Paisley - My Pics Of Old Or Unusual Buildings Or Places Of Interest.

[whydowebother]

Street name might have given you a clue or maybe the Alamo Bar.

Alamo i think , there was a chippy beside it.

The elbow room did have a roof when i lived there

[whydowebother]

Do I know you?

I don't think so ?

I lived number 37 & my name is Scott & went to Merksworth after moving from Foxbar


Anyway, sat here in Paisley having a munch before the game no unusual building visible

[faraway saint]

4 minutes ago, whydowebother said:

I don't think so ?

I lived number 37 & my name is Scott & went to Merksworth after moving from Foxbar


Anyway, sat here in Paisley having a munch before the game no unusual building visible

There was a family called McCormack stayed in that building, Faye was a wee bit older than me, had an older brother, can't remember his name.

[whydowebother]

Lived downstairs from me they were one up. I went fishing with her brother once ( still can't mind his name , yet , David maybe ? )they had a myna bird that could sing and swear [emoji3]

 

 

[pod]

43 minutes ago, whydowebother said:

Lived downstairs from me they were one up. I went fishing with her brother once ( still can't mind his name , yet , David maybe ? )they had a minor bird that could sing and swear

 

Did he work in the pits.

[whydowebother]

Did he work in the pits.

Can't believe you edited my post

Had only ever heard the name, never ( until google just now ) seen it written

Perhaps, it was an insignificant young bird to me ? Hence minor

[pod]

2 minutes ago, whydowebother said:

Can't believe you edited my post

Had only ever heard the name, never ( until google just now ) seen it written

Perhaps, it was an insignificant young bird to me ? Hence minor

Sure it wasn't a young  chic.

[faraway saint]

3 hours ago, whydowebother said:

Lived downstairs from me they were one up. I went fishing with her brother once ( still can't mind his name , yet , David maybe ? )they had a myna bird that could sing and swear

 

 

Don't remember the wee bird but his sister could also swear........and a few other tricks.

[faraway saint]

1 minute ago, Slartibartfast said:

 

 

Ball juggler?

 

She could make things disappear.

[whydowebother]

I had you down for being to old for going to Merksworth [emoji12]

Think it opened 72 [emoji43]

Ha, I'm only 48 ffs

[whydowebother]

29th January

[saintnextlifetime]

[Buddie Marvelous]

On 2/25/2012 at 8:43 AM, Sonny said:

Today's image shows a landmark familiar to many in a certain part of the town. I was born about 100 yards from here and it served as a backdrop to my childhood. I do not know when this was built but the site has been used for this purpose from 1823. The second image is more like what I used to see when growing up.

PICTURE 6

Remember it well. Across the road from my old school Ferguslie Primary.

[Buddie Marvelous]

On 2/28/2012 at 10:09 AM, Sonny said:

Since the clue has led to the identification of the building I'll provide some more information on it but would like to hear of any stories anyone has of it. I had several mates who attended the JNI but have never been in it myself. Hope to correct that in a Paisley Open Doors Day. I have also included a pic of the viewing area that was conditional of the build so that the people of Paisley could enjoy the fine views offered by this elevated site (just dont look down ).

This is a Category A Listed Building of stunning architecture.

'The John Neilson Educational Institution at Oakshawhead, Paisley, opened to pupils in April 1852. The building was designed by a leading architect of the day, Charles Wilson of Glasgow. His design is modern Renaissance, topped by a magnificent dome. The dome is surrounded by four decorative tripods carrying vases, and its prominent hilltop location means it can be seen for miles around, enhancing Paisley's skyline. It is known affectionately as the "porridge bowl" by locals.

The choice of location created controversy. The land was in use as a bowling green, and was a popular spot with locals who came to admire the view. Eventually the council sold the land with the condition that the right of access to the view was safeguarded by the provision of a viewing spot with seats and a safety rail. This viewing spot is still there today.

John Neilson was a Paisley grocer who died in 1839, aged 61, and was buried in Paisley Abbey. John Neilson's will directed a large portion of his wealth to be used to build a school and to establish a fund to finance the education of boys who would not otherwise be able to afford an education. His nephew, Archibald Gardner,

was one of the executors and he dedicated himself to the task of establishing the school. He and the Trustees decided that the school would not be confined to elementary education, but would go on to advanced work in mathematics and classics.

The interior of the building was designed with a hall and four long rooms, and so the school was organised into four “schools” – Infants, Juniors, Juveniles and Seniors. Later the rooms were subdivided with partitions of wood and glass. The school soon earned a reputation for excellence. In the 1870s, Her Majesty's Inspector for Schools called it an "educational triumph.

The school as an institution moved to a modern building in 1967 to become the John Neilson High School, and the building was last used as a school in 1977. It was listed Category A, in 1 971. The building lay vacant, prone to vandals and rot until taken over by Classical House, the developers of the Italian Centre in Glasgow. Extensive repairs and conversion works were carried out in 1991-92. The classrooms were divided up to form 12 two and three bedroom maisonettes, with bedrooms below and living rooms above, sharing the tall windows.

The Janitor’s House became a one bedroom unit. The great octagonal hall under the circular dome, once the noisy hub of the school, is now merely an entrance hall. However, it has been given just the focus it needs in the form of a central statue.The life-size figure of the Greek philosopher Diogenes (412-323 BC) is by the Paisley sculptor, Alexander Stoddart. In his left hand Diogenes holds an upturned model of the dome above him, referring at once to the building’s nick name of the ‘Porridge Bowl’, and to Diogenes’ austere life style, intended to contrast with that of the modern day residents.

