Recollections

3.

Eddie Duffy

Fox Covert, Edinburgh

Eddie wrote:

Home

"I grew up  in a tenement at 38 Bedford Street in the 1950s and early 1960s.  We were just up from the bottom of Dean Park Street

There is a street there now called Bedford Street, but this was built after the original tenements were pulled down in the late 60's.

We lived on the first floor, my Aunt lived in the basement. My grandmother lived at No: 32, her sister at 24, a 2nd cousin at 26 and my Grandfather eventually moved from over the Water of Leith at Saunders Street to Bedford Crescent, so we were all within 50 yards of each other.

We moved away from there in 1967."

Horses and Carts

"There were plenty of characters in Stockbridge in the  at that time:

. ©

Other  Businesses

"I remember:

Sunday Walks

"I remember my Grandfather taking my sister and me walking along the Water of Leith on a Sunday morning, ending up at the sweet shop in Huntly Street for a "wee bottle of juice" which had to be finished on the premises.

Then the long walk home again, as my grandad never got the bus anywhere!!

Those were the days."

Return to Stockbridge

"I am in Stockbridge quite a lot still, going to Bert's Bar for the Scotland Football Games, especially. I keep trying to move back there, but it's now so expensive.

The Old Homes

"When I lived there, you could not give property away.  No-one wanted to live where we lived.  Only one flat out of three on each floor had inside toilets. The other two had to share one on the landing.

There was no central heating or bathrooms.  These flats were known as "room 'n' kitchens". Literally a kitchen with a bedroom recess off, divided by a curtain.

I was totally unaware how underprivileged we were.."

Eddie Duffy, Fox Covert, Edinburgh: February 20 + 24, 2007

Recollections

4.

Dorothy Land (nee Jeremy)

Suffolk, England

Stockbridge in the 1930s

Thank you to Dorothy Jeremy, now Dorothy Land, who wrote about Edinburgh in the depression of the 1930s

Dorothy wrote:

The Depression

"My Grandfather had a light engineering works ASPEY & SONS, in Leith, which did badly during the Depression in the 1930's.

I imagine the Depression was felt by most people throughout Britain from all walks of life.

My grandparents lived in Leslie Place, Stockbridge, and had expectations of a good standard of living."

Stale Bread and Bruised Fruit

"During the Depression my grandmother fed her four sons and daughter with great ingenuity.

-  She would send out a son in the early hours with a pillowcase to call at the baker for stale bread. She would cut off the dry crusts, sprinkle the loaf with water, wrap it in a tea towel and then heat it through in the oven to soften it.

-  Another son would be sent to the fruiters (greengrocer) to collect "bruised" fruit. She would then slice off the bruises, peel away any mould and make a fruit salad."

Broken Biscuits

"My mother's task was to collect a paper bag full of 'broken biscuits'.  These were the damaged ones left at the bottom of the manufacturer's tin.

Biscuits were not sold in packets in the 30's but scooped out with an aluminum scoop from a large square tin behind the counter.

The kindly shop keeper would sometimes give my mother a couple of whole biscuits as a treat.  All the children felt humiliated by having to do the rounds of the shops - but at least they ate well."

Shivery Bite

"The children had no sweets so, as a treat, my mother would save the bullet-hard peas she found at the bottom of her mother's pea and ham soup, twist them in a bit of paper and save them to suck on later.

If you took these to the swimming baths and ate them afterwards, as you were getting dressed,  this was called your "shivery bite", she told me.

The local fleapit cinema would let children in for the price of a handful of empty jam jars.  Inconceivable!"

Apples

"Despite the hardship my mother was acutely aware there were some even worse off than her own family.  Her most poignant memory of Edinburgh poverty was always having a handful of children hanging around her on the school playground while she ate an apple, all begging her to "gie us yer stump hen" (give me your core).

She would leave a few bites on the apple, and reluctantly hand it over.

Clothes

"As for clothes, (apart from hand-me-downs), the women would laboriously unpick woolen knitted garments and re-knit them.

My grandmother cleaned for a few well-to-do ladies and they gave her their old coats.  She would then cut them down to make coats and jackets for her children and the neighbours' children.

Everyone helped everyone else out.  They were all in the same boat."

Dorothy Land, (nee Jeremy),  Suffolk, England:  June 3, 2007

Recollections

5.

