Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven - Social History
Police Horse-drawn
Prison Coach |

©
Reproduced with acknowledgement to The Museum
of Edinburgh
Police Horse-drawn Prison Coach |
Here is a prison coach from earlier times.
The photograph was takin in Edinburgh, but I do not know the date or
location. |
Answer
1.
Kim Traynor
Tollcross, Edinburgh |
Thank you to Kim Traynor who wrote:
Black Maria.
"I think the vehicle is a Black Maria.
We were still calling the motorised versions by the same name in the
1950s.
Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: October 2, 2009 |
Answer
2.
Kim Traynor
Tollcross, Edinburgh |
Kim Traynor added:
Prison Van
"In an idle moment, I realised that the
vehicle on this page is always referred to in Victorian literature as a
‘prison van’, not a coach.
There’s a well-known Fenian song about
springing prisoners en route to Manchester Strangeways Prison, called :
'The Boys That Smashed The
Van'.”
Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: October 3, 2009 |
Answer
3.
John J Hadden
Edinburgh |
John J Hadden wrote:
Calton Jail?
"Seeing the castellated top of the wall in the
background, could this photo have been taken in Calton Jail?"
John J Hadden, Edinburgh: October 3, 2009 |
Answer
4.
Kim Traynor
Tollcross, Edinburgh |
Kim wrote:
The Vennel?
"I notice also that you asked for suggestions
regarding location.
The wall behind the van looks very like
the stretch of the Telfer Wall at the top of the Vennel. You can see a
blocked-up window just to the right of the men. I’ll keep a look out for
that next time I’m passing through the Vennel."
Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: October 3, 2009 |
Kim later added:
The Vennel or Calton
Gaol?
"I suppose the key to the location also lies in
finding a match for the castellated wall in the upper left of the picture. That
could also be the Vennel where the Flodden Wall further down the slope is
castellated.
Or it might suggest they are inside a
wall of the old Calton Gaol, having perhaps just delivered a prisoner!"
Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: October 3, 2009 |
Kim wrote again
It's not The Vennel
"A couple of weeks ago, I walked through the
Vennel and kept a close look-out for a blocked-up window which I’d
imagined I’d seen before.
I found none, so I think we can rule out the
Vennel as a possible location for this photo. The Calton Gaol seems
to have it."
Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh: December 13, 2009 |
Answer
5.
Simon Capaldi
Ashford, Kent, England |
Simon wrote:
Prison Wall
"Having been inside Saughton jail (in a
professional role) the high wall reminds me of the walls there. They
are so high that corn on the cob grows in the shelter of them."
Simon Capaldi, Ashford, Kent: October 5, 2009 |
Prison Wall
The walls may be similar to those at Saughton jail, but the jail at
Saughton would not have been built when this photo was taken.
Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 5, 2009 |
Answer
6.
Bob Henderson
Burdiehouse, Edinburgh |
Bob wrote:
Governor's House
Old Calton Jail
©
©
"If you look carefully, you will see that
the castellations are on the top of a rounded tower which is a match for
the castellations on the Governor's House of the old Calton Jail."
Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh: October 3,
2009 |
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