St James' United Free Church
The photo from 1966 above also
shows the Church Hall of St James' United Free Church. That's the
building which appears to be built across the top of Little King Street.
Between roughly 1926 and 1931
my grandfather was Church Officer and, with my grandmother, my mother and
my late uncle, lived in the house which was attached to the left hand end
as we look at the photo.
Only part of the house can be
seen here but it started from roughly where the drainpipe is just visible
and occupied the end of the building where it is angled as the street rose
steeply up to the left."
The Church Hall
"The hall itself was used for
all the usual Church activities such as:
-
Session Meetings
-
Sunday School
-
Brownies and Girl Guides
Plays and concerts were also
staged in the hall. My mother recalls that:
- Brown Owl (Miss Conon,
the Minister's daughter)
- Tawny Owl (Dorothy)
- Miss Conon's brother
Lex
were very interested in
amateur dramatics. Long after the family moved out to Morningside, my
mother can remember returning to take part in plays and shows in the
hall."
Regular Events
"Regular events at the hall included:
-
'Pleasant Sunday Afternoons'
took place in the hall every month or so. They were part-religious
and part-social event: a hymn, prayers and an opportunity to chat over a
cup of tea and a bun.
-
'Ladies Afternoon Work Parties' and
the 'Ladies Evening Work Parties'
(for ladies who worked during the day) both met regularly. These
would gather to sew etc for charity but they were also social occasions at
which a cup of tea, cakes and buns and dainty sandwiches were provided."
Food
"My grandfather was always
told to take any left-over food "for the children".
In those days it was possible
to buy thinly-sliced loaves of bread with the crusts cut off with which to
make the sandwiches, and no party was complete without the small
pastel-coloured sugar cubes available only from Law's Coffee Purveyors in
Princes Street (always known as Coffee Laws')
I
believe Coffee Law's has long since ceased to trade but people may still
be able to recollect the shop." |