Edinburgh History - Leith Street Names

Recollections

Alice Wilson (nee Ward)

Christchurch, New Zealand

Thank you to Alice Wilson for leaving a message in the EdinPhoto guest book.

Alice wrote:

Ferrier Street

"My family emigrated to Australia in 1960 from 18 Ferrier Street.

I went to Hermitage Park School. I Have left messages on the school web site but had no reply. I'd love to hear from anyone who might remember me.

I've not been home since we left, but I believe Ferrier Stret is no longer there.

I did keep in touch with a boy (probably a grandad now) called Gordon Clark. His Nana lived in our stair, also twins from school, Carol and Brenda Laing."

Alice Wilson (nee Ward), Christchurch, New Zealand:
Message and email address posted in EdinPhoto guest book, October 8, 2008

Ferrier Street

You are right, Alice. Ferrier Street has gone. There is now a supermarket car park, between Easter Road and the foot of Leith Walk, where Ferrier Street once stood.

If anybody would like to contact Alice, please email me, then I'll pass on Alice's email address to you.

- Peter Stubbs: October 9, 2008

Recollections

Lorna Macey

Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Lorna Macey who wrote:

Ferrier Street

"I wish to refer to the recollections of Alison Wilson (nee Ward) and J Brown which brought back some childhood memories.

I was born in 1955 and lived at 8 Ferrier Street, Leith for twelve years. I went to Hermitage Park Primary School."

Leith Central Station

"My father was a train driver and worked from Leith Central station so the pictures of Leith Central brought it back to me.

He also worked in the Thorntree Bar which was on the corner of Ferrier Street at J Brown said. My mother was also cleaner there."

Memories

"I remember:

- the Capitol Cinema

- the hole in the wall

- fantastic bonfire nights

- backgreens

- washing lines

- the noise of the trains"

Family History

"I am now tracing my family tree which mainly goes back to Leith in the 1850s. Both my Great Grandads were labourers.

Things I would like to know more about are:

- Salamander Street. My Great Gran and Grandad on my grandad’s side lived there and my Gran had a sweet shop on the corner, around 1905.

- Dock Street. My Great Gran and Grandad on my Gran’s side moved form Islington to Leith and lived in Dock Street around 1915.

I would love to know to see some old pics of these areas as they are now long gone."

Lorna Macey, Fife, Scotland: October 20, 2008

Recollections

Lynn Learmonth
(nee Campbell)

Northfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Lynn Learmonth (nee Campbell) who wrote:

Ferrier Street

"I notice that Alice Wilson, nee Ward (1 above) lived at 18 Ferrier Street. I, too, lived there. Alice stayed up the stair from me.

My name was Lynn Campbell. My dad was a train driver and my mother's name was Janet.

I went to Leith Links primary school and David Kilpatrick secondary school.

I would love to find an old picture of my old street, as I had happy times there."

Lynn Learmonth (nee Campbell), Northfield, Edinburgh: November 6, 2009

If you know of any old photos of Ferrier Street, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Lynn. Thank you.

- Peter Stubbs: November 6, 2009

Recollections

Alice Wilson

Christchurch, New Zealand

Thank you to Alice Wilson for replying to the request from Lynn Learmonth in Recollections 3 above.

Alice wrote:

Ferrier Street

"Here are some photos, taken in 1958, of children who lived at 18 Ferrier Street Leith."

Alice Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand: November 9, 2009

Recollections

Bob Sinclair

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Bob Sinclair who wrote:

Dock Place

"There was a restaurant in Dock Place where the workmen ate on the street level. It also had a room up above where the office workers and others could dine.

Wonderful smells used to emit from there when the food was cooking. A meal would consist of, say, Scots broth, shepherds pie, and to follow, rhubarb pie (often displayed in the window) and custard.

Neil the policeman, who was on the Dock Gate, often used to supply the rhubarb as he grew his own. Neil had a little hut which abutted the Dock headman's building. It had a cupboard, a bench, and most importantly, a heater.

The smells in Dock Placewere varied.

- the restaurant

- the bottle washery at the bonds

- the pubs either side of number 2

If this did not stimulate you, then you could leave Dock Place, go past the Post Office and cross the Bernard Street Bridge at low tide - that would have stimulated you!

