Recollections

Malcolm Acton

Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Malcolm Acton posted two messages in the EdinPhoto guest book.

Malcolm wrote

Question

Gran and Grandad

"It's very long shot, but does anyone remember a shop at 350 Easter Rd owned by Mr & Mrs Buchan in the 1940s and 1950s?

They were my Gran and Grandad."

Malcolm Acton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book: November 16, 2009

Malcolm added

Grandad

"I can't remember much of my Grandad, apart from photos, but know that he lived at 350 Easter Rd. I believe he died of a heart attack on a tram going to work at British Oxygen in the late 1940s or early 1950s. I think he was buried or cremated at Seafield."

Malcolm Acton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book: November 17, 2009

Reply to Malcolm?

If you'd like to send a reply to Malcolm, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to him. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: November 17, 2009

Recollections

Update

Malcolm Acton

Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Malcolm Acton wrote again, almost three years after he asked the question above, to let me know about the progress he had made in his research into his gran and grandad.

Malcolm wrote:

Question

Gran and Grandad

"In May this year, I met my cousin who I last saw in 1966. During our talks, I discovered that on November 30, 1943, our grandad (John Duthie Buchan) died of a heart attack on a tram at the junction of Ferry Road and Great Junction Street, Leith. He was buried in Seafield Cemetery.

He lived at 350 Easter Road, and my cousin is certain that he had a coffee shop at College Street, though he can't remember the name of it.

Malcolm Acton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book: August 14, 2012

Reply to Malcolm?

If you'd have any other information about Malcolm's grandparents, please email me,. Then, I'll pass on your message to Malcolm. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: August 14, 2012

Recollections

Kim Traynor

Tollcross, Edinburgh

Thank you to Kim Traynor who wrote

The Singing Street

"A very famous film, 'The Singing Street' included shots of the Easter Road area in the 1950s. It was made by two teachers at Norton Park School in 1951 and screened at the Barcelona Film Festival the following year.

It shows a collection of children's street games filmed in the back streets of Edinburgh, accompanied by traditional children's songs. It includes shots of children with skipping ropes and playing singing games.

The Scottish Screen Archive in Glasgow sells copies of the film on DVD.

Here is an indication of the locations used:

The Singing Street
Time	Location
0.00	*Title*
*0.08*	Pan of Old Town to Castle from East Princes St. Gardens
*0.56*	*High shot of Crawford Bridge, Albion Terrace*
*1.08*	*The Singing Street” title chalked up on wall*
*1.18*	*Albion Place*
*1.35*	*Girl gazes into shop window and sings to herself*
*2.17*	*Albion Terrace*
*2.58*	*Street games in Albion Terrace*
*3.35*	*Top of Leith Street*
*3.50*	*High shot of two girls skipping across Crawford Bridge towards Bothwell Street*
*4.15*	*Singing game in Bothwell Street drying green*
*5.00*	*Pan up from Bothwell Street to Salisbury Crags*
*5.11*	*Pan down to girls skipping in St. John Street, Canongate*
*6.21*	*Girls playing ‘In And Out The Dusting Bluebells'’*
*7.12*	*Leith Street*
*7.16*	*Abbey Mount with ‘steamie’*
*7.37*	*Girls singing ‘The Wind Blows High’ in Carlton Terrace*
*8.50*	*Girls skipping down Royal Terrace to Blenheim Place, Greenside*
*9.25*	*Leith Street and Calton Road*
*10.10*	*High shot from Waterloo Place*
*12.02*	*Boys singing while seated on steps* at Maryfield, Abbeyhill
*12.01*	*Skipping game and girl on roller skates in West Norton Place*
*12.42*	*Victoria Street*
*12.47*	*Girls playing hide and seek on Victoria Terrace*
*13.43*	*Edinburgh rooftops*
*13.49*	*Girls skipping outside the Eastern Cemetery gates, Drum Terrace*
*14.13*	*More rooftops*
*14.47*	*One girl skips along Victoria Terrace; another down Victoria Street to the Grassmarket*
*16.02*	*She emerges at The Shore, Leith*
*16.23*	Shots *of the Old Bridge, Sandport Place*
*16.33*	*End title*

Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: December 16, 2009

Recollections

Joyce Gardner (nee Ward)

Kelty, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Joyce who wrote:

Schools

"I came to Edinburgh from Rothesay, Isle of Bute, in 1954 and we stayed in 108 Easter Road. I attended Abbeyhill School until 1956, I think. I then moved on to Norton Park School for three years."

