Edinburgh History - Old Town

Recollections
1.Q.	Anita Razzell (nee Canale) Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada	- Military School of Cookery: Question
1.A.	Jim Robertson Berlin, Germany	- Military School of Cookery: Answer
2.	Anita Razzell (nee Canale) Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada	- Demolition - Dancing
3.	Rae Phillips Edinburgh	- Family - Neighbours - The Neighbourhood
4.	Ken Boak Redhill, Surrey, England	- Demolition
5.	Ken Boak Redhill, Surrey, England	- Heriots
6.	John Burnett Burntisland, Fife, Scotland	- Family - Neighbours at No 12 - Other Neighbours
7.	Lynda Maine Colinton Mains	- Fortune Teller
8.	Patricia Manderson (nee Slattery) Australia	- Betty Brandon's Dance Classes
9.	Margaret Johnston (nee Slattery) Australia	- Photo - The Blind Man - Neighbours
10.	Michael Slattery Australia	- 1946-58 - Mary Wallace's Shop - Maggie's Chip Shop - Puppet Theatre - Piping and Dancing - Heriot's School
11.	Nancy Abbott (nee Gilchrist) South Africa	- Heriot Place
12.	Tony White Edinburgh	- Tenement Demolition
13.	Tony White Edinburgh	- Mr Pendreigh - Neighbours - Bonfires
14.	Tony White Edinburgh	- Latch Key Kids - Latch Keys - Stair Notices
15.	Ron Dingwall Keir Street, West Lothian, Scotland	- Heriots School: Ma Wallace's Shop
16.	Allan Dodds Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England	- Heriots School: Ma Wallace's Shop

Question

Anita Razzell (nee Canale)

Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to Anita Razzell for providing two photos of his grandfather, William Sutherland Low.

Anita wrote:

Military School of Cookery

Question

"Here are two old military photos of my Grandfather, William Sutherland Low. He was born in or around Montrose on Feb 5, 1891 and lived at 12 Keir Street, Edinburgh from about 1937 until his death on September 22, 1961.

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Anita Razzell, British Columbia, Canada

I wonder if anyone can give me any information about the uniforms or the 'School of Cookery' that he was attached to. In the photo above, William is seated on the left, wearing a white jacket. He is next to the standing man.

The photo below, taken in 1918, is of :

- William Sutherland Low.

- his wife, May.

- his son, John.

- baby, Dorothy.

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Anita Razzell, British Columbia, Canada

Anita Razzell, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada: November 11, 2008

If you can answer the questions that Anita asks, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: November 18, 2008

Answer

Jim Robertson

Berlin, Germany

Thank you to Jim Robertson who left a reply in the guestbook.

Jim wrote:

"I would say this photo could be a Course photograph for Regimental cooks, with so many different cap badges, as they did not have an army catering corps during that period and each Regiment had there own cooks.

Or, it could also have been a military HQ Group on exercise. This would also explain all the different cap badges worn.

Personally I would go for the first one. It's the most likely one."

Jim Robertson, Berlin, Germany: Message left in EdinPhoto guest book, November 22, 2008

Recollections

Anita Razzell (nee Canale)

Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Anita Razzell added:

Demolition

"Here is a photo of the north side of Keir Street, taken in 1969. This side of the street has been torn down. Does anyone know when this happened?"

Dancing

"My memory of visiting my grandparents in Keir Street is of the music coming from down the street from the BETTY BRANDON SCHOOL OF DANCE.

Many was the time that the thumping of tap shoes in unison could be heard down the street."

Anita Razzell (nee Canale), Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada: Nov 23 + Dec 5, 2008

If you know when the north side of Keir Street was demolished, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Anita.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: December, 2008

Recollections

Rae Phillips

Edinburgh

Thank you to Rae Phillips, Edinburgh, who wrote about the time when he lived in Keir Street.

Rae wrote:

Family

"I lived at no. 12 Keir St. from 1946 until about 1958. The North side was still there when we left. I went to George Heriots school so I really was on the doorstep.

My mother, Gladys Phillips, who is now a sprightly 91 worked at Goldbergs for a number of years.

My dad, Harry Phillips, was the second person to have a car in Keir Street. It was an Austin 7."

