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Ainslie Park Secondary School Pilton Avenue, Edinburgh 5 |
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Recollections |
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1. |
Brian
Alexander |
- Schools - Sports - Teachers - Out of School |
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2. |
Rab Lettice |
- The Ghosty Valley |
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3. |
Rab Lettice |
- Gavin Clarke |
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4. |
Neil
Macdonald |
- Brian Alexander - Teachers - Gym |
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5. |
Dorothy
Finlay |
- Home - Schools |
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6. |
Dorothy
Finlay |
1950s - PE Teachers - Typing & Bookkeeping - Hockey |
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7. |
Angus Mark |
- Inflatable Gym - Mr Wexler |
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8. |
Ann Menzies |
- Mr Hanratty |
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9. |
Robert
Pettie |
- Brien Alexander+ - David Liston: Question |
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10. |
Marrion
Wilson |
- Miss Blyth - Leisure Centre - 1954 School Photo |
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11. |
Lorraine
Bruce |
- Miss Blyth - Mr Mac's Choir - Wooden Huts - Teachers |
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12. |
Kenneth Williamson |
- Chips for Lunch |
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13. |
Greta Gotlieb |
- 1952-55 - Teachers - Emigration |
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14. |
Jon
Douglas |
- Home - School |
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15 |
Jon
Douglas |
- Friends - School |
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16 |
Kenneth Williamson with reply from
Helen Commander |
- Teachers - Game and Sport |
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17 |
Donald
Grant |
Teachers - Geography Teacher, 'Squeak' - Bookkeeping Teacher - English Teacher School - My Schooldays - Senior Secondary School - 'The Huts' |
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18 |
Brian
Alexander |
1964-68 - Rugby and Football - Our Teachers - Kenneth Williamson - Memories - Jon Douglas |
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19 |
Douglas
Bryce |
- Demolition - 2014 |
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20 |
Keith
Donaldson |
- Cairngorm Disaster - Teachers - The Band |
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21 |
Emma
Mary Wemyss |
- Our Family Home - My father + uncle Tom |
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Recollections 1. Brian Alexander Prestonfield, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Brian Alexander who wrote: |
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Schools "I lived in No 1 Telford Drive. and my schools were: - Drylaw Primary School (1958-64) and - Ainslie Park Secondary (1964-67). There were concrete 'huts' near the sports field. They were a real pain in winter, but a great place for a 'fag'." |
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Sports "Ainslie Park had some of the finest sports facilities of any Edinburgh school. Football, rugby, hockey and athletics, and both boys' and girls' gymnasiums." |
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Teachers "Who remembers any of these? - Mr Murchison, Headmaster - Mrs Robertson, Lady Advisor (I think) - Mr Whitfield - Mr Stonefield, Maths Teacher - 'Big Jim' Taylor - Miss Proudfoot and Mr Purves, Art Teachers - Miss McCechnie, French and German Teacher - Mr White, Technical Drawing Teacher - Mr Armour, Chemistry Teacher." |
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Out of School "For those who didn't get home for lunch, Diverno's at Caroline Park did a very tasty 'crusty (bread) and crisps' for 6d. Health eating or what?!!! But we enjoyed it. The long walk to and from school was an important part of the day, you picked up all the latest gossip and settled scores and arguments along the way. I don't think many of us would have liked being driven to school by parents. Were our schooldays the happiest of our life, well they were certainly not the worst days!" |
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Brien Alexander, Prestonfield, Edinburgh: January 21, 2010 |
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Recollections 2. Rab Lettice Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Rab Lettice who wrote |
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The Ghosty Valley "The Ghosty Valley was a small bridge near to the Swedish houses in Ferry Road Drive at West Pilton. Trains used to run under the bridge. There was a short path from the Ghostly Valley to Ainsley Park School. If you walked on, there was a scout hut then another bridge that you could go under to the school, but that's been filled in now. If we were caught playing there, we were brought before Mr Murchison, our Headmaster as it was dangerous because of the trains." Rab Lettice, Edinburgh: March 21, 2011 |
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Recollections 3. Rab Lettice Edinburgh |
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Here is a message that Rab posted in the EdinPhoto guestbook: |
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Gavin Clarke "I'm looking for Gavin Clarke. We were friends at Ainslie Park School and were in the 64th Boys' Brigade at Boswall Parkway. I believe that he stayed at Pilton Crescent, then he moved to Chester. We had a good time also our Boys' Brigade. We were the lead on Founders' Day." Rab Lettice, Edinburgh: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, March 22, 2011 |
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Reply to Rab? If you have any idea where Gavin Clarke might be now, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Rab. Thank you. Peter Stubbs: March 22, 2010 |
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Recollections 4. Neil Macdonald Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland |
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Here is a message that Rab posted in the EdinPhoto guestbook: |
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Brian Alexander "I saw Brian Alexander's post (1 above). - He lived in no 1 Telford Drive (middle flat). - I lived in no 3 Telford Drive (ground floor)! I was friends with his brother Norman. Brian will remember my elder brothers Bruce and Alastair as they were of a similar age. The Alexanders moved away, I think, when I was about 11 or 12." |
