St Josephs Tranent

[Wee lassie]

I wonder if anyone has any information on St Josephs School Tranent between the years of 1928 and 1934.  I know that it was an industrial school but was handed over to the Catholic church in 1884. I also believe it was a school for juvenile offenders at some stage. I am not sure what it was at the time my relation was there. His parents were poor and I think they were living in Edinburgh at the time so I was wondering why he attended this school.
Cheers

[tartanlad]

Hi

I don't know what the school was before 1965 because thats the year i was sent there by the court .at that time it was called The Joe's and was run by a group of sadistic and brutal  people known as the de la salle brothers,there were also cicilian staff there who on the whole were  quite decent, Spent two and a half years there and wont forget them.

Eddie

[Wee lassie]

Thanks Eddie.
I have been doing a bit of research online and have found out a little about the school. My ancestor was illegitimate and his mother died when he was small. His stepfather and his new wife brought him to Edinburgh. They were very poor and had another 4 children to feed. I think he would have qualified to get into the school as an orphan. It seemed to be more of a childrens home in these day where  conditions were much better than when you were there. They were given a good education and plenty of food and appeared to be quite well looked after. I believe he played in the pipeband and went on to join the army. I read about the De la salle brothers, they sounded really evil but they took over after he had gone.
I am so sorry to hear about your experiences nobody should ever have to experience that sort of treatment, especially not children. Hope this hasn't brought back too many bad memories. Thank you for replying
Cheers Fay

[tartanlad]

Hi Fay

Glad to hear you found out a bit more about your relative and the school,they had a pipe band while i was there  but not something i joined, Some of the boys who were in were only there because their parents couldn't look after them,sad to say the suffered the same brutality, the only abuse i ever suffered was purely physical and this would happen on a daily basis, i know some kids suffered other types of abuse at the hands of the brothers but i never heard in the two and a half years that i was there  of anything of that nature happening in the Joe's (St Josephs) its only memories now but still very fresh and i don't dwell on it too much, Glad to say i went on to become the Father of three boys and two girls(grown up now) whom i've never told about my time in that place plus nine grandchildren.. My second youngest granddaughter Rhianna being the young girl who was mauled by the rottweilers here in Dundee last year and for which the owner of these dogs went to prison two weeks ago .. Hope you find out everything you are looking for regarding St Josephs and should you wish to ask me anything dont hesitate to ask.
Take care
Eddie

[TILLYBIRD]

Just thought you may be interested , the records for st joseph school tranent are kept at ..
De Salle Provincilate 140 banbury road oxford 0X2 7BP,i have just written to them as my grandfather was there from 1922 to 1930
Paula

[mamad]

Hello,

I grew up in Tranent and remember the boys from St Joseph's walking up to the cinema(The Cuds). They walked in pairs and I seem to have a memory of fawn raincoats and caps. That was in the late 1950s, early-mid 1960s.

Perhaps you have already read the history of the school. Sketches of Tranent in Olden Time (1881) by J Sands is now available free online. There is a whole chapter on Stiell's Charity School.

www.archive.org/.../sketchestranent01sandgoog/sketchestranent01san.

Mags

[tidybooks]

Hi Mags,

I was born in Tranent in 1948 then lived in Port Seton, I do remember them walking in pairs. They used to walk to the Port Seton Pool, had navy blue polo neck jerseys, we used to call them Jaggy Jerseys.
I tried your link, but it didn't open up for me.

Tom

[tidybooks]

Hi,

I have found a link to the De La Salle brothers,  http://www.delasalle.org.uk/fsc/brothers.htm

Tom

[mamad]

Sorry Tom,

Have copied and pasted from archive.org

www.archive.org/stream/sketchestranent01sandgoog/sketchestranent01sandgoog_djvu.txt

Hope this works.

Mags