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Parker's Store Bristo Street |
Fire in the flat above Parker's Store, Bristo Street
© Scotsman Publications Ltd. Click here for web site details Licensor: www.scran.ac.uk Ref.000-000-058-102-R Scotsman 05012802
The map below is a
recent addition to this page, added to the site to show the position of
Parker's store at
the corner of Charles Street and Bristo Street. The photo above looks
towards Parker's store from the NW.
This map also shows the positions of two pubs: The Argyle Arms and The Empire Palace Bar,discussed here.
©
Thank you to Neil Lawrence, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh
for allowing me to reproduce this map
from the 1950s on which he has marked the
Argyll Arms and the Empire Palace Bar
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Update 5 November 2014 Location of Parker's Store The address that I've annotated on the map above as being the location of Parker's Store is 2 Charles Street. This, I believe is the building seen in the photo of the fire above, looking at it from the NW, looking down Bristo Street. However, Parkers appear to have also occupied several other adjacent and nearby properties. I've looked at copies of the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directories from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and they all give these addresses for Parker's stores: - 2 Charles Street - 31 Bristo Street - 33 Bristo Street - 33a Bristo Street - 34 Bristo Street - 34 Bristo Street - 36 Bristo Street - 38 Bristo Street - 42 Bristo Street - 43 Bristo Street - 29 Nicolson Square Hardware Dept. - 30 Nicolson Square Hardware Dept. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: November 5, 2014 |
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Parker's Store |
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1956 This photo above was taken following a fire in the flat above Parker's store at Bristo Street in July 1956. Bristo Street was a continuation of Bristo Place to the SE towards the corner of Crighton Street and Chapel Street. The street has now vanished and new Edinburgh University buildings have been built in the area. |
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Thank you to George T Smith, Canada, for encouraging me to add this photo to the web site: George wrote: Iconic Building "I remember the Parker's shop in Bristo quite well. I believe that if you can unearth a picture of the shop. it will prompt many other memories. The term, 'Iconic' was used to describe it, and I certainly remember it in all its black and white glory." George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: November 7, 2009 |
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Recollections 1. George T Smith Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada |
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Thank you to George T Smith who wrote: Bargains "The picture of Parker's store is exactly as I remember it. I can't remember what was sold there, but I imagine that it was a bargain store as my grandmother was very careful of her pennies. I await re actions from other readers." George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: November 14, 2009 |
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Recollections 2. Bob Henderson Burdiehouse, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Bob Henderson who wrote: Dante Lanny's Café "This shot certainly hit the spot in bringing the memories of this area flooding back. On the other corner, opposite Youngs* the Bakers, was Dante Lanny's Café and ice cream parlour, a well known place and proprietor." Murray's Tools "Just up from Lanny's, towards College Street. was The Long Bar(?), a pend and a small tool shop whose name I can't remember. It was later taken over by Mr. Murray. This little shop evolved into Murray's Tool stores. They had three shops, one in Dalry Road, one in South Clerk Street and one in Morrison Street. this being the only one left now. They were run for many years by Fred Murray who retired not too long ago. I don't think there is a tradesman in Edinburgh who has not at some time been a customer of Murray's. Again, heading up towards College Street, there was a fruit shop, Rankins I think, and another pub, the Woolsack***. As George said, there will be many memories of Parker's to come, and there are already some in this archive, one in particular being my recollection of the famous Parker's menage." Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse: November 14, 2009 |
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* See also Bristo Street, Recollections 13 |
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*** Thank you to Stuart Lyon for pointing out that the name of this pub was, in fact, The Woolpack and for sending me an old photo of The Woolpack. Acknowledgement: Stuart Lyon, October 27, 2010 |
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Recollections 3. Violet Crouse (née Cunningham) ) Canada |