Norton Park School - Girls

"This photo was taken, some time between 1956 and 1959, at a Sports Day at Hawkhill. That's where we were taken to from Norton Park School for hockey and sports. We also walked round to the Annexe for Art Classes."

Please click on the thumbnail image above to enlarge this photo and read more about it.

Employment

"After leaving Norton Park School, I worked in:

- Maitland Radio in Elm Row, for a year, then

- Laing's pork butcher in Easter Road, for a year, then

- Jim McKellar's, butcher at 55 Easter Road for another year

- Jack McKellar's butcher 55 easter road for another year.

I walked to work along Montgomery Street every day."

Other Memories

"I had a ball living in the areas. I remember:

- I went to dancing at 'The Palais', and was never away from 'The Eastway' and 'The Regent' cinemas.

- I played in London Road Gardens and in Holyrood Park, and had chums in:

- Milton Road

- Beggs Buildings

- Waverley Park

- Rossie Place.

- I got my hair done every week by students in Regent Road school. I let them practise on me.

- I dated Hibs footies.

Joyce Gardner (nee Ward), Kelty, Fife, Scotland (since 1967): November 2, 2010

Recollections

Patrick Lindsay

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Patrick Lindsay for sending two photos of Easter Road. Please click on the thumbnail images below to enlarge them.

Patrick wrote:

Footballer's Arms

"I found this picture in my Auntie's Craigentinny house. It has been dated on the back by Kodak - 1974.

Easter Road - 1974

It shows my uncle's pub, 'The Footballer's Arms' on the corner of Easter Road and Thorntree Street. That's the corner one up from Manderson St, near the foot of Easter Road."

Manderston Street Railway Line

"Interestingly, the photo it also shows the old LMS rail bridge over Easter Road. This was the continuation of the line which crossed over the lower part of Leith Walk on a similar bridge

Leith Walk

then ran along the arches on Manderson Street towards the bridge over Easter Road."

Manderston Street

2011

"I was back in Edinburgh this last autumn and went down Easter Road looking for the pub, and took this photo:

Easter Road - 2011

I took the photo from as near as I could to where the 1974 photo was taken from, except there were cars and big rubbish bins blocking my field of view from the original pavement location.

The remains of the left hand side of the old rail bridge are now completely gone and a relatively new building now occupies the space. The pub has now reverted to dwellings, I think."

Patrick Lindsay, Perth, Western Australia, Australia: December 30, 2011

Recollections

Douglas Bold

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

Douglas Bold wrote:

Question

Territorial Army

"Does anyone recall the Territorial Army training complex in Easter Road? I was a member there in 1954-55. I was in C Company 15th Scottish Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.

I would be interested to hear from any ex members from around that time, and to discover what happened to the place in later years."

Douglas Bold, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia:
Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook: February 12, 2012

Message for Douglas Bold

Hi Douglas. I have received a message from Bob Henderson.

See 'Recollections 7' below.

He tells me that he has some photos of the old timers that he will send to you if I can tell him your email address. Unfortunately, I don't have that.

So can you please email me, then I'll pass on your email address to Bob.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: February 18, 2012

Recollections

Bob Henderson

Burdiehouse, Edinburgh

Thank you to Bob Henderson for replying to Douglas Bold's question above.

Bob wrote:

Reply 1

'C Company'

"I was a member of 'C' Coy from 1958 to 1966, so to late to know Douglas. However, if he looks at this Lothian Branch 3rd Bn Parachute Regiment web site and goes to 'News and Views' on that site he will find photos of some of the old timers:

- Jim Armstrong

- Dougie Cadow

- Stan Gray

- Toots Rae

and others who came to the company on its formation."

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh: February 13, 2012