Photographic Studio

34 Bath Street

In fact, this NOT a photo of No.34 Bath Street.

The two 2-storey houses here are Nos.42+44.

See Replies 3 and 4 below

34 Bath Street

Photo

Thank you to Susan Gallen, Craigentinny, Edinburgh for sending me the photograph above of Bath Street, Portobello and for outlining No 34 in red.

There were several partnerships of photographers in Portobello in the late 19th century.  No 34 Bath Street was the address of the photographic studio used by some of them:

Question

Thank you to Susan Gallon who wrote:

34 Bath Street

"Here is a photo that shows No.34 Bath Street.  It was taken in the early 21st century, as can be seen from the traffic calming 'hump' in the centre of the street.

I'm doing a little research into No 34 Bath Street.  I have outlined the building in red *

I'd love to find out the history of this house as I have had many 'dreams' of some sort, about this place. I can vividly picture in my mind's eye, a small girl pressing her face through iron bars on the gate to this property, with a small pony or donkey and cart, waiting at the front door. I believe this is in the Victorian times and that the small girl was me.

This 'dream', has been a massive part of my life  -  the first time I 'dreamt' of this place was when I was six years old.  I'm now nearly thirty two!

I cannot actually bring myself to walk on the same side of the road as this property, I have to cross over, as I get shivers down my spine. I always have done since a young age!

Do you know where I could find out the history of this property, or if there is an old photograph of the front of this building, or any original plans for this house?"

Susan Gallon, March 2008?

Reply

1.

Katherine Fraser Bailey

Thank you to Katherine Fraser Bailey who sent the following reply to Susan Gallen's question:

Comfort Tea Rooms

"I don't know anything about the shop/building at 34 Bath Street, but my great aunt Catherine (Kate) Fraser Carbray had a place called the Comfort Tea Rooms at 56 Bath Street around 1900.

She appeared in the 1901 census as a Hotel Keeper so I suspect it may have been the corner building of the very block in your submitted photo.

Her sister Christina Fraser owned a tobacconist shop, and their uncle owned a leather shop in the same area.  I am trying to find something on all the businesses.

If you have managed to find anything out or have come by another view of the this block I would love to hear about it.  Meanwhile if I find anything in my digging, I'll forward it on to you."

Katherine Fraser Bailey, March 11, 2008

Reply

2.

Katherine Fraser Bailey

Katherine Bailey added:

Residents in 1927

"According to the City Directory of 1927, the property at No.34 Bath Street was the home (office) of F. W. Murray"

Katherine Fraser Bailey, November 16, 2008

NOTE

I've found that Post Office Directories are a good source for discovering who lived where in the past.  The streets of Portobello have been included in:

-  the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directories, in some years

-  the Portobello & District directories in other years.

Post Office Directories were published annually between the early 1800s and 1973. Copies of these directories can be consulted at the Edinburgh Room at Central LIbrary, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  November 2008

Reply

3.

Norman Vanbeck

Exeter, Devon, England

It's been almost six years since anybody sent a message about the photo at the top of this page.

However, Norman Vanbeck has now sent his contribution below.  Norman wrote:

This is Not

No.34

    ©

"This photograph is not of  No.34.  It is No.44."

No.42

"This is the adjoining house to my father's house, No.42.  That's where I was brought up from my birth in 1941.

My father sold No.42 around 1983, having owned the property for approx 40 years."

No.44

"The house next door to us, at No.44, during part of this time was owned by Miss Naomi Clarke.

The basement part of that house was used for various types of business, one of which may have been a photographer, but from memory the photographer was actually directly across the road from us on the corner of Straiton Place.

If you look at recent photographs of numbers 42 and 44, you'll see exactly what I am talking about,

I visited this part of Bath Street at the beginning of this month whilst attending the Edinburgh Tattoo."

Norman Vanbeck, Exeter, Devon, England:  September 17, 2014

Reply

4.

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Bath Street

"I visited Bath Street, Portobello today, and can confirm:

-  The house with the red line around it in this photo is indeed No.44 Bath Street (as  Norman Vanbeck wrote in his Reply 3 above).

No.44

     ©

-  The house at No.34 Bath Street, once the photographic studio of these photographers, no longer exists.

The house, at No.34, is one of the buildings that appears to have been demolished when new 4-storey tenements (Nos.28-38 Bath Street) were built, possibly around 1900."

Peter Stubs, Edinburgh:  September 18, 2014

Bath Street

©  Peter Stubbs  -   please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                          Photo taken:  September 18, 2014

West Side of the Street

"This is the photo that I took at Bath Street, Portobello yesterday, looking to the north down the street towards the white building on the eastern side of the street, on the corner of Bath Street and Portobello Promenade.

The buildings on the west (left-hand side) of the street in this photo are (from left to right):

-  Nos.28-39:  The large tenement block with 4 columns of bay windows, built, perhaps, around 1900.

-  No. 30:         A 2-storey, white building (barely visible beyond the tenements above).

- Nos.42-44    The two 2-storey houses that Norman Vanbeck drew the red line around in the photo at the top of this page.

-  Then, further tenements with shops beneath them. These can be seen better in Norman's photo at the top of this page."

September 2014

"I took this photo yesterday, on the day of Scotland's Independence Referendum.  'Yes' posters for the referendum can be seen in some of the tenement windows."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  September 19, 2014