Edinburgh Recollections - Leith Cooperage

Question

George T Smith

British Columbia, Canada

George T Smith, British Columbia, Canada, formerly of Edinburgh, sent me this question about Happy Valley.

George wrote:

Happy Valley

"Do you have any information about 'Happy Valley', Edinburgh, in its heyday?

I only knew it as a site with a closed and apparently derelict large building and a large boating pond which was unused in my day.

I believe it was a ballroom, tennis courts and so on at one time, but I only knew it during the WWll years."

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: February 2, 2008

If you know anything about 'Happy Valley' that you would like to pass on to George, please e-mail me, then I'll pass your message on to him.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: February 3, 2008

Question

Reply

Kevin Rae

Edinburgh

Thank you to Kevin Rae, Edinburgh, for sending the details below. Thanks also, Kevin, for correcting the impression I originally had of where Happy Valley was situated.

Kevin wrote:

Craiglockhart Sports Centre

"The area I know as Happy Valley is where the Craiglockhart Sports Centre is today. The boating pond is still there, and is used for canoeing as far as I'm aware.

The tennis courts are also still there, although they've been refurbished, over the last few years.

As far as I know this area has been known as Happy Valley for a long number of years and includes woodland paths leading up onto Easter Craiglockhart Hill."

Kevin Rae, Edinburgh: February 4, 2008

I've now read the comments about Happy Valley that appear in Stuart Harris' book 'The Place Names of Edinburgh'

Stuart writes:

1880 - 1920s - 1945

"Happy Valley (Craiglockhart) has become a place name for part of Colinton Road, beside the entrance to an area which has been used for recreation from about 1880, when a boating pond and curling rink were formed on the flat boggy floor of the deep glacial valley of the Megget burn.

In the 1920s this was developed as 'Happy Valley' amusement park and dance hall. ... It was redeveloped as a sports centre after 1945."

Peter Stubbs: February 4, 2008

Question

George T Smith

British Columbia, Canada

George T Smith, who asked Question 1, added.

Happy Valley

"I guess my curiosity is largely satisfied though it would be interesting to know something about its history. As an instance was there ever a dance hall there?

I have some notion that the father of the Herbertson brothers (one of whom wrote to Edinphoto) was leader of a band there sometime in the thirties

I have no doubt someone remembers meeting their future wife at the ball room or something similar."

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: February 5, 2008

George has previously mentioned a Douglas and Kenneth Herbertson whose mother and father, George believes, performed at Happy Valley some time pre-war.

I also received an email from Craig Herbertson (any relation?) now living in Germany. Craig told me that his father was a singer pianist and trumpet player who had played regularly in the clubs around Edinburgh.

Craig also sent me a photograph of a group of musicians, including his grandfather, Jock Herbertson, violinist. The photo was taken at the ballroom in Marine Gardens, Portobello.

Peter Stubbs: February 5, 2008

If you know anything about a dance hall at 'Happy Valley' please e-mail me, then I'll pass your message on to George.

Best wishes: - Peter Stubbs: February 5, 2008

Question

Reply

Craig Herbertson

Written, Germany

Thank you to Craig Herbertson for providing more information about Happy Valley, and about the musicians in his family.

Craig wrote:

Ken Herbertson

"Ken Herbertson is still playing with the Kentones at Edinburgh Masons Club in Edinburgh."

Dancing

"According to my Father, Kenneth Herbertson, Happy Valley was a tennis club, with Saturday night dances. He remembers that around 1937, band rehearsals were held on Sundays by his father Jock Herbertson.

Douglas and Kenneth, who were very young, would go up to watch their father at rehearsals and collect the cigarette cards from Silk Cut which were scattered around the tables after the previous night.

Skating

"Nearby was Craiglockhart pond where people would go ice skating in the winter. Behind the pond was the asylum."

Jock Herbertson

"Jock was band leader of ‘The Jack Herbertson Band' in Happy Valley. Jock then took the band to the old Cavendish. (It had a different name then.)

When war broke out, Jock went to administrate in a hospital in Ayrshire, before going to London as a Government official (and finally ending up placed quite high in the Civil Service).

He was there, in the London Underground in 1941 during the Blitz, playing the fiddle to entertain the Londoners.

Jock became a part-time journalist. He contributed regularly to the Edinburgh Evening News with stories of his childhood."

Craig Herbertson

"I’m the son of Kenneth Herbertson and am a professional musician."

Craig Herbertson, Witten, Germany: January 1, 2010