Edinburgh Recollections - East Thomas Street

Recollections

Alex

Thank you to Alex for writing about some of the people he remembers from East Thomas Street.

Alex wrote:

The Bottom of the Street

"It's grand to read the nostalgic thoughts of so many who lived in the now-gone East Thomas Street. Many writers seem to have come from the other end of the street, 1 to 8 and 16 to 20.

But what of the Russell boys, Archie and James (No 8) - both in their seventies today?

There was also my chum Christopher Laidlaw, from around No 18, who joined the Royal Navy. His step-dad, Joe, had a hairdressers in Newhaven I think."

Families

"I made contact with Richard Martin of No 13 and of course, his 'wee brother' today runs the Edina Home Brew Shop in what used to be the Learmonth Dairy / Melrose Dairy that looked down East Thomas Street.

I look for word of some of the other people at our end of the street. I lived at the top of the street (No 11). Is there any word of any of these?:

- Chisholm family (No 9) or the Doyle sisters (No10).

- Cockburns, Scotts, Mahoneys, Robertsons, Blacks (No 11).

- Mackay boys (No 12).

- Mulvey family or Jimmy Lorette (spelling) (No 13).
Jimmy became a councilor in the city?

- Colin Cushley (spelling?), the very, very bright boy (No 15,
ground floor). He'll be in his early-seventies now.

- Norrie Adams, who lived on the landing above the Cushley family (No 15). He was a very good footballer.

Shops

"I remember:

- Nan Adams, a classmate at Leith Walk Primary School. She lived in a corner 'close' that had a Brunswick Road number.

- Mr Caddenstill had the wee corner shop at the top of the street. He wore shirts without collars and a flat cap, and had a white, downturned moustache as seen so often in pictures of First World War veterans.

He also wore a waistcoat with a chain and Albert across his midriff with a pocket watch.

Thanks Alex for answering the question that I asked you by email. i.e.: An Albert was a second short chain, usually gold or gold-plated, that was attached to a pocket watch chain.

- still had the wee corner shop at the top of the street.

- Mrs Nisbet(t) and her daughter Emma in their little corner-shop-style-house, across the street from Mr Cadden's shop.

- Milne’s chip Shop up the street from Hutton the Cobbler (which is still there, run by his grandson) and just before Easter Road.

- Croala’s across the street in Easter Road, Miele’s cafes and chip shops of the day, all either closed or changed hands."

Sentiment and School

"It’s odd that when we all lived there, life was tough and other than lots of family love, we didn’t have much. Yet, we are sentimental, aren’t we?

I’d like to think that it helped to make us. The street, its conditions and people like the Leith Walk Primary’s headmaster, Mr Douglas, and the wonderful Miss Turner, our teacher and even the Jannie who lived in the house beside the school entrance.

His house is all boarded up now but I can still see him standing there, at one minute past nine, catching late-comers, and handing out two, three and four of the belt. Hey ho! That’s nostalgia for you, from more than sixty years ago."

Alex: February 13, 2008

Recollections

10.

Babs McNeill

Edinburgh

Thank you to Babs McNeill, Edinburgh who left a message in the EdinPhoto guest book about some of the residents of East Thomas Street in earlier times.

Babs says she cannot believe that she has stumbled upon the East Thomas Street page on the EdinPhoto web site. Babs writes:

The Bottom of the Street

"I have been doing my family tree for over 5 years and have struggled to find info on East Thomas Street.

In the 1891 Census my GR GR Grandad lived at number 12 with my GR GR Grandmother Elizabeth and also my GR GR GR Grandmother Catherine and my GR GR Uncle Alexander.

If anyone doing their family tree can supply more info it would be greatly appreciated. It is great to hear how so many people had such great times through such hard times in East Thomas Street"

Babs McNeill, Edinburgh: June 28, 2008

Recollections

11.

Frances Brown (nee Barnum)

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

Thank you to Frances who wrote

Millan Family

"Earlier, I sent some recollections on East Williams Street. I used to live at 3 East William Street.

Now, I'm looking for Raymond and Edmund Millan. (I'm not sure of spelling).

