St Mary's Primary decanted to St Ninian's Primary

Jan 28 2010 by John Rowbotham, Hamilton Advertiser

A SCHOOL in Hamilton – which boasts 157 years of history – was on the move this week.

St Mary’s Primary School staff and 276 pupils vacated the Cadzow Street building in which the school has been based for 53 years.

From Monday, the youngsters sat down to their lessons at the former St Ninian’s Primary School building, in Hillhouse.

While they are away, the old school will be demolished and replaced with an £8½m primary featuring 11 classrooms, technology suite, library, training facilities and a sports pitch.

It is due for completition in June 2011, when staff and pupils will return to the locus.

Head teacher Kathleen Stewart said: “One of the good things about the school is that we are situated in the middle of a big and busy town but in a lovely secluded rural area.

“However, the building, particularly on the outside is beginning to show its age.

“Moving to St Ninian’s will be an upheaval and we have a lot of nice memories of the school, but it’s about the pupils staff and children who are here and we will take the school’s ethos with us.”

The school was founded in 1853 in a room at St Mary’s Church, Hamilton, using a £20 per year donation from the then Duchess of Hamilton.

Twenty years later, pupils moved to a new school in Muir Street, Hamilton, on the site on which the former Holy Cross High School was to be built.

The school remained there until 1957 when they moved into the 10-classroom school which will be demolished within the next few weeks.

Mrs Stewart, who lives in Hamilton but comes from Cleland, became head teacher in 2005, taking over from the late Molly McCann who had held the post for 18 years.

Mrs McCann’s predecessor was Anne Cairney, head teacher for about 20 years.

Memories of the school were shared at a thanksgiving Mass held on Thursday at St Mary’s Church, and conducted by the parish priest there Father Henry O’Brien.

In a packed church, pupils were joined by parents and former pupils who were invited back to the school for a cup of tea and one last look around before the bulldozers move in.

Later that day, the Bishop of Motherwell, the Rt Rev. Joseph Devine, visited youngsters and staff.