Edinburgh Recollections - All Saints School

Recollections

Margaret Cooper

Colindale, North London, England

Thank you to Margaret Cooper who wrote:

Gas Mask

"I thought it would be nice to write a little bit about what it was like going to school in the early-1940s.

On my first day at All Saints School, Glen Street, I arrived there with my Mickey Mouse gas mask over my shoulder, only to find all the other kids had graduated to black ones. How i hated that pink mask with the wobbly nose and all the stick I got from the other kids. I did eventually get a black one but I feel the pink one left me scarred for life. ha ha."

Apples

"School was good sometimes. Boxes of apples would arrive. It was said they were a gift from Australia. We would line up and we would all receive three apples each."

Coupons

"Periodically, someone would come to school and measure our feet if our toes went over a certain mark we got extra clothing coupons."

Margaret Cooper, Colindale, North London, England:
Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, June 23, 2011

Recollections

Margaret Cooper

Colindale, North London, England

Thank you to Margaret Cooper for posting another message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Margaret wrote:

Former Pupils

"I'm still hoping that I might hear from someone who attended All Saints' Primary School at Glen Street, Edinburgh between 1940 and 1944. 1944.

Teachers

"Teachers I remember were:

- Miss Forrest

- Miss Finlay

- Miss Livingstone

- Miss Lawson (sewing teacher).

Sewing

"Miss Lawson would look at my stitches and say ''Cat's teeth again, Miss Cooper' I still do cat's teeth!"

Christmas

"It was a good School Christmas. Because of rationing, we would all be asked to take some sugar, raisins and flour, and our teachers would make cakes and toffee for our Christmas Party. We were all so happy then with so little"

Margaret Cooper, Colindale, North London, England:
Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 24, 2011

Message for Margaret Cooper

You have sent many messages on a number of topics for my EdinPhoto web site. However your messages have all been sent to the EdinPhoto Guestbook, and none direct to me by email.

Can you please send me an email, then I'll know your email address and will be able to pass it on to anybody who tells me that they would like to contact you, such as Ann Rogiani, née Hogg (Recollections 5 below).

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh, October 10, 2012

Recollections

Jeanette Nisbet

Thank you to Jeanette who read Margaret Cooper's comments above and replied:

1944-51

"I attended All Saints' Primary School from 1944 until I went to Boroughmuir High School in 1951. I was 4 1/2 years old when I started. at All Saints. My name then was Jeanette Nisbet.

(I don't know Jeanette's name now.)

I remember the teacher. Miss Livingston was headmistress. (I was terrified of her.)

My friends were:

- Hazel and Norma King (twins)

- Margaret Oliver

- Grace Inness

- Michael Bain

- Laurence Cowen

- etc..

We all lived on Drumdryan Street."

Jeanette Nisbet: March 5, 2012

Recollections

Rosari Laughlin

(née Jeanette Rosari Durrell Nisbet)

Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

Rosari Laughlin writes:

Clothing Coupons

"My mother was Marjory Durrell née Nisbet. She was friends with Winnie Cooper who I believe was the mother of Margaret Cooper who wrote Recollections 1 and 2 above.

My mom was crazy about new fashions so she would buy clothing coupons from Winnie who had a few children and could use the cash. Everybody did it.

After All Saints' School

After attending All Saints' School, I went on to Boroughmuir school in 1952, the year that King George VI died."

Rosari Laughlin: July 22, 2012

Recollections

Ann Rogiani (née Hogg)

British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to Ann Rogiani (née Hogg) for replying to Margaret Cooper's message in Recollections 1+2 above.

Here is the message that Ann wrote: I've removed the teachers' names from Ann's message, but other pupils may well recognise who Ann is speaking about!

Pupils

"I don't remember Margaret Cooper although she was at the school at the same time as I was. If she'd like to get back to me, I'd love to hear from her. We could swap memories.

I remember:

- Doreen and Jacqueline Vine

- Davina Anderson

- lan Campbell.

Teachers

"I remember Miss xxx. She was a tyrant and how she loved giving the strap. She strapped me every chance she got because my writing was not good.

I remember being in the big room upstairs where we had to recite the times tables backwards and forwards each day. Miss yyy used to bring her mail to the class and read it instead of teaching."

The School

"The last time I was in Edinburgh, I went to see the school but, of course, it is gone"

Ann Rogiani (née Hogg), British Columbia, Canada: October 9, 2012

Recollections

Jean Dawson
(née Jean Rosemary Johnston)

Warwickshire, England

Thank you to Jean Dawson who wrote:

1940s

Family and Friends

"I attended All Saints School from 1940 when I was 4 until I left aged 11 and went to Boroughmuir Senior Secondary School.

My sister, Irene, and brother, Jim, also attended the school. I had friends there called Joyce Love and Joan Scotland."

Miss Livingston

"I really enjoyed my time at All Saints, and was fond of Miss Livingstone. She had a glass-topped bureau in which were many fascinating objects which we were shown if we were good."

Helping at the School

"I too remember taking in ingredients for baking for a party at Christmas. After I left, i often visited and helped younger children with papier mache plates and masks (which were made using balloons), etc.

i remember making tea for the teachers when I was old enough (in the staffroom upstairs) for which I was given 3d a week. (I think that was the payment.) I spent it on a bath bun and shared it with my family."

Leaving Edinburgh

"I married and moved to Warwickshire in 1960."

Jean Dawson (née Jean Rosemary Johnston), Warwickshire, England: 4 January, 2016