The Eastern School was built here in 1876 and demolished in 1962. A block of high-rise flats, Eastern View, now occupies the site just across from Gourock Park and the old Gourock burying ground.
In my schooldays, the bell was rung in the morning, at interval time, lunch time and, best of all, at the end of the school day! It was usually the school janitor's job to ring the bell. It is a nostalgic reminder of the school and there's a plaque which reads -
This is the bell from the
Eastern School which stood
on this site from 1876 - 1962
"Welcome Home"
The bell has the makers name on it - John C Wilson & Co, Founders, Glasgow AD 1894. They were part of the Gorbals Brass & Bell Foundry of Glasgow and there's a fabulous website of the Whiting Society of Ringers where you can read all about the Foundry's history.
Nice that the old bell has been saved. Nowadays I suppose an electric bell would be used in most schools. At my old primary school there was no bell and the headmaster used to blow a whistle to signify the end of playtime.
ReplyDeleteInteresting read, then it got me thinking maybe we have their bells somewhere in Australia - and we do upon research..
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