Annie Stewart Kerr Kirkland , the daughter of William, a draughtsman, was born in 1896 . She attended Kilmarnock Academy Higher Grade Public School until 1914. As a junior student at the Academy's training centre, she also completed a three year course in teaching primary school subjects. She studied at the University of Glasgow from 1914 to 1918, graduating MA in June 1918 . She took the following subjects: Latin and Mathematics in 1914-1915; Logic and Metaphysics and Higher Mathematics in 1915-1916; English and Botany in 1916-1917; Education and Natural Philosophy in 1917-1918. She was awarded merit certificates in four classes: first class merit certificate in Mathematics 1914-1915; second class merit certificate in Higher Ordinary Mathematics 1915-1916; second class merit certificate in the Logic class 1915-1916; second class merit certificate for the Ordinary physical laboratory 1917-1918.
After teaching in a temporary position for a few months at Kilmarnock Academy, she was appointed to the permanent staff as an assistant teacher of science in February 1919 , a position she held until the mid 1940s. On 07 January 1947 she returned to teaching in James Hamilton Central Junior Secondary School, Kilmarnock and continued there until 31 August 1950. After a year off she returned to Kilmarnock Academy in August 1951 to work in the science department to help out during a period of staff shortages and remained in post until March 1955 , when she finally gave up teaching to help at home with an elderly relative. Miss Kirkland died on 22 January 1980 .
From the guide to the Papers of Annie Stewart Kerr Kirkland, 1896-1980, arts graduate, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1911-1918, (Glasgow University Archives Service)