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Teachers "I remember these teachers at Ainslie Park: - Mr Murchison, Headmaster - Mrs Robertson, Lady Advisor (I think) - 'Big Jim' Taylor - Miss Proudfoot and Mr Purves, Art Teachers - Miss McCechnie, French and German Teacher - Mr Hetherington, Physics - Mr Ramage, Maths - Mr Beavis, Biology - Mr Wexler, can’t remember maybe Religious Studies? - Miss Fairweather, History - Mr Grant, PE - Mr McLauchlan, PE (R.I.P.)" |
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Gym "Does anyone remember the 'inflatable' gym built down from the music block? It had a name, Armadillo perhaps? It was great to go into as you had to pass through an airlock, else it would de-pressurise!" |
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Neil Macdonald, Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland |
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Recollections 5 Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar) wrote: |
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Home "I lived at Crewe Road West in a prefab. |
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Schools "I was at Royston school from 1946 to 1952, then went to Ainslie Park. My teacher there was Miss Lundie. The Head was Mr Walker, who was also my mother's teacher at St Bernard's Primary, Stockbridge." |
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Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar): Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: February 12, 2012 |
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Recollections 6. Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Thank you to Dorothy Finlay for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook. Dorothy wrote: |
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1950s PE Teachers "I remember Mr Mclaughlan. He did ballet moves while teaching P.E. There was also a lady P.E. teacher, Miss Blyth. Typing & Bookkeeping "Mr Hanratty taught typing and bookkeeping. He had lost an arm. Hockey "I was in the hockey team, 1952-55. We had very good sports facilities, but I don't remember a teacher accompanying us on our away games. I think we just went on the corporation buses."
Dorothy Finlay (née
Cossar), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: |
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Recollections 7. Angus Mark Leith, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Angus Mark who replied to Neil Macdonald's comments in Recollections 4 above. Angus wrote: |
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Inflatable Gym "The inflatable gym was called 'Barracuda Air Hall'." Mr Wexler "Mr Wexler taught Applied Mechanics." Angus Mark, Leith, Edinburgh: Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook: June 29, 2012 |
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Recollections 8. Ann Menzies Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
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Thank you to Ann Menzies, Cairns, Queensland, Australia who read Dorothy Finlay's reference to Mr Hanratty, Shorthand Teacher. ee Recollections 6 above. Ann replied: |
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Mr Hanratty "I wonder if anyone recalls Mr Hanratty throwing Pan Drops at any pupil not paying attention. Imagine that happening today!" Ann Menzies, Cairns, Queensland, Australia: July 21, 2012 |
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Recollections 9. Robert Pettie Eastleigh, Hampshire, England |
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Thank you to Robert Pettie who wrote: |
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Brien Alexander and Neil Macdonald "I've just been looking through the recollections above and came across a couple of names I seem to recall from my time living in Edinburgh - Brien Alexander and Neil Macdonald. Their recollections (1 and 4 above) brought it home to me, especially about the bread and crisps for 6d. Those were the days! Question David Liston "I have been trying without much success to find a David Liston who, like Brien and myself, lived in Telford Drive. He had a brother, Andrew, who used to go to a special school in Edinburgh with my brother Bruce. I believe he's living with his mum out at Livingston and I know he's a chef by profession That's as much as I know. Can anybody tell me the best way to make contact with him? Robert Pettie, Eastleigh, Hampshire, England: October 1, 2012 Robert attended Drylaw then Ainslie Park schools, 1960-70 |
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Reply to Robert? If you'd like to send a message to Robert, please email me to let me know, then I'll give you his email address. Peter Stubbs: October 2, 2012 |
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Recollections 10. Marion Wilson (née Murray) Currie, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Marion Wilson for posting a message in the EdinPhoto Guestbook in response to 'Recollections 6' above. Marion wrote: |
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Miss Blyth "I remember Miss Blyth. My friend Joan McGerr was a School Champion, so we had quite a bit to do with Miss Blyth. I played hockey and, yes, we did have to go by bus to games." Leisure Centre "I now go swimming to the Ainslie Park Leisure Centre which is on the old school sports ground. There is also a football club that plays on another part of the ground, so at least some of the sports ground is used for the community." 1954 School Photo "I viewed the 1954 school photo on the friends united site and was amazed at how many names I could remember, mind you I couldn't see myself in the photo"
Marion
Wilson (née Murray), Currie, Edinburgh |
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Recollections 11. Lorraine Bruce (née Dutton) Dingwall, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland |
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Lorraine Bruce replied to Marion Wilson's comments in 'Recollections 10' above. Lorraine wrote: |
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Miss Blyth "I remember miss Blyth with a grim chill, I found her very harsh." Mr Mac's Choir "I was at the school in the late-1960s and am trying to find photo of Mr Mac's Choir choir. I lost mine in a flood." Wooden Huts "I recall listening to Shakespeare, on vinyl of course, in the wooden huts behind the school. I seem to recall through the mists of time that science was also taught in wooden huts." Teachers "I had a very rough childhood, but recall with great affection the compassion that the teachers were allowed to show in those days."