Jim Patience

Alberta, Canada

Jim wrote:

Madame Doubtfire

"Re Eddie Duffy Recollection of Madame Doubtfire. The movie was based on her.  There was an article in 'The International Express' a couple of years ago about her."

Jamaica Street

"I stayed in Jamaica Street, a stone's throw from her shop and I still have two cigarette cases I bought in 1950 or 1951 when  I was 13."

Jim Patience, Alberta, Canada:  April 22, 2008

Recollections

6.

Shirley Thomson (nee Canale)

Yorkshire, England

Shirley wrote:

Bedford Street

"I was born at home at 26 Bedford Street and lived there until 1951. My Granny and Grandad lived in the street as well.

My house is long pulled down now but reading other peoples recollections brought it all back:

Raeburn Place

"I remember Raeburn Place with all it’s shops:

Around Stockbridge

"I remember:

Shirley Thomson, Yorkshire, England:  July 7, 2008

Recollections

7.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Allan wrote:

The Steamie and Washing

"In Henderson Row, just before the Edinburgh Academy, there was a place my Mother used to call "The Steamie". Women in headscarves and a 'fag' (cigarette) hanging from the lower lip, wheeling pram (perambulator) frames containing tin tubs full of dirty laundry, used to frequent it.

My Mother used to refer to them as the 'hoi polloi', ie the low life who lacked any form of practical skill whatsoever, as she herself used to take pride in doing her own washing at home - a scrubbing board followed by squeezing out on the Acme Wringer - the vanguard in technology!

I was allowed to operate such equipment at the tender age of five. We were obviously 'posh' and 'with it'  as is the revamped 'steamie'."

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  October 21, 2008

Allan added

The Steamie

"The 'steamie' was the municipal wash-house where scores of Canonmills women took their dirty laundry.

The building has been revamped by the addition of ornamental railings and it now looks quite attractive."

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  October 21, 2008

Recollections

8.

Keith Main

London, England

Keith wrote about his memories of Stockbridge, around the 1960s.

Shops and Other Memories

Milk Deliveries

"I remember Willie's (Thomson's) Dairy at the foot of Dean Park Street.  I knew the family.  Getting a ride on the open-backed Murchies' milk van was a big thrill.  Can you imagine that being allowed in 2008?

The Store (Co-Op) milk was delivered by horse & cart."

©

My granny lived  at 17 Dean Park Street, where another occasional milkman would visit - Sean Connery.  He knew my Aunt Margaret who was  a Moxon Girl (a dance troupe that were the Scottish equivalent of the Tiller Girls) I'm sure if they were ever 'winching' (another word for your glossary - going steady).

Margaret danced at The Kings Theatre and The Gaiety in Edinburgh, and abroad!  My earliest memory was meeting her at the Caley Station where she came off the boat train from Dublin armed with hat boxes and valises - very glam." 

Bruce's, The Bakers

"A boy at our school (Flora Stevenson) died in Comely Bank Place when a milk van reversed over him on the cobbles, not far from Bruce's The Bakers (where my sis was a Saturday girl).

Another staffer was Mrs Dawson, a glamorous woman who later became a 'floorwalker' at Goldbergs.

Bruce's cakes were legendary - French fancies, cream buns, pyramids, pagodas, fresh cream meringues (very exotic in 1961).  The baker's family lived at 41 Comely Bank Rd."

Clinigan's, Newsagent and Sweet Shop

Other shops nearby were:

The Store

"The store was a collection of St Cuthbert's shops.  They included a bakery (on the corner of Bedford St), a butcher, a paint shop and a self-service supermarket where you paid your account and put money in 'the club' - a savings scheme.

'The Divi'  was a big annual day out with long queues at Bread Street Coop.  There was a loyalty scheme whereby you got cash back and the money went to buy necessities such as school uniform, new shoes etc.

Opposite Bread St store was a shop that sold small glass animals - quite the thing to collect back then and a nightmare to dust!!"

Tokens, Coupons  and Stamps

"You also bought your milk tokens at the store, to put out in the milk bottles on your doorstep.  The tokens were red, black and blue, but I'm not sure what each represented - half pint? pint? and what?"

Saving stamps off packs of co-op tea was a big thrill.

