Recollections

Recollections Craiglockhart Primary School © Ashley Terrace, North Merchiston, to the NE of Craiglockhart
1.	Lynda Maine Colinton, Edinburgh	- Oxgangs Road North - Teachers and Janitor - Swimming - Ashley Terrace
2.	Shirley Gort (nee England) Severn, Maryland, USA	- 1956-58 - The School
3.	George T Smith Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	- Boys and Girls - The Janitor's House - 'The Wee Ones'
4.	Shirley Gort (nee England) Severn, Maryland, USA	- Christmas - Knitting
5.	George T Smith Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada and reply from Shirley Gort (nee England) Severn, Maryland, USA	- Knitting
6.	George Waters London, Ontario, Canada	- Christmas
7.	Lynda Maine Colinton, Edinburgh	- Old School Friend
8.	Valerie Turner Esk, Queensland, Australia	- Infant Hall Picture - Cabinets
9.	Valerie Turner Esk, Queensland, Australia	- Band of Hope
10.	Lynda Maine Colinton, Edinburgh	- Band of Hope
11.	Valerie Turner Esk, Queensland, Australia	- Band of Hope
12.	Valerie Turner Esk, Queensland, Australia	- The Belt - Miss Struthers - Miss Glennie - Books
13.	Valerie Turner Esk, Queensland, Australia	- Washing Dishes - Curtseying and Saluting - Air Raids - Fountain
14.	George T Smith Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	- Display Cabinets - Books - Teachers - The Janny - Marching
15.	Anthony Ballard Peterborough, South Australia	- Teachers - Marching - Glass Cabinets - School Dinners
16.	Betty McGill	- Miss Lawson - Upstairs
17.	Alan Graham Port Perry, Ontario, Canada	- Schools - Teachers - Marching - Judith Bolton
18.	Jack Wylie Toronto, Ontario, Canada	- Marching to 'Colonel Bogey'
19.	Bob Henderson Burdiehouse, Edinburgh	- Marching to 'Colonel Bogey'
20.	Lynda Maine Colinton, Edinburgh	- Oxgangs Road North - Teachers and Janitor - Swimming - Ashley Terrace

Recollections from

Lynda Maine

Colinton, Edinburgh

Oxgangs Road North

"I was one of the first intake of pupils, around March/April 1950, to attend the annexe of Craiglockhart Primary infant school.

The annexe was in Oxgangs Road North. There was two other classes attached to Craiglockhart along in Harrison Road. A railway line was quite near the school. I can just remember the trains, steam in these days, thundering past the school."

Teachers and Janitor

"My first teacher was a Mrs. Rae. I also remember Mrs Williams, Mrs/Miss Cowan, Miss Caruthers, Miss Glennie and Mr. Munro: also the Headmaster, Mr. McVicor. If I remember rightly he got the MBE, or the OBE. for services for teaching. I wonder if any other Craiglockhart people remember him.

The well know Scots Poet, Norman McGaig, also taught at Craiglockhart for a while.

The school janitor was a Mrs. Casey. She bawled and shouted at the children. Many of the children, including myself were scared of her."

Swimming

"We used to go to Bruntsfield Primary School on a Monday Afternoon for swimming lessons.

Lorraine, a daughter of the teacher, Mr Maz, was in my class. She was a terrific swimmer. I think she represented Scotland for swimming."

Ashley Terrace

"At the age of seven, I went to the larger Craiglockhart School in Ashley Terrace. I felt very grown up travelling to school by transport, getting a bus to Firhill and then getting a tram.

Oh how things have changed."

Lynda Maine, Colinton, Edinburgh: September 25+26, 2006 and April 4+5, 2007

Recollections from

Shirley Gort (nee England)

Severn, Maryland, USA

1956 - 1958

"I am am American who attended Craiglockhart Primary School in 1956-58. I was just recently asked by my grandchildren about my early school life and naturally I started to recall when we lived in Scotland.

I was 9-11 and was the sort of child that just accepted life and made little note of it. So I was wondering if there are any pictures of my old school or any information on its history."

The School

"I have only fond memories of my time at the school.

