Buildings - Goldbergs department store, High Riggs, Tollcross, Edinburgh

Recollections
1.	George T Smith Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	- New School Term - X-Rays for Shoes
2.	Patrick Hutton New Town, Edinburgh	- Location of PT's
3.	Carol Lamond Argyll, Scotland	- Piano
4.	Carol Lamond Argyll, Scotland	- Uncle Hector - Another World
5.	Mike Melrose Greenbank, Edinburgh	- Patrick Thomson's - J&R Allan - Any Other Comments?
6.	Bryan Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland	- J&R Allan - Peter Allans - Starks and Bairds
7.	Bob Sinclair Queensland, Australia	- Patrick Thomson's - Peter Allans - Bairds
8.	Paul Sutherland Glasgow, Scotland	- Patrick Thomson
9.	Lynda Young USA	- Patrick Thomson - Santa
10.	Alan Dodds Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Scotland	- Patrick Thomson - Santa
11.	Yvonne Cain Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Scotland	- Patrick Thomson - Hugh - Selling Records
12.	Bob Henderson Burdiehouse, Edinburgh	- J&R Allan - Army Surplus Stock - Gas Mask Carriers - Parachutes

Recollections

George T Smith

Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to George T Smith who wrote:

New School Term

"While re-equipping our grand-daughter for a new term at primary school, I was reminded of my own less lavish equipment.

After a visit to PT's (Patrick Thomson's in the Bridges) for, at best, a new blazer, cap and shoes, and perhaps some pencils and a pencil sharpener I was regarded as ready for the new term.

X-Rays for Shoes

"Shoe buying at PT's was greatly aided by the X-raying of ones feet to ensure a comfortable fit and room for growth, using a machine very like a 'What the Butler saw' machine from a seaside fairground. I believe these machines were banned sometime in the 1950s.

On return to school, Craiglockhart in my case, if new shoes were spotted, classmates would pursue you till they had had a chance to stand on the new shiny black toecaps and dent them. This ritual had a name which I have forgotten but was a bit like 'Giving you your dumps' on your birthday and was similarly good natured."

Please click here to read more of George's memories of shoes that were worn at Craiglockhart Primary School.

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
September 25, 2009

Recollections

Patrick Hutton

New Town Edinburgh

Patrick Hutton wrote:

Location of PT's

Question

"That's an interesting postcard of PT. But at some point that building was demolished and replaced by what is now the Bank Bar. When?

I came to Edinburgh in 1974. PT's, as I remember it, was on the NE corner of the Royal Mile / North Bridge."

Patrick Hutton, New Town, Edinburgh: October 6, 2009

Answer

PT's moved across the Royal Mile, from South Bridge to North Bridge, in 1906 - about the same time as the postcard at the top of this page was published.

Please click on the thumbnail image below to read more about the history of the company:

Peter Stubbs: October 6, 2009

Recollections

Carol Lamond

Argyll, Scotland

Thank you to Carol Lamond for writing again telling me more about her Uncle Hector who played the piano at PT's.

Carol wrote:

Uncle Hector

"Hector Phillips was married to Peggy . They lived together with Peggy's unmarried sister Marjory, at 72 Allan Park Drive, in Happy Valley. Hector, in his youth, had been a concert pianist.

Another World

"As a child, I would visit their posh house which was very much art deco inside. It was two long bus rides away from our home in Magdalene, and it was like entering another world .

It was a wonderful world of elevenses, 'three rings on the phone' (we didn't have a phone), 'snifters' of gin, whisky, and Pimms - and best of all, but mortifying too to an 8 year old girl, Great Uncle Hector vamping away at the piano, belting out 'The Stripper'.

The difference between this world of plenty and our world of lean times was even greater than two bus journeys."

Carol Lamond, Argyll, Scotland: October 8, 2009

Recollections

Mike Melrose

Greenbank, Edinburgh

In May 2011, I added this old photo of Patrick Thomson's Store in South Bridge to the web site:

That provoked a few responses beginning with this one from Mike Melrose who wrote:

Patrick Thomson's

"The Patrick Thomson’s building shown was, in later years operated as a department store by the name Peter Allan’s, I recall."

J&R Allan

"Directly opposite (on the west side of South Bridge) was a separate department store, at the same time, by the name J & R Allan’s, I recall."

Any Other Comments?

"Perhaps some other contributors could confirm or correct my recollections."

Mike Melrose: Greenbank, Edinburgh: May 31, 2011

Recollections

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay who replied:

J&R Allan

"J&R Allan’s had one of its entrances on the corner of Chambers Street and South Bridge. The store continued northwards on the west side of South Bridge to the other side of the Cowgate.

