Patrick Thomson Postcard - Patrick Thomson's Drapery Store at the corner of the Royal Mile and South Bridge, near the Tron Kirk

Patrick Thomson Postcard

Patrick Thomson's Drapery Store

at the corner of the Royal Mile and South Bridge

The Postcard

This is typical of early Patrick Thomson post cards, incorporating the Edinburgh Coat of Arms.

This view looks along the cable-car tramlines to the south along South Bridge to the dome of Edinburgh University.

The picture is possibly based on a photograph, but with line drawing and colouring added.

The Shop

Below is a brief history of Patrick Thomson's store in Edinburgh:

1845	Thomas Thomson opened his first Edinburgh shop was established at 2 Shandwick Place. [MC]
1848	Thomas Thomson's shop moved to 135 Princes Street. [MC]
1889	Patrick Thomson opened a small shop around selling lace, ribbons and haberdashery. [GU]
1890	*The shop at 89-91 South Bridge had now become Thomson & Allson.* [GU]
1900	*The shop's name was again Patrick Thomson.* [GU] This is the picture in the postcard above. Patrick Thomson's is on the east side of South Bridge, immediately to the south of the High Street. The building later became a bank and is now a public house and hotel, named Bank Hotel.
1906	The shop moved to 15 North Bridge, Edinburgh [GU] This is one block further to the north, on the north-east corner of the High Street / North Bridge junction. The store extended from the High Street to the Calton Hotel, opposite The Head Office of The Scotsman newspaper, now The Scotsman Hotel!
1926	Patrick Thomson Ltd, was acquired by Scottish Drapery Corporation Ltd, Edinburgh [GU]
1952	Scottish Drapery Corporation Ltd was acquired by House of Fraser Ltd, Glasgow [GU]
1970	The business was still trading under the name Patrick Thomson. [GU]
1976	The business became Arnotts. [MC]
1981	Arnotts closed. [MC]
Sources GU: Glasgow University Archive Services Administrative/Biographical History. MC = Edinburgh Shops, Past and Present [Malcolm Cant].