Granton Middle Pier - The day that yachts were lifted into the water

Looking to the north from the decking in Royal Forth Yacht Club Boat Yard on Middle Pier

This view looks towards the harbour entrance. The modern building is a base for Forth Ports' Pilot Boats.

The older building on Middle Pier is the old gunpowder house, possibly due to be converted into a restaurant.

Comments on the Building in this photograph above
1.	Andy Hall Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England	Dinwoodie & Sons
2.	Patrick Hutton New Town, Edinburgh	Was it Granton Ice Co?
3.	Forbes Wilson near Guildford, Surrey, England	Was it Granton Ice Co?
4.	Patrick Hutton New Town, Edinburgh	Not Granton Ice Co?
5.	Andy Hall Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England	Dinwoodie & Sons
6.	Forbes Wilson near Guildford, Surrey, England	Dinwoodie & Sons
7.	Walter Lyle Hume Cowes, Isle of Wight, England	Aerial View: Dinwoodie & Co AND Granton Ice Co.

Updates

Andy Hall

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Thank you to Andy Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England who has been researching the history of trawling from Granton Harbour.

After seeing this photo, Andy wrote:

John Dinwoodie & Sons

"The old building that you describe as the gunpowder house, above, was the base for John Dinwoodie & Sons, sail makers, riggers and ships painters.

The trawlermen's motto for the company was jokingly,

'If it don't move, paint it.'

Dinwoodie also had a small fleet of tugs. Anybody who had anything to do with Granton Harbour will remember them. They used a lot of casual labour, if I recall correctly."

Andy Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England: April 9, 2008

Updates

Patrick Hutton

New Town, Edinburgh

Thank you to Patrick Hutton, Edinburgh, who wrote:

Granton Ice Company

"You describe the old building on the pier as the old gunpowder house and as John Dinwoodie's depot. I'm sure I've seen a photo of it somewhere with 'Granton Ice Company' (or similar) on it."

Patrick Hutton, New Town Edinburgh: April 9, 2008

Hi Patrick:

Granton Ice Company

That's interesting. I remember the Granton Ice Company's building on Middle Pier, but I was not sure which one it was.

When I was at Granton Harbour, last weekend, watching the yachts being lifted into the water, I had a look at the building and asked some old men standing nearby if it used to be the ice works.

They said they thought that the ice works was a little further up Middle Pier on the west side of the pier.

They were the people who told me this was the gunpowder house. I'm now wondering if that's right or not. I asked the men what the gunpowder was needed for but they said they didn't know.

Perhaps somebody will tell me the exact location of the ice works. I know that the company had an ice works on West Shore road and another somewhere on Middle Pier.

- Peter Stubbs: April 10, 2008.

Updates

Forbes Wilson

near Guildford, Surrey, England

Granton Ice Company

Thank you to Forbes Wilson for reminding me that the picture of a Bruce Peebles load on Middle Pier shows the Granton Ice Co Ltd building with its name prominently displayed, in the background.

Is this the same building as in the photo below, taken in April 2008?

©:

Forbes added:

Granton Ice Works
AND
John Dinwoodie & Sons

"I believe Andy Hall (1 above) may be confusing the Granton Ice Company building with John Dinwoodie & Sons, sail makers, riggers and ships painters.

Dinwoodies were in that row of buildings immediately on the left as you came of Granton Square, crossed the railway lines and started to proceed along the middle pier.

I've checked that with my father, and he is sure about the location. My grandfather, John Wilson used to work for for Dinwoodies."

Forbes Wilson, near Guildford, Surrey, England: April 10, 2008.

UPDATE

Please see further comments from Forbes Wilson (6 below) and an aerial view of Granton Harbour (7 below). - Peter Stubbs: April 11, 2008

Updates

Patrick Hutton

New Town, Edinburgh

Patrick Hutton added:

Granton Ice Company

"I'm not so sure.

The Granton Ice Works building in the transformer pic is on the west side of the pier (- you can see a shed beyond it on the right, ie east side) whereas the old building remaining is very much on the east side.

Also, the buildings look a bit different - openings on the first floor - though this may have changed with time?"

Patrick Hutton, New Town Edinburgh: April 9, 2008

Thanks Patrick. So, more research is needed yet!

Updates

Andy Hall

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

I think we now have the answer.

Thank you to Andy Hall who replied:

John Dinwoodie & Sons
AND
Granton Ice Works

"Forbes Wilson is correct. Dinwoodie did have premises as he states, but they also used this building as a riggers' workshop.

If you look closely at your 1937 map of Granton harbour you will see the ice factory clearly on the West side and this building adjacent on the East side."

Andy Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England: April 10, 2008

Granton Ice Works

The berth in Granton Western Harbour beside the Granton Ice Company building that Andy mentions is marked 'Ice Berth' on this 1937 map.

- Peter Stubbs: April 11, 2008

Updates

Forbes Wilson

near Guildford, Surrey, England

Thank you to Forbes Wilson who wrote:

Granton Middle Pier

"I believe Patrick Hutton may be correct.

I've been through your site and I believe that the building on the right in these two photos taken in 2002 is the same one as the building as in the photo taken on the 5th April 2008.

2002 2002

Forbes Wilson, near Guildford, Surrey, England: April 11, 2008.

Agreed. It's the same building.

2008

- Peter Stubbs: April 11, 2008

Granton Ice Company

"Whilst very similar in style to the Granton Ice Company building, the current building is indeed on the east side of the middle pier, not the west side where the Granton Ice Company was located.

I suppose the real test would be to do what you recently did with Gilmerton and try and take a photo from the same position as that taken for the Bruce Peebles transformer and see what's there today."

Dinwoodie

"It would appear that we're all in agreement about Dinwoodie - there did use this building as well has having premises just as you came off Granton Square."

Forbes Wilson, near Guildford, Surrey, England: April 11, 2008.

Updates

Walter Lyle Hume

Cowes, Isle of Wight, England

Thank you to Walter Lyle Hume for sending me an aerial view of Granton Harbour that clearly shows both:

- Granton Ice Company building (centre of photo, upper building).

- Dinwoodie's Rigging Loft (centre of photo, lower building).

This is the aerial view that Walter sent:

and the same aerial view with a key added:

Walter wrote:

John Dinwoodie & Sons
AND
Granton Ice Works

"If they hadn't pulled the old place apart, it would be easy to say which was which.

The Ice House was on the West side of Middle Pier, close to edge of Quay, nearly but not quite opposite the building occupied by Dinwoodies Rigging Loft on the East side of Middle Pier. They had only been there since early 1950s.

This photograph clearly shows both buildings.

Lighthouse ship 'Pharos' is still at her original berth which must date the photo to about the early 1970's as it moved to Leith soon after that time.

Andy Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England: April 10, 2008