Happy Memories of 1950's Church Street PS Banbridge

I've just stopped off at Banbridge, where I was born and spent my first 17 years, before heading to Stranmillis College and teaching in Belfast.
I motorbiked into the town on the Lurgan road. To right side of the road before the T junction is Seapatrick Church of Ireland. Church Street Primary school, my old primary, stood where the church hall stands now.
I have very happy memories of Church Street P. S. My father was headmaster of Ballydown PS found 3 miles ouside Banbridge near Chinauley going towards Castlewellan. My older brother and sister Jim and Maye went with dad on their bicycles to Ballydown but Dad refused to allow me a place because I was so wayward/mischievous and downright disobedient. Instead I was banished to the local, 'Bash Street' school,- Church Street Primary. I remember the school as being very much as 'rough an' tumble' as regards pupils. It was largely populated by children from the new Moorfield housing estate and Burnview Terrace and the lower section of the town. Strangely or perhaps not so strangely I fitted in well. Having said this about the school pupils, the staff were very well led and instilled very high standards of discipline and behaviour. The headteacher was Mr Kerr, a very kind man who at the same time took no nonsense. I went to Church Street Primary School from 1957 or so through to 1964.
Had my dad lived beyond my 10th birthday he would have no doubt been surprised and shocked when I managed to pass the 'Quali' and progress to Banbridge Academy. I had been the family 'black sheep' up until this point.
Mr Kerr, his staff and his exam class definitely made all the difference for me and many of my classmates, who travelled with me. I owe the old school and all my old teachers a huge debt.

[@sentimentaloldme]

Tom...love watching your videos...very interesting...

[@TomMcClean]

Hey as always Michael many thanks for watching and getting back to me with your encouraging remarks. I looked up my old school name on the internet and couldn't find anyone making a reference to it. I couldn't allow it to be forgotten so down I went and videoed. lol Those long gone teachers made such a difference for so many young wayward lads like me. Unfortunately I didn't really understand and appreciate it at the time. A case of 'Remember the days of the old school yard' as Cat Stevens sang. i was videoing and saw a guy across the road checking out what I was doing. I went across and explained and he turned out to be Vicky Bryans the sweet shop owneres sonwho was now in his lower 70s. We had a right old chat and catchup! lol

[@amysands8925]

Love to get videos of banbridge high school. in late 50s early 60s

[@lilyweir8880]

My school is near that church it's just up the road by the academy

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Lily, Great to hear from you at Edenderry PS. I remember when Church street PS was demolished and rebuilt as Edenderry PS. I was at the Academy at the time and I watched the primary school being built. I had a great time at both schools. Enjoy these happy days and do as well as you can. They will soon pass. Best wishes from Belfast.

[@lilyweir8880]

@@TomMcClean my mum went to the academy around 25 to 30 years ago

[@madeljacky]

Another brilliant video Tom, i love hearing the back ground to it and names of the pupils you recall, i recgonise the Burnnett names, they have a Bakery in Banbridge called Burnnets Bakery. I know Maureen and Declan Mconville, Maureen was a school teacher before she retired, Declans daughter was married to my Youngest brother who passed away in June 2016

[@TomMcClean]

Hey you are so encouraging madelhacky. This is so interesting to hear about Maureen and Declan. I called in with Maureeen and her dad some few years ago to thank him and his wife for being so kind to us McClean children after my dad died in 1964. Maureen had a younger sister called Yvonne. i think she married and moved down South. Please pass my good wishes on to Declan and Maureen if and when you see them. I am so sorry to hear about your brother. Life can be very very hard. My sister took her own life almost 10 years ago now.

[@madeljacky]

@@TomMcClean yes life can be very hard at times unfortunately but we just have to get on with it, some more slowly than others.Thankfully there are good people out there that do help those in need. The Yvonne you mentioned still lives down south with her husband

[@TomMcClean]

Yes madeljacky it's good to surround ourselves with good people especially when times are rough. Please remember me to any of the McConvilles ( Michael Delan ) or Burnetts you meet.

[@madeljacky]

@@TomMcClean no problem, will do that.

[@madeljacky]

@@TomMcClean Hi Tom, hope your keeping well, just thought I would let you know that the Declan McConville you grew up with passed away suddenly on 19th February 2023, also the Ernie Matthers you went to school with, his wife Roberta passed away suddenly on 6th February 2023, goes to show you life can be very unpredictable at times.

[@gabrielaraga9148]

Go to abricorn in Banbridge in 20th june

[@TomMcClean]

A great wee town to live in UG. All the best at the Abercorn.

[@raymondkelly3810]

I attended this school in 1939, later on I moved to the Abercorn school, during the war the American soldiers gave all the pupils sweets at Christmas, Emily mercer was a teacher there.

