Head teacher leaves £1.5 million in will
Published 6 Jun 2012 15:30
THE former head teacher of St Patrick's Primary school in Dumbarton has left behind more than £1.5million in his will.
Arthur Lenagh, who never married, passed away last December at the age of 92.
Intensley private, legal documents raised at Glasgow Sheriff Court today (Wednesday) revealed his fortune to be £1,536,839.
Mr Lenagh was appointed the position of head teacher at St Patrick's Primary School in Dumbarton in 1969, taking over from Notre Dame nun Sister Julie Marie.
It was reported after his death that doubts were expressed by a number of parents and councillors about the replacement of the nuns at the Dumbarton primary school, but Mr Lenagh successfully took over.
He was described as "always dressing immaculately and wearing every day the same tie as his pupils".
The school moved premises in 1973 from McLean Place to Crosslet Road in Dumbarton.
Over the years, Mr Lenagh made many changes to the school curriculum in numeracy and literacy, preparing the pupils for comprehensive education which had recently been introduced in the secondary schools.
And in 1983 the school was commended by the Saltire Society for a project on the Life of St Patrick on which Mr Lenagh, his staff and pupils worked with Scottish craftsman/designer Willie Rodger.
Prior to his death, he instructed that his solicitor sort his debts, funeral expenses and have him cremated before splitting his assets between family members.
These included a house in Oban, worth £145,000, his £350,000 Helensburgh home and a bank account with £350,000.
He also had a number of bonds, bank accounts and shares in England and Wales that totalled £720,766.
The house in Oban was left to a woman named Elizabeth King, while his sister Patricia Davies, niece Norma Urquhart and nephews Glyn Davies, Peter Davies and James Kane all received equal shares of the remainder of his assets.
Mr Lenagh was also a teacher at St Bartholomew's Primary in Townhead, Coatbridge for 13 years, almost half his time there was as deputy head teacher.
While working in Lanarkshire, Mr Lenagh was a senior magistrate on the bench of the Justice of the Peace Court.
Also as a prominent member of the Labour party for years he campaigned for a Scottish Parliament for many years and was delighted when their pioneering work eventually led to the granting of the parliament at Holyrood.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 06 Jun 12
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