Lorraine Bruce (née Dutton), Dingwall,
Ross & Cromarty, Scotland: |
Recollections12. Kenneth Williamson Silverknowes, Edinburgh |
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Kenneth Williams tells me: |
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Chips for Lunch "I was a pupil at Ainslie Park School. Nairn's the Bakers turned up at the school every day with a mobile van. At lunchtime, the kids would buy French/Vienna loaf or a 'crusty'. They hollowed out the bread from the middle, then down the road to Del's chippie and got them to fill the roll with chips. It was probably not at all good for you, but it tasted great and was cheaper than school dinners. I normally went home for dinner." Kenneth Williamson, Silverknowes, Edinburgh: May 25, 2013 + April 22, 2014 |
Recollections13. Greta Gotlieb Forest Lake, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Thank you to Greta Gotlieb who wrote |
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1952-55 "I was a pupil at Ainslie Park Secondary School from 1952-1955. I was awarded the Dux Prize." Teachers "Like others, I recall Miss Blyth the PE Teacher. Her niece, Patricia, was also in my class. I also recall Mr Hanratty and his superb accuracy when targeting a pupil with pan drops." Emigration "I left Scotland in 1959 and moved to New Zealand. I left New Zealand in 2007, and am now living in a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia." Greta Gotlieb, Forest Lake, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: January 13, 2014 |
Recollections14. Jon Douglas Crewe Toll, Edinburgh |
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Jon Douglas wrote: |
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Home "I remember staying in 3/4 Telford Drive until 1970. My family had stayed their from when the houses were built." Schools "I went to Drylaw Primary School from 1960 until 1967 and remember the teacher, Mrs Walker. I then went to Ainslie Park Secondary School from 1967 until 1970 and remember these teachers: - Mr Chalmers, Headmaster - Mr Grant and Mr MacGulan: PE teachers - Mr Baker: History teacher. He used to go on outings - Mr Macintosh: Music teacher. Jon Douglas: April 10, 2014 |
Recollections15. Jon Douglas Crewe Toll, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Jon Douglas for writing again. Jon wrote: |
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Friends "I remember: - Brian Alexander (Recollections 1 + 4 above)
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David Listen
(Recollections
9 above)
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Neil MacDonald
(Recollections 4 + 9 above) School "I remember when the school at Drylaw lost its roof during the gales. I think it would have been in 1970-71. At Ainslie Park Park school, there was a teacher, Mr Findlay, who played football for Ferranti and Spartans. Jon Douglas: April 10, 2014 |
Recollections16. Kenneth Williamson Silverknowes, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Kenneth Williamson who wrote: |
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Teachers "I went to Ainslie Park School from 1963 to 1968. These are a few of the teachers that I remember: - Mr Love: Music. - Mr Thomson: Art. - Mr (Flash) Gordon: Art. - Mr Charlie Chan: Maths. - Mr (Jessie) Jardine: Geography. - Mrs Granny Hay: English. She taught me by giving me 100 lines whenever I used 'get' or 'got' in a sentence, unless it was a short sentence. I never forgot! - [name ?]: Geography. This was a teacher that we called 'Squeak'. I think he was Polish. He taught book keeping."
