First day at Lisburn Central PS recalled at anniversary service
 |
 |
| Lisburn Central Primary School - 1963 | Lisburn Central Primary School Staff - June 1963. L to R: (front row) Miss Bell (Mrs Clarke), Miss Bowden, Mr Matt Shields (Principal), Mr David Thompson (Vice Principal), Miss McCrory and Miss Brown (Mrs Cochrane). (Back row) Mr Derek Allen, Mlss Mcllroy, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Monteith, Mr Robert Cairns, Miss Corbett, Miss Johnston and Mr W J Strain. |
 |
 |
| Lisburn Central Primary School — the exact year is unknown, but it was pre 1950 | An old photo showing an aerial view of Lisburn Central Primary School |
Lisburn Mayor Councillor Allan Ewart and his wife Denise with founder pupils Jack Curry, wartime bride Florence Dieckman (nee Heasley), Norman McMaster and Isa Curry (front) at the service in Christ Church.
THE 75th anniversary of Lisburn Central Primary School has been marked with a special service in Christ Church.
Lisburn Central was formed in 1934 by uniting First Lisburn Presbyterian Church School and Christ Church, Church of Ireland Nicholson School.
During the service Norman McMaster, a founder pupil, and Sophie Riddell, a present pupil, spoke of happy memories of the school.
Norman was one of the many pupils who attended the opening day of the school in 1934. He recalled: "All cleaned and spruced up, the children came out of the First Lisburn School and paraded single file past Smithfield Square where they were joined by Nicholson Memorial (Christ Church) children who formed a second file on the left and together paraded up the then Dublin Road and on reaching the school, went up the steps into the school where they were directed into their classrooms".
Remember
Norman can clearly remember the 'big world' of the new school with previously unfamiliar things such as hot and cold water, toilets, cloak rooms, assembly hall, play area and sports field, all of which impressed him greatly.
Address
Sunday's service was led by the rector, the Rev Paul Dundas, assisted by the Rev John Brackenridge (First Lisburn), both of whom are members of Central PS Board of Governors.
Jim Anderson and Andy Hill read the Scripture lessons and the Rev Dundas gave the address.
The School Choir, conducted and accompanied by Heather McCloskey, sang three pieces entitled 'Hallelujah', The Lord is His Word' and The Magic Penny'. Richard Yarr presided at the organ and together with the Parish Church Choir led the congregational hymns, which included, All things bright and beautiful', 'My Jesus my Saviour' and May the mind of Christ my Saviour'. A congregation of 400 was present and the offering taken (£500) will be donated to Mongo School in Southern Sudan. Following the service, refreshments were served in the church hall providing the opportunity for teachers and pupils past and present to chat and recall many happy memories at Lisburn Central Primary School.
 |
 |
 |
| Eric McCarthy and his sister Audrey Burrell were past pupils of Lisburn Central Primary School. Eric was born in 1934, a few weeks after the school was opened. | Former P4 teacher Yvonne Mackay with her daughters Caitlin, Megan and Erin at the service. | Central Nursery School pupil Casey Connolly with her mother Clare at the service. Included are nursery assistant Michelle McCreedy and P5 pupil Carla Campbell. |
 |
 |
| Some past pupils and past and present teachers at the service in Christ Church to mark the 75th anniversary of Lisburn Central Primary School. Included are Lisburn Mayor Councillor Allan Ewart and his wife Denise (left), Acting Principal Ian Stewart and Christ Church Rector, the Rev Paul Dundas (right). | Denise Ewart (Mayoress) chatting with some parishioners at the service in Christ Church. Included are her former work colleague Kathleen Warden, a former Bridgeport Brass employee and Betty Irwin who also worked in Bridgeport. |
 |
 |
| Central Primary School Choir.. Included are L to R: Heather McCloskey (Conductor and Accompanist), Ian Stewart (Acting Princlpal), Councillor Allan Ewart (Mayor), Denise Ewart (Mayoress) and Board of Governors members Rev John Brackenridge (First Lisburn) and Rev Paul Dundas (Christ Church). | P4 pupil Molly Johnston with her mother Suzanne (a past pupil), grandparents Billy and Sandra Livingstone and Lisburn Mayor Councillor Allan Ewart. |
Proud history of Lisburn Central Primary School
 |
 |
| Lisburn Central Primary School staff - June 1956. L to R: (front row) Miss A Tilson, Mr R Cairns, Mrs S Crothers, Mr M Shields (Principal), Miss R Jones (Vice Principal), Mr D Thompson, Mrs M Calrns, and Miss E Rooney. (back row) Mr D Allen, Miss K Mcllroy, Miss P Bowden, Miss Deyermond, Miss White, Mr 1 McKinstry, Mrs P. Thompson, Miss McCrory, Miss B Wadsworth, and Mr C Kirkwood. | Lisburn Mayor Councillor Allan Ewart with founder pupil Gladys Dubourdieu (nee Best) at the service. |
A GOLDEN Anniversary Magazine (1834-1984) gives the following brief history of Lisburn Central Primary School:
The school was built in 1934 by Lisburn Regional Committee and was then taken over by Antrim County Education Committee, and later by the South Eastern Education and Library Board.