I also opened my parents' packs of Kensita's ciggies, to save the coupons redeemable against gifts. ('We better hurry up and smoke some more if we're going to get that Li-lo out the catalogue in time for summer!!')"

Ice Cream  -  The Park Café  AND  Remo's

"The Park Café was a sweet shop/ ice cream parlour, but it was not as cool as Remos further along the road . Remos had a juke box and booths.

Remo was an elderly slim Italian man with a moustache.  He always wore a white coat. The popular drink was Coke Float (ice cream in Coke).

The Park Café was run by a stern woman called Miss Martin who was a scout or guides mistress. The ice cream was great

 Mr Whippy's pink & cream vans were all the rage.  But, better was the old van that came around selling 'oysters, '99's and ice cream in wafers, one of which included nougat covered in chocolate. The PC brigade wouldn't allow it's name nowadays."

Edinburgh House  AND  Paper Stall

"Edinburgh House was a crammed-high china and giftware shop.  Before it was this, Edinburgh House  had been a strange old ironmongers where you went to buy paraffin, outside which 'George' sold all the Sunday Papers from a stand there in all weathers  - "The Mirror, The Post and The Sunday Pictorial please!"

FAB 208 magazine was for me.  It had all the lyrics to the hit parade  in it so we could sing them on top of the SMT green and cream bus from St Andrew's Square on the way to Sunday outings at Gullane Beach, or in whatever car my Dad had bought from Trotter's Garage in the Pleasance.

Car radios were a luxury , so we'd take our 'tranny' in the car and hope to pick up Radio Luxembourg as it played pop, unlike the BBC which played a lot of 'square ' stuff like Bing Crosby.  As you drove away from Edinburgh the reception faded and you might not pick it up again until nearly at Newcastle on the A68."

Opposite Edinburgh House

"Across the road from Edinburgh House was a philatelist.  The owner was a tiny wifey that looked like Queen Victoria and stood on a box to see over her counter.

Then, there was a haberdashers, and Dougal's grocery (now a charity shop).

Further along was Preacher's 'Patisserie Perfection' (from around 1966, I think).  It had dark blue walls and pine shelves -  very 'mod'. My Auntie Eileen worked in it.

Armstrong the fishmonger is still there, with its waterfall cascade window.

Robin in the dairy sold Jubblys - pyramid shaped frozen orange ices and rolls in big wooden trays.  He also sold Abdine- a popular hangover cure!

Next door was another Café with a juke box."

Maison Victor, Hairdressers

"I would be taken to the hairdressers at Maison Victor (near where L'aquila Blanc chippie is) as a nipper while my mum was 'under the drier' - a huge beehive-shaped metal affair where the women had plastic cups put over their ears to stop them from being burned.

The 'girls' would give me half a crown (2s 6d) to play 10 songs,

Ray Charles, Eddie Cochran, Susan Maughan, The Springfields,  Billy Fury, Bobby Vee, Del Shannon's 'Runaway' and The Shadows' 'Wonderful Land' were all big hits."

Methven's, Wirelesses

"Opposite Maison Victor, and next to George Bower the butcher (still there on the corner) was Methven's, a wireless shop that also sold the 'hit parade'.

It was here that I was bought my first ever record:  Elvis singing 'Return to Sender'. I was really disappointed because I' had wanted Cliff Richard's 'The Next Time',  but it was sold out.  (My taste got better through the  years.)

Cheyne Street

"Cheyne Street was a bit of a grim place.  A woman who fostered kids there was charged with murdering one.

I remember. Mary the stair-cleaner, a lovely but poor old soul with a huge goitre on her neck lived there . She made a living cleaning people's stairs with a big brush and a zinc pail full of disinfectant.

Opposite, was George Young's the butcher *** which had a cuckoo clock and a weather vane in it for some strange reason, and old style pay desk with a lady who sat in it and gave kids Smarties from a jar. I always wanted a piece of pressed beef or potted haugh, not having a sweet tooth.

Doctor's Surgery

"The doctor's surgery (Drs Rankin & Scott) was in a villa set back from the street, opposite the Post Office (run by Angus)  next to The Bendix."

Cleaning Clothes

"The Bendix was  a terrifyingly boring place for a wean.  It was the first of its sort in Edinburgh, the steamie in Henderson Row being the previous place to clean your clothes back when washing machines were a real luxury item.