The statue costing £10,000 was ‘commissioned by Classical House as a gift to the residents and the population of Paisley’. It was carried in procession through the town to the JNI on 2nd April 1992.The total cost of the repair work was £1.5 million, and conversion by Lane, Bremner & Garnett, 1991- 92.'

The Janitor's House was the clue for this main building.

PICTURE 8 JNI (and PICTURE 8b : Public Viewing area).

Great memories of that old school. Not to sure about the dates but as Ferguslie Primary school closed due to structural defects,  ( 1974?) we occupied " Oakshaw" primary . I was there for primary 6 and 7. 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

3 minutes ago, Buddie Marvelous said:

Great memories of that old school. Not to sure about the dates but as Ferguslie Primary school closed due to structural defects,  ( 1974?) we occupied " Oakshaw" primary . I was there for primary 6 and 7. 

I was there for P7, left in summer of 75  and then onto Merksworth. Were you at Oakshaw when just about everybody in the school got the belt for rolling down the grass slopes?

[Buddie Marvelous]

1 minute ago, Eric Arthur Blair said:

I was there for P7, left in summer of 75  and then onto Merksworth. Were you at Oakshaw when just about everybody in the school got the belt for rolling down the grass slopes?

I was indeed!  Thinking back I left halfv way through primary 7. We moved from Feegie to Hunterhill, so I 

spent the rest of primary 7 in Lochfield and went to Stanely Green.

[Buddie Marvelous]

34 minutes ago, Eric Arthur Blair said:

I was there for P7, left in summer of 75  and then onto Merksworth. Were you at Oakshaw when just about everybody in the school got the belt for rolling down the grass slopes?

Do you have any pics of our old Ferguslie Primary?  There are a couple on of old ones if you Google it but they are really old. Think our school must have started its life as Craigielea Primary as its often referred to as that name.

[Buddie Marvelous]

24 minutes ago, Buddie Marvelous said:

Do you have any pics of our old Ferguslie Primary?  There are a couple on of old ones if you Google it but they are really old. Think our school must have started its life as Craigielea Primary as its often referred to as that name.

This is one of only 2 old pic I can find of Ferguslie Primary School.

Think I started there in 1968/69. First teacher I remember is Miss McMillan in primary one and my last teacher was the great Mrs Ruthven in primary 5 in the huts.

 

[Buddie Marvelous]

30 minutes ago, cockles1987 said:

Don't know if this the other photo, seen it on Facebook recently.

 

 

 

WOW!  What a picture.  No the other pic was similar to the one I posted. 

This shows both" the big end" (main building and playground) and "the wee end"  (infant building and play ground). My last days were in primary 5 in the huts, which don't seem to be there. a tiny wall of about a foot high separated us from our neighbors St.Fergus school. 

THANKS  Cockles1987, did you go to our school?

[Stu]

I see the council is proposing to spend several million on doing up the town hall - has it not already been refurbished in the last few years? Seems ridiculous spending money on it again - although not as ridiculous as spending £17million on a leisure centre and the same again to fix it as is happening in Dumfries.

[Callum Gilhooley]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

I see the council is proposing to spend several million on doing up the town hall - has it not already been refurbished in the last few years? Seems ridiculous spending money on it again - although not as ridiculous as spending £17million on a leisure centre and the same again to fix it as is happening in Dumfries.

I sat in meetings with the council as we fought to retain the old pool at Greensands and the facilities at Loreburn & David keswick Stu. The council at that time were intent on spunking millions on a centre with inherent flaws from day one and to f**k with everywhere else. The wankers who took those decisions should be doing time.

[Stu]

I sat in meetings with the council as we fought to retain the old pool at Greensands and the facilities at Loreburn & David keswick Stu. The council at that time were intent on spunking millions on a centre with inherent flaws from day one and to f**k with everywhere else. The wankers who took those decisions should be doing time.

Least the David Keswick is still there, ironically Loreburn Hall is being used as a temporary facility for what should have been at DG One.

And the swimming pool is where my office now is...

[Buddie Marvelous]

Has anyone more photies or stories of the old Ferguslie Primary School? 

I attended between 1969 - 1974 ( I think) andthen to Oakshaw

and then onto Stanely Green High School (1976-1980)

I remember my first teacher being Miss McMillan and my last being Mrs Ruthven ( in the huts), who sadly died in a house fire shortly after retiring.

 

Cheers Buds

 

[Buddie Marvelous]

 

I see what you mean. Think it's the angle its taken at. There seems to be a great deal of confusion over the names. I've read on a " oor wee toon " facebook that people from the 1950's were there and it was names Ferguslie other say Craigielea. And some saying Craigielea school was round at blackstoun oval.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Buddie Marvelous
amadafty

[Eric Arthur Blair]

On 9/24/2017 at 1:56 PM, Buddie Marvelous said:

This is one of only 2 old pic I can find of Ferguslie Primary School.
Think I started there in 1968/69. First teacher I remember is Miss McMillan in primary one and my last teacher was the great Mrs Ruthven in primary 5 in the huts.

 

Mrs Ruthven was also my P5 teacher!
Here’s my P4 class photo. Mr Stack is the teacher, he was from New Zealand.

I'm 2 to the left of Mr Stack, Jim Stevenson is beside me. Other people I recognise are Willie Creighton, Alec Thompson, Andy Kerr, Norrie Watson, Carol Gillespie, Maggie Reid, Jackie Currie, Bobby Brown, Harry Bain, Gavin Wright and George Quigley. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by Eric Arthur Blair