Auchinraith Primary School

The full photo of the former Auchinraith School. This was taken between 1905 – 1910 and as you can see the stonework of the school is still looking rather new. I’ve previously posted about the 3 figures standing on the pavement, so hope you like this first ever look at the full, entire photo.…a cracker, i’m sure you’ll agree.

Were YOU at Auchinraith School? What’s your memories?

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:

Stephen Kelly Is this on a different site from where the new school is?
Blantyre Project yes, the new Auchinraith School was built in the playground of the former Calder Street Secondary School. This photo pictured was further up at the top of Craig Street near junction of Auchinraith Road.
Jimmy Dargue Can’t believe they built houses on the site. 1971- move to Calder Street site till 1978, Wonder if I could get a copy of my Dux cup, lost over the decades.
Julie Tabor Many great memories in this school
Moyra Lindsay Always make me think of my mum giving a passing motorist directions… You go down past where the drying greens were and go through where the bridge was and turn right just across from where Auchinraith school stood!
Carole Mackie Rickard Was this known as Ness’s? I remember my Mum saying she had to walk from the Prefabs to Ness’s, but if this was it then it wasn’t really that far!
Blantyre Project Different school. Major John Ness’s school was the Stonefield School, once on the site of the current library. Built in 1875, it eventually closed to become the welfare exchange for a time, before being demolished. Caspers Nightclub was on the former site of Ness’s School.
Caron Cummings I went to Auchinraith…so many great childhood memories .thrupence to spend at the wee shop
Elizabeth Weaver What gets me is how small the playground looks! Though there was also a large area round the back, which is out of sight. I suppose we were wee, so it seemed bigger back then
Andy Lynch Always went to my Grans on Auchinraith Road at lunchtime from Calder St. Used to go through the playground to cut off corner as a short cut.
Fiona Broadley Semple I remember being so excited when I got the chance to run round with the bell
Lesley Napier My gran lived in Rosebank cottage, in Auchinraith Rd. She lived there with an aunt and uncle, after her mother passed away. She was born in 1896, moved there when she was 5. I’d love to know if she went to the school.
Blantyre Project Hi Lesley. Your gran would have been 5 years old in 1901. That was just one year after this school opened. Living in Auchinraith Road that year, I’m fairly certain she would have attended this new school, right on her doorstep. There is a high chance she was attending this school even when this photo was taken around 1905.
Lesley Napier Thank you. I am going to contact the school after the holidays re school roles. I’m in East Kilbride, but I drive down the street on the way to David Livingstone park, where I sometimes walk my dogs. I know she lived in Rosebank cottage. I think it’s lovely to think she walked along that road. I was very close to her.
Davie Robson My old school 69-76, happy memories
Blantyre Project did the hall inside this school have a stage?
Davie Robson Blantyre Project yes it did, remember being forced to “sing” in a school show, nightmare
Jacqueline Brown Yes it had a stage at the end nearest the infant classes. End of term concerts played over several nights with lots of singing
Moyra Lindsay Blantyre Project not in my day. I think they put up some kind of stage for prize giving etc!
Elizabeth Knowles Blantyre Project not when I was a pupil 1944 +. Remember the visits of the ‘bird man’ who impressed with his bird calls.
Elizabeth Grieve Blantyre Project where in the school was the stage? I certainly don’t remember one in the school and all things were done in the gym hall which was surrounded by the classes.
Elizabeth Weaver Moyra Lindsay That’s my memory too – there was no stage in the 50s. Think they did something temporarily for prize givings but otherwise it was a flat space.
Thea Borland Mcnamee I was a pupil from 62 to 69 and dont ever remember a stage..loved being picked to run rnd school ringing the bell and teacher I remember most was miss Thompson..always wore a twin set with cardi over her shoulders..and hair in a French roll..she was a twin and sometimes her twin covered her classes..cud never tell the difference except the twin was nicer..lol
Elizabeth Grieve I went to the school in 1971, then moved to the old Calder Street secondary, with the bottom floor taken up with Auchinraith and the high school still used the upper level before they fully decanted to Blantyre high in the late 70’s. Went to Blantyre high in 1978.
Maisie Whittaker Went to that school ,I don’t remember a stage in the hall
Aileen Farrell I’m sure it did have a stage of some sort, remember xmas nativity shows etc.
Aileen Farrell Tell you what I do remember, the toilets and dining hall were in separate buildings round the back of the main building, toilets were freezing lol
Wee Ted I’m sure my mum attended this school would have been around 1931 Agnes Neil was her maiden name x
Margaret Douglas I went here for couple yrs, can’t remember too much about it tho! Would’ve been around 1973. Can remember being decanted to a school, think possibly St. Anne’s? The school that was behind water palace area?? Then we were moved into Calder Street which was in current site of Auchinraith.
Shell Walsh That was my old school
Geordie Kerr Rodger I went there from 1965 to 1972 was a great school apart from when you had to go to toilet as they were outside and always frozen in the winter
Robert Holmes The boys toilets was to pee against a wall no roof on the building
Robert Gibb I remember fighting to get the bell at the end of breaks then running round the playground like a maddy. Always sterring clear of boys toilets as some heroes were experts at peeing over the wall!
Nan Summers I went therein 1949 and remember some of the teachers names
Mary Dunn I went there yes I remember having the huts2 my mum went to nessies school it was down by the police station all my mum’s brother and sisters went there