At the Bendix, the 'penny extractor' a big copper drummed spinner you used before the days of tumble dryers was always trapping garments in it and shredding them.

You then took the still damp garments home in a trolley or pram or a tub strapped on to a guider to 'peg out in the back green'.

Kids in Bedford Street (rough as hell in those days) would climb over the walls and nick your clothes!  The solution was to put barbed wire and broken milk bottles in cement atop the walls - again, imagine this being allowed now!"

Near Woolworths

"Wayne's a Café / restaurant was behind net curtains. It was cheap but not very good as far as I recall. (Latterly, it became a shop called Pickwicks.)

Next to Wayne's, in what is now Peckhams, there was a shop that sold nothing but cots, baby stuff and extremely grand prams with fringed canopies.

There was a TV repairer's yard where Woolworth's was to be built:  the big Woolies was at the East End of Princes Street (now Burger King, opposite the Balmoral Hotel)."

Ottie Gall, Barbers

"Ottie Gall, the barbers, was in the next block (It's still there, as if preserved in aspic with its wood panelled individual booths.)  It was for old men.

I was taken to get my hair cut at Bob's in Tollcross (the Comely Bank branch came later) where I'd be allowed to have it styled in a quiff like Billy J Kramer!"

Evening News Office

"Further along still was  the Edinburgh Evening News Office.  I'd be dispatched on a Saturday, late afternoon, to get The Pink, a special edition on pink paper that had all the afternoon football scores.

It was here too that you handed in your 'Spot The Ball' entry - a long running game where you had to imagine where a football was hidden in a picture from a league match and win £50 - a FORTUNE!"

Pet Shop

 "There was a pet shop nearby and a strange drapers (now an estate agents) with a curtain made out of bottle tops on its door. 

 It was next to Bert's bar (still there)."

Tudor Picture House

"On the street that leads from Raeburn Place to the Colonies, before you got to the orphanage, stood The Tudor picture house, also called The Savoy at some later point ***

Films went on for ever The B picture, the news cartoons, trailers and then the Big Picture . You were there for about 4 and a half hours. It's  a block of flats now.

Stockaree's other picture house was in Dean Street.  I don't recall it, but my Mum said you could get in by paying with jam jars (which like lemonade bottles from Hendrys in Abbeyhill got you money when you returned them)."

Rankins, Fruit Shop

"Opposite the foot of Leslie Place was posh fruit shop, Rankins.  They even sold fresh pineapples, melons & tangerines wrapped in blue waxed and gold paper and posh apples imported from Canada called Macintosh Reds.

I remember kids from my school thinking we were a bit special to have these in a fruit bowl on the sideboard.

In 1976  I was home in Edinburgh and remember that not one shop, not even Rankins at the West End sold avocados!  The assistants didn't even know what an avocado was!"

Baird's, Shoe Shop

"Nearby was Baird's shoe shop with its foot X ray machine!  You looked into a big contraption in dark wood and saw the bones of your feet.  You were only allowed to go on it twice a year.

I was in this shop with my granny when JFK was shot.  I was too young to grasp the significance, but my 'nana' was really shocked and the atmosphere was tense and very strange that day.  People were crying in the streets . It felt VERY wrong.

My granny dragged me home, abandoning the purchase of Start Rite sandals, saying 'a bad thing has happened in America. We need to get home'.  It felt quite scary, I recall."

Near Hamilton Place

"What is now Pizza Express was TSB's HQ, with its clock tower.

Opposite, on the corner of Hamilton place was a wallpaper shop.

India Place, with its tenements, was further along across the street, up behind the fire station in Saunders Street (long since demolished).  India Place had a terrible reputation as one of the roughest street's in town. I was forbidden to even go near it lest I 'catch nits or be sold to the tinkers!!!'."

Kerr Street

"The last shop in Stockbridge was Hodge's, the confectioners, opposite St Stephen's Street.

That whole area was quite dark and grotty.  The bookie's shop was opposite . The owner got shot dead - a huge local scandal in the early 1970s.

There was a posh furniture shop on the corner  (a dreaded Starbucks now) opposite The Baillie which became a very trendy bar in the early 1970s by which time I was out at the discos!

Further up the hill was Madame Doubtfire's rag and bone shop (Doubties) It stank of cats' pee and wet old clothes !!"

Keith Main, London, England:  December 20+23, 2008

Recollections

9.

