Dates

• Existence: 1913-2005. - 2005

Biography

Tom Gourdie (1913-2005) was born and raised in Cowdenbeath, and won a scholarship to study at Edinburgh College of Art in the early 1930s. His interest in handwriting was present from an early age, and it was at Art College that he discovered calligraphy under the tuition of Irene Wellington, a renowned calligrapher of the period. After war service with the RAF, he taught art at Banff Academy and then returned to Fife to teach at Kirkcaldy High School. Alongside his teaching career he was developing his ideas on the importance of teaching handwriting to primary school children and evolving various systems and scripts for doing so. He took early retirement in 1973 in order to devote his considerable energies to bringing this about, particularly through the promulgation of his 'Simple Modern Hand'. He had some success in Scotland, where a few Education Boards adopted the system, but perhaps found greater favour abroad. Tom Gourdie was also an accomplished and prolific artist, particularly in watercolour. His subjects were frequently architectural, including many (now vanished) industrial and street scenes of urban Fife. His painting largely fell away after 1973, when he set about his evangelical handwriting mission.

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records: