Edinburgh History - Peffermill Tin School

Recollections

Lena Mary Conway (nee Moran)

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

From 1933

Lena Mary Conway's memories (recorded for her by her daughter, Lesley Conway, now living in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) can be found on this Niddrie page.

They include these recollections of Peffermill Tin School:

The Tin School

"I was the only one in the family to go to the ‘tin school’ in Peffermill. I think it only had two or three classrooms. I couldn't work out why I was the only one to go there, given I had 3 older siblings and younger ones as well.

I remember getting my coronation tin of toffees whilst I was at the tin school, as I remember being marched across the road to a big house - I think it had something to do with the brewery - and lined up to receive my tin of sweeties. This means that the tin school was operational in 1937, when I was 10.

At about this time, I went into the corner shop to buy a half-penny lucky bag. The queue was long and I got sick of waiting so I stole it and then agonised over this action for months."

Lesley Conway recording the memories of her mother Lena Mary Conway: April 25, 2007

Recollections

Arch Meldrum

Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland

From 1939

Arch Meldrum wrote:

Peffermill Tin School

"What happy recollections the mention of the "Tinny" brings back.

We lived in Craigmillar from Feb 1939 until May 1941 and went to the "Tinny" on our arrival in the "New World", with houses with inside toilets and BATHS.

Evacuation

"During our time at Craigy, there was the heart-tearing parting of the evacuation which in my case was to St. Boswells, a land of rolling pastures and apple orchards in the Scottish Borders.

Oh, the apple orchards, sweet delight! I have many happy thoughts of those times and thought that I was almost alone in my memories. Nice to join the club.

Friends

Here are just a few names to conjure with:

- Alec and Gerald Wilson

- Stanley Cross

- Jim McGee.

Any takers?"

Arch Meldrum, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland: May 12, 2007

If you would like to contact Arch Meldrum, please e-mail me and I will pass on your message. Thank you.

- Peter Stubbs: May 12, 2007

Recollections

Johnni Stanton

Peffermill, Edinburgh

Johnni Stanton wrote:

Peffermill Tin School

"The wee tin school at Peffermill Road, across from Peffermill House, was used by St Francis RC Primary School as an annexe throughout the 1950s and early-1960s, till it was burned to the ground around 1965 - 66

I was there for two great years in 1962 -64, before moving back to the Mainie (the main school) for one year, before going to Secondary school (St Anthony's in Lochend).

I know who was responsible for burning the school down and they say it was accident, which they have regretted ever since They copped it from their parents AND the priests at the Franciscan priory on Niddrie Mains Road!"

Fields around the School

"The fields around the Tin School used to catch fire from the trains passing, sending sparks flying. It was always great for us boys, pretending to be firefighters - and they also flooded since they were part of the Figgate/Niddrie burn floodplains.

Recently, there has been much work to alleviate the flooding problem since the lands are all now part of the University playing fields complex."

Johnni Stanton, Peffermill, Edinburgh: August 23, 2008

Recollections

David Curran

Edinburgh

David Curran wrote:

School

"I also attended the tin school in Peffermill Road, and was in the same class as Johnni Stanton."

Apprenticeship

"When I left school, I served my apprenticeship in the tin school, which by that time was a dental lab."

David Curran, Edinburgh: January 30, 2008

Recollections

Johnni Stanton

Craigmillar, Edinburgh

Thank you to Johnni Stanton for writing again, and sending me a photograph of Peffermill tin school.

Johnni wrote:

Peffermill Tin School

"Here is an old piccie of the wee thin school, from 1951.

It only had two classrooms, a Jannie's room and a Teachers' Lounge, plus toilets.

Naturally, the children's toilets were of course, outside! There was also a small rain shelter, in case of rain during playtime."

Johnni Stanton, Craigmillar, Edinburgh: February 22, 2009

Recollections

David Bain

Rotherham, South Yorkshire

David Bain wrote:

Close to the Brewery

"Peffermill 'Tin School' stood close to Murray's Brewery.

In the 1930s, my grandad worked at the brewery and my father went to the tin school."

Teachers

"My father's teacher at the tin school, J. A. Pearce, was my headmaster at Hyvots Bank Primary at the turn of the 1960s."

David Bain, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England: March 14, 2009

Recollections

Phil Glancy

Thank you to Phil Glancy who wrote:

1950s

"I went to the tin school in the 1950s. It was an annex of St Francis' at that time. Every class at St. Francis' did a stint there for a year or two."

School Dinners

"It was interesting to see the kids having their dinner at their desks. I don't remember that. However, I do remember going to my mate, Austin Murray's house for some broken biscuits and a smoke. "

Phil Glancy: May 31, 2010