Lady Haig Poppy Factory, beside the Water of Leith at Warriston

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Lady Haig
Poppy Factory

9 Warriston Road, Edinburgh

Beside the Water of Leith

2015

Photo
1.

Painting

This painting hangs in the Earl Haig Poppy Factory.

It was painted by students from The Edinburgh College, and presented to the
Poppy Factory, following the students' visit to the factory.

When was this painted? It was at least 20 years ago.
I first saw it when I visited the Poppy Factory in mid-1990s.

Photo
2.

Wreaths

The poppy factory makes many wreaths, usually circular with an emblem in the centre.

Others are different shapes, such as anchors. The poppy factory workers recently created a new design in the shape
of a football. This has proved popular. The Poppy Factory workers first create the shape with a wire support, cutting the
wire, then spot welding it. The wire is then covered with foam then black plastic, then poppies are inserted into the plastic.

The large shape hanging in the background of this photo (circle and cross) is being made in this way. The smaller straw
shape in front of it is an original design for a wreath It was made around 1926 at the Canongate Poppy Factory by Lady Haig.
The Canongate Poppy Factory was in the grounds of Whitefoord House at 53 Canongate.

Photo
3.

The Boardroom

The Boardroom is rented out to The British Legion and others for their use.

Around the walls are a large oil painting (4 below), war medals (5 below) and an array of model soldiers (6 below)

Photo
4.

The Painting

These soldiers on horseback are at Dunbar, with the Bass Rock in the background.

The soldiers were sent to the beach at Dunbar because of fears that Napoleon would land there in 1809.

The Officers' horses in this photo have full tails, but other ranks are on horses with tails that have been trimmed.

This custom soon ended, when the enemy found out about it and started to pick off the officers in battle!

UPDATE

Thank you to David Anderson, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland, who wrote:

The Painting

"This painting is of the Lothians and Berwickshire Yeomanry at annual camp at Hedderwick (tent, left background) paraded for review on Belhaven Sands around c1890 +/- 10 years.

The story about the horses' tails is nice, but not borne out by the image. The group of redcoats at the front right are officers on dock-tail horses - maybe the 'tale' of the tails was the other way around originally.

There was a large force stationed in East Lothian in the Napoleonic period, but this isn't them - just the local volunteers. The steamer is another give-away, as are the uniforms and, especially, the officers' hats

The painting is one of two (at least) formerly belonging to the Regt and was passed (it is thought) to Lady Haig's Poppy Factory when the Regt Association disbanded a few years back."

David Anderson: Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland: 18 September 2016

Photo
5.

Medals

Several families have presented medals from their families to
the Poppy Factory. These are now hanging around the walls in frames.

This frame of medals was presented to the Poppy Factory by
Major Charlie Pelling, the present Manager of the factory.

Photo
6.

Model Soldiers

These model soldiers are in a glass case in the Poppy Factory Board Room.

The label in this cabinet reads:

'PRESENTATION OF THE 'STATE COLOUR
TO THE SCOTS GUARDS 1899

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

This is to certify that the enclosed figure of S.W. Auderley, Sergeant Major 1st Battalion, made exclusively for members of the William Britain Collectors' Clubby Britains Petite Ltd,

forms part of the above occasion.

September 1998

THE WILLIAM BRITAIN COLLECTORS' CLUB
PO Box,1946, Halesowen, West Midlands, BS53 3TS, England

Photo
7.

Making the Poppies

Machine on the left cuts poppies out of a roll of red Chinese silk.
The poppies are then given stalks to become lapel poppies (5 million each year!), or crimped then given
stalks and used to make wreaths, or used to create long stemmed poppies or remembrance crosses.

Photo
8.

The Centre of a Wreath

and a box of

Crimped Poppies

This box contains just over 3000 poppies that have been put through one of the
three crimping machines beside this table. The machines use steam and a press
to crimp the poppies which are then given stalks and used to create wreaths.

The factory made 15,000 wreaths in 2014

Photo
9.

Flag

The flag hanging on the wall behind the machine for cutting
out the poppies was given to the Poppy Factory by a group
of Marines from USA, regular visitors to the Poppy Factory.

The Marines needed to seek approval from the authorities before
they were allowed to make this 'Stars & Stripes/Union Jack' flag.

Photo
10.

The Workers

The factory workers are almost all men who have been disabled while
serving in the forces. They have frames on their desks giving their
names, Battalion and Regiment, or other details of where they served.

Thank you to Major Charlie Pelling, Manager of the Poppy Factory and to Tam McPhillips, Radio Operator,
Royal Scots Signals, for giving me a conducted tour of the factory, and to the other workers that I met during my visit.

Photo
11.

James Douse

"FISH"

DEEP SEA FISHERMAN
MERCHANT NAVY

Photo
12.

James Douse

"FISH"

DEEP SEA FISHERMAN
MERCHANT NAVY

Photo
13.

Who is this worker?

I'll add his name and regiment when I discover it.

Photo
14.

James Douse

"FISH"

DEEP SEA FISHERMAN
MERCHANT NAVY

(again)

This photo was taken with an 8mm fisheye lens (as were the other circular photos below)>

Photo
15.

Robert Watson

Royal Navy Submarine Service

Adding poppies to create a wreath.

Photo
16.

Colin Richardson

Queen's Own Highlanders

Colin is weighing batches of poppies that have ben taken from the blue crimping
machines . Boxes of the crimped poppies are behind him, 3024 poppies in each box.

Photo
17.

Robert Watson

Royal Navy Submarine Service

and who is the worker on the left in this picture?

Photo
18.

Arthur Dyke

1st Battalion, Scots Guards

and

Gerry Lindsay

1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

In the background is 'Arthur's Wall', created by Arthur Dyke, Scots Guards.
Arthur has created this wall over several years, and is still adding items to it.

'Arthur's Wall' will appear again in several more photos below.

Photo
19.

Soldier wearing a Poppy

What uniform is he wearing?

Part of 'Arthur's Wall' is in the background.

Photo
20.

Soldier + 'Arthur's Wall'

Zooming out with a fisheye lens to see more of the wall.

Photo
21.

Machine used for making Boxes to hold Wreaths and Poppies

and

'Arthur's Wall'

Photo
22.

Highlander and Machinery

and

'Arthur's Wall'

Fisheye lens

Photo
23.

Highlander, Machinery and Soldier

and

'Arthur's Wall'

Photo
24.

'Arthur's Wall'

How much more might there be on the wall when I next visit the factory?

Photo
25.

Arthur Dyke

1st Battalion, Scots Guards

and

Gerry Lindsay

1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

(again)

Also, Highlander, Soldiers, Flag and 'Arthur's Wall'.

View smaller copies of these 25 photos

Earl Haig Poppy Factory

Powderhall Photos

Memories of Powderhall

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