Recollections

Granton

   Postcard by an unidentified publisher  -  Looking to the east along Lower Granton Road ©

1950s to 1970s

1.

Grant King
Aberdeenshire

Wardie Square

Apprenticeship and Work

Penny Bap

2.

Norma Butler
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Wardieburn Road

Granton Square

Family

Delivery Vans

Memories

3.

Florence Towell
(née Birnie)
Florida and Toronto

Family

Activities

Magic Lantern

4.

Steve Morrison
Queensland, Australia

Granton Road

Starbank Park

Granton Beach

5.

Steve Morrison
Queensland, Australia

Home

Penny Bap

Edwards' Bread

Football

Boxing

Granton Harbour

School

Work

6.

Steve Morrison

Mates

7.

Mary Cummings
(
née MacRae)

Edinburgh

Granton Road

8.

Iain C Purves
Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

Granton Eastern Breakwater

Ned Barnie

9.

Margaret Williamson
(
née Hay)

Moline, Illinois, USA

James and Betty Quinn

10.

Elaine Simpson
(née Phillips)

Cotswolds, England

Granton Square

Edwards the Baker

Wardie Beach

Fish from the Harbour

Trainto Town

Ice Cream Drinks

11.

Elaine Simpson
(née Phillips)

Cotswolds, England

Green Goddess

The King Family

12.

Katie Hardie

Home

School

Our Neighbours

Hard Times

Family

 

Recollections

1.

Grant King

Aberdeenshire

Thank you to Grant King, Aberdeenshire, for his recollections of Granton from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Grant wrote:

Wardie Square

"The pictures of Wardie Square also brought back memories of this time as we lived in number 11 and my uncles Robert and Hugh lived in 12and 13 at one time.

Wardie Square  -   Photograph  -  August 2004 ©

We lived in number 11 until 1961 when we then moved to 18 East Cottages witch was one of the posh houses as it had an inside toilet (winters were never the same)."

Apprenticeship and Work

"As for myself, I served my apprenticeship with A&R Hepburn / Robb Caledon as a engineer.  Then, like a lot of lads from Granton, I went off to the merchant navy.

When I came back, I worked shore side maintenance with Boyd / Listons until redundancy.  I then started in the oil industry which has taken me to most parts of the world, and am at present working in Trinidad."

Penny Bap

"Does anyone remember "penny bap"?   It was a large round rock/boulder that was only visible when the tide went out and resembled the shape of the well loved baps/rolls which you got from Edwards the bakers.

It was always a great source of entertainment, when we were kids, to find this when the tide was in, then stand on top of it and tell every one that the water was very shallow. (We were easily pleased in those days.)

I think, like a lot of things, it has now disappeared."

Grant King, Aberdeenshire, now working in Trinidad::  October 23, 2006

 

Recollections

2.

Norma Butler (née Burns)

Thank you to Norma Butler for the recollections below.

Norma wrote:

Wardieburn Road

"I was born  in 1946 at 160 Canongate, but spent much of my youth with my father's family who were mostly born and raised on the 1st floor of 14 Wardieburn Road, if memory serves me well."

Granton Square

   Trams at Granton Square  ©

"I spent many, many of my summers around Granton Square playing on the pier, and ate many bags of chips when the pennies were available, from the chippie down at 'the shops' where the huge supermarket is now (opposite side of the street).

  I have probably spent at least 28 Hogmanays here, with all of my aunts and uncles.  Some have passed on but  one, John Burns, a veteran of World War II is still with us."

Family

"My grandfather, Alexander, served in World War I.   He had sons Alexander, John, Jimmy, Archie, Tommy and daughters Chrissie, Violet, Deirdre, Isa, Mary and Ruth, who all grew up at this location along with many nieces and nephews and grandchildren.

I also got lots of exercise planting and playing at my grandfathers allotment can't remember exactly where - somewhere around Pilrig.

I also had other in-laws within the vicinity - the McClellans and  the Lovells."

