Davie Cooper Celebration Tournament programme (1998)

1990s, Braidfield, Document, Full Archive, Sport
Davie Cooper Celebration Tournament programme (1998)Download

This programme from 25th October 1998 was a celebration of former Clydebank, Rangers and Motherwell player Davie Cooper (1956-1995). Part of the event held at Boghead Park, Dumbarton, saw Clydebank Schools play Dumbarton Schools. Do you know what the final score was? Did you play? Let us know!

The document is a scan of the original and comes in pdf format. Click on the download button above to view. It was found in a loft and sent to OldCHS!

1972/73 album – 03

1970s, 1972/73 album, Full Archive, Sport

Back row: John Ross, Ian “Bo” Burns, Andy Hamilton, Drew Kildare, Kenny Wilson.

Front Row: Graham Box, Jim Rodger, Alex Jaimieson, Ian McGeahie, Graham McCallum.

Missing: Davy Banks / Jim Fanning / John Black

Thanks to John Ross for the names. He also let us know that he recalls this team were beaten in the semifinal of the Glasgow Schools league by Victoria Park 2-1. Victoria Park went on to win the competition by a good margin. He also told us that Alex Jamison was as u/15’s Scotland cap & S Form for Oxford, John Black was S Form with Wolves, Jim Rodger was senior with Airdrie & Clydebank, Jim Fanning was senior with Clydebank and Ian McGechie was with Rob Roy.

Staff early 1970s

1970s, Full Archive, Staff

Back row: Neil Campbell (Gym), Mr Shaw (Technical), Tom Wilson (PT Technical), John Smith (PT Mathematics), Davy Glen (PT Physics), John Traill (PT Geography), Hugh Waterford (PT History), Mr Craig (Chemistry).

Middle row: Ronnie Clarke (APT Art), Willie Rodger (PT Art), ?, ?, Mr Logan (PT Modern Languages), Duncan McEwan (PT Biology), Scott Duncan (PT Business Studies / Commerce), Jean Cunningham (Biology / Mathematics), ?.

Front row: Alison McDonald (PT English), ?, John Hume Brown (PT Geography & Asst Rector Middle School)?, Marcia McLaren (Art / Asst Rector Lower School), Mr Bennie (Asst Rector Administration), Mr John Templeton Robertson (Rector), Tom Murray (Depute Rector), Bill Jones (Asst Rector Senior School), ?, Jeannie Thompson (PT Music).

Thanks to Douglas McKerracher, Scott Inglis, Andrew Scanlon and Charlie Campbell for the names. Charlie told us that this must be the early 1970s given the arrival and departure of several members of staff pictured during this time and that Tom Murray became Rector of Vale of Leven Academy from 1974/75.

Miller Street building

04 Miller Street (1911-1947), Buildings, Full Archive

Opened in 1911, the Miller Street building was the fourth building to house “Clydebank School”. In fact, it was this building that allowed the separation of Primary and Secondary schooling in the town, and so “Clydebank High School” was born.

By 1906, the School roll had risen to 1,600 which was 100 over the design capacity of the Kilbowie Road building opened in 1888. As such, it was agreed that a new school could be built to supplement this capacity with enough room for a further 350 pupils.

The Miller Street building was predominantly used to house the “Higher Grade” pupils whilst the Kilbowie Road building continued with “Primary” and “Supplementary” pupils.

The Miller Street building was severely damaged during the Clydebank Blitz in May 1941, but it survived and was replaced by the Shelley Drive building which opened in 1947.

James Hunter Porteous

1873-1939, Full Archive, Individuals, Notable alumni, WW1

Text and photograph from University of Glasgow Roll of Honour

James Hunter Porteous was born on 3rd March 1890 in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire. His father, Robert, was an Iron Moulder, and the family lived at 6 Dumbarton Road in Clydebank before moving to 8 Montrose Street in Kilbowie.

James was educated at Clydebank School, where he attained the Junior Student’s Certificate in July 1909. The Junior Student’s course involved a set number of hours of instruction in the art of teaching, and was a standard qualification for entry to teacher training college.

In the autumn of 1909, James enrolled at the Glasgow Provincial Training College (forerunner of Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde) for a three-year course of teacher training offered in conjunction with the University of Glasgow. Students taking this course were required to study concurrently at the University. If successful, they obtained two qualifications: the Teacher’s General Certificate, entitling them to teach in primary schools, and an Arts degree. In his first year he studied Latin and Mathematics, followed in his second with classes in English Literature before taking English Higher and Logic in his final year.

In 1912 James qualified for the Teacher’s General Certificate in the summer of 1912. He became a Teacher at the Dalmuir School under the Old Kilpatrick School Board, and was involved in the St James’ Parish Church Company of the Boys’ Brigade.

James was quick to sign up to join the war effort, and was made a 2nd Lieutenant on the 2nd September 1914, and served with the 6th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Captain James Hunter Porteous was killed in action on the 22nd August 1917, and is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. His gravestone reads “A secret thought, a silent tear, keep his memory ever dear”.

Captain Porteous is remembered on the University of Glasgow Roll of Honour, on the Roll of Honour of the Glasgow Provincial Committee for the Training of Teachers, and on the Glasgow Provincial Training College War Memorial, located in the David Stow Building on the former Jordanhill Campus.

The first purpose-built school: Kilbowie Road (1)

02 Kilbowie Road (1876-1888), Buildings, Full Archive

The “bothy school” in the shipyard had become unfit for purpose as a school for the rapidly-expanding town. As such, a new school was required and the second building of CHS was constructed at the bottom of Kilbowie Road in 1876.

However this building quickly became overcrowded and was demolished only ten years after it opened and replaced by the third CHS building with over three times the capacity. This requirement for such a large increase in capacity in such a short time is a great indicator of the growth of Clydebank.

The third school building: Kilbowie Road (2)

03 Kilbowie Road (1888-1941), Buildings, Full Archive

The third building to house our school was opened in 1888 on Kilbowie Road, only fifteen years after the original Bothy School had opened. The second building had become overcrowded very quickly, necessitating the new school. The new design capacity was for 1,500 pupils, compared to the 446 of the old school.

Built on the site of the original Kilbowie Road School, it caused public outcry at the cost of construction which was £20,000 (approximately £2.5million in 2018 terms). This was an overspend of £7,000 (£893,000 in 2018) compared to the original budget of £13,000 (£1.65million on 2018).

The Rev John Stark who was a member of the school board and supporter of building the new school was so unpopular for the massive overspend that effigies of him were burned on the streets of the town!

This building was destroyed during the Clydebank Blitz of 13th & 14th March 1941.

The photo above is from the West Dunbartonshire Council Archive and a “then and now” photo is available on their website here.

Video interview – Anne Thorn

Full Archive, Video

Clydebank High School, the University of Strathclyde and oldchs.co.uk joined together to create a “Community Archive Project” which documents the history of Clydebank High School.

In this video, Anne Thorn, Curriculum Leader of English at Clydebank High School talks about her experiences as a teacher in Braidfield High School which she joined in 1993, including the amalgamation of Braidfield and Clydebank High in 2006.

Shelley Drive building – R Jennings collection 05

05 Shelley Drive (1947-2009), Buildings, Full Archive, R Jennings collection

A view of the corridor running from Modern Studies to the English Department. For those who attended CHS a few years ago, the departments may have changed location. To orient you, the assembly hall is currently out of the windows on the left of the photo and this corridor is the wing closest to the playing fields. The corridor looks very empty without the displays on the walls, however, this was taken as the school was being emptied for the move to the new Janetta Street building.