Penicuik Community Development Trust

Public Schools in Penicuik

A central idea of the Reformation was that every person should take responsibility for his own life. John Knox saw the need for these decisions to be informed if people were to have this responsibility and participate actively in the life of their community

The plans he developed in the 1560s for every parish to have its own public school and for everyone to receive an education were slow in coming to fruition. The notion received support by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1616 but it was not until 1638 that the General Assembly put effort into practical implementation.

Nearly a century had passed before Penicuik appointed John Lowrie as its first Parish Schoolmaster: in 1654 he ran a heather-thatched school on the site of present St Mungo's Kirk.

Public Education in Scotland

The Old Parish School - sitting between the Old St Mungo's Kirk and the High Street (1 on the Plan) - got in the way of Sir James Clerk's remodelling of Penicuik, during which the new St Mungo's Kirk was built in 1772.

Nearly a century had passed before Penicuik appointed John Lowrie as its first Parish Schoolmaster: in 1654 he ran a heather-thatched school on the site of present St Mungo's Kirk.

Replacing the First Parish School

Part of the Minister's Glebe was used to build a replacement Parish School (2 on the Plan), on the site of the present-day St Mungo's Church Hall. Although several private schools existed in the Town, this remained Penicuik's Parish School for the next 70 years.

What we now call Jackson Street School was its replacement (3 on the Plan). After a brief period as a private school, the former Parish School became the Drill Hall and Armoury for the Penicuik Volunteers.

Sketch Street Plan of Penicuik in 1894

showing the site of the first Parish School (1), its replacement (2), later the Penicuik Volunteers' Drill Hall and Armoury.This was in turn replaced in 1845 by present building,Jackson Street School (3).

Schools1

A Brownfield Site and Redevelopment

Prior to the military occupation of the Valleyfield Mill to house Prisoners of War between 1811 and 1816, 'John Street' was a lane where buildings did not extend beyond the present site of the Salvation Army Hall. Beyond that a farm track led up to Cuiken Farm via the Bellman's.

Telford's new Turnpike Road to Edinburgh was completed in 1812 along the present Edinburgh Road and opened up the town for an expansion of industry and commerce.

During the Napoleonic War, the area of Penicuik between the earlier town centre and the public park was occupied by a sprawl of barracks and cavalry stabling needed to guard the prisoners in Valleyfield.

With the closure of the camps, this 'brown-field site' of the former barracks was ripe for re-development.

The New Parish School (3 on the Plan)

Schools2

A new Parish School - essentially the handsome stone structure we now call 'Jackson Street School' - was erected in 1845.

It was built with money raised by public subscription to supplement funds raised by the Parish. The site was amongst new housing and in between Ferrier's Iron Foundry and what was to become Tait's Builders and Timber Yard.

Six years later the Parish heritors raised an additional £170 from the sale of the old Parish School.

In 1869, Alexander McGregor was appointed as the ninth successor to John Lowrie. Some still refer to the building as 'McGregor's School'.

"When Laddies at McGregor's Schule"

"Ance mair" my auld an' trusty freens,
Tae memory I reca' the scenes,
O' simmers breeze and winter's blast,
An' a' the happy days that's past.

The pranks we played, I min' them still
When laddies at McGregor's Schule,
On mischief bent we gaed each morn
Tae play at tig among the corn.

The game wad juist be gaun on fine
When "Puddin Laing" cried "half past nine"
An' e'er we reached the Schule House wa'
The whustle it wad start tae blaw.

Owre Jessie Jackson's park we'd run,
Then in the door gaun ane by ane,
But juist afore we took oor sait,
Doon cam the Taws for bein' late.

McGregor was a strict auld soul,
An' moy ane he did gaur howl
Yet tho' he was as strict could be,
The·twinkle aye was in his e'e.

There's mony ane that speaks his name
Ayont the seas an' far frae hame,
While o're the restless waves ring true
Kind blessin's on his furried broo.

