Tynecastle

Secondary School

Enlarge this photo

©

Tynecastle Secondary School

Meccano

Thank you to John Smith for providing the photograph of a classroom at Tynecastle Secondary School, taken around 1930.

Meccano models and a framed certificate from the Meccano Guild are on display at the front of the room.

John wrote:

"My Uncle Tommy Forsyth is in the front row, 5th from the left."

Acknowledgement:  John Smith, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland:  July 31, 2009

Zoom-in

Here, we zoom-in on some of the pupils and the Meccano model.

  ©

Question

1.

Neil McLennan

Tynecastle School

School History

Neil McLennan, a teacher at Tynecastle school, tells me that he is currently doing some research into the school's history.  He hopes that this can be made into a book for when the school moves to its new site and the old building disappears.

Neil is wondering if anybody has any information to help him, especially anything relating to the First World War:

-  photographs.

-  students who went to war.

-  info on the school's involvement in the war effort.

-  Officers from Craiglockhart who taught at the school.

Answers?

If you have any information that you think might be of interest to Neil, please email me, then I'll pass your message on to him.

-  Peter Stubbs:    April 16, 2009

Question

2.

Frank Shaw

Perth, Western Australia

1950s and 1960s

Frank Shaw who used to live at 18 East Thomas Street, Edinburgh, and now lives in Perth, Western Australia tells me that he is trying to track down information about Tynecastle High School in the 1950s and 1960s

Answers?

If you have any information that you think might be of interest to Frank, please email me, then I'll pass your message on to him.

-  Peter Stubbs:    October 2, 2009

Recollections

1.

Ian Harding

Gorgie, Edinburgh

Thank you to Ian Harding who wrote:

School Cleaning

"My Gran lived at 61 Gorgie Road, and was a cleaner at my old school, Tynecastle, for  37 years.  It was a personal bonus to be able to end the day by helping her to move the furniture around, to enable her to get her work done quickly.

Subsequently, my personal knowledge of the internal structure of the school and the availability of any educational equipment resulted in me being recognised as a kind of  'handy ferret'."

Ian Harding, Gorgie, Edinburgh:  Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book, April 15, 2011

Recollections

2.

Mirella Arcidacono

Orkney, Scotland

Thank you to Ian Harding who wrote:

Meccano Set

"I've found some information about this photo of the class with the Meccano set at Tynecastle school.

©

The photo appeared in the school magazine.  I don't yet know the precise year of the magazine.  It was published between 1929 and 1931.

It is written in the school magazine that the photo was taken by Mr William Kirkness.  He was the craft teacher at the school at that time."

Mirella Arcidacono, Orkney, Scotland:  February 1, 2012

Recollections

3.

Pat Dougan (née Rennie)

Edinburgh

Thank you to Ian Harding who wrote:

Early 1960s

Teachers

"I was at Tynecastle High in the early-1960s.  I lived in Stewart Terrace from 1952  to 1966.

I remember:

-  Mr Kennedy, the Headmaster

-  Mr Don, Deputy Headmaster

-  Mrs McCallum, English Teacher

-  Miss Davie, History Teacher

-  Mr Little, Science Teacher

Annex

"The school had an annex in the old Gorgie school, which had a Play Club every day, run by Miss Rae, a teacher from Craiglockhart Primary

Chocolate Delivery

"I also remember the chocolate delivery at McVitie's.  My my mum worked in the Order Department there."

Pat Dougan (née Rennie), Edinburgh:  May 18, 2012

Recollections

4.

Lynda Maine

Colinton Mains, Edinburgh

Lynda Maine, Colinton, Edinburgh, wrote:

Teachers

"I noticed mention of  Mr. Don, Assistant Head Master at Tynecastle.  His son Graeme was in my class at Craiglockhart School.

The other teachers that I remember from Tynecastle school are:

-  Miss Davie.

