Fountain in an Edinburgh Park. Which park is this?

Drinking Fountain in a Park

Which park is this?

Thank you to Keith Flockhart, now living in New Zealand for allowing me to reproduce this photo, taken in an Edinburgh park.

Question

Do you recognise this park? It may be somewhere around Bonnington; other photos from Keith Flockhart's collection were taken in or near Bonnington in the 1950s.

I have not been able to decipher the writing carved into the stone below the fountain, except for the final word, which may be 'society'.

If you have any idea where this photo might have been taken, please email me. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 27, 2010

Reply

Carol Stubbs

Edinburgh

Thank you to Carol Stubbs who wrote:

Inverleith Park?

"I remember a drinking fountain, possibly similar, in the middle of Inverlieth Park - but there might have been several Edinburgh parks that had similar drinking fountains.

Carol Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 27, 2010

Reply

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Thank you to Frank Ferri who wrote:

Victoria Park

"I think this drinking fountain is in Victoria Park, next to the bowling green. It is still there.

There used to be an identical one at Anchorfield on the wee prom. It was removed when the Newhaven bypass was built."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: September 27, 2010

Reply

Keith Flockhart

New Zealand

I emailed Keith Flockhart who sent this picture and asked if he was the boy at the fountain.

Keith replied:

"Yes, it was me. It was a long time ago - 1955. I'm not sure, but it could have been taken at the park off Newhaven Road and Ferry Road. **

Keith Flockhart, New Zealand: September 28, 2010

Victoria Park

** That would be Victoria Park, the same park as Frank Ferri mentions in 'Reply 2' above.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 28, 2010

Reply

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Thank you to Frank Ferri for emailing me again after visiting Victoria Park this morning with his camera and taking these photos:

These photos were taken in an attempt to find out whether or not the photo at the top of this page would also have been taken at Victoria Park.

Frank wrote:

Not Victoria Park ***

"It looks like we can rule out Victoria Park for this photo:

The drinking fountain in Victoria Park that I photographed this morning is similar to the one in the 1955 photo above, even thought the lions' heads are missing from the Victoria Park photo.

However the inscriptions on the two statues are different." ***

*** However see 'Reply 5' below

Frank added:

Anchorfield

"There was a drinking fountain at Anchorfield on the wee prom opposite the Prom Bar or Constance Lannie's dad's shop, but the area was redeveloped to provide a roadway along the side of the docks and the pier and fountain were removed.

In the early 1980s, I contact Edinburgh Council (as a Newhaven community leader) to trace where this fountain had been put, because it was a memorial, gifted by private funds.

I managed to physically trace it to a council road works yard in Stanwell Place, just off Bonnington Road. I requested that the council reinstate it, perhaps in Fishmarket Square.

It never was reinstated, and I don't know where it is now. The council sent me a plan drawing of the fountain but at this moment I can't find it."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: September 28, 2010

Reply

Ian Ross

Craigentinny, Edinburgh

Thank you to Ian Ross who wrote:

Victoria Park

"From the markings on the pedestal, I would say that there is no doubt whatsoever that this is the same monument in both photos.

Some of the lettering must have been added later (on the upper portion) but there is no way that the long dark scrape on the front part of the pedestal and the lighter spot on the side of the pedestal could be identical on two different fountains!"

Ian Ross, Craigentinny, Edinburgh

Reply

Winnie Lisowski

Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to Winnie Lisowski for sending me another fountain photo.

I don't know whether this photo is of the fountain in Victoria Park or whether it is of another fountain of the same style elsewhere.

Winnie wrote

Fountain

"Here is a photo of my husband when he was a boy. I see that there has already been some discussion of this fountain.

I thought you might find this photo interesting as you can see some buildings in the background."

Winnie Lisowski, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland: March 6, 2012

Reply

Patrick Lindsay

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Patrick Lindsay for posting a message in the EdinPhoto Guestbook.

Patrick wrote:

Victoria Park

"I think this fountain is in Victoria Park:

The significant damage mark - the roundish ding on the lower LHS of the base in the photo above - is also shown in the same place on the RHS face of this recent photo of the Victoria Park fountain.

This is the face that a youngster would possibly climb onto when running up to the fountain in the park from the path. Maybe someone would like to take a pic of that face."

Patrick Lindsay, Perth, Western Australia, Australia:
Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook, March 7, 2012

Reply

Frank Ferri

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Frank Ferri who wrote:

Victoria Park

"The fountain in Winnie Lisowski's photo is the one in Victoria Park at Newhaven Road. The bowling green is to the left. The fountain is still there."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: March 7, 2012