Leith History

Dates

1400s

Golf:  Earliest evidence of golf being played in Scotland.  James II forbids playing of golf on Leith Links as it interfered with archery and other defence activities.

Plague:  at Leith

1500s

Ship:  The Margaret, first ship of James IV fleet in Scotland launched at Leith.

Ship:  The warship, The Great Michael, then by far the largest ship to have been built in Europe was launched at Newhaven.

Siege:  Leith besieged by the English Army.

Mary Queen of Scotland:  landed at Leith.

James VI:  and his wife Anne of Denmark land at Leith.

1600s

James VI:  crosses from Kinghorn to Leith

Plague:  Bubonic plague kills 2,736 out of a population of 4,000.

Charles II:  visits troops on Leith Links.

Citadel of Leith:  Building commenced.

Horse Racing:  Earliest mention in Mercurius Caledonius.

1700s

Stone Pier:  built at Leith

Graving Dock:  built

Mons Meg:  removed to the Tower of London..

Whaling:  Edinburgh Whale Fishing Company established.

1800s

Old East Dock:  - built 1800-1806.

Martello Tower:  - built on rocks in the Firth of Forth near Leith Docks, to defend Edinburgh from the French in the Napoleonic wars.

Custom House:  - built.

Junction Bridge:  - built.

Custom House:  - built.

First Steam Boat: - 'Lady of the Lake' begins sailings Leith to Alloa.

Old West Dock:  - built 1810-1817

Trinity Chain Pier:  - built to the west of Newhaven.

George IV:  - landed at Leith  -  the first visit of a British monarch to Scotland since Charles I.

Execution:  - the last to take place in Leith  -  at Constitution Street.

Mons Meg: - returns to Leith, then in procession Edinburgh Castle.

Independence:  -  Leith gains independence from Edinburgh.

Piers extended:  -  East to 4,550 ft, West to 3,103 ft.. - 1826-1851

Leith Hospital:  -  opens.

Victoria Dock:  -  completed (registered for occupation 1851)

Albert Dock:  -  completed (registered for occupation 1853)

Victoria Swing Bridge:  -  built over the Water of Leith in 1874,  then the largest in Britain.

Edinburgh Dock:  -  registered for occupation

Leith Sailors' Home:  -  built  beside the Water of Leith at the entrance to Leith Docks.

Imperial Dock:  - registered for occupation

1900s

Electric Trams:  begin.  Edinburgh continues to use cable cars.

Gretna Rail Disaster:  214 officers and men lost.

Amalgamation:  Leith amalgamates with Edinburgh.

Western Breakwater:  -  at Leith Dock  -  completed.

Royal Yacht Britannia:  -  brings Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh to Leith.  The yacht is now decommissioned and is a visitor's attraction at Leith Docks beside Ocean Terminal.

Leith Docks:  -  opening of deep water facilities.

Kirkgate:  -  demolished and rebuilt.

Leith Docks:  -  new entrance opened.

Shipyard:  -  Henry Robb shipyard at Leith Docks closes.

Scottish Office:  -  building commences at Leith Docks.

Tall Ships Race:  -  Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race starts from Leith.

2000s

Waterfront Project  -  major housing developments in Leith Docks.

Acknowledgements

Some of the details above are taken from:

1. a list compiled by David S Valentine for a leaflet sponsored by Lothian & Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd. (The list can be consulted at RCAHMS).

2.  'The Port of Leith', a book published by Leith Chamber of Commerce, 1937.  The book has a half-page introduction in each of thirteen European languages and Esperanto.  (The book can be consulted at Leith Library).

Leith Sailings - Destinations