Steam Roller in Edinburgh, 1960s

Edinburgh Steam Rollers

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Mark Fellows, now living in Cornwall, for providing this photograph of a steam roller in Edinburgh in the 1969.

Mark wrote:

"This steam roller was apparently in the Edinburgh Transport Museum, that closed in the 1980s. It also featured in the film: 'The Prime or Pride of Miss Jean Brodie'."

Mark Fellows, 26 miles from Lands' End, Cornwall: January 2007

Question

Where was the photo taken?

The buildings in this photo and the church in the background look quite distinctive, but I've not yet been able to discover where the photo was taken.

Answers

Initially, there were suggestions that the location of this photo might be Forrest Road or the foot of Broughton Street. However, it turns out to be Henderson Row. See below.

- Peter Stubbs: February 14, 2006

Thank you to Davie Thomson who wrote:

Henderson Row

"The photo of the steam roller was taken in Henderson Row

Some of the filming for Miss Jean Brodie was in Henderson Row, Marcia Blane's school being the building just to the left of the Edinburgh Academy which, as you say was Donaldson's School for the Deaf.

Clarence Street was used to accommodate the crew and actors. Gordon Jackson was seen popping into Clark's Bar in Dundas Street for his 'refreshments'.

Some of the props used included a single decker bus from Edinburgh Council and the steam roller. In the photo it appears to be standing just to the left of Edinburgh Academy, the photo being taken from the gates."

David Thomson: February 11, 2007

Thank you to Patrick Hutton, Edinburgh, who wrote:

Henderson Row

"Is it Hamilton Place/Henderson Row, by any chance? The church was opposite Edinburgh Academy. It is demolished now, and replaced by sheltered housing"

Patrick Hutton, Edinburgh: February 14, 2007.

NOTE: Message 1 from Davie Thomson had not yet been added to
the web site when I received Message 2 (above) from Patrick Hutton.

Henderson Row

Davie Thomson and Patrick Hutton are both correct. The location looks a bit different now. As Patrick says, the church (St Bernard's Davidson Church, 89 Henderson Row) has now been replaced by sheltered housing. The shop behind the steam roller has now become a house.

Knowing that the photo of the steam roller was taken during the filming of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in Edinburgh, we can now date this photo to 1969.

1969

The photo below shows the same location in February 2007.

2007

Peter Stubbs: February 14, 2007

Henderson Row

Thank you to Linda Malcolm who wrote:

"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was indeed filmed in Henderson Row in part of the Edinburgh Academy known as The Donaldson Building.

This was never part of Donaldson’s School for the Deaf which, as you will no doubt be aware was just past Haymarket at Wester Coates, the building having been vacated last year (2007) when the school relocated to West Lothian." * BUT See UPDATE below for a different answer.

Linda Malcolm: March 3, 2008

* UPDATE

Thank you to Kim Traynor who replied:

Henderson Row

"The Academy building in Henderson Row, now known simply as ‘Donaldsons’, had been a School for the Deaf until it merged with Donaldson’s Hospital in 1938. Hence its present name."

Earlier History

"In fact, the first School for the Deaf in Edinburgh was founded in 1750 near Holyrood Park, giving the name Dumbiedykes, first to the road in which it was located, then to the surrounding district.

This school moved first to Chessel’s Court in the Canongate in 1810, then later to Henderson Row."

Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: October 8+9, 2009

I have more details about Donaldson's school for the Deaf elsewhere on this web site. Please click on the thumbnail image below to read more:

Thank you to Donald Grant for sending me this photo of the same steam roller, taken in August 2006 at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond, near Dunfermline, Fife.

2006