- I remember that the girls were separated from the boys on the playground, but not in the classrooms.

- I remember that the classrooms were tiered (we went up on stair steps) and the desks were set at two pupils each.

- I also remember that the toilet facilities were outside on the playground and not inside.

Maybe someone out there would remember me. I wonder if the school building is even still there. It was really, really old when I was there"

Yes. The school building is still there. Here's a photo that I took of it in 2006.

Peter Stubbs, January 13, 2008

Shirley Gort, Severn, Maryland, USA: November 10, 2006

Recollections from

George T Smith

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to George T Smith, now living in British Columbia, for sending me his memories of Craiglockhart Primary School.

George wrote:

Boys and Girls

"On the left (or south) was the Girls' Door:

On the right (or north) was the Boys' Door:

There was a sculpture above our door, up whose steps we used to march to the sound of a piano playing patriotic tunes e.g. 'The King is still in London' on the top landing.

The sexes were carefully segregated by a fence between playgrounds which were made of unforgiving concrete which provided excellent slides for boys wearing tackety boots."

The Janitor's House

"The house shown in the postcards was the Jannie's house. Heating was from a boiler under the boys area fuelled by coke which was stored in the NW corner of the boys' playground."

'The Wee Ones'

"During the war, brick air raid shelters were built in the back playgrounds. I think "the wee ones" (first graders) entered the school from the rear playground . The 'wee ones' had their classrooms on the ground floor set out around a hall with a well worn parquet floor guaranteed to put splinters into bare knees."

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: November 11 + 14, 2006

Recollections from

Shirley Gort

Severn, Maryland, USA

Thank you to Shirley Gort, now living in Maryland, USA, for sending me her memories of Craiglockhart Primary School.

Shirley wrote:

Christmas

"I was thrilled to see these pictures of Craiglockhart School. I wish I could recall more.

I do remember us gathering in the Assembly Hall at Christmas for a special program and I believe that this was the first time I heard the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

Knitting

"I learned to knit there but unlike the rest of my fellow students, I never finished my first mitten. I had to keep taking it out, while the others had a pair at the end of the year. I didn't mind, however, as I took my training then made sweaters and afghans for my family. I never have made a pair of mittens yet.

I also learned that I can't sing, but sure did enjoy trying to learn. I really did love my time at the school, and though my memories are sporadic I do enjoy them when they come."

Shirley Gort, Severn, Maryland, USA: November 11 + 14, 2006

Reply from

George T Smith

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

George T Smith replied:

Knitting

"It was not only girls like Shirley Gort who learned to knit at Craiglockhart. We boys too learned plain stitch so as to be able to contribute to our Blankets for Soldiers programme. We learned to knit six inch squares which were stitched together to make these multi coloured blankets.

I have no idea what was behind all this as I can not recollect ever seeing a completed blanket but there were many similar programmes during the war which had some contribution to solidarity, I suppose.

Oddly enough no boys protested about knitting being a 'girly thing' though we did prefer collecting scrap iron and old pots and pans."

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: November 20, 2006

Shirley added:

"That was really neat reading Georges recollections of knittings. I remember that the boys were in our class also, and few really complained. In fact they were some of the best knitters."

Shirley Gort, Severn, Maryland, USA: November 21, 2006

Recollections from

George Waters

'Scotty'

London, Ontario, Canada

Thank you to George Waters who left this message in the guest book

Christmas

"I was at Craiglockhart school from 1939 to1947.

The only name that comes to mind is Mr Cowe, Head Master.

I also remember:

- marching in to the piano every morning

- helping to stoke the boiler for the janitor.

I found it interesting how a photo can bring back so many memories: way too many to write about here.

Thanks for the photos. I can relive my childhood again".

Scotty.

George Waters, London, Ontario, Canada: September 25, 2007

12.

Recollections from

Val Turner

Australia

Here, Val Turner recalls some incidents from her education.

Val wrote:

The Belt

"I got the belt almost every day:

- for being late for school

- looking out of the window

- dropping my pencil

- touching my hair

- getting all my sums wrong!!

