St Patrick's School, St John's Hill Edinburgh

Replies and Recollections
1.	Eric Gold East London, England	- Photo from the 1960s
2.	Bob Henderson East London, England	- Photo of St Patrick's
3.	Tony Ivanov Bo'ness, West Lothian, Scotland	- Photos on Flickr
4.	Peter Stubbs Edinburgh	- Photo on Flickr
5.	Jim Robertson Berlin, Germany	- Photos of St Patrick's
6.	Bryan Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland	- Football
7.	Eric Gold East London, England	- Photos on Flickr
8.	Mike Melrose Greenbank, Edinburgh	- Photos on Flickr - The Janitor - Music Teacher
9.	Mike Melrose Greenbank, Edinburgh	- Music Teacher - Other Teachers
10.	Eric Gold East London, England	- Southside Photos - Jokes - 'Eleven Plus'
11.	Danny Gilroy	- 1958-65 - Pupils - More Teachers
12.	Tommy Aris	- Film: Johnny on the Run - Message for Cathy Luppino
13.	Danny Cormack	- Football Cup Final, 1960-61
14.	George Dawson	- Football - y Class - Cup Final, 1964 -

Reply

Eric Gold

East London, England

Eric Gold wrote:

Photo from the 1960s

"I enjoyed seeing this photo and others on Jack's Flickr page - rare old 1960s photos of my stamping ground and of St Patrick's School with the old scout hall, also the Scotchie the Mecca of the Dumbiedykes.

Jack has really covered the rare side of my stamping ground and other parts of Edinburgh in that era. I remember a lot of the other buildings biting the dust in the Dumbiedykes and elsewhere in Edinburgh.

I have struck gold. These photos bring back memories to me. They look great on my Mac outfit. I can see every cobbled stone for miles (ha ha ha ha)."

Eric Gold, East London, England: April 2, 2012

Reply

Tony Ivanov

Bo'ness, West Lothian, Scotland

Tony Ivanov, another former pupil of St Patrick's school wrote:

Photos on Flickr

"I enjoyed looking through Jack Gillon's Flickr page via the link you gave. He has a good collection of photos there. They were a delight to view.

The ones of St Pat’s School were just as I remember it, especially the one showing the playground to the rear. I think this is just how I described it in one of my postings."

Tony Ivanov, Boness, West Lothian, Scotland: April 2, 2012

Reply

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay who saw the photo of St Patrick's school and wrote:

Football

"I can't quite remember St Pat's school and I don't think I knew anyone who went there.

What I do remember is they had a top notch football team. They gave us Preston Street types a gubbing on more than one occasion.

I'm not sure if we played them at Warriston, or they were one of the teams we played at Doctor Guthrie's pitches at the top of Liberton Brae."

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: April 3, 2012

Reply

Eric Gold

East London, England

Eric Gold wrote:

Photos on Flickr

"I knew there would be a great response the Jack's photos. especially St. Patricks school as that was the jewel in the crown and I’m still on cloud nine with the photo.

I'll write a story on St. Patricks school, all about the teachers and what it was before it became St. Patricks school. It used to be a Victorian home for boys, years ago"

Eric Gold, East London, England: April 3, 2012

A few minutes after sending the message above, Eric sent his story to me.

I've now added it to the St Anne's & St Patrick's page as Recollections 24.

Reply

Mike Melrose

Greenbank, Edinburgh

Mike Melrose wrote:

Photos on Flickr

"That's a first class set of photos of St Patrick's school on the Flickr page, particularly the ones of the Old Town Area."

The Janitor

"Peter Higgins snr (the Janitor) used to ring the hand bell in the boys' playground (nearest) to get everybody to line up in their classes after breaks/lunchtime. Peter Higgins jnr was in my class and was one of my pals."

The Janitor had a self-contained flat on the second floor at the top of the West Staircase next to Miss Davidsons Classroom."