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Raymond, I was there in 56-57 onwards. As I remember it the clientele at Church St was a wee bit on the rough side. The pupils came from Moorfield and Burnview Tce etc -townees. I was Windsor Tc. The Abercorn was viewed as a wee bit more up market if you get my drift. Church St had Mr Kerr as head and Ms McMordie and Miss McCaghey. There were one or two others I can't remember. The Abercorn had a scary teacher called Miss Stannage. We met her only once doing school tests. Once was enough! There were plenty of characters and plenty of laughs at Church Street. We used the old Lancaster building up the road too. It is now private houses! The results out of my class under Mr Kerr were very good. 6 or 7 of the class got going to the Academy! Do you still live in the town or are you like me long gone? I'm down near Knock in Belfast at Gilnahirk. I well remember walking up Banbridge street and everyone would have spoken to you and you would have known most of them too. All gone now and not for the better! Best wishes

[@TomMcClean]

ps I have quite a few other videos on KZbin about Banbridge. They are very amateurish but hey that's what I am. You might enjoy them.

[@gary_carpediemvideography]

I remember Mrs McMordie and Mrs McCaughey in Edenderry primary school in the 70's. Same teachers I presume?

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Gary, I was there in church Street PS in the late 1950s I started in either 1957 or 1958. Mr Kerr was headmaster then. Soon after I left the school was rebuilt at Edenderry beside the Academy. Yes Mrs McMordie and Ms McCaughey were both there in my time. Great ladies. I well rememeber a Francey McKinstry at school maybe a year or two older than me. Then there were the Evans boys, the Cochranes and Jardins from Burnview Tce. Maybe you are a relation of Francey. I think he lived round Shurch street somewhere. Good old days of innocent fun. Thanks for calling in. Best wishes

[@gary_carpediemvideography]

Yes @@TomMcClean I know a few of those boys, Francey would be my Uncle. They owned the shop at the bottom of Ballymoney Hill. My father still has the shop to this day.

[@TomMcClean]

Wow Gary after all these years who would have thought it? I'm 65 Is Francey still alive? If so he would hardly remember me. Do you rememeber the McKnights twins from Ballymoney Hill too? Is Kenny McKinstry the rally driver anything to you? I used to live on Windsor Terrace Castlewellan road beside Burnetts big house and Bannside Presbyterian church. Hey thanks for getting back to me. Best wishes

[@gary_carpediemvideography]

Yes Francey still alive and is a driving instructor. My granny and granda had the shop first on Dromore street then the new shop was built in 1977 when the old row was knocked down. Kenny is my Dad's cousin and is still out beside Ballydown petrol station. @@TomMcClean I know Windsor terrace, I now live up in the new houses behind the tech

[@TomMcClean]

This is great stuff Gary. I used to cycle out to the Corbet/Linsays Bridge and Lisneree to fish with my older brother Jim. My dad was headmaster of Ballydown PS up on the hill. He fought for years to keep it open when the education authorities wanted to close it as a small 2 teacher school. Now the new build Ballydown PS is thriving and has big numbers. The really old Ballydown PS is in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. My dad taught in it first. My brother and sister were allowed to go to my dad's school but i was sent to Church Street PS becasue I was a bit naughty and rebellious. I enjoyed the craic there. I have a few other videos on KZbin about Banbridge. Growing up there was a happy time. I left for Belfast when I was 17 and never lived in the town again but I remember it all.

[@mattbankhead1044]

Ahemm Tom, I went to Abercorn not Church St:)

[@TomMcClean]

Oooops! So you did Matthew but you did go to the Academy. I remember you knocked about with a lad called was it Eddie Taylor? . Long time ago! lol I'm wearing an older man's clothes unfortunately! lol Beat wishes from Belfast.

[@mattbankhead1044]

@@TomMcClean Edgar Taylor, better known as Tosh for some reason

[@TomMcClean]

Long long time ago Matt. You wonder what has happened to all these people.

[@mattbankhead1044]

@@TomMcClean Well since the Academy Former Pupils Association proposed some years ago was a thoroughly damp squid, next best thing is to post your photos/queries on Banbridge Days Gone By on FB. Quentine Boyce is sadly passed on but I am in contact with Misses Whiteside and Gault (on FB under married surnames) who are still local

[@TomMcClean]

I didn't know about Banbridge Days Gone By Matt. I will cjeck it out. Yes I heard about Quentin. I was in the same sunday school class as him in Bannside Presbyterian church! He was our age and appeared fit and well the last time I saw him briefly. I saw Olene and Linda a good while ago. We see Stewart and Nan Conn quite often. Clyde Ervine comes home periodically from Canada and we meet up too. I met up with David Livingstone a while back too. The McGuiken boys are all in London I believe. Will Gamble is in Dromore and my brother in law Raymond steen is in Dromara. I see them every now and again. Richard Robinson is still in Banbridge and John Wilkinson is retired in Dromore. I don't know about the rest. We are down in Gilnahirk Belfast.