History

I joined the Centre as Charity Coordinator in June 2024, bringing with me my  passion for history.  I want to learn about the Centre's origins with the goal of creating a history display.  Sadly it has not proven that easy to find out information, or obtain pictures.

If you are able to help with this please get in touch with me directly louise.scrivens@curriecommunitycentre.org

I would love to hear your stories and see pictures if you have any.

Louise Scrivens, Charity and Centre Coordinator

Below information is from the Currie and District Local History Society 

The Currie Kirk Youth Club was formed in 1954 by Alick Buchanan-Smith ( a popular and respected landowner (House of Cockburn) and later a member of Parliament ) . At this time the Clubs meetings were held every Friday evening, September to April, in the old railway buildings at Currie Station and in the secondary school gym.

Three of the original youth club  members were Dougal Haston,  Jim ( Eley) Moriarity and James Stenhouse.  Alick Buchanan-Smith led the youth club  group on hill walks and climbs and Haston, Moriarity  and Stenhouse went on to become accomplished climbers/mountaineers.  

The Currie Kirk Youth Club, on the site where Currie Community Centre is now, was formally opened on 26th November 1958 by Sir John Hunt (of the Everest Expedition) .  He was invited by Alick Buchanan-Smith , who was the leader and instigator of Currie Kirk Youth Club. It was dedicated by the Very Reverend Dr Charles Warr, Senior Minister of St Giles Cathedral.

The youth club premises were made up of three timber huts , which had been bought from the old army camp at Riccarton (where the Heriot Watt is now).

There was a very large crowd at the opening and a little later when Sir John Hunt and Alick Buchanan-Smith were having tea in one of the huts part of the floor in another of the huts collapsed. The large crowd had been too much for it.  

In the following days the members and families repaired the collapsed flooring. They had all been involved in setting up the huts for the opening.