Whyles in a temper he wad staun'
The taws uplifted in his haun'
An' if we didna dae counts richt
Doon he wad come wi' a' his micht.

But a' oor troubles we got owre
As sune as it came half past fowre,
An' shortly efter Schule was oot
We had a fitba' made 0' cloot.

I've kent us play a strikin' hoor
An' dribblin' in amang the stoor
Wi' faces like a hervist mune.
Aye lang afore the game was dune.

Anither trick we used to hae
When often playin' kip a' day
We'd hide oor bukes yont Craiglebield,
Then trauchle owre the turnip field.

Bird nestin' was oor formaist plan,
An' thro' the auld Bog Waud we'd gaun
The busses scartin' a' oor legs
Wi' searchin' for the Blackie s eggs.

We used to search the hale Wud owre
And whyles cam on a nest wi' fowre,
Then round aboot the buss we'd staun'
Till each in turn pit in his haun'.

Frae early morn we'd be away
An' owre a' Lawrie's Den we'd stray,
Till it got dark, and bedtime came
Then we cam slippin' quately hame.

At last the holidays began,
An' freely up an' doon we ran
Forgettin' a' the auld Schule laws
An' a' aboot the Maister's taws.

Six weeks we got tae stay at hame,
An' sune as ilka mornin' came
Aboot the doors we oouldna bide
For roamin' owre the kintra side.

Ae efturnune, I min' o't noo
"Pud Laing" sat stride-legs owre a coo;
The sicht I ne'er forget for weeks
The hale backside cam oot his breeks.

Whyles doon the haugh we'd tak a turn
An' guddle troots up Wilson's burn
The water drappin' off our knees,
Wi' guddlin' underneath the trees.

Some nichts we used to sit an' wait
Till efter dark an' kin' o' late,
Then owre the tiles ;ile deils wid creep
When a' the folk were soun' asleep.

Wi' pirn an' threed held in oot haun'
Fornent somewindle we wad staun'
Then frae the distanceplay tick-tack
Till "Shuir as daith" the glass was crack.

But noo thae happy times are past,
An' we thro' life are treadin' fast
While on each broo is written care
Thro' trouble we ha' got tae bear.

Long years hae brocht my trusty freens,
A rugged path wi' ither scenes
An' we're gaun slippin' owre the hill
Since laddies at McGregor's Schule.

J. Sinclair.

Penicuik

Adult Education

The New Parish School became a cultural centre for Penicuik. In 1852, the Minister from Howgate started a series of monthly Public Lectures with a review of "The Natural History of Man" - a hot topic when whether different races belonged to the same species was still being argued over in the aftermath of slavery. Darwin's final theory of evolution was still unpublished but the origin of species was argued over and very controversial.

Over the next 30 years, there were contributions from other many local people as well as famous scientists and men of letters from further a field - Oscar Wilde spoke there.

J.J. Wilson blames the gloom that descended on the town after the Mauricewood Pit disaster in 1889 for the failure of the lecture series to continue afterwards.

Schools3

Penicuik Public School

Forster's Education Act of 1870, and its 1872 Scottish equivalent, took public education out of the hands of the parish and put it in the hands of elected School Boards.

For the first time, there were national regulations and schools were inspected to maintain standards - all sounding very much like the present day.

In 1873, the School Board built on additional classrooms to the former Parish school, allowing them to cope with up to 100 pupils.

Kirkhill Public School

Schools4

In the mid 19th century, the daughters of the owner of Esk Mill, started a private school in Kirkhill.

In 1872 it was also taken over by the School Board to become the Kirkhill Board School. (Kirkhill did not lie within the jurisdiction of Penicuik at that time.)

The building is now occupied by the YMCA.

Schools5

The future

Both buildings - the former Board Schools in Penicuik and Kirkhill - are to be sold for housing. Demolition is likely.

Schools6

Did you go to school in either of them?

Before you forget, please write down your memories in the guest book for us all to share.


