Cowan's Yard

"My father was born in Easter Road right on the boundary with Leith and his mother (Jemima Young nee Oman) still lived there.

As a small child during, and just after the war I could sit at the parlour window of  number 206 and watch the carters bring their horses and carts through the vennel into Cowan's yard directly opposite.

It fascinated me that once the horses were un-hitched and the draw chains hooked up to their tack they would amble across to the troughs for a long drink while the carter hitched up the shafts and blocked the wheels of the cart.

The horse would then wander up the ramps to the appropriate stable on the first floor leaving the carter to follow on.

Cowans must have been the 'Eddie Stobard's of their day because the horses were nearly always well turned out.

I lived out in Ormiston and, being a country yokel,  had only seen farm carts so to me the variety of carts, pantechnichons and low loaders was amazing.

I had seen two horses drawing a plough or heavy wagon but three horses hitched up to a closed furniture van just overwhelmed me.

Do you by any chance have a photo of Cowans yard? It wasn't very photogenic but from 2 stairs up it was my television and I watched sometimes for hours. I could always hear when Hibs had scored a goal too!"

Russell Young, Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, Scotland