St Ann's School, Cowgate, Edinburgh

St Ann's School

Thank you to Bob Henderson for sending me the photograph above.

Bob wrote:

St Ann's Girls' School

"This photo was taken about 2005 but the building will be instantly recognisable by anyone who went St Ann's school.

The picture shows where the older girls were schooled when us boys of the same age were transferred to St. Pat's which then was a 'boys only' school."

St Pat's and Holy Cross

"I started in St Ann's in 1943 and sat the 'Qually' in St. Pats in 1949. I did quite well and along with another two classmates, Dessy Mahon and Tony McCormack. I went to Holy Cross Academy after the Christmas holidays that year.

That was the first year that girls came to St Pat's. There were only 10 boys to 30 girls in the 'Qually' class. I only remember one girl who went to Holy Cross from that class, Veronica Nimmo, but I think there were a couple more."

Arthur Street

"As everyone else says this site brings the memories flooding back. I totally agree with those who say that, although we had outside toilets and no hot water etc., Arthur St. and it's environs was a great place to be as a child."

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh: November 24, 2007

Earlier View of the School and Playground

Here is an earlier view of St Ann's school and playground, taken from about the same position as Bob took his photo in 2005:

Here are two other photos of St Ann's school, taken in 2005 by Bob Henderson. Please click on them to enlarge them.

© ©

St Ann's School

Eric Gold replied that he recognised two of Bob Henderson's photos of St Ann's school but not the one at the top of this page. Eric added:

"The photo was probably taking from the side of the school as I remember a wee close nearby."

Eric Gold: East London: December 5, 2007

Bob replied:

Girls at School

"I think I can explain why Eric did not recognise this photo of St. Annes. By the time he was there the older girls had all moved round to St. Pats so there would not be any classes in that building then, and they were also probably not allowed to use the higher level playground.

As I mentioned before in the year of my 'Qually Class' they introduced girls to the school for the first time. It was a real shock to the system, I can tell you, after being at a 'boys only' school for 3+ years.

We went from having football and football to having football and peevers in the playground. It was not so bad for guys like me, who had younger sisters, but some of my chums only had their mums and grans as models."

Bob added:

The Wee Close

"The 'wee close' that Eric mentions went up past the side entrance of St. Patrick's church, then continued up past the wash-house and out on to the High Street, next to, I think, Drysdale's hardware shop.

This was quite a large shop just up from the New Palace cinema in the High Street - the Flea Pit - already mentioned several times on the site.

Drysdale's sold all kinds of household goods, it was the only biggish shop in the area to cater solely for the drysalter type goods. I think it was just about where the Museum of Childhood is now

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh: December 8, 2007