Old Eustonians donate painting found on Scottish island to Morecambe school

The Old Eustonians, former pupils of Euston Road School, now known as Morecambe Bay Community Primary School, presented the gift at a special event in school.

Three old Euston Road School members, Linda Hill, Denise Sprigings and Jane Sherrington, attended a special welcome from the children and staff.

The relationship between Euston Road School and Morecambe Bay started earlier this year.

A group was set up on Facebook during lockdown for former pupils of Euston Road School. As the school had closed its doors for the last time in July 1973, people went their separate ways, so only a very few remained in contact.

This group grew quickly and became a fun place to post old photos, stories, or track down old school friends.

A member of staff contacted the group to invite some of the old pupils to an afternoon tea, as part of a history project by the children.

The children had an opportunity to ask questions about the school and schooling from their time.

The former pupils, ranging in age from 65 to 84, were thrilled to be a part of this and see the old school once again.

The ex-pupils later discussed what might be a fitting gift for the school as a connection between old and new.

Then, out of the blue, a man in Scotland made contact with the group to say he was a contractor working on an empty property on the Isle of Arron.

He saw a painting that had Euston Road School Morecambe on it, painted by the late Mary Davies who had lived and worked in Morecambe.

She went to night school in the technical block over the road from the school to attend art classes and it is believed she painted this painting from the college, due to the angle of the school in the painting.

Eventually she left Morecambe to retire on the Isle of Arran, where she set up a charity, wrote books and painted. She passed away in 2012.

The former pupils are now selling photocopies to raise funds to make a donation for the Mary Davies Trust. Contact [email protected] if you would like to order one.

The school is now planning to arrange invites for the former pupils to forge links with the children for local history, as well as perhaps an “Adopt a Granny” for story time.