Edinburgh History - Recollections - Working for Fell & Mathieson, Plumbers, Corstorphine

Recollections

Fell & Mathieson

Plumbers

Thank you to Jim Thomson, now living in Australia, who wrote:

Plumbing and Photography

"I served my apprenticeship as a young tradesman with Fell & Mathiesion (Plumbers), St Johns Road, Corstorphine.

I married and moved to Australia where, after a few years, I set up my own business. After a number of years. I took a strong interest in wildlife photography, which I still do to this day.

I often think of my early days as a plumber in Corstorphine and my boss with his push bike loaded with tools, putty paint, etc, I can assure you I was well trained by Dave Fell and it has stood me in good stead all my life.

I am now 80 and still active with my photography.

I often wonder what Corstorphine is like now"

Jim Thomson, Australia: April 19, 2008

Recollections

Cinema

Thank you to Maxine Adam, now living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who wrote:

The Astoria

"I was browsing the site, waxing all nostalgic and noticed that the recollections of cinemas in Edinburgh didn't mention 'The Astoria' at Corstorphine. Doesn't anyone remember that old flea pit?

My granny and I used to go there twice a week as they changed the program mid week in those days. She'd buy us our 1/4 of sweeties at the wee sweet shop on the way there, mine were raspberry sookers and hers were aniseed balls!

Happy days."

Maxine Adam, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: July 1, 2008

Recollections

Cinema

Thank you to Betty McGill, Edinburgh who wrote:

The Astoria

"In answer to Maxine, yes I remember the Astoria very well. My boyfriend and I used to go there once a week. It's gone now, replace by a frozen food store.

Corstorphine though, like everywhere else, is a now a very busy thoroughfare with heavy traffic !!!

It still has its little park though."

Betty McGill, Edinburgh: July 2, 2008

Thanks for the comments, Betty. Corstorphine also still has:

- Edinburgh Zoo on Corstorphine Hill, with some new enclosures and others planned.

- The old tower on Corstorphine Hill. It is open some summer weekends and gives good views around Edinburgh.

- The Dower House, now re-named the Corstorphine Heritage Centre, at the edge of St Margaret's Park. The history of this house can be traced back to 1587

Peter Stubbs: July 3, 2008

Recollections

Corstorphine Hill

Thank you to Ian Thomson, Lake Maquarie, New South Wales, Australia who wrote:

Rest & Be Thankful

"Three years ago, one Sunday morning, my daughter and I walked a trail through Corstorphine Woods which has never changed in 60 yrs. It winds its way to the Rest & Be Thankful, one of the finest views of Edinburgh, to the right is the zoo fence.

It was a trip down memory lane for me. As a boy in the 1940s, I use to play all over the woods, sledging in winter."

Edinburgh Zoo

From the tower, entry to the zoo was either through loose pailings or by tunnelling under.

There was a disused quarry in the woods. I wonder what the history of this is.

Also, do readers remember when stray bombs hit the zoo during the war years, with a number of animals escaping? We were in our Anderson shelter in the garden. I can remember that night clearly.

I look back at my childhood with fond memories."

Ian Thomson, Lake Maquarie, New South Wales, Australia: July 7, 2008

Recollections

Buttercup Farm

Ian Thomson wrote again, after reading about Dr Lindsay Lennie's research into the Buttercup Dairy Co shops.

Ian wrote:

Rest & Be Thankful

"In 1949, when I started my apprenticeship as a plumber with Fell & Mathieson, my first job was at Buttercup Farm, at the top of Clermiston Hill, Corstorphine. Our firm did the plumbing on the farm.

Old Bob Sutherland and I used to travel along St John's Road, Corstorphine and up the Clermiston Hill, sometimes pushing the old iron barrow.

The farm was on the left, now long since gone. Old Mr Ewing lived in the big house on the farm. He must have been near 80, or so it seemed to me just turned 15. He was a small, well dressed man.

On Saturday mornings, after a week's work he would make his rounds, giving the tradesmen £1 each and the apprentices ten shillings each. Needless to say, we were all peeping around corners awaiting his arrival.

Buttercup Farm was used for storage of goods, and for horse stables. I also remember the Buttercup Dairy Co shop at the bottom of Easter Road.

Ian Thomson, Lake Maquarie, New South Wales, Australia: November 14, 2008

Recollections

Corstorphine Trust

Frances MacRae, Archivist at Corstorphine Trust left the message below in the EdinPhoto guest book. If you'd like to contact the Corstorphine Trust after reading her message, here is the address to send your email to:

Corstorphine Trust

Frances wrote:

Year of the Homecoming - 2009

"2009 has been designated the 'Year Of The Homecoming'. Here at Corstorphine Trust we are planning a week long series of events from 29th June-4th July, 2009

As part of this week we intend to have a display in the Dower House (headquarters of The Corstorphine Trust) featuring people/families who were born in Corstorphine, who now live in other parts of the world. If you would like to tell me some of your memories of Corstorphine I would be delighted to include them in our display.".

Frances MacRae, Corstorphine Trust, Edinburgh
Message posted in guestbook November 18, 2008.