Delivery Vans

"It would seem like hours to get from the High Street to Wardieburn.

Oh, what memories.  These were the days of the Ice Cream Van, and Chip Van, not to mention the knife sharpeners, the rag-men, and the horse and cart delivery of coal.

But we mustn't forget the ice cold milk with the 2 inch cream on top which we all used to fight over!!!. "

Memories

"Oh, what memories!  Granton will always hold a very special place in my heart with happy memories. 

I only wish some of memories of today's generations could be as special, it seemed that in those days, the less you had, the more you had.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  I hope it brings back memories for someone else."

Norma Butler, (née Burns):  November 5, 2006

 

Recollections

3.

Florence Towell (née Birnie)

Florida and Toronto

Thank you to Florence Towell, now living in Florida and Toronto, for sending her memories of Edinburgh. 

Florence wrote:

Family

"I grew up in Granton.  My family lived in Wardieburn Street West from the mid-forties until my Mother died about 8 years ago. 

Our name was Birnie. I had two brothers, John and Charlie, and two sisters May and Lottie.  We all went to Granton School, then on to Ainslie Park, Leith Academy, Broughton and The Royal High School.

Before an untimely early death, my Father worked at the Gasworks.  I remember so well him playing lawn bowling in Granton."

Activities

"Kick-the-can and rounders were our main 'sports' then.

We listened to the wireless and, of course, borrowed lots of books from Granton library.  I remember thinking I must have read every single book they had.

My sister, May, had dancing classes and we used to have back green concerts.  My Mother would make fairy cakes and toffee cups, and we would charge 2d admission."

Magic Lantern

"We used to go one evening a week to the Magic Lantern in Granton Square.  The movies they showed were so gory I don't know how we could watch them.   But, it was entertainment. 

My Mother used to give us pennies for our collection, but we always saved one penny to buy a hot roll from the baker in Granton Square.  That was the highlight of the evening.

So many memories!!"

Florence Towell (née Birnie), Toronto, Canada + Florida, USA:  October 29, 2007.

Contacting Florence

Florence added:

 "I guess there is always the hope that someone you once knew will contribute to the web site."

If you remember  Florence and would like to contact her. please email me then I'll pass your message on to her.

Thank you.    -  Peter Stubbs:  April 5, 2008.

Recollections

4.

Steve Morrison

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Steve Morrison who wrote:

Granton Road

"I spent many happy years living in Granton Road."

Starbank Park

"Mum used to take us to roll our Easter Eggs at Starbank Park."

Granton Beach

"We spent happy times at Granton Beach, with a hot greasy pie from the Wardie Hotel.

Happy days with just the basics to play with - tig, kick the can, hide & seek."

Steve Morrison, Queensland, Australia:  July 5, 2010

Steve:

Granton Beach and Wardie Hotel

This old postcard shows Granton Beach and Wardie Hotel.

Postcard by W Smith, Goldenacre  -  Looking to Lower Granton Road from Granton Beach  -  with legends added ©

The hotel remained open until recently, but over the past couple of years it has been converted to housing.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  July 11, 2010

Recollections

5.

Steve Morrison

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Steve Morrison for sending me more of his Recollections of Granton.

Steve wrote:

Home

"We lived at 141 Granton Road, on the top flat.  In 1967, the high winds blew a chimney through our roof.  It went through our floor into the Murray’s who lived below us.  Our house was ripped apart."

Penny Bap

"I remember the penny bap at Granton beach when I was a wee boy.  I remember standing on it with the water all around me and my brother David saying he would push me in."

Edwards' Bread

"I also delivered newspapers for Grahams newsagent in Granton Road,  all around Granton and down the Wardie Steps into the squareI could smell the bread being baked at Edwards.  I used to get a hot roll when I delivered their paper"

Football

"I was the goalkeeper for Granton School.  Our coach was the headmaster, Stanley Duncan who I think played for Hearts (but he couldn’t help that) as Hibs only took good players. I remember that Granton shared the Mackie cup with St David's in 1972, I think.