Neighbours

"Some of the names I remember are:

- Mrs Sinclair, who lived at No 12

- Mr & Mrs Pat Smith, also at no.12

- The Slattery' family and a blind man who lived almost opposite on the north side of the street.

- The Hymans, a Jewish family who lived where the Art college is now situated.

- Mr Beck, an inventor of some sort. He lived just along from us and was the first person to have a car."

The Neighbourhood

"There were gas lights in our stairs.

We had a huge bonfire on the land to the south of Keir street, which was also looked on to by that section of Lauriston Place.

Davey, the co-op milk man, was round every day with his horse and cart. Even when we moved out to Greenbank Drive, we still had milk delivered by the same Davey with horse and cart, right up 'till about 1960."

Any names or memories that anybody has would be welcome."

Rae Phillips, Edinburgh: May 5, 2009

Recollections

Ken Boak

Redhill, Surrey, England

Thank you to Ken Boak who wrote:

Demolition

"Anita Razzell's photo of Keir Street in 1969 (2 above) brought back some vivid childhood memories for me.

I started at Heriot's in 1972 as a boy of 7, and I remember watching the demolition of Keir St. during my lunch breaks - for almost a week.

There was a tall crane fitted with a demolition ball, taking swings at the wrecked tenement. We all cheered when a big lump came down, with dust and soot and the old wallpaper still on the walls. I was standing at the edge of the site at the top of the Vennel.

The exact timing of this would be during the summer term, probably of 1974 - though I could be a year out, either way."

Return to Heriots

"I walked past this site again last Saturday, while revisiting Heriot's for their 350th Anniversary exhibition, and remembered the demolition. I stopped specifically to remember what I had seen all those years ago. The area has never been redeveloped - it's still a car park after 35 years."

Ken Boak, Redhill, Surrey, England: August 27, 2009

Recollections

Ken Boak

Redhill, Surrey, England

Thank you to Ken Boak who added:

Heriots

"I attended Heriots between 1972 and 1976. I remember the lunchtime trip down the Vennel to the chip shop in the Grassmarket. Hence my interest in the demolition of Keir Street.

I'm struggling to remember the north side of Keir Street prior to the demolition. Perhaps most of it was already down, and it was just the last corner at the Vennel end that was finally demolished.

That area of town was very scruffy in the early 1970s. Demolition, rather than renovation, was the order of the day.

Ken Boak, Redhill, Surrey, England: August 28, 2009

Recollections

John Burnett

Burntisland, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to John Burnett who wrote:

Family

"My grandparents, the Sinclairs, lived in the middle on the top floor of 12 Keir Street.

I lived with my parents, Robert and Elizabeth Burnett, and two brothers, Raymond and Robert, round the corner at 10 Graham Street, later renamed Keir Street."

Neighbours at No 12

"I remember, living at 12 Keir Street, were:

- Mrs Sinclair

- Mrs Millar

- The Orr family

- the Moody family

- O'Donnel, a dancer on The White Heather Club

- The Low family (see 1 above.) - also Margaret and Willamina?

- Mr & Mrs Pat Smith and their sons Terry and Michael.
I went to school with Terry - St Ignatius then Holy Cross.

There was also another couple who owned the art shop at Greyfriars. They had a big Alsatian, Joe, who barked like mad when we came down the stairs after listening to 'Journey into Space' up at my Granny's."

Other Neighbours

"Others that I remember, living in Keir Street, were:

- the Slattery' family and a blind man who lived almost opposite on the north side of the street.

- the Hymans, a Jewish family who lived where the Art college is now situated. He used to go ballistic if you went into the ruins of the synagogue.

- Mr Beck, an inventor of some sort. He lived just along from us and was the first person to have a car.

- the Phillips family

Was there not a fortune teller in the street?"

John Burnett, Burntisland, Fife, Scotland

Recollections

Lynda Maine

Colinton Mains, Edinburgh

Thank you to Lynda Maine who wrote:

Fortune Teller

"John Burnett (Recollections 6 above) talked about someone telling fortunes in Keir Street. I can remember my mother and one of her friends went there. She was actually quite good, and told my mother a few things that came true. Her name was Mrs Farmeras

She. she and her husband moved to somewhere off Dalry Road. There was always a waiting list to see her."

