Edinburgh/Leith Schools

[Keith]

Hi,

I wonder if I could tap into the local knowledge of those of you familiar with Edinburgh and Leith?

I'm trying to work out which schools a boy born in Edinburgh on the 4th of December 1922 would have attended.

Not sure where the family lived before 1929, but between 1929 and 1931 they lived at 47 Madeira Street, Leith, after which they moved to 100 Montgomery Street, Edinburgh, where they remained for many years.

I would be interested to know which school he would have attended from the Madeira Street address.

It was been suggested to me that after moving to Montgomery Street he would have attended Leith Walk School. Could anyone confirm this, and would he have moved on to an upper school when he reached the age to do so, or would he have stayed at Leith Walk for the remainder of his school days?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Keith.

[Unė kthimi i papenduar]

Current catchment for Madeira Street can be found at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/catchmentmap



https://maps.nls.uk/view/109707821 will give you and indication of the schools (mostly all gone) near Madeira Street.   

[dowdstree]

Hi Keith. I have some local knowledge of this area.

I believe the boy would have gone to the then Leith Primary School in North Fort Street, Leith. It was built in 1875 and is only round the corner from Maderia Street. A new school was built in 1960's. It is also known as North Fort Street Primary School. If you use google you will find some old photos of it.
Both streets are of Ferry Road, Leith.

Leith Walk Primary School would have been the nearest one to Montgomery Street - again local knowledge. At the age of 11/12 he would have moved to Secondary School as we called it here in Scotland. His nearest one would have been Bellevue Secondary School, Bellevue Crescent, Edinburgh (now Drummond High  School) or if he was very clever he may have gained entry to Broughton Senior Secondary School, McDonald Road, Edinburgh (now Broughton High School) which is now at Inverleith, Edinburgh.

I hope this information is helpful,

Dorrie

[Keith]

That's great. Thank you so much.

Current catchment for Madeira Street can be found at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/catchmentmap



https://maps.nls.uk/view/109707821 will give you and indication of the schools (mostly all gone) near Madeira Street.   

[Keith]

Dorrie,

Thank you so much. This is wonderful information, and I'm ever so grateful.

Keith.

[dowdstree]

Happy to help Keith.

Any questions about the info please ask and I will do my best to help.

Dorrie

[oldfashionedgirl]

Hello Dorie
I am interested in what you said about Broughton Senior Secondary School and being clever.
Did potential pupils have to sit an entrance exam to gain a place ?
I am curious as an ancestor of mine went there in the 20s

[dowdstree]

Hi oldfashionedgirl. As far as I can make out it would be an entrance exam back then as the 11+ did not come in to being until the 1940's. With the 11+ the top pupils were automatically offered a place at a Senior Secondary School. Others went to a Junior Secondary School. All changed nowadays.

Your ancestor must have been near the top of class to have gained a place at Broughton.

Dorrie

[smudget]

Might I suggest..Victoria Primary school, Newhaven main street and David Kilpatrick secondary.
I attended Broughton Senior Secondary...and yes.. you did have to sit an exam to get in .