Dean Village School

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Recollections

1.

Jean Robertson Wright

Adelaide, South Australia

Thank you to Jean Robertson Wright, who emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia in 1966, for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of a class at Dean Village School.

Contrast

The children's expressions and clothing in this photo make a stark contrast to the those in the photo of pupils at nearby Daniel Stuart's school, taken about two decades later:

Jean wrote:

School

"This picture includes my Mum, Catherine Robertson, who was born at No 10 Dean Path in 1921.  She is the tallest girl at the back, second from left.  My Mums 4 sisters and brother all also attended the Dean School.

I would say this photo was taken about 1930, on the steps at the new buildings.

My brother and I also got to attend the school in 1950, for 3 months, when my Mum gave birth to my twin brothers and we were being looked after by her older sister who had the shop at No 35 Dean Path.

Because we were Catholics, we got to go in later, after the rest of the children had said their prayers!!  I can remember we got 'lacing cards' and got to paint on white paper.  This was a luxury as we didn't get anything like that in our school in Glasgow.

I have wonderful memories of the Dean.  We spent all our school holidays there and my  Mums' family lived there from about 1905 until it was finally cleared.

Family

Most of our family emigrated to Australia at various dates between 1962 and 1978.  But, my Mum's older sister, who had the shop at Dean Path remained in Edinburgh.

My granny had also run the shop at Dean Path. A number of years ago one of my brothers got talking to someone who used to live at Dean Orphanage.  He remembered my granny's shop.

He said that he and other orphans from Dean Orphanage used to be taken for a walk on a Saturday to spend their pocket money at Dean Village. They used to go to my granny's shop and apparently she would always give them a wee bit extra for their penny.  He said he had never forgotten the kindness she showed to the orphans.

Jean Robertson Wright, Adelaide, South Australia:  March 2, 2010

Edinburgh Recollections