Bridge Street

"Most of the Leith denziens knew or knew of Dirty Kate, named such for obvious reasons. She had a shop, really a rag store, on the corner of Bridge Street, opposite a nice pub which I believe is still standing.

On entering Kate's, you were met by stares from Kate, her husband and her daughters. This could be disconcerting.

Coats and other garments were piled up to the ceiling and it was a bit dingy, so you were grateful to get out into the light in one piece.

Kate had black hair and bright light blue eyes and probably came from gypsy stock. She used to dress in a frock over which she put a coat and had her hair tied up. Scrubbed up she would probably have been quite stunning.

Across the road was another shop which we thought might have been Kate's mother's. The woman never seemed to move and we sometimes wondered if she was alive. The dust never seemed to move either."

Bob Sinclair, Queensland, Australia: December 12, 2009

Recollections

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Frank Ferri wrote:

Great Junction Street

Sweet Shop

Question

"For many years, up until the early-1960s, there was a double- windowed sweetie shop in Great Junction Street, Leith, that hand made all their own produce.

It was sited about 20 yards beyond Bonnington Rd, heading towards Foot of Leith Walk, close to where Ard's old record shop used to be.

The sweet assortment of smells emitting from these premises, where they made some of our old childhood favourites still linger for me.

Can anyone name the shop?"

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: August 19, 2010

Reply to Frank

If you think you might be able to answer Frank's question, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to him. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 22, 2010

Reply to Recollections 6

Recollections

John Gray

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Gray for sending a very quick reply to Frank Ferri's question above. John's answer arrived about an hour after I had asked the question in 6 above!

John wrote:

Sweet Shop

"My wife thinks that the sweet shop was called Pierce's. It was owned by two sisters."

John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: August 22, 2010

Reply to Recollections 6

Recollections

Harry Hunter

Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Harry Hunter who wrote:

Sweet Shop

"I lived in Junction Street in the 1940s and 1950s. The shop was called Pierces. They made boilings of all types I remember best their soor plooms. Green balls with an acid flavour is the best description.

When we came out of the Victoria Baths we always bought an Oxo Cube. We were convinced it warmed us up. Well, usually we 'bunced', i.e. shared the cost and the thing."

Harry Hunter, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland: September 20, 2010

Reply to Recollections 6

Recollections

Maureen McInally

Clermiston, Edinburgh

Thank you to Maureen McInally who wrote:

Sweet Shop

"The sweet shop was called Pearce’s. Their dolly mixtures were my favourites.

My family lived in Tennant Street and Tolbooth Wynd. My Mum’s family were the Woods from Bonnington Road and my Dad was brought up by a family called the Wintons from Tolbooth Wynd. His name was Tommy Milton."

Maureen McInally (nee Milton), November 18, 2010

Maureen subsequently added:

Street Names

"There are streets at Drumbrae called Pearce Avenue, Pearce Grove and Pearce Road. I was to told, years ago, that these were named after the family who had the sweet shop in Junction Street. I don't know whether that's true or not."

Maureen McInally (nee Milton), November 18, 2010

Street Names

I have a book titled 'History and Derivation of Edinburgh Street Names'. It tells me that the three streets at Drumbrae were named after Edward Pearce, Builder, who died in 1947, aged 86. I don't know whether he would have been part of the same family as had the sweet shop at Leith or not.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: November 18, 2010

Recollections

10.

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Following the amalgamation of Edinburgh and Leith in 1920, many of the street names in Leith were changed to avoid duplication of names.

Thank you to Frank Ferri for sending me some of his photos of the original street names, still chiselled into the stonework of the buildings.

Here are three photos that Frank sent to me.

Acknowledgement: Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: April 27, 2011

Street Names

Bank Place

on the corner of Largo Place and Ferry Road, Leith

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Frank Ferri:: April 27_2011

Jamaica Street

on the corner of Summerside Place and Ferry Road, Leith

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Frank Ferri:: April 27_2011

Prince Consort Place

Between Medeira Street and North Fort Street, Ferry Road, Leith

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Frank Ferri:: April 27_2011

Recollections

11.

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Thank you to Frank Ferri who added:

Street Name Changes

"Major changes of street names also took place in the 1970s, at regionalization of local government, to rid the city in general of duplicated street names.

Leith and Newhaven lost quite a few old names:

- Ann Street

- Albany Street

- George Street

- Parliament Square

- etc.

