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Recollections
Castlehill
and Ramsay Lane
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Recollections
1.
George T Smith
Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada |
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Thank you to George T Smith who wrote: |
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Stage Performance
"I remember going to a performance of
'The Three Estates' in 1947 at the church establishment on Castlehill,
just prior to the first Edinburgh Festival.
I think we HAD to go (from Boroughmuir, fifth
form) as part of the audience. I remember it meant nothing to my
sixteen year old mind, as no-one had taken the trouble to put the story
into some sort of historical context.
This was my
first experience of the apron stage. Does anyone else remember this?"
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George T Smith, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: December
6, 2006 |
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Recollections
2.
Jim Cairns
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland |
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Thank you to Jim Cairns for sending me his memories
from the time that he lived in Ramsay Lane, from 1949 to 1960.
Ramsay Lane is the
small lane leading to the north from Castlehill near the Castle Esplanade.
Jim wrote: |
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Ramsay Lane
©
"This photo was taken by my late Dad, David
Cairns, from our home in Ramsay Lane, looking over the Reservoir to the
Castle Esplanade.
We could see a bit of the Tattoo from there,
but we had a better view from our roof!. We would have friends round
to watch it, clinging to the apex of the roof - no 'Health and
Safety' in those days!"
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Recollections
3.
Jim Cairns
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland |
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Thank you to Jim Cairns for sending me more memories
from the time that he lived in Ramsay Lane.
Please also click on the thumbnail images below to
see some of Jim's photographs of the area, taken by his father around 1953, or scroll down this page to read Jim's recollections of his home at
Ramsay Lane:
©
©
©
Jim wrote: |
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Ramsay Lane
"I lived at the top of Ramsay Lane between
1949 and 1960. We were on the top flat."
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Monumental Sculptor
"The ground floor
was occupied by Thomas Good, Monumental Sculptor.
Then it became a café called the 'Rest and be Thankful'."
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Highland Antler Agency
"The middle flat was
the Highland Antler Agency. (They
made buttons, brooches and all kinds of stuff
from Antlers) and the smell of the bone being cut was horrible - the
same smell you used to get when the dentist drilled your teeth!"
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Castle Wynd Press
"When they
closed down, it became a printers - the Castle Wynd Press. One of
the 'Stone of Destiny
chaps', Ian Hamilton was a director in the
company, and I worked as a message boy for them
for a couple of years.
"They had a works
manager who was a really nice man, a highlander,
whose only problem was that he liked the whisky
too much. He would send me off to deliver a parcel, giving
directions with pub landmarks - 'Turn
left at the Stockbridge Bar and keep going till
you see 'The Territorial'."
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Thunderstorm
"During the school
holidays in 1956 or so, there was a tremendous
thunderstorm in Edinburgh. My sister, her friend and my cousin and I were
at home alone while my mother was at the
wash-house.
The steeple of Tolbooth St
Johns was struck by lightning, and at the same time struck our
kitchen, smashing the sink to bits. My cousin
had taken a drink of water from the sink tap
just minutes before!
The lightning then formed a ball and rolled
down the Mound where it struck a water mains, sending the cover
flying in the air."
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Question
"The
lightning incident was reported in the papers
the next day. I've searched
the archives without success. I wonder if any of your contributors
remember the ball-lightning at the Mound, and
can tell me what year it was?"
If you know the answer to this question,
please email me.
Thank you. -
Peter Stubbs
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Jim Cairns, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland:
October 16, 2008 |
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Recollections
4.
Jim Cairns
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland |
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Thank you to Jim Cairns for sending me more memories
from the time that he lived in Ramsay Lane.
Please also click on the thumbnail images below to
see some of Jim's photographs of the area, taken by his father around 1953, or scroll down this page to read Jim's recollections of his home at
Ramsay Lane:
©
©
© |
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Jim later wrote, sending me
this photograph of his sisters and friends,
taken at the foot of the stairs to his house at 1
Ramsay Lane.
© |
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Recollections
5.
Florence Broderick (nee
McGhee)
Old Town, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Florence Broderick (nee McGhee), Old
Town Edinburgh who replied to Jim Cairn's question in Recollections 3,
above.
Florence wrote: |
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Ramsay Lane
"I was Florence McGhee, one
of a big family from Milnes Court. My brother was Alistair.
My dad was a piper with the Royal Scots and worked in
Edinburgh Castle.
I remember the
lightning storm, but don't
know the year.
I think i remember Jim
Cairns. Did he have 2 sisters?
My
mother was always talking to two sisters
and Cairns was there name.
I'm sure one was called May.
I remember:
-
John Hartley
-
Andrew Bain
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Billy Goodall and
his sister
Evelyn
- Hazel,
a girl from South Africa
-
Joyce Thomson."
Florence Broderick (nee McGhee), Old
Town, Edinburgh: November 1, 2008 |
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Florence: I've now forwarded your email
to Jim. I don't know whether or not it was
his family that your mother knew.
Please click on the thumbnail image below to
see a photograph including Jim and three sisters, Helen, Mary and Joan,
that was sent to me by Jim a few days ago.
©
Peter Stubbs: November 1, 2008 |
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