News - Events The Trust - Aims - Our story so far - Office bearers - Oral History - Links - Users - Records Penicuik - Cowan Institute - Buildings - History - People - Pentland Hills Feedback - Contacts - Guestbook		Public Schools in Penicuik A central idea of the Reformation was that every person should take responsibility for his own life. John Knox saw the need for these decisions to be informed if people were to have this responsibility and participate actively in the life of their community The plans he developed in the 1560s for every parish to have its own public school and for everyone to receive an education were slow in coming to fruition. The notion received support by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1616 but it was not until 1638 that the General Assembly put effort into practical implementation. Nearly a century had passed before Penicuik appointed John Lowrie as its first Parish Schoolmaster: in 1654 he ran a heather-thatched school on the site of present St Mungo's Kirk. Public Education in Scotland The Old Parish School - sitting between the Old St Mungo's Kirk and the High Street (1 on the Plan) - got in the way of Sir James Clerk's remodelling of Penicuik, during which the new St Mungo's Kirk was built in 1772. The plans he developed in the 1560s for every parish to have its own public school and for everyone to receive an education were slow in coming to fruition. The notion received support by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1616 but it was not until 1638 that the General Assembly put effort into practical implementation. Nearly a century had passed before Penicuik appointed John Lowrie as its first Parish Schoolmaster: in 1654 he ran a heather-thatched school on the site of present St Mungo's Kirk. Replacing the First Parish School Part of the Minister's Glebe was used to build a replacement Parish School (2 on the Plan), on the site of the present-day St Mungo's Church Hall. Although several private schools existed in the Town, this remained Penicuik's Parish School for the next 70 years. What we now call Jackson Street School was its replacement (3 on the Plan). After a brief period as a private school, the former Parish School became the Drill Hall and Armoury for the Penicuik Volunteers. Sketch Street Plan of Penicuik in 1894 showing the site of the first Parish School (1), its replacement (2), later the Penicuik Volunteers' Drill Hall and Armoury.This was in turn replaced in 1845 by present building,Jackson Street School (3). A Brownfield Site and Redevelopment Prior to the military occupation of the Valleyfield Mill to house Prisoners of War between 1811 and 1816, 'John Street' was a lane where buildings did not extend beyond the present site of the Salvation Army Hall. Beyond that a farm track led up to Cuiken Farm via the Bellman's. Telford's new Turnpike Road to Edinburgh was completed in 1812 along the present Edinburgh Road and opened up the town for an expansion of industry and commerce. During the Napoleonic War, the area of Penicuik between the earlier town centre and the public park was occupied by a sprawl of barracks and cavalry stabling needed to guard the prisoners in Valleyfield. With the closure of the camps, this 'brown-field site' of the former barracks was ripe for re-development. The New Parish School (3 on the Plan) A new Parish School - essentially the handsome stone structure we now call 'Jackson Street School' - was erected in 1845. It was built with money raised by public subscription to supplement funds raised by the Parish. The site was amongst new housing and in between Ferrier's Iron Foundry and what was to become Tait's Builders and Timber Yard. Six years later the Parish heritors raised an additional £170 from the sale of the old Parish School. In 1869, Alexander McGregor was appointed as the ninth successor to John Lowrie. Some still refer to the building as 'McGregor's School'. "When Laddies at McGregor's Schule" "Ance mair" my auld an' trusty freens, Tae memory I reca' the scenes, O' simmers breeze and winter's blast, An' a' the happy days that's past. The pranks we played, I min' them still When laddies at McGregor's Schule, On mischief bent we gaed each morn Tae play at tig among the corn. The game wad juist be gaun on fine When "Puddin Laing" cried "half past nine" An' e'er we reached the Schule House wa' The whustle it wad start tae blaw. Owre