Any former villages such as Newhaven, Corstorphine and Davidson’s Mains that had Main Street in their addresses had these street names rearranged. e.g.

- Main Street, Newhaven became Newhaven Main Street, and so on.

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: May 1, 2011

Recollections

12.

John Dickson

Royston, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Dickson for following up Frank Ferri's contribution in 12 above and for sending me photos of more Leith street names.

John wrote:

"These streets were at the 'Newhaven Road end' of Ferry Road. Do you have any idea where these names came from?"

Acknowledgement: John Dickson: October 25, 2011

Street Names

Ebenezer Mount

at the 'Newhaven Road end' of Ferry Road

Henderson Place

at the 'Newhaven Road end' of Ferry Road

Henderson Place

at the 'Newhaven Road end' of Ferry Road

Recollections

13.

John Gray

Stenhouse, Edinburgh

Duke Street

Leith

When there were duplicate street names in Edinburgh and Leith, it was usually the Leith street name that was changed - but not always.

In the case of Duke Street, it was the Duke Street in Leith that retained its name.

This was the street that can be seen running down from the centre of this aerial view, immediately to the right of the former Leith Central Station, the building with the large roof (centre left).

Duke Street

Leith

Please click on the aerial view above to enlarge it and read more about it.

Duke Street

Edinburgh

Duke Street in Edinburgh was at the top of Dublin Street. It was the street that connected:

- (Duke of) York Place and

- (Duke of) Albany Street.

It had its name changed to become Dublin Street.

Thank you to John Gray for allowing me to reproduce his photo below of the old 'Duke Street' sign still carved into the stonework in one of the buildings at the top of Dublin Street.

Duke Street

Now Dublin Street

Acknowledgement: John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: November 14, 2011

Recollections

14.

Brian Alexander

Prestonfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Brian Alexander who wrote:

Ebenezer Mount

"John Dickson, in 'Recollections 12' asks about the origin of the street name, 'Ebenezer Mount'.

Ebenezer Mount

The name may be connected with the Ebenezer Church, NSW Australia. The church was founded by settlers from the UK, (England and Scotland) in 1809. The settlers were known as 'The Presbyterian Free Settler Group' arriving in Australia onboard the colonial transport ship 'Coromandel' in June 1802.

This was, and still is, a Presbyterian Church with connections to The Church of Scotland. The first meetings of what became the Ebenezer Church took place on a hill known locally as Ebenezer Mount, Ebenezer, NSW.

The Coromandel and Ebenezer Church web sites give information relating to the above."

Acknowledgement: Brian Alexander, Prestonfield, Edinburgh: November 17, 2011

Recollections

15.

Jim McBrierty

South Queensferry, Edinburgh

Thank you to Jim McBrierty for posting a message about his family in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Jim wrote:

Grandparents

"My father, also Jim (b1928), and my mother, Ann (Nan) (b1927), were Leithers through and through.

My father's dad owned a coal shop in Ferrier Street (I think) and the family lived at no 8 which was opposite the Hole in The Wa' leading to the Fit o' the Walk, near Manderston Street."

My mother's dad was 'on the railway'. He used to work in the old building at the side of the railway sidings at the traffic lights near Seafield Cemetery."

Mum + Dad

My dad was brought up at Ferrier Street with his brothers. He served his time at Beatons the Plumbers. He eventually went to Henry Robb's shipyard, having served in the Merchant Navy.

When they got married, mum and dad lived in Thorntree Street, then Easter Road."

Jim McBrierty, South Queensferry, Edinburgh: November 20, 2011

Recollections

16.

Hannah Thom (formerly Anna Spence)

Wisconsin, USA

Thank you to Hannah Thom who wrote:

Giles Street

Homes

"I lived on Giles St Leith till I was 12. Then our family found a place with an inside bathroom and enough room for all of us in Hyvots bank."

Schools

"I went to Dr Bell's school on Junction St Leith. My name then was Anna Spence

After we moved, I went to Gilmerton for a year then I went to the Inch Secondary until I was 15."

Work

"Done with school, I went to work on Hanover Street at the Health Food store.

I'm now 69 years old. Does anyone remembers me?"

Hannah Thom (formerly Anna Spence), Wisconsin, USA:
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book: January 21, 2012