Music Teacher

"Can anyone remember the name of the Music Teacher who used to come to the School once a week between 1962 and 1966? " **

Mike Melrose, Greenbank, Edinburgh: April 5, 2012

** Music Teacher

Might the Music Teacher have been Miss Dale? She is mentioned by Eric Gold here:

St Anne's and St Patrick's, Recollections 24.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: April 7, 2012

Reply

Mike Melrose

Greenbank, Edinburgh

Thank you to Mike Melrose who replied:

Music Teacher

"Thank you to Eric Gold. Yes, the Music Teacher was Miss Dale.

Other Teachers

"These are the other teachers that I remember from St Patricks:

- Mr Boyle, the Head Teacher

- Mr Duggan, who took the football team

- Mrs Davies

- Miss Davidson

- Miss Burne

- Mr Greco

- Miss Capaldi, who I think became Mrs Greco

- Sister Gabriel

- Mrs Breckenbridge (St Anne's)

The Janitor was Mr Flett.

Mike Melrose, Greenbank, Edinburgh: April 9, 2012

Recollections

10.

Eric Gold

East London, England

Thank you to Eric Gold for writing again.

Eric wrote:

Southside Photos

"Once again I'd like to thank Jack and Emma Gillon for providing this photo of St Patrick's School ...

... and the link to other beautiful old photos of streets in the Southside on his Flickr page.

I told my Merchant Navy Seamen shipmates who used to live in Edinburgh and now choose to live in Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand about the Flickr page, and there has been a great response from them.

We all keep in touch in a private chat room. They have been stunned by the Edinburgh Southside photos, ad can't get over them."

St Patrick's School

Jokes

"At St Patrick's, my classmates and I would buy stink bombs and other jokes to play on the teachers who we disliked the most, the infamous Mr Greggo and Miss Burnie. I'd break one in the class.

They were like small glass marbles and you'd just stand on them or drop them (ha ha ha ha). Mr Greggo had us all out in the playground and asked who it was, but none of us kids would own up (ha ha ha ha).

The joke shop was in the Pleasance and was owned by Mr Sholberg. He later leased the property to my doctor, Doctor Hyman Goldberg as a surgery, and moved his joke shop to the Chambers Street, / George IV Bridge area."

Eleven Plus

"Just before I left St. Patricks we had to sit an 'Eleven Plus' exam. I was the only one in the school who failed the exam. Old Mr Greggo, to his delight, told everyone that I had failed, but he got told off about shouting his mouth off by Sister Gabriel who was a lovely teacher.

My Mum and her sister, my Auntie Nancy, came to the school and waited for Mr Greggo at the gates, then they gave him a mouth full. He went white like a ghost. They demanded that he apologise to me, which he did.

My Auntie Nancy, nicknamed the Queen of the Cowgate, was a real character. She feared no one and was well respected by all the neighbours and the headmaster. She lived in the Waverley Buildings opposite Blackfriars Street and the Cowgate. You could hear her voice from the top of the Pleasance (ha ha ha ha)."

Eric Gold, East London, England: April 12, 2012

Recollections

11.

Danny Gilroy

Danny Gilroy wrote:

1958-65

"I attended St Ann's school, then St Pat’s from about 1958 to 1965. I’m sorry that I don’t have any photos to add but would love to see some if anyone has any."

Pupils

"I remember Paddy Brock from both school and the scouts. We were went to Lourdes as a group in 1964.

I also vaguely remember Michael Melrose."

More Teachers

"Other teachers at that time who were not mentioned were Mrs Grego and Mr Duggan.""

Danny Gilroy: May 30, 2012

Recollections

12.

Tommy Aris

Thank you to Tommy Aris who wrote:

Film

Johnny on the Run

"I attended St Patrick's School, St John's Hill in the early-1950s.

One day, a film company visited our school, looking for 'extras' for a film they were shooting in Edinburgh. They selected some members of the school football team to take part in some scenes to be shot at the corner on Chalmers Street and also at the Vennel.

The boys selected included:

- Eddie and Joe Stanton from the Dumbiedykes. They were the brothers of Hibs and Scotland player, Pat Stanton.

- Tommy Aris from Buccleuch Street

- myself.

