He was born at
Woolwich, the son of a
Presbyterian minister. Balgarnie studied at, and taught at, Elmfield College before going to The Leys. In the 1890s he would gather with other Old Elmfieldians in London for a country walk followed by tea, which was invariably accompanied with recitations and ballads around the piano. Balgarnie was the first Elmfieldian M.A. (1891), and went from Elmfield to Fowey Grammar School, in
Cornwall. In 1894, Balgarnie was awarded a
sizarship at
Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he duly graduated with a first-class honours degree in classics. There he met W. W. Gibberd, a mathematician, through the
Cambridge University Hare and Hounds, the cross-country club. From 1898 to 1900 he worked as an assistant master at Woodbridge School. From 1900 till 1929 he was an assistant and housemaster at Leys school, senior classics master and for one year he served as a deputy Headmaster (1929–1930). and
Lysias. He edited classical works, including
Xenophon's
Anabasis. He died at
Porthmadog, Wales, after a heart attack. ==Leysian links with Elmfield College==