Canonmills Primary School  -  Sports Day

Thank you to Jim Duncan for sending me this photo.

Jim wrote:

Group in Wardie Park

"This photo was taken in Wardie Park ** on the occasion of Canonmills Primary School Sports Day, some time pre-1951.

The girls, second and third from the left in the middle row are Anne Neilson and Helen Ferguson."

**  But see 'Answer 2' below.

Acknowledgement1.  Jim Duncan for sending this photo to me:  May 3, 2009.

Acknowledgement2.  Ann Simons (nee Nielson) who supplied this photo to Jim.

Question

Wardie Park  -  Where was it?

The photograph at the top of this page was taken at Wardie Park.  But where was Wardie Park?  I assume it was somewhere to the north of Canonmills.

Peter Stubbs:  May 18, 2009

Answer 1

Wardie Park

Thank you to Phil Wilson, Aberdeen for sending a quick answer back to this question.  Phil found a 'Trinity Conservation Area document on the internet, which showed that Wardie Park was the name given to the fields now known as Wardie Primary School Playing Fields.

This was the area that was taken over by Lochinvar Camp in the 1940s and 1950s.

The old eastern entrance into Wardie Park used to be from Netherby Road, opposite the Western end of Lennox Row.  This entrance has now been closed and replaced by a bungalow and garden.

Aerial View

Here is an aerial view, looking down on Wardie Primary School Playing Fields in 1947.  At that time the northern part of the playing fields had been taken over by Lochinvar camp, which provided temporary housing for the homeless.

The entrance to the park (and to Lochinvar Camp) can be seen between the houses in this photo.  It is near the right hand side, about a quarter of the way down the photo.  Please click on the thumbnail image below to enlarge it.

©

Peter Stubbs:  May 18, 2009

Answer 2

Warriston Park

Thank you to Ian Laidlaw for pointing out that this photo was in fact taken at Warriston Playing Fields, not Wardie Park.  (That makes sense as Warriston Playing Fields are fairly close to Canonmills Primary School.)

©

Ian added:

"This photo looks in an easterly direction.

The building in the photo is still there (changing rooms).

Directly behind (top right) is the railway line, now a walkway.

The field behind the figure in the background (left) is now a continuation of Eildon Street, built in the 1960s."

Ian Laidlaw, Drylaw, Edinburgh:  May 19, 2009

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