Talk to Edinburgh Photographic Society, Creative Digital Group - January 21, 2013

Edinburgh at Work

INDUSTRIES

Since 1990, I have been photographing people at work around Edinburgh.

I've visited over 200 companies in Edinburgh, many of them several times.

- Food, Drink, Transport, Stone, Metal, Wood, Printing,

Clocks, Underground, Fire, Manufacturing, Finance.
I've also visited companies in other industries elsewhere in Scotland
- brick works, steel works, aluminium works, nuclear power, etc.

You will be able to find my photos taken at these companies and others on the EdinPhoto web site, but this evening, we'll just look at the red industries above.:

1992 and 1993

Anderson's Cooperage

Anderson's Cooperage opened in Leith Docks in 1991.

It was a small company employing coopers who had previously worked for Kinnairds.

The company survived for a few years.

1992

Baker & Clairmount

linotype printers

In the early 1990, there were only two hot metal printers left in Edinburgh:

- Speedspools (who used monotype equipment)

- Baker & Clairmount (who used linotype equipment.

Both have since closed.

1992

Bank of Scotland

money

I took photos of both Bank of Scotland (now HBoS) and the Royal Bank of Scotland burning their old banknotes, withdrawn from circulation in the early 1990s.

Here are the Bank of Scotland photos.

1992

Brodie, Hamilton, Melrose

tea and coffee

Brodie Hamilton Melrose was, an old-established Leith company that was based at 130 Constitution Street, Leith.

Around 1994, they moved to new premises at Dock Street, Leith, trading as 'Brodies'

1994

Brodies

tea and coffee

The workforce of Drysdale and Brodie, Hamilton, Melrose came together in 1991 following a takeover.

The company moved to new premises in Dock Street, Leith, around 1994 and traded 'Brodies'.

1992

Burton's Biscuits

Burton's Biscuits have a modern factory at Sighthill.

They are the largest manufacturer of Rich Tea Biscuits in Europe.

1990 to 1993

Bruce Lindsay Waldie

Coal Merchants

In the early 1990s, Bruce Lindsay Waldie had an old coal yard immediately to the west of Haymarket station.

They then moved to larger premises with more modern equipment beside the railway, off Sir Harry Lauder road at Portobello.

A picture of Benjamin Franklin using a printing press - on the wall of the Cafe Royal, Edinburgh

1993

Café Royal

Inside the main bar of the Café Royal there are some attractive murals of industries, made from tiles.

I believe that these were created for one of the early exhibitions in Edinburgh, possibly 1886.

1993

Caledonian Brewery

Caledonian is a prize-winning brewery making traditional ale beside the railway at Slateford.

1996

Central Demolition

Based at Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, but frequently found in Edinburgh.

1991

Chapman Inveresk

envelope manufacturers

Chapman Inveresk works in McDonald Road produced envelopes until the works closed on December 18, 1991.

At the time of my visit in November 1991, some of the machinery had already been moved to new premises in Lanarkshire.

1993 to 1994

Chancelot Mill

flour milling

[Leith Docks]

Chancelot Mill was once a prominent landmark at Bonnington with a tower and large clock faces.

Around 1970, the mill moved to Western Harbour, Leith, now part of the Edinburgh Waterfront development area.

1991 to 1996

Christmas Tree Warehouse

(Canonmills)

When Clarks Stonemasons moved from Canonmills to West Shore Road in 1991, this left the premises vacant for the next four years.

They were used each December until 1995 to sell Christmas trees.

In 1996, the building was demolished and Christmas trees were sold from the yard.

1991 to 1996

George Christie Building Supplies

(Easter Road)

George Christie's, in 1991, had a large yard of building supplies and two floors of metal workshops and storage.

The premises had been used previously by Cowans as a transport yard and stables.

The area has now been redeveloped as housing.

1991

Clarks

(Stonecraft) stonemasons at Canonmills

Clarks Stonemasons were based at Canonmills until 1991, when they moved to West Shore Road, Granton, leaving their Canonmills premises to be used for selling Christmas trees for the next couple of years, before being demolished.

1995

Clark

stonemasons
at Granton

After leaving Canonmills, Clark stonemasons moved to West Shore Road at Granton - now part of the Edinburgh Waterfront.

David Lindsay Formerly with Clark stonemasons ( I believe) set up his own stonemasons business beside Clarke at Granton.

1992 and 1993

Crabbies

Green Ginger wine

Crabbies Green Ginger wine was made at Great Junction Street, Leith for many decades until it closed in the 1990s.

I believe that the Crabbies building has now been converted to housing.

1991 and 1992

Craig & Rose

Paint manufacture

Craig & Rose had a factory making paint, on the west side of Leith Walk, between Leith and Pilrig.

Their greatest claim to fame was that they manufactured the paint used for the Forth Bridge for over 100 years.

In the mid-1990s, the company moved to Fife.

1991 to 2001

Robert Cresser

Kippers
Newhaven

Robert Cresser, brush makers, were established in 1873

The company had a brush shop in Victoria Street.

The shop closed in the early years of C21.

1991 to 1994

Croan & Sons

Kippers

Newhaven

Croan & Sons had a large low kipper factory, close to Newhaven Fishmarket, where they smoked kippers over a fire of oak sawdust.

The factory moved in the mid-1990s, further west along the coast to West Shore Road, Granton.

