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Fire
C & A Modes
Princes Street |
November 1955
©
Scotsman Publications Ltd.
Click here
for web site details. Licensed by
Scran, Photo 02103241,
Scran
000-000-038-541. Date according to
Scran: Nov 1951, but actually Nov 1955. See Scotsman article
below.
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C & A Modes, Princes Street |
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View from
Scott Monument
This photo was taken from the
Scott Monument, with the roof of the department store ablaze. Viewed from this height, the fire engine in Princes
Street, below, looks almost like a toy vehicle!
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Another
Photo
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View from Waverley Bridge
Here is a
another photo of the 1955 fire, this one taken from Waverley Bridge:
© |
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Report of the Fire |
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Looking Back
An article in The Scotsman in 2007, looking back on the
fire, reported:
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Fire in C&A Modes Department Store
in Princes Street, Edinburgh
November 1955
"In1955,
Edinburgh firefighters battled the worst fire the city has seen for
more than 100 years as flames ripped through the C&A Modes store on
Princes Street.
So intense was
the heat as the firemen directed their power hoses into the heart of
the blaze that the building's metal window frames buckled.
And by the end of
the day all that remained of the shop's stock were the charred
dummies that stood in the burnt-out windows on the building's ground
floor as the remnants of clothes smouldered about them.
The Scotsman,
August 25, 2007 |
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with
acknowledgement to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire for finding
the article above. |
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History of the Site |
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1909
Renton's Drapery store once stood on this site, but was destroyed by
fire in 1909.* The Edinburgh Hotel was
then built on the site; this was the building destroyed by fire in
1955, having been occupied by C&A Modes since the 1930s.**
A new store was built on the site for C&A in 1956.**
This has now been demolished and replaced by yet another new store.
* Source:
Evening News Nostalgia, 'Fires in Edinburgh': May 30, 2009
** Source:
Edinburgh Architecture web site. |
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Recollections
1.
David Bain
Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England |
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Thank you to David Bain who wrote:
Clothes Sale
"I was only seven at the time of the fire in
1955, but there is one feature of the aftermath that sticks in my mind.
They had a fire sale afterwards and I remember
seeing, as fast as the fire damaged bargains went out of the front door,
more were being unloaded from lorries at the back!"
David Bain, Rotherham, South Yorkshire: February 9,
2011 |
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Recollections
2.
Danny Callaghan
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote:
Another Fire
"I seem to recall that, the same night as the
fire at C & A,= or the following night, there a was a fire in Jeffrey
Street. I think it then became the site for 1960s government office
block of Ministry of Works, and is currently is Jury's Hotel."
Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:
February 16, 2011 |
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Recollections
3.
Margaret Johnston
(nee Slattery)
Australia |
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Thank you to Margaret Johnston who wrote:
Fire
"I was actually working at C&A at the
time of the fire, having just left school in July at the age of 15.
It was very sad to see the place go up in flames.
We then moved to premises in Jeffrey Street
until we could move back into the shop in Princes Street.
I remember our 'Fire Sales' and the horrible
smell of smoke everywhere. I worked for C&A until 1961 and have very
happy memories of my time there."
Margaret Johnston (nee Slattery), Australia: July 4,
2011 |
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