Elspeth Wallace

Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Thank you to Elspeth Wallace who wrote:

Shops

"I was raised at 126  St. Stephen Street,  until I was 8 years old. We were in the top flat, above Strachan's bakery and Neil's.  I can't remember what they sold."

Up the street, the last store opposite the Grand Cinema was owned by a Miss Kerr.  She lived in the back of the shop.

I always remember her biscuit tins, all hung some way in front of the counter.  I think they had see-through tops, or there may have been pictures on the tins.  I don't think there is a store there any more."

Evacuation

"During the war years, I was evacuated to Inverness and when I came back we lived at 17 Dean Bank Lane.  The house is gone now."

Return to Stockbridge

"We had one wireless, a gramophone and no telephone.  I remember walking along to Saunders street and taking the acid battery for the wireless in to be recharged.

Family at Work

Elspeth Wallace, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada:  February 22, 2009

Recollections

10.

Elizabeth Fraser (nee Betty Simpson)

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Elizabeth Fraser who wrote:

St Vincent Street

©

"This 'Modern Athens Engraving' of St Stephens Church made me think of when we moved into 18 St Vincent Street (which was to the right of the church looking down Howe Street).

Servants' Bells

The house was still gas lit, in parts, and the servants' bells downstairs were still connected - much to the annoyance of my mother when my brothers kept ringing from upstairs).

On each side of the marble? fireplace  there was a round object with a handle which rang the bell downstairs. 

The long hallway had an enormous gilt mirror on the right hand side and a very long hall sideboard thing, where I used to keep my hockey sticks, tennis racquet and other 'junk' ."

Elizabeth Fraser (nee Simpson), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia:  March 17, 2009

Recollections

11.

John Clark

Canada

Thank you to Joh Clark for responding to Elspeth Wallace's comments (Recollections 9 above).

John wrote:

78 Great King Street

"I moved to 78 Great King Street when I was 16 when my Dad took the job as Clubmaster of the Royal Engineers' Club, I believe it still remains there as that club.*

I have many fond memories of these days, helping my parents to run the bar, and sometimes running it myself. My Mum and Dad taught me to be a pretty good bartender."

* Yes:  The Royal Engineers club is still at 78 Great King Street.  I have attended meetings of the Edinburgh Transport Group there, this year, and meetings of the Edinburgh Photographic Society at 68 Great King Street.  -  Peter Stubbs:  Nov 3, 2009

126 St Stephen Street

"After I was married and came out of my National Service, my wife and I bought a house round the corner from Great King Street, at 126 St Stephen St., where Elspeth lived.

We were on the top floor, First door on the left.  Our window looked out the back.  It was 1960, and we paid £650 for it. We loved it and we were so proud to be home owners, as it wasn't very common in those days with young couples.

When I emigrated to Canada before my wife, a lawyer told her that these buildings were due for demolition, and she sold for £625.  I believe these flats go for well over £100,000 now.

Oh well, never mind,  I'm happy with my life now.  I enjoyed being a Stockaree kid for a while, and Stockbridge holds many happy memories for me. My three boys were born there, while we were living at 126 St Stephen Street."

John Clark, Canada:  October 27, 2009

Recollections

12.

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote wrote about his memories of Stockbridge.

Danny wrote:

Around 1950

Doctor

"Our doctor was Dr Young.  His surgery was up a flight of outside stairs in Kerr Street, about 25 yards up from traffic tights on right.   We used to sit on hard chairs and benches waiting to see the doctor, whom I remember had a very bald head."

Dentist

"I went to a dentist on corner of Eyre Place and Brandon Street.   I remember that once I had apparently punched the dentist when under gas.  He told my mum he would not treat me again.

Johnny the Fishman

"I remember Johnny the Fishman.  He used to come to Broughton Road and, although we had a fish shop only few doors along from no 50, my mother used to say, like Eddie Duffy's mother, that 'his fish was the best'."

1960s

Wayne's Café

"Around 1962 to 1965, we used to go to Wayne's Café, next to Woolies, for some of the best bacon rolls.  Parking was easy then.    (Our other favourite bacon roll spot was The Toddle In at foot of Cockburn Street in Edinburgh Old Town.)