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Thank you to Violet who wrote: Flat Fire "I was shocked to find this picture on the website because that flat was my home and, if it was in fact 1956, then I remember the fire very well. It was a very bad chimney fire which warranted the streets being closed because of the danger of the chimney falling down. I now live in Canada but still have family in Edinburgh. Thanks for the memories." Violet Crouse (née Cunningham), Canada: November 15, 2009 |
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Recollections 4. Eric Gold East End, London |
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Thank you to Eric Gold who wrote: Clothes 'on tick' "This photo of Parkers Store brought back memories as my ma would kit me out there as you could get tick (credit) there." Mr Parker "I can still remember Mr Parker to this very day. He would bring in his car to be washed, and for an oil check, at the garage where I worked in the Potterow called the Empire Garage." Dante Linnie "Also, as Bob Henderson said, opposite Young Brothers* was Dante Lannie’s Café. He was a great friend of our family and became my Godfather, as I said in my memories of Arthur Street." Fire "As for the fire, I do remember a fire either in Parker's shop or nearby. It could have been the one in the photo but I think it was Parkers shop at a later date." Eric Gold, East End, London: November 16, 2009 |
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* See also Bristo Street, Recollections 13 |
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Recollections 5. Violet Crouse (née Cunningham) Canada |
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Thank you to Violet who wrote: Bristo Street "Here are few recollections from Bristo Street. Across the road from Young's the Bakers was Jockie Whitton's paper shop, on the corner of Bristo Street and Marshall Street. Up from Whitton's was: Lanny's Ice Cream Shop, and further up were: - a chemist (I can't remember the name) - a milliner's (hat shop) - the pend - Gilhooley the Butcher - a pub, the Hall Bar. Further up towards Lothian Street were: - another pub, The Woolpack Inn - a fruit shop called Fell's - a fruit shop, closer to Lothian Street, called Lamont's - a kilt shop, on the corner of Bristo Street and Lothian Street. Maybe someone else can help fill in the gaps. Violet Crouse (née Cunningham), Canada: November 16, 2009 |
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Recollections 6. Eric Gold East End, London |
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Thank you to Eric Gold who added: Parker's and Dante Lannie's "My big sister Ella said, last night, that Parker's sold everything from a pin to an elephant. We used love going to Parkers then over to Dante Lannie’s, my Godfather's, for a slap up meal. Great memories." Eric Gold, East End, London: November 17, 2009 |
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Recollections 7. Al Lorentzen Inverness, Illinois, USA |
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Thank you to All Lorentzen who wrote: Parker's Store "I remember Parker's store. As George Smith stated, the store was iconic. I also understand that the reasonably priced merchandise was a blessing to many customers, especially during the war, as were the wonderful saleswomen." Al Lorentzen, Inverness, Illinois (RAF Kirknewton 1959-62): Jun 6, 2013 |
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Recollections 8. Rosemary Craig Shariff, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
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Thank you to Rosemary Craig who wrote: Parker's Store "I remember Parker's store. As George Smith stated, the store was iconic. I also understand that the reasonably priced merchandise was a blessing to many customers, especially during the war, as were the wonderful saleswomen." Rosemary Craig, Shariff, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: December 1, 2010 |
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Recollections 9. Al Lorentzen Inverness, Illinois, USA |
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Thank you to All Lorentzen who wrote again: Parker's Store "I have fond memories of Parker's Store in Bristo Street. In 1959, I'd catch the 42 bus at the Mound to visit my future wife who lived up near Mayfield and West Mains Road. The bus would pass Parker's Store on the way. I always thought it was a handsome building." Al Lorentzen, Inverness, Illinois (RAF Kirknewton 1959-62): Jun 6, 2013 |
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Recollections 10. Margaret Carnie (née Cunningham) Tasmania, Australia |
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Margaret Carnie tells me that she has just learnt about the EdinPhoto site from her brother, Frank Cunningham who lived in Craigmillar from 1938 until 1963. Margaret wrote: |
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Parker's Store "My first job was with Parker's Store, at the tender age of fourteen when I left school. There was no 'gap year' in those days. The shop where I worked in was at Surgeon's Hall, right beside the No.12 bus stop. Parker's was the hardware store where you could buy anything from a light bulb (which had to be tested first) to a baby's pram. If I remember rightly, the Manager's name was Mr Jardine. There was also a lovely girl there who took me under her wing and looked after me.
Margaret Carnie (née Cunningham), Tasmania,
Australia: January 7, 2014 |