Engraving from Old & New Edinburgh - published 1890

Edinburgh Fire Service

In front of the statue to Charles II in Parliament Square

 

Edinburgh Firefighters   -   Late-1890s?

Firfighters standing in front of Parliament House and the statue to Charles II in Parliament Square, Edinburgh - Late-1890s

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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   Firfighters standing in front of Parliament House and the statue to Charles II in Parliament Square, Edinburgh - Late-1890s ©

Parliament Square

Engraving from 'Old & New Edinburgh - The Lawnmarket

©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

Parliament House

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland for providing the photograph above.  Bryan's great grandfather appears in the photograph.

There is no photographer's name or address on this picture

Bryan writes:

Great Grandparents

"My great grandparents lived directly across the High Street above the fire station house for many years."

Firemen

"This photograph of firemen was taken around the late-1890s when my great grandfather, Alexander Pringle was an engineer in the fire service.

He is the chap with the bushy beard standing on the far left of the front row. There are some very interesting and pretty serious faces all round - particularly the older chaps sitting in the front row.

The picture has been in my family since then."

Brian Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland:  July 17 + 18, 2006

Parliament Square

This photograph appears to have been taken in Parliament Square.  The stonework, lamps, balustrade and bases of the pillars on the facade of Parliament House in the engraving match the background in the photo.

The plinth of the statue of Charles II also appears in the photo.

Engraving from 'Old & New Edinburgh - Parliament House in Parliamnet Square ©

 

Edinburgh Fire Service

Thank you to Martin Reid at the Edinburgh & Lothian Fire Brigade for the following additional comments about this photo:

Firfighters standing in front of Parliament House and the statue to Charles II in Parliament Square, Edinburgh - Late-1890s ©

Martin wrote:

Alex Pringle

"I'm of the opinion that Alex Pringle is wearing an Engineer's uniform .and he had gained promotion to this post in May 1897 at Torphichen St. Station but was demoted to Fireman first-class in September 1897 for being a spokesman to air the men's grievances.

He once again attained this post in May 1899, this time at Causewayside Station, so the photograph could have been taken either of those years.

There is an extensive stock of material in the library pertaining to Alex Pringle e.g. every payment made to him and each fire he attended since his first, a chimney fire on 17th Nov 1883."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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