By NEIL MACLEAN
The Hamilton Academy situated on the corner of Pope and Collins Street, Hamilton was founded by James Begg in 1870 and existed until mid-1900. In 1874 the building better known more recently as “St Mary’s School” was built for the Academy, which could claim to have been the pre-eminent post elementary school in the district for much of the 1880’s.
This book tells its story of that other school-the “Hamilton Academy” and James Begg's role in it which deserves to be told.