I also played football for:

Wardie football club, for about 4 years under Jimmy Smith, who was also from Granton Road.

Bryden Thistle.

Bank Villa.

Parkvale in Leith.

Football was our passion sometimes only one kid had a ball in the street and we would play anywhere we could."

Boxing

"My brother, David, boxed at a club at lower Granton Road.  He became champion of Scotland for his weight.  He would have been about 12 or 14, I think."

Granton Harbour

"I loved growing up in Granton and going to the harbour.  Whenn the trawlers came in it was a hive of activity.  We always had endless amounts of energy."

School

"I also attended Trinity School.  The headmaster was William Brodie I had an English teacher called Doug Cowie and my Biology teacher Mr Samson.  They were great teachers and I actually liked going to their classes,"

Work

"I worked at Norman Ruthven's in Coburg Street, Leith as a panel beater.  Then I left and went to work at Appleyard's in Gorgie."

Steve Morrison, Queensland, Australia:  October 3, 2010

Reply to Steve?

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

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  October 3, 2010

Recollections

6.

Steve Morrison

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Steve Morrison for posting a message in the Edinphoto Guestbook.

Steve mentions that he emigrated to Australia in 1986 and has returned twice to Edinburgh which he sums up as:

"Great place, great people, but wet and cold."

Steve added:

Mates

"I hated leaving my mates:

-  Kevin Croan.

-  David Gibb.

-  Johnny Duncan.

-  Martin Shields.

If anyone knows any of them, please let me know."

Steve Morrison, Queensland, Australia: Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook, October 5, 2010

Reply to Steve?

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

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  October 5, 2010

 

Recollections

7.

Mary Cummings (née MacRae)

Edinburgh

Thank you to Mary Cummings (née MacRae) for sending a reply to Steve Morrison's comments.

Mary wrote:

Granton Road

"I remember Steven and his big brother, David. They lived in 147 Granton Road and I was at 143.

I remember the shops in Granton Road:

Grahams Newsagent (Jackie's).

Borthwick's Butcher.

Mrs Moffat's Bakers.

Alonzie's, the grocer.

I also mind your roof getting blown away. I was pals with Theresa Murray who lived below you.  I don't know if  you will remember any of us.  There were five of us in all. - there were 5 of us all in that wee flat."

Mary Cummings (née MacRae), Edinburgh,:  February 20, 2011

 

Recollections

8.

Iain C Purves

Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

Thank you Iain C Purves who wrote:

Granton Eastern Breakwater

"I wonder if any of your readers remember Ned Barnie, a teacher at DK School, using the small dressing room on Granton Eastern Breakwater.

Granton Breakwater  -  8 September 2002 ©

 picture. Ned used to swim almost ever day, in all weathers along the outside of the Eastern Breakwater

Iain C Purves:  Waterdown, Ontario, Canada:  October 7, 2011

Ned Barnie

Yes.  Several people have sent me their memories of Ned Barnie swimming in the Forth, mainly at Portobello.  Here is page of memories of Ned Barnie.  It includes a photo of him with another swimmer, both preparing to swim the Forth in 1955:

Ned Barney  -  Portobello Channel Swimmer ©

and photos of his tenement close to the Forth at Portobello where and of the plaque on the tenement wall commemorating his Channel swim.

 

Recollections

9.

Margaret Williamson (née Hay)

Moline, Illinois, USA

Here is a message that Margaret Williamson (née Hay) posted in the EdinPhoto Guestbook

Margaret wrote:

James and Betty Quinn

"Does anyone know of my aunt and uncle, James and Betty Quinn and their son James?  They were from Newhaven and their families were in the fishing business for generations.

James and Betty lived in Lower Granton Road  - No. 16, I think - close to where the trams went under the bridge.

My aunt had a sister, Davina, who was well known for making brides' cakes and for her knitting, as was my aunt, Betty."

Margaret Williamson (née Hay), Moline, Illinois, USA:
Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook,  October 9, 2012

 

Recollections

10.