I could have been a brain surgeon had I not been terrorised by the teachers; but I do say that the education we received was the best, and I can talk about almost anything (and I do!!) to anyone!!

But they went about it in the wrong way. I remember being the only one who put up her hand when asked if we understood the question, she looked round the class, said "Did anyone else not understand?" Silence, so muggins got the belt again!! So wrong. I learnt never to say that I didn't understand.

Miss Struthers

When Miss Hall was away sick one afternoon, we all piled into Miss Struthers class room and the question was:

'How do you spell 'usual'? Well, we were all struck with fear. All her class knew but none of us knew how to spell it so we were all marched to her desk where she flogged every one and she was so exhausted after that - over 30 kids!! - she was breathless!!!

Miss Glennie

Miss Glennie was so lovely. When my dad came back from the war he brought green bananas. (They now grow in my garden!!)

We put them in a cupboard and when they ripened I took one to miss Glennie and she was so thrilled with it, She told us all about how they grew and where.

Books

I remember the book, 'The Six o'Clock Series' that Miss Glennie would read for a few minutes before the bell went.

I'd love to get hold of a copy. In Papua New Guinea, where I lived for ten yeas, they grew nutmeg and other spices and things that were mentioned in that little book. The book had a picture of a clock on the cover, at 6 o'clock.

Another book which I loved from school was a reader book called 'The Blue Rose'. It had a picture inside of a lady in a lovely crinoline dress.

Val Turner, Esk, Queensland, Australia: January 4, 2008.

13.

Recollections from

Val Turner

Australia

Here are more memories of the school from Val Turner. Val wrote

Washing Dishes

"I remember my qualifying party at school, practising dancing (with boys!!) and wondering what on earth I'd be wearing.

We got ready for the party by helping to wash dishes with my beloved Miss Glennie and me drying. Struthers was washing up and stuffing the cutlery into a large jug to drain. I took them all out to dry and she yelled at me to put them back, then Miss Glennie told me quietly how to do it.

When I was older, I remember helping with the washing-up after school dinners in the Infant Hall, and Mr Cowe bursting through the door in a rage (wasn't he always??) telling me to get out. The women were all severely spoken to!!"

Curtseying and Saluting

"When I was in the infants, i remember curtseying to the teachers and the boys, saluting!! The head master, then, was Mr Miller (always in a brown suit)."

Air Raids

"I remember the air-raids. What fun!! The entire school would be marched outside to the air-raid shelters and given a sweetie each from the big jar.

We'd hope there'd be more air-raids next day so we'd have another sweetie! Oh! the innocence of youth!!!!"

Fountain

"In the playground, at the water fountain, the cup was made of iron and chained to the iron sink!! I still remember the taste of the water from that iron cup!"

Val Turner, Esk, Queensland, Australia: January 10, 2008.

14.

Recollections from

George T Smith

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

George T Smith, responded to Val Turner's comments (8 and 12 above).

George wrote:

Display Cabinets

"Val Turner's recollections of the specimen cabinet reminded me that , although on display in the Upper Hall, they were never explained or, to my knowledge ever opened.

I have faint memory of a dusty looking snake or lizard and other unlabelled exhibits."

Books

"I searched Abe Books for some record of the books she mentioned but apart from a detective story Blue Rose 1980 nothing rang any bells."

Teachers

"I remember the names Struthers and Glennie, but suffered under neither. My own teacher was a Miss Fergus, tall, skinny, and wearing an enveloping floral overall."

The Janny

"I remember stoking the boiler with the 'janny' and slipping up the back stairs from the boiler room into the school.

Why? Because they were there!

I remember, too, being puzzled why the janny's sons went to the Royal High and I had to settle for Boroughmuir."

Marching

"Most of all, I remember the marching in in twos to the sound patriotic music on the tinny piano perched on the top landing"

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: January 10, 2008

15.

Recollections from

Anthony Ballard

Peterborough, South Australia

Anthony Ballard wrote:

Teachers

"I attended Craiglockart School between 1941-1946. The headmaster at the time was Mister Miller, followed by Mr Cowe.

