The Boswall Estate

"The Boswall scheme was originally built for returning services officers after WW1, and, even when we lived there,  there were some seriously posh people in the district. The lady who lived below us, was from an old colonial family from South Africa and India, and was tremendously nice in an old-fashioned sort of way.

There were also a few ex-military men with rust-coloured overcoats and big moustaches surviving in the early days, walking their boxer dogs occasionally.

In those days to get a  house in Boswall you had to pass an interview for 'respectability', and if you earned over a certain amount, like my Dad, you had to pay the 'economic rent'."

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland:  February 2004

Motorcycle

Phil Wilson commented:

Pillion  on Motorcycle

"I was pleased to read recollections by Alastair on your site tonight.  I'm pretty sure, if he is who I think he is (we knew him as 'Allie' in those days), that in the late 60s, he was the proud owner of a Norton 500 motorbike, and that I was his pillion-passenger on one memorable (for me) occasion, when he frightened the life out of me by somewhat overdoing it up Boswall Drive and back.

I can't say I knew him well since he was a couple of years older than our lot - very important when you're young - although we used to see him about, and I'm sure he won't remember me as his passenger at that time.

Still its nice to fill in some of the blanks again.

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland  -  June 13, 2007

The Forth

Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia, wrote

1930s

I remember how bathed in the 'red' sea at Granton foreshore, as it was full of ink wastage from Fleming's Ink works there.

My wife was in the office there for years in Caroline Park House.

I remember all the stuff that got washed ashore from ships that were torpedoed in the Forth

Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia.  4 September 2005.

Recollections by Bob Sinclair

Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Bob Sinclair for the recollections below, in response to comments by Hugh Hainley (above):

Food and Drink

I also remember Granny Smith's hut. It was a bit dark inside and a bit of an Aladdin's cave for anybody after a few sweets or a drink.

I have an idea that there was a sign for (Dunbar's?) lemonade factory not far from the middle pier.

Another couple of  places frequented by the workers down that way was the local watering hole "The Anchor Inn", and Demarcos where you could get a lovely ice cream. 

Demarco himself was a very good snooker player and had a number of tables at the back of the shop.

Thank you to Jimmy Letham, South Australia, who wrote:

The Shack

"I noticed that everyone has been mentioning The Embassy picture house but no one has mentioned the wooden building that we called 'The Shack' .  It was between the Embassy and St Margaret Mary's Chapel.

It was the place I learned to dance in  and was a popular Saturday night spot for teenagers.  I started to learn dancing when I was 13.  I went to the 'Shack' then to the 'Academy' (Edinburgh Academy YMCA Stockbridge) when it gained prominence over the 'Shack' in about 1948.

Thank you to Andy Merrylees, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada who wrote:

Coal from the Beach

"Looking at the photos of Royston beach brought back memories  from 1972 of my father, his close cousin and myself when we used to go  down there and pick up coal off the beach for our old coal fire.

We also used burn some of the coal in small bonfires we lit on the beach in the rocks facing Silverknowes.

One of my father's brothers in law didn't believe my father about the coal that we could get from the beach. 

He was speechless when he came with us one weekend.  For years, he thought that the coal came from the old mine shafts that were under the Firth of Forth."

Cosalt Net Works

Thank you to Andy Hall for sending me the photos below.

Andy has also set up a web site giving the history of the trawlers that sailed from Granton.

Andy writes:

Cosalt  -  1970s

"The photos are of the net making store of The Great Grimsby Cosalt and Tanning Co Ltd.  They had this yard to the rear of the bank at Granton Square.

The company also had a store / shop on the Middle Pier where the fisherman would buy  gloves, sea boots, mattresses, blankets and basically almost all items of clothing.

Andy Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, England:  March 6 2008

Wardie Residents' Club

Thank you to Ed Thomson, Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland for letting me see  two photographs of Wardie Resident Club members:

Ed wrote: