Recollections

1.

Matilda Martin (nee Tillie Kelly)

Coventry, Warwickshire, England

Thank you to Matilda who wrote:

Home

"I was born in 1934 at number 53 Blackfriars Street.  This is the number of the stair that the Crawfords lived at.  My brother remembers them well as he is slightly older than me.

They modernised the buildings into swanky flats, In that tenement, the front and back flats were on two different levels, so it was completely demolished and rebuilt, I think in the 1960s.  The new building fitted in very nicely to fit in with the old."

School

"My family name is Kelly.  My two brothers, Francis and Hughie attended St. Ann's School and then St. Patricks, then Hughie went on to St. Anthony's. My sister Nan and I attended St. Ann's and then St.Thomas Aquinas."

Games

"The children of the two stairs, Nos 53 and 59 always played together and didn't need anyone else.  There were so many of us, we could always make up two teams for a game of rounders or kick the can.

I well remember the rivalry with the opposition from the Waverley Buildings for bonfire night.  This was definitely held on Victoria Monday - much more sensible as the weather was better at that time of  year."

Neighbours

"The families who lived in the two stairs at that time were:

-  The Ogilvies

-  The Crawfords

-  The Gows

-  The Farrels

-  The Murrays

-  The O'Neils

-  The Fyfes

-  The Carrachers

-  The Tanseys

-  The Coles

-  The other Kelly family - Pat, Michael and Tommy."

Bob Henderson

"With regards to Bob Henderson, I feel sure he must know my brother Hughie who was born in 1930 and attended the same schools as Bob and also went ballroom dancing in the venues that Bob mentioned ."

Leaving Blackfriars Street

"We moved to Craigmillar in 1948.  I was married there, as was Hughie.  The whole family moved to Coventry in 1964 where we still live."

Matilda Martin (nee Tillie Kelly), Coventry, Warwickshire, England:  2 emails, March 7, 2011

Recollections

2.

Val Brown (nee Kane)

Edinburgh

Thank you to Val Brown who wrote:

Family

"My family lived at 45 Blackfriars Street.  My mother, Emily Kane, was born in 1927 and lived in Blackie, as she called it, for generations with her grandfather Henry Duke living there and two of her three sisters living in the same stair, No 45."

Stories

"My mother was a great story-teller.  She regaled me with hilarious stories of the day-to-day life in Blackie.  I'd love to share some of the stories she told me, and see if there is anyone who remembers her.  I beleive the Kane family from Blackie were quite a bunch!"

Val Brown, nee Kane, Edinburgh:  Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook: June 19, 2011

Message

1

for Val Brown

Hi Val.  Thanks for your message.  If you'd like to send me an email, telling me some of your mother's stories of life at 'Blackie', I could add them to this page on the web site.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  June 24, 2011

Message

2

for Val Brown

Hello again Val.  I received a message from Ewan Ervine today.  He has been researching Blackfriars Street and would like to contact you.  If you read this, please email me, then I'll pass on your email address to Ewan.

   Thank you.

Ewan added:

"My great grandparents, Thomas and Margaret McCorkindale  stayed at 45 Blackfriars Street.

-  They had two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth.

-  I think there was also a son who died at the age of 9 months.

 Thomas then died and within a few months and his wife Margaret remarried (new surname, McEwan). They had a son, Bernard, then Margaret died a year or two later."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  March 2, 2012:  updated March 4, 2012

Recollections

3.

Noreen McNeil (nee McKinley)

Edinburgh

Thank you to Noreen McNeill (nee McKinley) for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guest book.

Noreen wrote

The McKinley Family

"Can anyone remember my family, the McKinleys, from Blackfriars Street?

My Grandfather, Billy McKinley and his many brothers and sister grew up there.  He and my Grandmother, Norah (nee Davidson) moved to Tron Square where my mum, Kitty, Uncle Terry and Auntie Pat grew up.

I think they moved to Lauriston Place after that.

Any memories would be welcome."

Noreen McNeill (nee McKinley, Edinburgh.  Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook, August 16, 2011.