‘Stonefield Parish Infant School’ being a bit of mouthful, the toddlers school in Low Blantyre was nicknamed by locals as “The Wee School.” It is incorrectly written elsewhere that the infant school was immediately behind Stonefield Parish School, but this wasn’t the case. The former infant school was actually situated more to the west, behind Nimmo’s Buildings and Bloomfield Cottage.
It was located just off Victoria Street not far from the Stonefield Parish School, on central ground. Putting the location into context, the former school footprint today would have been inside the foyer reception of Asda..
The infant School was to have a different look and feel about it by comparison to the adjacent School for primary age pupils due to the use of a different Architect to set different style. Built of stone blocks with slated roof, it was designed to provide a remedy to an overcrowding infant department in the Stonefield Parish School, the idea was approved by the local Parochial Board on 12th October 1891.
The building was in the style of Scottish Renaissance, designed by Architect Alex Cullen of Motherwell, who would later design Auchinraith School. Stonemasons James Aitkenhead & Son were the builders, (whose father had previously built Stonefield Parish School adjacent some 16 years earlier). This was a busy time for Aitkenhead Builders who were also building High Blantyre Church Halls.
The school had two large classrooms, heated by coal fires to accommodate 200 infants plus provisional space for 100 more if needed. A vacant site on spare ground was chosen and a budget of £1,800 assigned to the important project.
The official opening of the infant school took place at 2pm on 10th April 1893. I’ve a great description of that day, thanks to reporters of the era, which will be explored tomorrow….
So that wasn’t the “wee school” in 1954 when I started school, was it Paul? We called it “Nessie’s School”?