General View of the Flower Show at Waverley Market before the visitors arrive

Recollections

Harry (Brandy) Simpson

Corstorphine, Edinburgh

Thank you to Harry (Brandy) Simpson for telling me about this photo of Bristo Street, taken before the area was redeveloped by Edinburgh University.

Harry wrote:

Around 1966

"This is Bristo Street was taken round about 1966, judging by the registrations on the cars.*

* Date of the Photo

This photo also appears on the Scran website (at lower resolution).

The caption on Scran gives it a publication date of 14 June 1961. However, the comment about the date from Harry (above) seems more reliable than the date given by Scran. There appear to be quite a large number of Scotsman photos that have been given incorrect dates on the Scran website.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 12, 2012

Shops and Car

"The baker's shop on the left-hand side of the photo is Young's the Bakers. Crossing the road you come to

- the newsagent.

- Danti Lanie's Cafe.

- The Hall Bar.

and if you look very carefully you can see a bubble car coming out of the vennel.** That's where Graham Chatham started up."

** Bubble Car

The bubble car can be seen more clearly (emerging in front of the light coloured Ford Anglia on the left, in this enlargement of the Bristo Street photo. Please click on the thumbnail image.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 12, 2012

More Shops and Inn

After the Vennel, there's:

- Tobacconist.

- James Simpson's, butchers. (That's where I spent 5 years of my life.)

- Parker's shoe shop.

- Cairn Brothers. (I'm not sure what they sold.)

- The Woolpack Inn.

- Murray's Toolstore.

- Fruit Shop.

- McNabs, the dry cleaners. (They were on the corner of Bristo Street & Lothian Street.)

Opposite the butcher shop was the McEwan Hall, but it's not in the picture. ***

** McEwan Hall

The McEwan Hall is not in this photo.

However, here is a photo, taken in the early-1900s by the Edinburgh Photographic Society Survey Section. It shows both Bristo Street and The McEwan Hall.

Bristo Street and McEwan Hall

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 12, 2012

Harry (Brandy) Simpson, Corstorphine, Edinburgh: August 12, 2012