-  Mr Cameron

-  Miss McCormack, who taught sewing.
We used to call her, of all things, 'Corkie'.

I'd be interested to hear if anybody else remembers these teachers."

Lynda Maine, Colinton Mains, Edinburgh:  February 8, 2013.

Recollections

5.

Irene Hall (née Dishington)

Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to Irene Hall who wrote:

1952-56

Teachers

"I remember several of the teachers at Tynecastle:

-  Miss Templeton (English)

-  Mr Marshall (French)

-  Miss Campbell (Maths)

-  Miss Dowdeswell (P.E.)

I can't remember the Commercial teacher's name.  Perhaps somebody else will remember it.  He was a small man."

Performances

My claim to fame was playing the hole in the wall in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'  (Don't laugh!)

I also played the triangle at one of the school concerts in the Usher Hall, and my cousin played the timpani.  

Leaving School

"I had a very happy time at Tynecastle.  I remember being most upset when I left the school to go to work  -  but at that time, it was 'needs must'.

I went to work at Oliver & Boyd, publishers in High Street, Edinburgh.  The building is still there, opposite John Knox House.  At first, I worked as a typist, then I worked my way up to ICT punch card operator, and worked on accounts."

Family

"After attending Craiglockhart Primary School, my eldest grand-daughter went on to attend Tynecastle Secondary School, as my mother and I did.

My grand-daughter is thrilled to have a First Year Certificate from her great-grandmother, from  when she started at the same school in 1925-26."

Irene Hall (née Dishington), Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland:  September 16, 2013

Before  attending attended Tynecastle Secondary, Irene had attended Craiglockhart Primary.

Recollections

6.

Kenneth Maxwell

Thank you to Kenneth Maxwell who wrote:

1955-58

Teachers

"I attended Tyney from, 1955 to 1958, and was in Class 3T2, and I know, where all their rooms in the school were.

-  Mr Baird was the Headmaster was.

-  Joe Stirling taught Woodwork.

-  Mr Cant taught Drawing.

-  Sandy Watson taught Metalwork.

-  Miss Menzies taught English.

-  I had so many Maths teachers, I forgot all their names.  Each had a different way of teaching Maths.  Hence, I failed Maths.

-  Last but not least, let's not to forget our illustrious P. T. Teacher. 'The Colonel'.  I  never knew, his right name, but I'm sure it was spelt B-----D."

After Leaving School

Employment as a Printer

"On leaving Tyney in 1958, I managed to serve my apprentice-ship for 6 years, as a printer with R&R Clark, and was, fortunate enough, to earn a living in the industry for 50 years, working for more than a few of the most, prestigious printing firms in Edinburgh."

Kenneth Maxwell:  October 18, 2014

Recollections

7.

David McDougall

previously
David MacDonald

Canada

David McDougall wrote:

Colinton

"I lived at 51 Colinton Mains Green for most of my years, then lived at 39 Colinton Mains Road for  a few years, before emigrating to Canada with my mom  and a budgie (wee Jock) at the age of 15 in 1957."

Change of Name

 "My name was David MacDonald when I lived in the Green, then my mother married again, and I became David McDougall."

Craiglockhart Primary School

"I went to Craiglockhart Primary School. The head master was Mr. Cowe, then a Mr Vickers.

One of my favourite teachers was a Mr. Hughes, who tutored me lots during playtime. I really appreciated that, and would have liked to have thanked him for sacrificing his valuable free time. He will have passed on by now."

Tynecastle Secondary School

"I went to Tynecastle Secondary School after that, until June 1957 when I emigrated to Canada. to Canada. My class was 3T4. "

Remember Me?

"I wonder if anybody from Craiglockhart or my Tynecastle class is still around.  I'd like to hear from anyone from that time. Thank you."

David McDougall, previously David MacDonald, Canada:  May 3 2016

Reply to David

If you remember David and would like to send a message to him, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on his email address to you.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  4 May 2016

Photos

School Groups