If you go into YouTube, then request a film called 'Johnny on the Run', you'll be able to see the first six minutes of the film.

Our role was to play football in the street and also chase after a runaway pram. The pram eventually gets stopped at the top of the Vennel steps.

Message for Cathie Luppino (née Cormack)

"Can you inform Cathie Luppino about this film? Round about the time that the pram gets stopped, Cathie should be able to see two or three live shots, looking up the Vennel

Tommy Aris: October 11, 2012

Thanks Tommy

Thank you, Tommy for responding to the request from Cathy for photos looking up the Vennel. ** I've now passed on your message to Cathy, and hope that she will find the film shots interesting.

** NOTE: The message that Tommy is responding to is one from Cathy that was recently added to the Vennel page of the EdinPhoto site saying that Cathy's parents used to live in a wee house at the top of the Vennel, and that Cathy would love to find a photo looking up the Vennel towards the house.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 13, 2012

Recollections

13.

Danny Cormack

Kirknewton, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Cormack who wrote:

Football Final

1960-61

"Hi: I was Captain of the St Patrick's School Football Team in Edinburgh. We played St. Joseph's in the Final of the 1960-61 season and won 2-1.

I wondered where all the team players ended up living. I emigrated to Canada for 15 yrs, but now live in Kirknewton, West Lothian.. I would love to hear from any of the team."

Danny Cormack: 30 October 2016

Reply to Danny

If you'd like to send a reply to Danny, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on his email address to you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 1, 2016

Recollections

14.

George Dawson

Thank you to George Dawson who wrote:

Football

Mr Dugan

"I attended St Anne’s school in 1956 and moved to St Patrick’s in 1958. I can recollect, as a pupil, I would hound Mr Dugan the football teacher for a trial for the team, only to be told: 'You are to young.'

He eventually gave in and I was one of the youngest players to have played for the school team. I think, if I remember right, you had to be 10 years of age, and I was 9 years old.

Mr Dugan was a great football coach and also a good teacher.

My Class

"I can remember a few pupils who were in my class. The names I can remember are:

- Kenny Byres who stayed in the Tron Square

- Richard Rickets

- Patricia Higgins who was the janitor’s daughter

- Larry McCraw

- William Laydon

- Paddy Dignan

- Colin McQuag

- Francis Glancy

- John Young

- Colin Chisholm

- N. Mycko whose parents, I think, were Polish.

If anyone can add to this list, it would be great."

Football

1963 Cup Final

"Getting back to the football team, we had so many great players over the three years I played with them. I remember getting to the EPSA Cup Final in 1963 and being beaten 2-0 by Longstone Primary.

The names i can recall who played with me in that final are:

- Brian Stoddart (right winger). He went on to sign with Hibs before emigrating to either Australia or South Africa.) He emigrated to Canada.

- Mike Mcqeenie (goalkeeper)

- John Mcdonald (centre half)

- Paddy McMullen (right back)

- Paddy Dignan (right half

- myself at (right back)

- Raymond Cormack (left half).

I am a bit confused as to who was in the losing team as it was so long ago.

1964 Cup Final

"In 1964 we were the only team to play all our fixture’s without losing a game. We drew once and won every game we played.

We had a fantastic team and I was so proud to part of it. We won:

- The School Board Cup

- The St Bernard's Cup

- The EPSA Cup.

The Finals were all played at Warriston Playing Fields. in the ESPA Cup, we won the Semi-Finals beating Abbeyhill 8-0, then met our old rivals who beat us the year before in the EPSA Final.

We had a great Final. We were 5-0 up at half time. Mr Dugan said to us at half time if we could beat them 8-0 he would take and pay us into the Hibs game. They were playing in the Coronation Cup.

If my memory serves me right, we had only 2 minute’s to play when Colin Chisholm did a flying header making it 8-0. We were over the moon but although so proud of us as one of best teams he had ever produced it played havoc with his pocket because as promised we met him outside the Hibs stadium and he paid us all in to see the game."

George Dawson: 1 March 2015