Moir & Baxter

"Our company used Moir & Baxter for our petrol account and van and car repairs.  They were along at end of Comely Bank on both sides of road, where Safeway Supermarket (now Waitrose)) was built and next to to the school.  

I remember the day that when petrol hit five shillings (£0.25) a gallon there was almost war.    Once, I drove off with the pump nozzle still in the van.   It caused a bit of damage, not much to van but but it ripped the pipe off pump and damaged the pump.

We used to get vouchers for mugs and glasses and as I was getting petrol all the time collected cases loads.   I still use a few of these free mugs and glasses today."

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:  November 4, 2009

 Recollections

13.

Bob Sinclair

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Bob Sinclair who wrote:

The Tudor Picture House

"Keith Main from Stockbridge (Recollectons 9 above) wrote that the Tudor became the Savoy.  I thought it was the other way round.

Agreed, Bob.  The book 'The Last Picture Shows - Edinburgh' by  Brendon Thomas states that the cinema:

-  opened  as The Palais in 1911

-  changed its name to The Savoy in 1921

-  changed its name again, to 'The Tudor' in 1960.

Bob added:

Complimentary Seats?

"I remember the Savoy with its row of single seats above and to the left of the main block of seats and often wondered if they were complimentary seats?

Another Stockbridge Picture House?

"Nearby, on the NW corner of Raeburn Place and St Bernard's Row, my mother took me to a picture show.  It was on the second floor of the building which showed two films, one of Old Mother Riley and another of Charlie Chaplin.

Does anyone know if it was a hall that could be hired, or was it a Picture House?"

Bob Sinclair, Queensland, Australia:  January 19, 2010

Reply to Bob Sinclair?

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

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs:  January 20, 2010

 Recollections

14

Eddie Duffy

Fox Covert, Edinburgh

Thank you to Eddie Duffy for replying to Bob Sinclair's question above.

Eddie wrote.

The Tudor Picture House

"The only Picture House that I know of in Stockbridge was the Tudor. This was situated in St. Bernard's Row, just behind where the Raeburn Bar (recently Bert's Bar now the Stockbridge Tap) was,, on the corner.

You did have to climb up a steep staircase to get in, so maybe this is the same place?  A block of flats now stands there."

Eddie Duffy, Fox Covert, Edinburgh:  April 6, 2010

Recollections

15.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Allan Dodds for responding to Danny Callaghan's comments in 12 above.  Danny wrote

Dentist

"Danny Callaghan mentions the dentist that I attended in my childhood. He was Mr McArthur and his sister acted as Receptionist

When you rang to make an appointment, her sepulchral tones announcing: 'McArthur Dentist!' would put the fear of God into you. However, this actually set realistic expectations as Mr McArthur never used any form of anaesthesia when drilling teeth and it was invariably a white knuckle ride followed by a splitting headache for hours after."

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  October 21, 2008

Recollections

16.

Lorraine Bruce (nee Dutton)

Dingwall, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland

Thank you to Lorraine Bruce who wrote:

The Colonies Houses

"Before we moved to the Outer Hebrides, we lived in 31 Bell Place probably the best of all The Colonies houses at Stockbridge as it was lived in by the master builder that had overseen the building of the houses

Our house had beautiful carved ceilings, a lovely oriel window looking out onto Glenogle Road, and two good bay windows upstairs.  I recall that even the washing line stands and carved iron window boxes were all listed, as was the house.  

It was a happy time with Sya, a toddler, there and Fergus, a baby.  We have often wished we could have held on to the house when we moved.  I recall Sya playing 'Poo Sticks' on the little bridge.  It was a great place to live."

Lorraine Bruce (nee Dutton), Dingwall, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland:  September 24, 2010

Recollections

17.

William Stewart

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

William Stewart  responded to Elspeth Wallace's comments (9 above) about Preachers, the Bakers.

 William wrote:

Preachers, the Bakers

"Thanks, Elspeth, for the nice comment about Preachers.  I served my apprenticeship there, starting in 1963 when we were in Prestonfield.  We moved to Raeburn Place in 1965.

Jimmy Preacher was a friend of my dad, who was also a baker. I worked at Preachers until 1973, when I came to Canada and settled in Kingston Ontario, and I'm still a baker.

What I learned from Jimmy, I'll never forget.  He was a true craftsman as a baker and confectioner and owe him a lot.  Sadly he passed away a few years ago. It's nice to read your recollections of Stockbridge."

