A woman who guided Auchinraith Primary through difficult years retired in January 1980. The job of Auchinraith Primary School was envied by nobody but Dorothy Fairlie carried out her duties for 15 years since coming to Blantyre in 1965.
Miss Fairlie, of Motherwell had been teaching for 37 years teaching at Low Waters Primary then Mossened Primary in Bellshill. She took over as head teacher at Auchinraith Primary, a building that many people thought should be replaced, but despite the conditions, her stay was successful. Upon her retirement, the staff and pupils had been moved to another building, the school sitting derelict awaiting demolition.
87 of her friends and colleagues attended the retirement party held at a local hotel. At a ceremony in the school, assistant head Mrs S MacDonald presented her with a ghetto blaster stereo radio cassette player. Another teacher Margaret Douglas presented the retiring headmistress with an onyx quartz clock, a gift from the pupils.
The new headmistress who took over was Mrs Nan Urquhart.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Julie Tabor Remember these teachers so well
Davy Thomson Miss letham behind the ghetto blaster,, Mrs Laird, and Mrs Williamson there too
Kathryn Fisher Ann Cook, is that your mum in the picture? Love the Kinky Boots! X
Anne Cook Kathryn Fisher Yes , Kathryn!!-She and the other auxiliary (as they eere calledin those days) were known as Mrs McGee and Mrs M’Galloway !!!lol
Kathryn Fisher Haha, yes, I remember how grateful we were for those great ladies, the auxiliaries. They did a power of work within the school, sometimes with very little thanks. X
Anne Cook Kathryn Fisher And those boots lasted a lifetime !!!
Kathryn Fisher I can imagine Anne. Your mum as always so neat and well turned out. XX
Linda O’Donnell loved that school remmeber mrs williamson too and miss thompson and her twin
Helen Mckean Good memories x
Jean Boyd Remember miss Fairlie and Mrs Urquhart well, from many years ago
Fiona Belk I remember some of the teachers but can’t remember all there names . My teacher was Mrs atwell & she was my daughter’s teacher in primary 1 in 1989 x
Davy Thomson Fiona Belk she is Standing beside Mrs Laird, Atwell was a good teacher,,
Fiona Belk I think she behind the kids but I’m not 2 sure x& the left hand side . Davy Thomson
Davy Thomson What was the older gentlemans name??? Can remember him, he used to have a bottle of mercury, that he used to keep in class,,it was very heavy!!
Anne Cook my mum is on the front row end left. Mrs M’Galloway ( Galloway ) xxx
Anne Cook Mrs McDonald was my Brown Owl as well as being a close friend of Mum and Dad.!!
Julie Tabor Mrs Baxter
Kenny Paterson Mr urqhart