Games and Sport "I was a Prefect at the school but resigned as I felt that as Prefects we were given unfair privileges and powers. I was in charge of the school's chess team with moderate success. I played rugby for the school but was denied my School Colours by Finlay McLauchlan, the PE teacher who was in charge of the rugby team. We fell out over this and it was about 30 years before we shook hands and put this to bed. Finlay McLauchlan played hooker for Edinburgh Wanderers and was a very good player in his heyday. He eventually stopped coaching rugby at the school and taught fencing instead. The playing fields where we started playing rugby is now occupied by Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and Spartans football team. Kenneth Williamson, Silverknowes, Edinburgh: April 21, 2014 |
Recollections17. Donald Grant Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland |
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Thank you to Donald Grant who wrote, after reading Kenneth Williams' memories of the teachers at Ainslie Park School. Donald wrote: |
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Teachers Geography Teacher 'Squeak' "The teacher Kenneth refers to as Squeak was so called because he had a high pitched voice. He taught Geography up on the first floor, room 9 if I recall correctly. However he wasn't Polish; far from it -, he was in fact a West Highlander called Mr McIntosh, not to be confused with the head of music Mr R.A.G. Macintosh. Squeak used to run the school's branch of the Young Farmers Club which involved outings to various places of agricultural interest, always out of school time though. He was famous for having two belts (a.k.a. tawses or straps) from the infamous Lochgelly factor: - a lightweight one that he called 'Mousey' and - a heavyweight he called 'Tiger'. More often than not the threat to "take Tiger to you" was enough to restore order in his class." Bookkeeping Teacher "There may well have been a Polish book keeping teacher but it was not a subject I ever recall doing and can't honestly remember a Polish teacher at all." English Teacher "One teacher who sticks in my mind though was the English teacher that I had - the rather eccentric Mrs Haywood who we referred to as Ethel. She had a shock of grey hair and occasionally wore clothes that verged on the Bohemian, she was never going to win prizes for fashion! In hindsight though, no matter how little I thought of her, I have to concede that she was a pretty good teacher."
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School My Schooldays "I was at Ainslie Park from 1965 to 1969 starting in Prep in class 1PB1 at the Easter term of 1965 . I recall most of the teachers previously mentioned by contributors" Senior Secondary School "I'm the youngest of a family of five. The youngest of my three older sisters (Helen) left Ainslie Park at the end of third year probably in 1962 or 1963 to take up a secretarial job. When she left, the school was a Junior Secondary and so only offered three academic years. However, the following year, the school was awarded Senior Secondary status and so was able to offer a fourth year and therefore study to a higher academic level than previously My sister left her work and went back to Ainslie Park to take the fourth year and do her 'O level' exams The Huts "As some have mentioned there were wooden huts at the back of the school. More accurately there was one very long wooden hut when I was there, known as 'The Annexe' and a series of precast concrete structures each with two classrooms which ironically were known as 'The Huts'!" Donald Grant, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland: April 21, 2014 |
Recollections18. Brian Alexander Prestonfield, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Brian Alexander for writing again with more memories of Ainslie Park School. Brian wrote: |
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1964-68 "Kenneth Williams' Recollections 16 (above) of his schooldays at Ainslie Park school interested me. I was at 'Ainslie' from 1964 to 1968." Rugby and Football "I don't recall Kenneth. but I do recall some of the school rugby players during those years. (Football was my game at school and I was awarded my School Colours in 1967)." Our Teachers "These art some of the teachers that I remember: - Mr MacIntosh, known as 'Squeak''. He taught Geography. He was very much a Scot from the north of Scotland, I believe, certainly not Polish. - Mr (Jessie) Jardine. He taught either History or Modern Studies. I'm certain that Geography was not his subject.
- Mrs Hay
taught English.
