Edinburgh History - Niddrie

Recollections

Lena Mary Conway (nee Moran)

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

From 1933

Lesley Conway wrote:

"My mother, Lena Mary Conway (nee Moran), was born in Fountainbridge on 6 December 1927. She is now the eldest living member of the Moran clan.

She now lives in Sydney, Australia, after first immigrating to Melbourne, Australia in 1960."

Lesley Conway: April 25, 2007

Lena Mary Conway's memories (recorded for her by her daughter, Lesley Conway, now living in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia):

Niddrie Mains Terrace

"About 1933, when I was six, the Moran clan – Peter and Molly, along with Peter, Rose, Isa, me, John, Ronald and Patricia, left Freer Street, Fountainbridge, for Niddrie Mains Terrace.

We lived at No 30. At the other end of the street was Letty’s caravan where we went to get 'tick'.

I remember the tunnel from Niddrie to Bingham. Once it flooded and I fell in. When I got out I was covered in leeches."

Food and Drink

"Andrew Neery used to push a barrow selling ice-cream and the kids would yell out: 'Ma, can I get a poke!'.

We all used to call sago pudding, 'cats eyes and dogs snotters'! One New Year, I had a swig of port. I wonder how old I was; maybe ten.

My brother John remembers playing outside and sometimes getting a 'piece' (bread/sandwich). Our hands would be all dirty and grubby and if you were still eating when it was your turn, you’d get someone to 'hud yer piece'.

If anyone else was eating an apple, you’d always ask “Can I have yer stump” (the apple core). I can’t imagine bairns today being so familiar with dirt and food!"

Games

"This period consists of childhood games and school days.

In the years after my birth, another five brothers and sisters arrive, bringing the Moran clan to 11. My mother had a tenth pregnancy but the child was stillborn.

Life was crowded and so was the bed! I shared a bed with my elder siblings, Peter, Rose and Isa, sleeping head to toe.

We played diabolos and piries. Famy Motion was the diabolo champion! She was one of a brood of ten and their Mother would yell out each child’s name, 'John, George…..etc, come in for your cocoa!'.

The Tin School

"I was the only one in the family to go to the ‘tin school’ in Peffermill. I think it only had two or three classrooms. I couldn't work out why I was the only one to go there, given I had 3 older siblings and younger ones as well.

I remember getting my coronation tin of toffees whilst I was at the tin school, as I remember being marched across the road to a big house - I think it had something to do with the brewery - and lined up to receive my tin of sweeties. This means that the tin school was operational in 1937, when I was 10.

At about this time, I went into the corner shop to buy a half-penny lucky bag. The queue was long and I got sick of waiting so I stole it and then agonised over this action for months."

Drink

"When I was about 10, I had to walk about ½ a mile in the dark to get a drink for my Dad. He was a drinker – he drank his pay when he was working (which wasn’t often) and drank his dole money when he wasn’t.

Once, my Dad saved up cigarette cards/tokens and redeemed it for a doll, which he gave to me.

Names

"I remember all the dogs we knew when we were younger: Prince Moran, Chunky Day, Tiger Hannagan and Terry Halliday!

Even the people's names were ‘no real’ – Troosers Mulhearn , Jackie Miles, Betty Mochan, Joe Gilroy (which I always thought was Jogle Roy!), Dod Hay."

War

"I was twelve when war was declared, but Scotland didn't really suffer as England did. Nonetheless, five bombs were dropped on Edinburgh, all near Craigmillar.

We loved going into the air raid shelter, being such a large family we had one to ourselves. There were little lamps and we used to take our books with us to read.

The day that war was declared, Mrs Boyle (a neighbour up the stair, and a staunch Catholic), threw holy water over all the bairns and said 'God bless us and save us!'.

Cameron Highlanders

"My Uncle Pat and my Uncle Tommy were both in the Cameron Highlanders. Uncle Tommy, when on leave, used to pull up in a taxi and get out in his full regalia – kilt, spats etc. and all the kids in the neighbourhood would come out to look at him – a very impressive sight.

He gave all his nieces and nephews a thrupence each. Uncle Pat was actually a prisoner of war in Germany for four years during WWII."

Family

"My Dad had a brother, Fred. He was apparently a recluse, but a very handsome one! He also had a sister Mabel, who 'went with the Poles' (went out with the Polish soldiers). Mabel played the banjo and the trumpet.

Granny Moran was a tall, skinny woman who used to bone comb our hair for lice as soon as we arrived to visit. I think Granny Moran lived at Slateford on the road to Corstorphine."

To Work for Stoby Taylor

"I left school at 14, quite happy that my school days are behind me. My chum from school, Evie Henderson, got me a job, alongside her at Stoby Taylors, at the corner of the Pleasance and the Cowgate.

I was a cashier and book-keeper. I had great fun working there. One day Evie and I donned the merchandise, 'dressed-up' in school uniforms, and went off to lunch. Our boss passed us in the street and didn't even recognize us!

There were big drawers to keep hats in and we used to go and hide in them. We would sit on stools and serve customers. One day, I hopped off the stool and Auntie Susie, who had come to visit, couldn’t see me anywhere – you were too short once you’d gotten off the stool."

The shop owner, Stoby Taylor, was about 74 and a very kind man who was nice to me. He used to give advice for when I was were married, like ''Never go to bed on a quarrel'. He wanted to send me to Skerry’s College (at Surgeon’s Hall) to get a diploma but I didn’t want that. In hindsight, I wish I had gone to the college."

Dancing

"I used to go out dancing three times a week:

- Friday night at the Casino in Portobello

- Thursday night at the Miners Institute at Newcraighall, often with friends Evie Henderson and Vera Forster. Later on, my sister, Pat, married Evie’s brother, Freddy.

- Tuesday afternoon at the Palais de Danse, with Betty Mochan and the gang from Stoby Taylors. My older brother Peter, had a job as a valet, parking cars etc. at the Palais de Danse.

At about this time, we moved to Bingham"

Lesley Conway recording the memories of her mother Lena Mary Conway: April 25, 2007