St Leonard's District

© This annotated Ordnance Survey 1:500 Town Plan of 1894 is reproduced with acknowledgement to Neil Lawrence. See 'Reply 4' below.

St Leonard's District - Early 1900s

Which Street?

Do you recognise this street?

The name 'Nixon Ltd' appears at the top right hand corner of the adverts.

At first, I thought this might have been the owner of the building and that this might have helped me find the location of this photo.

However, this was not the case. The 1930-31 edition of the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory lists 'Nixon Ltd' as:

"Billposters and Advertising Contractors, 25+27 Elder Street"

Collection of Photos

The image above is taken from a collection of whole-plate negatives. The photos were probably taken around the 1920s.

If you recognise this street, please email me.

Thank you. Peter Stubbs: July 6, 2008

Reply

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland who wrote:

Where?

"This photo is different in that it is going up hill in what is a relatively flat area apart from the Pleasance. The surface also has a light tarmac covering similar to Photo 14 of the Pleasance.

You might be able to pin it down from the trade directories for the straw and hay shop – probably Louden?"

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: July 10, 2008

Reply

John Hadden

Edinburgh

Thank you to John Hadden, Edinburgh, who wrote:

East Crosscauseway

"I think this is the north side of East Crosscauseway, viewed from the East end.

Whatever that business is, just off the right edge of the picture, they may be located at the South end of Pleasance, so perhaps may be found in a trade directory?"

John Hadden, Edinburgh: July 10, 2008

Reply

David Curran

Edinburgh

Thank you to David Curran, Edinburgh, who wrote:

Cowan's Close?

"The Fancy tenement at the top of the picture is on the corner of Howden Street and East Cross Crosscauseway.

So how about Cowan's Close ?"

David Curran, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh: July 10, 2008

East Crosscauseway

Hi David: I think you are certainly in the right area, but from the evidence to date, I'm inclined to agree with 2 above. i.e. that the main street in this photo is likely to be East Crosscauseway (looking west) and that the entrance to Cowan's close will be just off the picture on the left.

Peter Stubbs: July 14, 2008

Reply

Neil Lawrence

Fountainbridge, Edinburgh

Thank you to Neil Lawrence for annotating a copy of his 1:500 Ordnance Survey Town Plan of Edinburgh, 1894, to show where the photograph above would have been taken from.

Neil's annotated map is reproduced below the photograph at the top of this page.

I had previously assumed that all the photos in this collection would date from the 1920s, but Neil's comments below suggest that this photo (No 23) and possibly more, were taken somewhat earlier.

Neil wrote:

1901-02

"I noticed that the 1901/2 Post Office directory has an entry for Robert Loudon, Corn Merchant 115 St. Leonard’s Street and 94 Crosscauseway, 94 Crosscauseway being the last number in Crosscauseway long before they divided the street into East Crosscauseway and West Crosscauseway."

Neil Lawrence, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh: July 15, 2008.

However, please see 'Update' below.

Update

Date of the Photo

I've now checked the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directories and found that Robert Loudon's business appeared in the directories at this address. I've already checked the directories for 1895-96 and 1905-06. The Loudon business does not appear in either of these directories.

I've now checked the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directories for all years from 1895-96 to 1925-26. I found that for all years up to and including 1922-33, Robert Loudon's business was listed at 94 Crosscauseway.

So this photo (No 23), like others in this series, could have been taken in the 1920s.

- Peter Stubbs: July 24, 2008

Reply

Julie Buchanan

Craiglockhart, Edinburgh

Thank you to Julie for confirming this location of this photo.

Julie wrote:

East Crosscauseway

"I'm 100% sure this is East Cross Causeway and the tall building in the left corner is No. 80. I grew up in that building in the 1960s.

At the time, the shop beneath was Kleinberg's the bakers. We lived on first the top floor, then in the flat above the bakers, finally leaving in the 1980s. It sits on the corner of Lamb's Close. The flats at the time belonged to James Gibb, our landlord."

Julie Buchanan, Craiglockhart, Edinbuirgh: April 18, 2009

South Side

1891 Map

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St Leonard's

1891 Map

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