There was a link just below street level where you could walk between its premises on the south and north side of the Cowgate."

Peter Allans

"I’m sure Peter Allan’s was on the west side of South Bridge leading up to and on the corner of South Bridge and Tron Square."

Starks and Bairds

"I can’t remember what was in the old Patrick Thomson’s premises, but:

- Starks for School Wear and

- Bairds shoe shop

were in the next two blocks to the south on the east side of South Bridge.

The South Bridge had a far more upmarket range of shops in the 1950s and 1960s than it does now."

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Recollections

Bob Sinclair

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Bob Sinclair who wrote:

Patrick Thomson's

"I recollect being whisked by my mother into Patrick Thomson's for some school gear, then being taken up to the tea rooms for afternoon tea and to listen to either a pianist or a three piece orchestra.

It was a wonderful place for a young boy except when mum wanted to go to the ladies department."

Peter Allans

"I also remember going into Peter Allans next to the Tron Square to get measured for my first pair of longs. It seemed to take the man an awfully long time to measure the inside leg and I was glad when it was all over."

Bairds

"Bairds to me was great - all those lovely shoes in beautiful boxes and they all smelled good, the shoes that is. I thought that this was the job for me when I left school, but it wasn't to be.

It was fascinating to go to the viewer and see your foot bones, and how the feet fitted into the shoe size - amazing stuff!"

Bob Sinclair, Queensland, Australia: June 1, 2011

Recollections

Paul Sutherland

Glasgow, Scotland

Thank you to Paul Sutherland who wrote:

Patrick Thomson's

"My mother started work at Patrick Thomson's in the early-1940s, as a trainee tailoress, at the weekly wage of 7s 6d.

The local train service was such that she was able to go home to Portobello for lunch and be back in time for work within an hour."

Paul Sutherland, Glasgow, Scotland: June 5, 2011

Recollections

Lilian Young

USA

Thank you to Lilian Young who wrote:

Patrick Thomson's

"I recall being taken to Patrick Thomson's several times to purchase school uniforms. I particularly recall the sales people as being very much like Mrs. Slocum and Captain Peacock from the British Comedy 'Are you being served?' and how they always seemed to be annoyed with the children getting their uniforms

On one visit to the store, my lovely Mother spied an emerald green hat and requested permission to try it on, only to be told by a very snooty saleswoman that that was impossible as the hat had been designed for a young woman. My Mom was perhaps about 35 at the time. We bowed to her experienced opinion that day, but Mom returned and eventually found a saleswoman who would sell it to her. Can you imagine any sales person telling a customer today that they cannot try anything on?"

Lilian Young, USA: June 7, 2011

Recollections

10.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Alan Dodds who wrote:

Patrick Thomson's

"When I was about six I went to Patrick Thomson's at Christmas to see Santa. Whilst my mother was looking at some other things, I didn't realise that I was agreeing to have my photograph taken in his grotto.

My mother was unimpressed when she was asked to stump up two and sixpence!"

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England: June 13, 2011

Recollections

11.

Yvonne Cain

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Yvonne Cain who wrote:

Hugh

"A while ago, Avril Finlayson Smith asked (in Recollections 26 on the 'Shops in Central Edinburgh' page of the web site) about the tall blond man who worked in the record department of Patrick Thompson. His name was Hugh. I think my dad knew him and worked at one time with him at Hoover in George Street.

Selling Records

"I can remember one Christmas at Patrick Thomson's, they were flat out selling things and music was playing loud. A lady came and asked him: 'Is this where you buy records?'

He said: 'No. It's a butcher shop in disguise' She.she went and told the Manger and he came down the stairs and stayed watching him for the rest of the day.

I don't know why I remember that - it must have been about 55 years ago."

Yvonne Cain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: January 8, 2013 (2 emails)

Reply

12.

Bob Henderson

Burdiehouse, Edinburgh

After suggesting a date of 1946-47 for this photo of three workers at Edinburgh coal merchants, Robert Ritchie, based on the army surplus clothing that two of the men were wearing, Bob Henderson gave more of his memories of army surplus items available in that era.

Bob wrote:

J& R Allan

Army Surplus Stock

"I remember vividly, in 1946-7, a sale of army surplus in J&R Allans.

Gas Mask Carriers

This sticks in my mind as I still have the gas mask carrier that I got for sixpence. They were the standard piece of gear for carrying school books then.

Small Parachutes

I also got a couple of small parachutes which I think came from paralume flares. We used them to launch teddies etc. from the Salisbury crags."

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh: April 19, 2014