She also taught my father at Darroch School,
and she was one of two teachers who accompanied our group on the 'Dunera'
School cruise in 1966. Mrs Hay was an excellent teacher, but on the cruise she never seemed to gain her sea legs and was very unsteady on her feet most of the time, I can't think of any other reason for her unsteadiness (that I can state here!)." Kenneth Williamson "Other teachers that Kenneth may recall are: - Big 'Jim' Taylor (English). - Mr 'Stone Face' McLeod (Maths), - Miss Proudfoot (Art in the Huts), - Mr White (Technical Drawing in the Annexe). - Mr Ramage (Technical Drawing in the Annexe). - Miss McKecknie (German, also in the Annexe)." Memories "I often walk along the cycle/foot path that was a railway track running past the old Ainslie Park playing fields and stop to look at the main building of the school and gymnasium block, still standing complete with the large chimney for the heating boilers. I'm not sure they were the happiest days of my life, but I do have happy memories of those years." John Douglas "I was also interested to read Recollections 15, written by Jon Douglas 10 April. I remember Jon, his brother Andrew and his sisters." Brian Alexander, Prestonfield Edinburgh: April 22, 2014 |
Recollections19. Douglas Bryce Pilton, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Douglas Bryce, Pilton, Edinburgh who wrote: |
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Demolition Ainslie Park School - 2014
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Douglas Bryce, Bryce, Pilton, Edinburgh: Demolition "I noticed that they have started to demolish the main school building at Ainslie Park, and have taken some photos. Here is east side of the building. This photo may be of interest to some. The top flat in this picture was the Music rooms Douglas Bryce, Bryce, Pilton, Edinburgh: October 7, 2014 |
Recollections20. Keith Donaldson Peebles, Borders, Scotland |
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Thank you to Keith Donaldson, Peebles, Borders, Scotland who wrote: |
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Cairngorm Disaster "I was a pupil at Ainslie Park from 1970 until 1976. I lived in Easter Drylaw Drive and used to walk down to school and back every day. I'd like to add some comments about my time there. Unfortunately I was around at the time of the Cairngorm disaster in 1971. The younger sister of William Kerr who sadly died on the mountain used to sit behind me in some classes (Eileen I think). The school was in mourning for some time after that and I don’t think that Mr Chalmers, the headmaster ever really recovered." Teachers "I remember a number of the teachers. As an earlier pupil commented the accounts teacher was Mrs Sosabosca. She was the wife of a Polish pilot who had joined the RADF during the war. She was a great teacher but often got lost in her class because she was ‘thinking in Polish!’ I managed to get my O level in Accounting, thanks to her! Another excellent teacher was Mrs Bryce (Bella) who taught me English. She was the most knowledgeable teacher I ever had at Ainslie Park. She would often stop halfway through a speech or telling someone off and recite poetry. She encouraged me to do as well as I could in English and I have always been more interested in that subject than any other since then! In Modern Studies we had Mr Fee who, by most accounts, used to be a boxer. He was Head of the Department and used to teach by writing everything on the blackboard! His colleague Mr Spalding used to run a Music Club where I met a number of friend who became very close throughout the rest of my time at Ainslie. We even started a band together playing Jazz (there was a concert in the main hall at one stage). Mr Spalding initially had the Music Club in the new music annex but after it burned down (!) He moved to his flat. He was a really interesting guy. He introduced us to a lot of different kinds of music from Jackson Brown to Pink Floyd. We were able to bring along our own records to play to the others as well. I remember he had been married to an American girl and had lived in the USA before coming back to the UK. He was from the west coast of Scotland somewhere originally, I think." The Band "The band started to come together after we met at the Music Club, but it was my Art Teacher, Mr Morton (Deness), who was the main inspiration. Not only was he a pretty decent Art teacher but he was also a jazz drummer in a band that played in Edinburgh at various clubs. He played drums for us at the concert in front of everyone as well. Many happy memories for me!" Keith Donaldson, Peebles, Borders, Scotland: 15 December 2015 |
Recollections21. Emma Mary Wemyss Drumnadrochit, Highlands, Scotland |
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Thank you to Emma Marty Wemyss who wrote: |
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Our Family Home "No. 17 Telford Drive, Drylaw was our family home for a very, very long time. It was home to: - my grandmother, Sylvia Wemyss - my grandfather, Tom Dick Wemyss - my father, Ian Paul Wemyss - my uncle, Lawrence Wemyss - my uncle, Tom Wemyss - my uncle, Bill Wemyss - my aunt, Elizabeth (Bet) Wemyss Does anybody remember my Father and uncle Laurence? "Only the last two family members on the list above are still living. I'd like to find out more about my uncle Laurence and my father as, sadly, I didn't get much time with them. - Both went to Ainslie Park Secondary School. - My father sat his 'O' grades and 'Highers' in 1971-73. I'm just hoping that someone will remember my father, Ian, and would be able to share some stories about his younger days or maybe even some photos with me."
Emma Mary Wemyss, Drumnadrochit,
Highlands, Scotland (since 1992): |
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Reply to Emma If you remember Emma's father, Ian Paul Wemyss or any other members of the Wemyss family from 17 Telford Drive, and would like to send a message to Emma, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on her email address to you. Thank you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 23 January 2017 |