Bruce Peebles Factories

East Pilton

Bruce Peebles moved to East Pilton in 1903.

This photo appeared, spread across two pages, in the book

'The Story of Bruce Peebles 1866-1954'.

It looks to the east along the old Caledonian Railway line leading to Leith.  The houses of Boswall Terrace, Boswall Quadrant, Boswall Square and Boswall Avenue are in the upper-left corner of the photo.

Question

Date of the Photograph?

I originally speculated that this photo might have been taken around the 1950s.  i.e. shortly before the book was published.  However I have now received some helpful e-mails on the subject.

Please see below.

Reply

1.

Phil Wilson

Aberdeen, Scotland

Phil Wilson wrote:

1920s

"I had originally assumed, like you, that the photo would date from around the 1950s, but closer examination shows that there is an almost complete lack or trees and hedges on the streets of Boswall next to the factory (upper left in the photo).

I now think that this view probably dates from the mid- to late-1920s.  By the 1950s tree and hedge growth was  really quite widespread in the area, giving the area its characteristic atmosphere, almost like a village within the town.

Here the treeless and hedgeless aspect recall this postcard of Boswall Drive, dating from the 1920s in which there are only metal fences.

©

Also, as far as I can see, there are no cars whatever visible, though there are two odd shadows that I can't make out.  There were cars in Boswall in the 1950s, though admittedly fewer than a decade later when they started to become common."

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland:  February 27+28, 2008

Reply

2.

Steven Oliver

Duns, Borders, Scotland

Steven Oliver wrote:

1920s

"I had originally assumed, like you, that the photo would date from around the 1950s, but closer examination shows that there is an almost complete lack or trees and hedges on the streets of Boswall next to the factory (upper left in the photo).

I now think that this view probably dates from the mid- to late-1920s.  By the 1950s tree and hedge growth was  really quite widespread in the area, giving the area its characteristic atmosphere, almost like a village within the town.

Here the treeless and hedgeless aspect recall this postcard of Boswall Drive, dating from the 1920s in which there are only metal fences.

©

Also, as far as I can see, there are no cars whatever visible, though there are two odd shadows that I can't make out.  There were cars in Boswall in the 1950s, though admittedly fewer than a decade later when they started to become common."

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland:  February 27+28, 2008

Reply

3.

Tom Simpson

Tom Simpson read the comments from Steven Oliver, above, then replied to the comment just above the thumbnail image in 2 above:

Football Field

"In fact the football field was in existence up till the early 1960s as it was the site for the transformer shop extension which took place in the early sixties.

Employees played lunch-time soccer on these pitches right up to the commencement of the new building. There were usually about four games going on as the chosen pitches ran north to south. The land adjacent to the football pitches (immediately to the north of the pitches) is Pilton Ave."

Tom Simpson, June 4, 2008

Reply

4.

Phil Wilson

Aberdeen, Scotland

Thank you to Phil Wilson who wrote to tell me:

More Photos

"Some Bruce Peebles photos can be found on this Flickr page."

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland:  May 21, 2011

Map

This map shows the location of Bruce Peebles' works at East Pilton:

©

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