My Teacher was Miss Fergus, who was over-fond of the strap."

Marching

"We assembled in the morning in the Playground and marched indoors to such tunes as 'Cherry Ripe' and 'Dashing away with the Smoothing Iron', played on a Piano on the second landing, I think."

Glass Cabinets

"I remember the stuffed animals in glass cabinets, where we used to assemble for different lectures."

School Dinners

"Some memories will never fade. I remember the horrible School dinners at that time, Tapioca, Semolina and Sago were among the worst desserts!"

Class Mates

"Some of my class mates were:

- Jimmy Thompson

- Junior Marshall

- Alastair Pirie

- Robert Scougall?

- Florence Bowden

- Jimmy Ledbetter?

- brother and sister Morrison.

I should love to hear from any of my old schoolmates

Anthony Ballard, Peterborough South Australia: January 13, 2008

If you'd like to contact Anthony Ballard, please e-mail me and I'll pass on your message to him. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: January 13, 2008

16.

Recollections from

Betty McGill

Betty McGill wrote:

Miss Lawson

"When I was just five, I had an angel for a teacher. Her name was Miss Lawson. She lived in Ivy Terrace or Myrtle Terrace and had a Sister who looked and dressed just as she did.

Miss Lawson will always live in my heart, not just my memory, for the kind lady she was. She wore long flowing dresses made of a dark velvet. She had dark hair and a fresh complexion.

We had Miss Lawson until we went upstairs."

Upstairs

"It hurts me still to talk of the shock we all got going from being taught by an angel !!!!! to a class taught by our new teacher.

- we were belted every day.

- boys ears pulled .

- ruler across the knuckles.

- ridiculed.

Well, I was so scared of her, I wanted her to like me. My next- door neighbour gave me some flowers to take to her at school, so I wrapped them in newspaper and handed them to her.

Well, all hell broke loose !!!!! she ripped off the heads of my lovely flowers and threw them in the bin, shouting at me: 'You think I'm an ogre don't you' !!!!!! I said in a very quiet voice: 'Yes, Miss'.

It's haunted me all these years. I'm going on 77 yrs young !!!!!"

17.

Recollections from

Alan Graham

Port Perry, Ontario, Canada

Alan Graham wrote:

Schools

"I went to Craiglockhart in the 1950s, leaving there in 1955 to go to Boroughmuir. Craiglockhart was not my first school as I went to Blackhall first. We moved to 40 Harrison Road, probably about 1949-50 and I then went to Craiglockhart."

Teachers

"One teacher I remember is Miss Weddell. She taught me at Blackhall and later moved to Craiglockhart. I remember when she got married. My mother took me to the Church to see the wedding, but I can't recall her married name.

Another teacher I remember is Norman McCaig the poet."

Marching

"As for marching into school to the sound of music, if I remember correctly, they played Colonel Bogey over the loudspeaker system .

Naturally, being boys we used to sing along but with the wrong words - something like "Hitler has only got one b... ."

Judith Bolton

"About the only person I remember that was in my class was a lovely young English girl by the name of Judith Bolton. She was the prettiest girl in school and all the boys (including me) were madly in love with her."

Alan Graham, Port Perry, Ontario, Canada: Message left in EdinPhoto Guest Book, May 30, 2008

18.

Recollections from

Jack Wylie

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jack Wylie, now living in Ontario, Canada, read 'Recollections 17' (above) from Alan Graham, another former pupil of Craiglockhart Primary School now living in Ontario, Canada.

Jack left a message in the EdinPhoto guest book on May 31, 2008 saying that he remembered the 'different words' that the pupils sung when they marched to the tune of 'Colonel Bogey'.

Jack wrote:

Marching to 'Colonel Bogey'

"I am now 71 years old, but I remember singing these words myself. I couldn't tell you the last time I even thought about this song. I'll bet it's not in the last fifty years. Talk about bringing back memories!

I don't imagine too many people will remember that song, although anybody that lived in East Thomas Street in the late 1940s and early 1950s will remember it."

Jack Wylie, Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Message left in EdinPhoto Guest Book, May 31, 2008