It was built on land originally owned by Miss Stannus who died in March 1933. She was the daughter of Walter James Stannus, DL and the granddaughter of the Very Rev James Stannus, Dean of Ross and rector of Lisburn Cathedral from 1835-1876.
Her philanthropic interests included the care and welfare of children and were typified by her bequest of her home, The Manor House, to the Irish Church Missions as an orphanage. Her participation in public affairs embraced service on the Lisburn Board of Guardians and founder member of the Committee of Governors of Lisburn and District Hospital, now the Lagan Valley Hospital. The Stannus gatehouse is still standing at the corner of Manor Drive and above the door is the Stannus Coat-of-Arms.
The school was built for 650 pupils of all ages from four to fourteen, (13 classrooms with 50 pupils in each). It was formed by uniting First Lisburn Presbyterian Church School and Christ Church, Church of Ireland Nicholson School.
Mrs Nicholson was the mother of Brigadier General John Nicholson whose statue is in Market Square. He was killed at the age of 35, in 1857, in Delhi, India. The Nicholsons' home was at 46 Castle Street and the plaque from above the door is now in the Lisburn Museum.
The opening ceremony took place on Saturday, 3rd November 1934 and was attended by some 250 guests, members of the teaching profession and prominent members of the community.
The speechmaking proceedings took place in a spacious marquee. On the platform were Mr Harold Barbour, Chairman of the Lisburn-Belfast Regional Education Committee, who presided; Miss Laura Pimm (Lisnagarvey), who performed the opening ceremony; the Right Hon. J Milne Barbour, D.L., M.P., Minister of Commerce; Mrs Harold Barbour, Q.B.E., J.P.; Mr Bonaparte Wyse, C.B.E.,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education; Rev W.H. Good, M.A.; Rev David Hay, M.A.; Mr Hugh Mulholland, Mr Ezekiel Bullick, J.P.; and Mr T M Harvey.
The contract price was £13,684, and the contractors, Messrs William Dowling Limited were able to complete the work a month ahead of time. In addition £1,000 had been spent on equipping the school. The plumbing and electric and gas fittings was carried out by the local firm Messrs W J Knox & Sons, Railway Street, Lisburn.
The first Principal was Mr Fletcher, First Lisburn Presbyterian School, Mr Smith, principal of Christ Church Nicholson School having gone to the Association of Teachers (now the Ulster Teachers' Union).
The second Principal was Mr G B Leonard, who later became an Inspector of Education. Mr Matthew Shields came direct from the R.A.F. in 1945 to become Principal. Past staff included Mrs S Crothers, M.B.E., who was Deputy Mayor and a member of Lisburn Council. She founded the Sarah Crothers Centre in Warren Gardens and the Meals on Wheels service. Mr J Morrison, assistant teacher, later became principal of Sloan Street School and then Principal of Lisnagarvey High School. Mr T McKinstry transferred to Lisnagarvey when the school opened. Mr Johnston left in 1952 to teach in South Africa. Mr B McCord became vice-principal of Derriaghy School and Mr D McCaughran principal of Ballycarrickmaddy. Miss R Wadsworth and Mrs Leckey taught Art in Forthill High School and Lisnagarvey High School respectively.
Service marks 75th anniversary of Lisburn Central Primary School
A service was held in Christ Church, Lisburn on Sunday 28th March to mark the 75th anniversary of Lisburn Central Primary School. The rector, the Rev Paul Dundas assisted by the Rev John Brackenridge (First Lisburn), both of whom are members of Central PS Board of Governors. Jim Anderson and Andy Hill read the Scripture lessons and the Rev Paul Dundas gave the address. The School Choir, conducted and accompanied by Heather McCloskey, 'Hallelujah', 'The Lord is His Word' and 'The Magic Penny'. Richard Yarr presided at the organ and together with the Parish Church Choir led the congregational hymns, which included, All things bright and beautiful', 'My Jesus my Saviour' and 'May the mind of Christ my Saviour'.
Central Primary School was formed in 1934 by uniting First Lisburn Presbyterian Church School and Christ Church, Church of Ireland Nicholson School. During the service, Norman McMaster a founder pupil and Sophie Riddell a present pupil spoke of happy memories of the school. Norman was one of the many pupils who attended the opening day of the school in 1934. He recalls, all cleaned and spruced up, the children came out of the First Lisburn School and paraded single file past Smithfield Square where they were joined by Nicholson Memorial (Christ Church) children who formed a second file on the left and together paraded up the then Dublin Road and on reaching the school, went up the steps into the school where they were directed into their classrooms". Norman can clearly remember the 'big world' of the new school with previously unfamiliar things such as hot and cold water, toilets, cloak rooms, assembly hall, play area and sports field, all of which impressed him greatly.
Ulster Star
26/03/2010