Lynda Maine, Colinton, Edinburgh: April 26, 2010

Recollections

Margaret Johnston (nee Slattery)

Australia

Thank you to Margaret Johnston (nee Slattery), Australia who wrote:

Photo

"I've just found this photo, taken, about 1956,on the steps of 5 Keir Street, Edinburgh"

Please click on this thumbnail image to enlarge the photo and to read about who is in the photo.

The Blind Man

"I noticed people asking about the blind man who lived in Keir Street. Others in the photo are my cousins from Ayr. His name was Gavin. He lived in No. 11."

Neighbours

"Other people that I remember from Keir Street are:

- The Greenans.

- Rosie Gaffney and her mother.

- The Frisks.

- The McLeans.

We kids had great fun in our street, playing peevers, skipping and rounders at the Flodden Wall

Who could forget Mary Wallace's shop in Heriot place and Maggie's fish and chip shop at the foot of the Vennel."

Margaret Johnston (nee Slattery), Australia: June 3, 2010

Recollections

10.

Michael Slattery

Australia

Thank you to Michael Slattery who wrote:

1946-58

"I lived at 5 Kier Street from 1946 to 1958 - what an experience, which was never matched by our family's move to to The Inch!"

Mary Wallace's Shop

"I remember Mary Wallace's wee shop where you could buy a penny Vantas and where we might be sent to get some bread or margarine when supplies had run out. Mary always seemed to have just sat down to her tea when I'd come in for the messages!"

Maggie's Chip Shop

"I mind being send down the Vennel steps to Maggie's chip shop to get chip suppers - always with the warning from Mum, 'Tell her I don't want reheats!'."

Puppet Theatre

"I had glove puppets and used to write plays and perform them with Rosemary McKinley at No 9. The performances were in the 'area' in a wooden theatre that Rosemary's father, Rab, had built for us."

Piping and Dancing

"My godmother was Rosie Gaffney. She lived with her old mother at No5, in the flat below us.

We were a piping & dancing family. Dad would often have us practice in the lobby. Can you picture it? 3 pipers and 6 or 7 dancers bouncing up and down and 'gi'in' it laldy', till Rosie banged on her ceiling with a broom. Perhaps she wasn't fond of piping and dancing!"

Heriot's School

"On the other side of the Flodden Wall, of course, there were the young gentleman of Heriot's School. I'm not sure whether the wall was keeping them in or us out!"

Michael Slattery, Australia

Recollections

11.

Nancy Abbott
(nee Gilchrist)

South Africa

Thank you to Nancy Abbott for posting messages in the EdinPhoto guest book

Heriot Place

"I used to live in Herriot Place opposite George Herriot School. I went out with a Robert Burnett who had brothers Raymond and John. We had friends, the MacDonalds, a large wonderful family. If I remember, there was also a John Swan.

I have so many happy memories of these days. The area was rich in history with some wonderful characters. I think there was a fortune teller who used to live round the corner.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who lived in that area. I left in 1969 when I joined the army to become a nurse."

Nancy Abbott (nee Gilchrist), South Africa: Messages posted in EdinPhoto guest book, January 23, 2011

Recollections

12.

Tony White

In 'Recollections 2' above, Anita Razzell wrote:

"Here is a photo of the north side of Keir Street, taken in 1969. This side of the street has been torn down. Does anyone know when this happened?"

Anthony White replied:

Tenement Demolition

"The buildings on the north side of Keir Street were demolished not long after the photo above was taken in 1969.

I lived at 17 Keir Street (just out of shot on the left of the picture) until the summer of 1969. Our flat, along with all the other buildings on that side of the street, was subject to a compulsory purchase order to enable expansion of Edinburgh Art College

It was very frustrating that the land where the buildings stood was cleared but lay virtually unused for many years after as the tenements were fine, spacious properties that needed only some modest restoration.

The wall at the end of the street encloses George Heriots school. Could that possibly be old Mr Pendreigh with the 'best dug in Edinburgh' just in front? Surely no!"

I wonder who those children are at the stair front?"

Tony White, Edinburgh: November 25, 2011

Recollections

13.

Tony White

Edinburgh

After reading 'Recollections 12' above, I asked Tony White who Mr Pendreigh was.

