St Josephs School huts

Blantyre Schools
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Screen Shot 2016-04-15 at 15.42.16By 1929, the old St Joseph’s School building on Glasgow Road, facing up Stonefield Road was becoming so crowded with pupils, an expansion of St Josephs was planned.

To cope with the overcrowding prevailing in St. Joseph’s R.C. School, Blantyre, it was the intention of the Education Authority in the late 1920’s to erect a more commodious school adjoining the old School Chapel building, but that proposal was modified in April 1929.

On Monday 15th April 1929, workmen commenced building wooden huts to provide 10 new class-rooms, to accommodate 500 of the scholars. The building of these huts was regarded at least, as a temporary measure and they were fitted with all the necessary conveniences required for a school and were proposed to last for 3 years until a larger school block was built.

Does anybody remember the old School Huts or when they were demolished?

Pictured in 1936, the St Josephs Schools.

On social media:

Mary Crowe I started school in the huts, demolition must have been after 1955, when I made my First Communion in 1955 I was still in the huts.

The Blantyre Project Thank you Mary. Thats very helpful to me.

Anthony Smith I started in the huts.I was still there when St.Blanes opened and all the children from that side of the road moved there……I also remember the block,facing the open U of the huts.I can only remember that Archie McKay was the science teacher,upstairs,and downstairs as being the Domestic Science classroom.

Jane Maxwell I remember being in the huts and the day we were taken into the new building. I also remember the kids going to St Blane’s. My name then was Jane Mc Laughlin but I was called Jean. My sister Catherine and cousin Billy Gallagher were also in my class along with Billy Friary, Sandy Nelson, and to many others to mention. Anthony your right about Archie McKay being the science teacher he also taught Maths, Wee Annie taught science as well. Downstairs we had Mrs Hughes who taught knitting and sewing and housekeeping. I remember the flat where we were sent to play house ie tidy then make tea for the teachers. We also had cookery classes for the life of me I cannot remember the teachers name she was nice though. Those were the days. My daughter started nursery in the old science building and she still remembers the morning that the building went on fire. Such a shame the old buildings had character.

Mary Crowe Cookery teacher was Miss McLaughlin

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