Edinburgh at Work

FOOD

Rank Hovis

Caledonia Mills
Leith Docks

Caledonia Mills being demolished, at Leith Docks - 2004

Caledonia Mills being demolished, and Chancelot Mill at Leith Docks - 2004

Caledonia Mill, Western Harbour, Leith Docks - 1991

Chancelot Mill
Leith Docks

Chancelot Mill - Ovens in the mill - 1993

Chancelot Mill - Pipes in the mill - 1993

Burton's Biscuits

Sighthill

Flour Delivery - Chancelot Mill to Burton's Biscuits - 1994

Burton's Biscuits - Old Mould for Shortbread

Burton's Biscuits - Mixing the Ingredients

Burton's Biscuits - Shortbread Biscuits

Burton's Biscuits - Roller with new Shortbread Moulds - 1992

Burton's Biscuits - Rich Tea Biscuits - 1992

Croan's Kippers

Newhaven, beside the Fishmarket

Croan's Kippers in the oven being smoked - 1991

Croan's Kippers - about to be smoked - 1993

Croan's Kipper Factory, Newhaven - 1991

Croan's Kippers - Oak sawdust for smoking kippers - 1993

Newhaven Fishmarket

beside Newhaven Harbour

Loading fish at Newhaven Fishmarket - 1992

Fish Lorry at Newhaven Fishmarket - 1992

Taking Notes at Newhaven Fishmarket - 1992

Discussions at Newhaven Fishmarket - 1992

Harry Ramsden's Restaurant

beside Newhaven Harbour

Harry Ramsden Restaurant - at the southern end of the old Newhaven Fishmarket - 1993

Waitress Training at Harry Ramsden Restaurant - about to open for business - 1993

Edinburgh at Work

DRINK

Fountainbridge Murals and Scottish & Newcastle Brewery - 1993

Fountainbridge Mural - 1993

Filling the Kegs - Fountainbridge - 1992

Kegs in the Yard - Fountainbridge - 1992

Caledonian Brewery

Slateford

Caledonian Brewery beside the railway line at Slateford - 1993

Caledonian Brewery - Adding Hops - 1993

Caledonian Brewery - Hot mash in the copper tuns - 1992

Filling the Copper Tun with Hot Mash

Caledonian Brewery - Grain - 1992

Caledonian Brewery - Brew Fermenting - 1992

Crabbies Green Ginger Wine

Great Junction Street, Leith

Looking to the SE along Great Junction Street and past Crabbies

Looking to the north across Great Junction Street towards Crabbies

Raisins in the Tank

North British Distillery

Wheatfield Road, Gorgie

NB Distillery Yard1991

NB Distillery Yard - 1993

NB Distillery - Looking down on the yard in winter - 1996

Rolling barrels in the yard at at Wheatfield Road - 1996

NB Distillery - A cooper takes a rest beside the fire in the small cooperage at Wheatfield Road - 1996

NB Distillery - Barrels and hoops in the yard at Wheatfield Road, Gorgie - 1996

NB Distillery - Old buildings (now demolished) - Photographed 1996

NB Distillery - Barrels stored at the distillery, Wheatfield Road, Gorgie - 1993

NB Distillery - Barrels stored at the distillery, Wheatfield Road, Gorgie - 1996

NB Distillery - Barrels stored at the distillery, Wheatfield Road, Gorgie - 1993

NB Distillery - Barrels stored at the distillery, Wheatfield Road, Gorgie - 1996

NB Distillery - 1996

NB Distillery - 1991

NB Distillery - Bonded Warehouse, Westfield Road - 1993

NB Distillery - Bonded Warehouses, Westfield Road - 1993 - Now demolished

NB Cooperage - Barrel in the cooperage, Muirhall, West Calder, Midlothian - 1955

NB Cooperage - Barrels in the yard at Muirhall, West Calder, Midlothian- 1995

NB Cooperage - Barrels and equipment for numbering them - Muirhall, West Calder, Midlothian - 1995

NB Cooperage - Yard, outside the cooperage at Muirhall, West Calder, Midlothian - 1995

Tea and Coffee

Many of the companies that I have visited have have closed - like the tea company that was based behind the cinema at Fort Kinnaird. There was also a brick works across the road at Fort Kinnaird that closed a week after I visited it in the early-1990s.
I've watched the progress of other companies as they have been taken over, and equipment and workers have moved from one location to another, like the tea and coffee company, Drysdale, below.

Tea and Coffee
I visited this company several times as part of my project photographing people at work in Edinburgh in the 1990s.
©	Drysdale Drysdale was founded in 1878. When I took these photos in 1991, the company was based at Grove Street, Fountainbridge - but not for much longer!
©	Brodie, Hamilton, Melrose Brodie Hamilton Melrose was, an old-established Leith Company. On November 1, 1991, following a take-over, the workforce from Drysdale joined the Brodie, Hamilton, Melrose workers, to work from their premises at 130 Constitution Street, Leith, until new premises could be acquired.
©	Brodies The company moved to new premises in Dock Street, Leith, around 1994 and traded 'Brodies'.
The company moved again in July 2002 to Newhailes Industrial Estate, Musselburgh, about five miles to the east of the centre of Edinburgh. I've not yet taken any photos there. Brodie's premises in Dock Street have now been demolished and new apartments have been built on the site. The company is still trading as Brodies.