Raymond and Edmund, along with their mother, Dolly, are mentioned in Davie Martin's recollections on this page.

I knew them both very well. Their mother and my mother were best friends. I always wondered what happened to them. Is there anyone who has any knowledge of how I could contact them by email or phone? I think Davie Martin mentioned them on recollections. I hope you can help with this quest. Thank you in advance. Frances Barnum Brown, 3 East William Street. Now located in North Carolina, USA."

Frances Brown (nee Barnum), New Bern, North Carolina, USA: August 6, 2008

If you would like to contact Frances, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: August 7, 2008

Recollections

12.

Carolyn

Dorset, England

Carolyn is trying to trace one of her neighbours from the East Thomas Street area. She writes:

6 Elgin Street

"I'm searching for an Alexander Johnson (or Johnston) whose address was 6 Elgin St, Edinburgh in 1947. Does anyone remember him or his family? Was this address a business address in 1947 or a residential address?

It is a long story, but all I know is that he was in Egypt in 1947, just before he returned to Edinburgh. His trade was photography / lithographer.

Any help would be appreciated, as I live in Dorset and do not know where to start looking but I fell across the East Thomas Street pages on the EdinPhoto web site and realised that the street was so close that someone may know of him and if he is still alive etc.

He would be around 89 now but it is important that I find him or his descendents."

Carolyn: Dorset, England: August 5, 2008

Tracing Alexander Johnson

If you think you may be able to help Carolyn to trace Alexander Johnson (or Johnston), please email me, then I'll pass your message on to her.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: August 9, 2008

Recollections

13.

John Welsh

Gracemount, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Welsh who wrote:

Neighbours

"I was born at East Thomas Street, and left when I was ten.

I was friends with:

- Stuart, Kathleen, Charles McManus, number 21

- Kenny McKay, Number 21

- John Hogg, Number 20, same as me

- Alex Patterson, Number 8

- Fay McKenzie, Number 3, my childhood girlfriend

- Sandra McGregor, number 17, another childhood girlfriend

- Eddie and Raymond Milne and mum Dolly, number 5

- Rab, Chic Bruce and family, number 5"

I still recall many more, too many to put down."

Bonfires

"I remember the bonfires at the bottom of the street. They were great. Us kids collected for weeks.

There was always some rivalry between us kids from Chinatown and East William Street but mainly during bonfire collection time."

Schools

"I went to Leith Walk Primary School from 1958 to 1963, before leaving for Southhouse at the age of ten."

East William Street

"I remember from East William Street the Gilmours and Brian Kinnear. I had a good friend in the same street but cant recall his name, he moved to Northfield. I am more than sure he was Ronnie Williamson."

Picture Houses

"Saturday afternoons were great, we either went to the Eastway Picture House or the Regent, mostly the Regent. But, if you wanted to watch a Western it was up to the Salon."

Holidays

"Holidays were great times. We played for hours in the Dobies (Regent Park) or the Lundies (London Road Park). I think we climbed every rock on the crags at some point or other.

What we called fishing, at that young age, was going to Puddockie (a section at the Water of Leith, just over the bridge and near the old allotments) with our nets and jars for sticklebacks."

Holidays

"I recognise most names who have posted here. Quite a few are relatives. I hope one or two old friends will get in touch with me."

John Welsh, Gracemount, Edinburgh: September 5, 2008

Contacting John

If you'd like to contact John Welsh, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to him.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: September 5, 2008

Recollections

14.

Bob Kinghorn

Gracemount, Edinburgh

Thank you to Bob Kinghorn who wrote:

Kinghorn Grandparents

"I enjoyed the information and photographs of East Thomas Street. My grandparents on my father's side lived at 3 East Thomas Street, I think in the top flat.

My grandparents were John and Marion Kinghorn. They had three sons:

- my father, John (Jack), the eldest brother, born in Granton,

- his two brothers, Bill and Dave, both born at 3 East Thomas Street.

My grandparents moved to Bothwell Street before 1945. My Grandfather came to live with us when my Grandmother died in about 1953/54.

I can just remember the house as I was just about seven or so at my last visit."

Bob Kinghorn: November 2 + 3, 2008