Royston Primary School opened in Garngad Rd at St Rollox School in 1857. The original Garngad School was demolished to make playground space and the present school built further back. This building opened in 1906. The first St Rollox School was opened by the Tennant family who owned St Rollox Chemical Works. This school was opposite the works in Castle St.

(The Cotton Mill, 99 Garngad Rd ran a school for their workers’ children: Thomson’s School operated in a room at 1 Turner St. This room later became part of the Commando Bar). My own cynicism tells me the reason these companies provided schools near the works was so that the children could work part time too.

Rosemount Primary School, 221 Millburn St was the first ‘board school’ to be opened in the area. The school opened in 1897 and was closed in the late 1980’s. Since 1993 it has been called the Millburn Centre and is run by the Rosemount Development Trust.

St Roch’s Primary School, 267 Garngad Rd opened in 1907. When it s24 classrooms accommodated 1056 children. In August 1996 the roll was 243!

St Roch’s Secondary School opened in 1928. It was built with an ‘E’ shape to perpetuate the memory of Canon Lanton. This school is built on the site of the Glasgow Malleable Iron Works. On March 6th, 1880, the iron works was devastated when a huge boiler exploded, spewing out steam and debris over the workers. 17 men were killed and 35 seriously injured.

Garngad School was opened at Provanmill in 1932. This school stood on Garngad Rd, west of the new motorway. The following year the school was renamed St Philomena’s. After the present St Philomenas, Primary School was built in Robroyston Rd, the old building was used as an annexe to St Roch’s. It has since been demolished.

St Gilbert’s Primary was later opened in Germiston.

Littlehill School, Blackhill operates where St Kenneth’s School formerly stood. A number of years ago a determined sit in by parents opposing a decision by the education authorities gained a victory for community action. This action, which had the support of Monseignor Coyle, (St Philomenas) and Reverend Russell McLarty (St Paul’s Church of Scotland), showed the strong community spirit in the area.

Read about Provanmill and Blackhill
Read about Germiston
Read about Garngad and Royston
Read about Garngad characters (Mick McLaughlan by Michael Keenan)
Read about politics in the area
Read about entertainment in the area
Read about sports in the area
Read about churches and religion in the area
Read the 'Farewell to Garngad'
Read about a poet from 'Little Ireland'
Read the conclusion by writer James Friel

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