnie stayed at Fettes for 31 years.
In discussion with his family, Ronnie Guild’s legacy was directed towards projects and activities to improve the biodiversity of the Fettes campus, such as the Prep School polytunnel.
Remembering Fettes in Your Will
So much has been achieved at Fettes over the last 150 years thanks to the exceptional strength and kindness of our community. Imagine what you could help us achieve in the next 150 years with a gift in your will.
If the time is right for you to remember a charity in your will, please remember the Fettes Foundation.
How to leave a gift in your will:
1. State in your will that you would like to leave a gift to the Fettes Foundation, Charity No. SC028350. Your solicitor will be able to guide you on this. We would always recommend that you seek professional legal advice when you are writing or amending your will, whether you are based in the UK or internationally.
2. Include our details: The Fettes Foundation, Fettes College, Carrington Road, Edinburgh, EH4 1QX.
Whether you decide to leave a cash sum or percentage of your estate, we are truly grateful for what you are doing for future generations.
Even 1% can be left to the Fettes Foundation in your will so those closest to you inherit 99%. You can of course leave more if you want to.
If you wish your gift to support a specific area, we would encourage you to discuss this with the Director of Development, Michael Stitt, to ensure your wishes can be fulfilled.
Should you have any questions or would like to let us know of your intentions, please do also get in touch. We would love the opportunity to thank you by inviting you to special events throughout the year and keeping you up to date on our news and projects.
Once received, gifts in wills are added to a leather-bound book in Callover Hall in permanent recognition and remembrance of your generosity.
Michael Stitt Director of Development
mrj.stitt@fettes.com
0131 311 6960
Did you know that leaving a charitable gift in your will can reduce your inheritance tax in the UK? If 10% or more of your estate is left to charity, your Inheritance Tax rate may be reduced from 40% to 36%.
Please see gov.uk for current rules.
Donors in the USA can leave a gift to the 501(c)(3) organisation Friends of Fettes College Inc. Please contact us for more information.
The Fettes Foundation is a registered charity in Scotland, No. SC028350. It is a company limited by guarantee in Scotland, No. SC189253, with its registered office at Fettes College, Carrington Road, Edinburgh, EH4 1QX.
