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Hi Lyndsay:
The Old Mission
"My
name is Agnes. I was looking on the net and saw your letter re my
old home, the Old Mission. I am 72 years of age and have
great memories of living there.
My parents were the
caretakers of the Old Mission for 15 years. We were a family of
six, Mary and Sam Robertson, sons Andrew and Kenneth, daughters,
Peggy (Margaret) and me (Agnes). Our address was The Old School
House, sometimes known as 'Ye Olde Cart House'. We left in 1955."
Our House
"Our house was attached
to the mission and although there was electricity in the halls,
there was none in the house at first. We used kero
lamps until dad installed electricity throughout the house. The
only toilet was an outside dry toilet, but within a short time my
father put in a flush toilet.
There was no bathroom
either so we put a bath in the outside washhouse, but during
winter we had baths in an old tub we used in the kitchen, taking
turns, girls one night, boys the next.
The Mission Hall
"The missionary who ran
the mission was a Mr Curry. He was assisted by Mrs Atherton
who helped with the services:
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Monday: Christian Endeavour
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Tuesday: Women's
Guild
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Wednesday: Senior
Christian Endeavour
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Thursday: Band Of
Hope, where a slide projector showed slides.
When the Mission Hall
wasn't used on a Saturday, we had Birthday Parties and
occasionally a wedding. I know two of my aunties had their
receptions there. We were fortunate enough to have a 12 inch
TV for the Queen's Coronation on the 2nd June 1953. The hall was
full of people and the TV was on a small platform so that everyone
could see!
In the hall, above one of
the fireplaces was a brass plaque which said that the mission was
rebuilt in the 18th century and that prior to that had been an old
Inn."
The Piggery
"The piggery that has
been mentioned belonged to two brothers, Joe and Alfe. The
night it caught fire, my father alerted the fire service and he
rescued the horses from the stables where the fire started,
putting blankets over their heads and himself. He was
recovering from a severe accident he had had at Portobello Power
Station at the time."
The Piggery
"I attended Niddrie Mill
Primary School, which could be seen from our house, across the
field and Niddrie Burn (The Figgy Burn) where we used to catch
minnows."
The Wauchope Estate
"I was fortunate, as a
young girl, to meet Lady Jane Wauchope. I used to walk around her
estate and remember being chased by the woman who looked after the
property. Her name was Tess, and she carried a shotgun.
One day the front door of
the mansion was open. Being curious, I went in. A
voice said 'Who are you?' It was my introduction to the
grand lady, herself. She was having a last look. The mansion was
set on fire by vandals."
My Mother's Memories
"I have a video tape of
my mother in 1987, when she talked about the mission. She
said it was:
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an old inn
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a headmaster's house
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,a janitors house, and
later
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a mission.
She tells of attending
school and being told of an underground tunnel between the
Wauchope Estate and Craigmillar Castle!!!
She recalls, as a young
girl about 14 years of age, she helped wash the dishes after some
gathering at the hall. She lived in the Jewel Cottages at
the time.
There was a sealed attic.
We found it when we pulled the old wallpaper off. It had old
vases, small children's chairs and miniature wicker furniture
inside."
Johnny Bundles
"A tramp called Johnny
Bundles used to call at our house to have a cup of tea on the
'Beggars Form' outside our door. He lived somewhere in 'The
Wisp', on the Wauchope Estate, in a makeshift hove, made with
branches and anything else he could find.
He died, a fairly young
man, and we were told by the police that he was a very wealthy
young man who opted out of life, but to me he was an old smelly
man, dressed in rags, who had a beard.
Mary, Queen of Scots
"It was rumoured that
during the time that 'Mary, Queen of Scots', made her escape to
Dunbar, she had her horses changed at the old inn."
Memories
"I loved the old place.
At the age of 18 when we left, I was pretty upset, but have great
memories of our stay there."
I vaguely remember a
family called Montgomery but it was so long ago. It's a pity all
these old buildings disappeared in the name of progress?!!!"
Linda (now Lyndsay) Montgomery, Old Town, Edinburgh: July 11, 2008
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