The back green behind 25 Ferry Road Avenue, Pennywell

Recollections

David Malcolm

North Island, New Zealand

Thank you to David Malcolm, now living in New Zealand, for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of his sister-in-law Margaret Malcolm and his cousin's daughter, Kim, both standing on the back green behind 25 Ferry Road Avenue. The photo was taken around 1960.

David wrote:

Back Green

"This photo was taken around 1960 at the rear of 25 Ferry Rd Ave showing the back green, bounded by:

- Ferry Road Avenue.

- Ferry Road Drive

- Ferry Road

- Ferry Road Grove.

Ferry Road Drive is on left with Ferry Road at the top.

Notice the pole for the clothesline rope. In the early 1940s, the green had numerous allotments as well as being a great play area.

I lived at No 25 Ferry Road Avenue until 1956 when I left for New Zealand."

Move to Pennywell

"We moved from Holyrood Square to 25 Ferry Road Avenue in 1941. It was a significant upgrade in housing. When we moved there, the building programme was on hold due to the war."

School

"The classrooms for Pennywell School were situated in a number of houses on Ferry Road, and the Administration Block was in a house near the double bridges.

Our play area was on open space, alongside the rail line to the north of the double bridges.

When building started up (in 1945?) an Administration Block and a Hall were built on the north side of Ferry Road Avenue, to the west of West Pilton Drive.

I had just one teacher during my five years at the school, Miss Jenny Geddes who became Mrs Wallace. She was a dedicated and inspiring teacher."

Play

"We played :

- soccer with a tennis ball in the street

- 'Kick the Can'

- 'Hide and Seek' in the partially built houses.

We socialised at the Old Kirk Youth Fellowship on. Friday nights, in an obsolete army hut at the SE corner of Crewe Toll with table tennis, billiards and dancing.

On Sunday evenings we went to the Church Hall for a documentary movie or an invited speaker.

We had walks along the promenade to Cramond and annual camps in Iona. A church was eventually built on Pennywell Road. Our wants were pretty minimal in those days, certainly unsophisticated by today's standard."

David Malcolm, North Island, New Zealand: October 22, 2008

Recollections

Harry Brodnick

Pilton, Edinburgh

Thank you to Harry Brodnick who wrote:

By Train to Hearts' Match

"I stayed at 22 Ferry Road Avenue from 1945 to 1961.

I used to follow Hearts' football team and, yes, I got the train at Boswall Park and we got off at McLeod Street to go to Tynecastle Park. Alas, it's all gone now, but very happy memories."

Harry Brodnick, Pilton, Edinburgh: April 5, 2009