He replied:

Mr Pendreigh

"Mr Pendreigh was a local 'character' at Keir Street. (I hope I've spelled his name correctly.)

I was very young when I left Keir Street and it's a long time ago, but I remember him well - and his dog. The dog looked older than him.

He appeared in the film 'The Pride of Miss Jean Brodie' as a street busker. They filmed a brief scene on the Vennel steps, and Mr Pendreigh was included to give the scene some authenticity, I guess."

Neighbours

"Some other local people I remember from Keir Street include:

- the Swans

- the Cooks

- the Laidlaws

- the Wilsons

- the Craigs."

Bonfires

"Someone mentioned a bonfire (a bonny, in the vernacular). These events took place in a bit of wasteland known as 'The Lane'. That was the area between the blocks of houses in Kerr Street, Heriot Place and Lauriston Place.

It included a ruined piece of property that looked a little like an old fort and was gloriously named 'Chuckaboombas' - I suppose because it was a good vantage for throwing (chucking) stones."

Tony White, Edinburgh: November 29+30, 2011

Recollections

14.

Tony White

Edinburgh

Thank you to Tony White for writing again with more memories of growing up in Edinburgh. Tony remembers the latch keys from several of the tenements where he has stayed in Edinburgh after leaving Keir Street at the age of eight.

Tony wrote:

Latch Key Kids

"It's safe to conclude that the term 'latch key kid' is American in origin even if the practice it describes, of children coming home from school and letting themselves into the family home while their absent parents are still at work, has been commonplace in Edinburgh for goodness knows how many years."

Latch Keys

"A latch key as I know it was a form of door entry technology giving access to any of the common stairways in tenements across the city that had a suitable latch key lock on the street door. It would let you into the stairway, but not any of the flats therein.

It was basically a very primitive form of key. From the street, the key could be placed into a slot in the door handle plate and then lifted to raise the latch on the inside of the door thus releasing the lock. A small metal plate within the mechanism offered some security and acted as a guide for the key itself which was designed to fit the width and depth of the plate.

That was the theory. In practice, if you knew how, you could open just about any latch with a deft flick of your finger or with a lolly stick or with your house key or whatever.

It would be surprising, to me at least, if there are any latch keys in practical use in Edinburgh now, as they have been made obsolete by buzzer entry systems and more sophisticated and secure locks and keys. As a paper delivery boy back in the 1970s, I was issued with a latch key. In truth, it was more bother than it was worth. I learned how to open all the doors without it before long.

I reckon a lot of folks now would be aghast at people's casual attitude towards security in those innocent days."

Tony White, Edinburgh: November 30, 2011

Latch Keys

Thank you to Tony White for also sending me a photograph of a latch key. It's a long time since I last saw one of those, but it looked very familiar to me from the time in the late-1960s when I lived in a tenement at Comely Bank.

I expect that seeing the photo of the key would bring back memories to others as well. I'll investigate the copyright of that image and see if I can add it to this page on the web site.

Stair Notices

Another item that I've not seen since then is the cardboard notice that was passed weekly from one neighbour to the next . It read:

o o

IT IS YOUR TURN

TO CLEAN THE

COMMON STAIR

The notice had string attached to its two top corners so that it could be hung over your neighbour's door knob.

Replies?

It will be interesting to see if anybody replies telling me that these keys and notices are still in use in some parts of Edinburgh.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 3, 2011

Recollections

15.

Ron Dingwall

Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to Ron Dingwall, Bathgate, West Lothian, who wrote:

Heriot's School

Ma Wallace's Shop

"I was a pupil at Heriots between 1960 and 1965. I remember Ma Wallace's shop very well. She opened at 8.30 every morning and there was always a queue of hungry schoolboys waiting

The counter was already laid out with 1d, 2d & 3d sweets to be bought and consumed before classes started, or even in class. Lunchtime was exactly the same and I'm sure she made her 'fortune' from us Herioters.

One incident, however, sticks in my mind. That was when the Headmaster Wm. McL Dewar tried to ban pupils from using the shop. I can't remember the reason but I think he had a formidable opponent in Ma Wallace as the ban was very quickly reversed and happy days were here again. I don't remember the date but I think it was probably 1961-62."

Ron Dingwall, Bathgate, West Lothian: December 4, 2011