Jessie Jackson's park we'd run, Then in the door gaun ane by ane, But juist afore we took oor sait, Doon cam the Taws for bein' late. McGregor was a strict auld soul, An' moy ane he did gaur howl Yet tho' he was as strict could be, The·twinkle aye was in his e'e. There's mony ane that speaks his name Ayont the seas an' far frae hame, While o're the restless waves ring true Kind blessin's on his furried broo. Whyles in a temper he wad staun' The taws uplifted in his haun' An' if we didna dae counts richt Doon he wad come wi' a' his micht. But a' oor troubles we got owre As sune as it came half past fowre, An' shortly efter Schule was oot We had a fitba' made 0' cloot. I've kent us play a strikin' hoor An' dribblin' in amang the stoor Wi' faces like a hervist mune. Aye lang afore the game was dune. Anither trick we used to hae When often playin' kip a' day We'd hide oor bukes yont Craiglebield, Then trauchle owre the turnip field. Bird nestin' was oor formaist plan, An' thro' the auld Bog Waud we'd gaun The busses scartin' a' oor legs Wi' searchin' for the Blackie s eggs. We used to search the hale Wud owre And whyles cam on a nest wi' fowre, Then round aboot the buss we'd staun' Till each in turn pit in his haun'. Frae early morn we'd be away An' owre a' Lawrie's Den we'd stray, Till it got dark, and bedtime came Then we cam slippin' quately hame. At last the holidays began, An' freely up an' doon we ran Forgettin' a' the auld Schule laws An' a' aboot the Maister's taws. Six weeks we got tae stay at hame, An' sune as ilka mornin' came Aboot the doors we oouldna bide For roamin' owre the kintra side. Ae efturnune, I min' o't noo "Pud Laing" sat stride-legs owre a coo; The sicht I ne'er forget for weeks The hale backside cam oot his breeks. Whyles doon the haugh we'd tak a turn An' guddle troots up Wilson's burn The water drappin' off our knees, Wi' guddlin' underneath the trees. Some nichts we used to sit an' wait Till efter dark an' kin' o' late, Then owre the tiles ;ile deils wid creep When a' the folk were soun' asleep. Wi' pirn an' threed held in oot haun' Fornent somewindle we wad staun' Then frae the distanceplay tick-tack Till "Shuir as daith" the glass was crack. But noo thae happy times are past, An' we thro' life are treadin' fast While on each broo is written care Thro' trouble we ha' got tae bear. Long years hae brocht my trusty freens, A rugged path wi' ither scenes An' we're gaun slippin' owre the hill Since laddies at McGregor's Schule. J. Sinclair. Penicuik Adult Education The New Parish School became a cultural centre for Penicuik. In 1852, the Minister from Howgate started a series of monthly Public Lectures with a review of "The Natural History of Man" - a hot topic when whether different races belonged to the same species was still being argued over in the aftermath of slavery. Darwin's final theory of evolution was still unpublished but the origin of species was argued over and very controversial. Over the next 30 years, there were contributions from other many local people as well as famous scientists and men of letters from further a field - Oscar Wilde spoke there. J.J. Wilson blames the gloom that descended on the town after the Mauricewood Pit disaster in 1889 for the failure of the lecture series to continue afterwards. Penicuik Public School Forster's Education Act of 1870, and its 1872 Scottish equivalent, took public education out of the hands of the parish and put it in the hands of elected School Boards. For the first time, there were national regulations and schools were inspected to maintain standards - all sounding very much like the present day. In 1873, the School Board built on additional classrooms to the former Parish school, allowing them to cope with up to 100 pupils. Kirkhill Public School In the mid 19th century, the daughters of the owner of Esk Mill, started a private school in Kirkhill. In 1872 it was also taken over by the School Board to become the Kirkhill Board School. (Kirkhill did not lie within the jurisdiction of Penicuik at that time.) The building is now occupied by the YMCA. The future Both buildings - the former Board Schools in Penicuik and Kirkhill - are to be sold for housing. Demolition is likely. Did you go to school in either of them? Before you forget, please write down your memories in the guest book for us all to share.

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