William Stewart, Kingston, Ontario, Canada:

Recollections

18.

Dorothy Finlay

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Dorothy Finlay who wrote:

John Finlay

"I was born at 7 St Bernard's row, Stockbridge.  My grandfather, John Finlay lived in Dean Street.  He was one of eleven children.  He was killed at the battle of the Somme in 1916.

Does anyone in Stockbridge remember the Finlays?

I remember the Grand Cinema where you always caught fleas."

Dorothy Finlay, Queensland, Australia:  October 2, 2011

Reply

1.

Recollections

18.

Hugh Gray

Australia

Thank you to Hugh Gray for replying to the message from Dorothy Finlay above.

John Finlay

"I remember the Grand cinema at Stockbridge.  We used to get two films and an episode of Flash Gordon.  The seats were rock hard and it was always cold.  I remember it mainly because i had my first snog there in the front row. Nae shame eh?."

Hugh Gray, Australia:  Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, January 25, 2013

Recollections

19.

Margaret Cooper

Colindale, North London, England

Thank you to Margaret Cooper who replied to Dorothy Finlay's comments, above:

Grand Cinema

"I remember the Grand Cinema at Stockbridge.  We used to get two films and an episode of Flash Gordon.

The seats were rock hard and it was always cold.  I remember it mainly because I had my first snog there, in the front row.  Nae shame eh?"

Margaret Cooper, Colindale, North London, England:
Reply posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 3, 2011

Recollections

20.

Elizabeth Fraser (nee Betty Simpson)

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Elizabeth Fraser (nee Simpson) for sending the photograph of some of her family inside their house at 18 St Vincent Street, Stockbridge.

Elizabeth wrote

Inside

No.18

"This photo was taken in the lounge room (front room as it was known) at 18 St Vincent's Street, around 1941.

©

My uncle posed some of the family and took the photograph. Of note is the marble fireplace with the servants’ bell pull on the right hand side.  There were several bells down in the kitchen, but my mother insisted they be taken off as she was fed up with my brothers being annoying!

I was contacted some time ago with the current tenants.  The house has been changed enormously. There is no longer a marble fireplace in the house.  It wasn't there when they purchased the property."

Elizabeth Fraser  (nee Betty Simpson), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
April 16, 2012

 Recollections

21

Eddie Duffy

Fox Covert, Edinburgh

Thank you to Eddie Duffy who wrote:

Bedford Street

"I grew up here, at No. 38 Bedford Street, Stockbridge (on the right in this photo) until 1967."

    ©

Mrs Guthrie's Toy School

"I attendedattended the Mrs Guthrie's 'Toy' School (nursery).  The school was located in the back courtyard between Dean Street and Bedford Crescent."

©

Eddie Duffy, Fox Covert, Edinburgh:  October 29, 2012

Recollections

22.

Dave Ferguson

Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross, Scotland

Here is a message that Dave Ferguson added to the EdinPhoto Guestbook.

If you feel that you might be able to help Dave to get in touch with Philip McIntosh, please email me, then I'll give you Dave's email address so that can try sending a message direct to him.

Dave wrote:

Philip McIntosh

Butcher

"I'm trying to contact a Philip McIntosh.  I believe he had a butcher's shop in Stockbridge.  We last met in Osnabruck Germany in 1957 when we were in the army.

I'd be much obliged if anybody can help me to contact him."

Dave Ferguson, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross, Scotland:
Message posted in the EdinPhoto guestbook:  April 19, 2012

Recollections

23.

Caroline Wilson

Here, Caroline Wilson remembers visiting her Grandfather in Jamaica Street, Stockbridge.

Caroline wrote:

Jamaica Street

Grandfather

"My Grandfather lived in Jamaica Street.  His name was Peter McErlean.  We used to visit him as kids in the 1950ss and possibly in the 1960s.

He was very hospitable.  He used to make us 'worm biscuits' (two Rich Tea biscuits squashed together with butter until the butter came out the holes.

He used to sew the 'Oor Willie' and 'The Broons' cartoons from the Sunday Post together to make a comic for us to read when we visited him.  He was a kind man.

I didn't like the toilet in the Jamaica street flat as it was shared, and smelly.  But apart from that, the flat was ok.

Caroline Wilson, April 18, 2013

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