Elaine Simpson (née Phillips)

Cotswolds, England

Thank you to Elaine Simpson who wrote:

Grierson Square

"I was born in 1958 and up in Grierson Square off Granton Road."

Edwards the Baker

"I went to Wardie school and one of my classmates was Alison Edwards, daughter of Mr Edwards the baker.  I spent many hours playing in their home above the  bakery and always went home with fresh hot rolls and pies.  

The stable door at the back of the bakehouse was always busy in the evenings with people buying fresh rolls.   They also had the shop in Craighall Road, frequented by long queues of kids from Trinity Academy at lunchtime for their pies or sausage rolls or bridies with beans. "

 

Wardie Beach

"If you went down Wardie Steps at the bottom of Granton Road, past the Wardie Inn and crossed lower Granton road, you could get onto Granton  beach through a small tunnel under the railway."

Fish from the Harbour

"The family of Croan's the fish people lived in our street so we got fresh fish straight from the harbour.  My dad used to take us down to the harbour then out the breakwater when we were little.

Train to Town

"We got the train from Granton Road station to town 'cos I got travel sick on buses."  

Ice Cream Drinks

"In the 1970s Gino's, the Italian ice cream shop, did amazing ice cream drinks and had tables where you could sit and enjoy them."

Elaine Simpson, Cotswolds, England:  23 October 2016
Elaine left Edinburgh in 1980

 

Recollections

11.

Elaine Simpson (née Phillips)

Cotswolds, England

Thank you to Elaine Simpson for writing again.

Elaine wrote:

Green Goddess

"I remember the green goddess in Granton Square in the early-1970s, and the power cuts in the mid-1970s.

The strange thing was that no matter how dark it was, you had no fear of walking alone.  The thought of what might have happened to us just never entered our heads!"

The King Family

"I loved reading the memories on this page.  I've just read Grant King's Recollections 1 above and realised that he and my dad, Ray, were good friends.

I might be wrong but I think that Grant's father was Ian, and Grant also had a brother, Hughie who ran a taxi and had a son young Hugh!

I have great memories of dad's friendship with the Kings 

Elaine Simpson, Cotswolds, England:  23 October 2016 (2 emails)
Elaine left Edinburgh in 1980

 

Hi Elaine:

Yes, it was Hughie King who ran the taxi business at Granton.  Grant King refers to him in his Reply 5 on this page of discussions about a photograph of Granton Square, taken in the late-1950s.

Granton Square

   Looking down on Granton Square and across to Granton Harbour  -  possibly about 1950 ©

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  13 November 2016

 

Recollections

12.

Katie Hardie

Thank you to Katie Hardie who wrote:

Home

"I was born at 7 Wardieburn Place East and stayed there until 1974 when I married and went to USA.  My mother and father remained there until 1979.  Our family name was Hardie."

School

"I went to Granton School, then to Ainslie Park.  My school  teacher at Granton was Miss E D Cormack.

My class mates at Granton included:

-  John Heatley

-  Steven Grassick

-  Norma Liddle

-  Doreen Stewart

My class mates at Ainslie Park included Eleanor Roaches.

Our Neighbours

"The neighbours in our street were:

-  Littles

-  Woods

-  Turnbulls

-  Watsons

-  Browns

-  Simpsons

-  Mcnicols

I consider all these beautiful people to be family.  They watched your every move, ensuring that you were always safe and secure.

Hard Times

"I went to the Band of Hope and to the Salvation Army at the end of our street.

Mrs Burnett made tablet to sell, and the mothers raised their hands to buy us clothes.

Times were hard:

-  My mother worked at 3 jobs and raised 5 kids

-  My father was a volunteer on the HMS Braham and in 1940 he went into the army until the wars ended."

Family

"With my sister, Betty, I played on the henner bars and got up to all sorts!

John Wood and my brother, Bob, were great pals.  Both went to sea as young men."

Katie Hardie:  27 November 2016

 

 

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