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Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh |
Jerome's - 79, Leith Street, Edinburgh

©
Reproduced with acknowledgement to Dave Pattison,
Edinburgh
Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh
When? |
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The Photograph
Thank you to Dave Pattison of Edinburgh for sending me
the photograph above. Dave believes that this photograph is
probably of Jerome's studio in Leith Street, Edinburgh.
Dave's grandmother used to be Manageress of Jerome's
Leith Street and also worked in other branches of Jerome.
Date?
The Leith Street branch of Jerome operated from 1934
until 1970. When might this photograph have been taken?
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Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh
1930s |
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The
1930s
One Edinburgh citizen remembers Jerome's studio in the 1930s. She
recalls leaving school and getting her first coat, hat, gloves and
handbag:
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"The
first thing our mother done was to give you sixpence to go up to Jerome's
to get your photograph taken, and everybody got their photograph taken at
the same pillar. It was a big pillar."
Maisie
Knox (born 1920) -
'A Patchwork of Memories'
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George Smith, now living in British Columbia, Canada, saw one of the
portraits, from Jerome's studio in Edinburgh, on this site and wrote:
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"I recognised a shot in
Jeromes Studio - a white pillar with black banding in the background. I
have a photo of myself dated 1936 with that background."
Maisie
Knox (born 1920) -
'A Patchwork of Memories'
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Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh
1940s |
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Thank you to Liz Black, who wrote:
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Retoucher
"My
grandmother Mary Harrison of Holyrood Road, Edinburgh worked as a
re-toucher at Jerome's Edinburgh studio during World War II.
Liz Black: July 8 +
10, 2008
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Liz used to live in Edinburgh but has now lived in California for over
40 years. |
Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh
1950s |
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1.
The pillar still seems to have been in Jerome's studio two
decades later. Here is how Eric Gold, formerly of Dumbiedykes,
remembers the studio:
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"I remember Jerome's photographic studio
in Edinburgh
very well. Everyone in Edinburgh who had their photo taken there,
male or female, either sat on the chair or stood by that pillar.
I was at sea when Jerome's shut in Leith
Street and I wonder what happened to the pillar and chair, I remember
knocking the pillar over one day as it was a prop and made of a cardboard
substance, but he did not mind.
I also got my passport photos done there.
Eric
Gold, East London
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2.
Thank you to
Valerie Mills, formerly of Edinburgh, now living at Luss beside Loch
Lomond, who wrote about a photograph taken around 1958.
Valerie wrote:
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"I have a photograph of myself taken at
Jeromes in Edinburgh when I was 6 months old.
My Mum tells me that in those days, Jeromes
would not photograph a baby unless they were able to 'hold their own heads
up' (and basically not fall over like a floppy doll).
But when my Mum went into enquire, it turned
out that she knew the Receptionist from school, so the photo of me was
taken with this girl squatting behind the block I was sitting on, and
holding me upright.
It was my Mother's pride and joy for
years, but she gave it to me a few years ago, and it has been put
away in an Album, to keep it flat and safe. It still has a few
bits or remaining tissue paper from the cardboard mount.
Valerie Mills, Luss, Argyll & Bute, Scotland:
October 11 2007 |
3.
Thank you to Doreen Barnett, Heriot, Midlothian, Scotland
for adding these memories of work at Jeromes in 1959 to the guest book:
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"I worked there in 1959. In fact I
started on my 16th birthday. Saturdays were usually our very busy day and
the metal spiral stairs to the basement stick in my mind as I had to race
up and down between the studio and darkroom"
Doreen Barnett, Heriot,
Midlothian, Scotland: March 11, 2006
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4.
Thank you to Bob Henderson who wrote:
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Fairley's
"Just a wee point of interest.
All the people of my generation will recognise the dance hall next to
Jeromes in Leith Street.
©
It was Fairley's, a
very daring place for us young things to go
Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh
(born 1938): December 19, 2007
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Jerome Limited
Studio
in Edinburgh
1970s |
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©
Jerome is listed at
79 Leith
Street in the Edinburgh Post
Office Directories from 1934 until 1974, the last year that the
directories were published.
However, it appears that Jerome had moved out of
their Leith Street premises perhaps as early as 1970, or perhaps in 1971
or the following year.
The Valuation Rolls list William McNally at 79
Leith Street in 1971. Was
he acting on behalf of Jerome then?
[Valuation
Rolls: 1970-74]
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