This building was built in 1848 by the Matheson’s on Keith Street.  It is known by a number of names - Lady Matheson’s Industrial school, the Female Industrial School or Lady Matheson’s Seminary.

Roderick Campbell describes the formation of the industrial female school by Lady Matheson in his book, Father of St Kilda (viewable online here) published in 1901.  A brief history of Roderick Campbell can be found here in the following article which appeared in the Stornoway Amenity Trust Homecoming Calendar (2009).

For further information on the history of Female Industrial School, click here to view the Stornoway Historical Society web page.