Snow White Laundry - February 1952

Thank you to Gus Coutts for identifying the location of this shop in his 'Comments 3' below.

In the window of the launderette on the left, there is an advert for Snow White Laundry

Does anybody recognise any of the people in this photo?
Does anyone know where this outing would have gone to?

Comment

Nigel Baxter

Boston, Lincolnshire, England

Thank you to Nigel Baxter for allowing me to reproduce the photos above. They are from a collection of about 50 photos of the laundry.

Nigel wrote:

Saughton, 1952

"I enlarged photo 2 above so that I could read the address of the laundry and the date on the calendar.

I found that Snow White Laundry was at Saughton, and that the date on the calendar in the background was February 1952."

Nigel Baxter, Boston Lincolnshire, England: 30 September 2012

Snow White Laundry

What else is known about Snow White Laundry at Saughton. It would be good to hear from anybody who remembers the laundry, or perhaps even worked there.

If you can tell me anything about the laundry, please email me.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 8, 2012

Comment

Nigel Baxter

Boston, Lincolnshire, England

I asked Nigel if he he knew who took these photos, and if he knew of any way of contacting the photographer.

Nigel replied:

The Photographer

"I don't know who the photographer was. I know that he is no longer alive, and that the photos were given to a second gentleman who has now also died. These photos were included in his house clearance sale.

The only other info, which I have not been able to confirm, is that the photographer could have worked on whaling ships working out of Scotland, as there are several negatives which where taken on the ships showing all the detail involved, in full colour."

Nigel Baxter, Boston Lincolnshire, England: 4 October 2012

Comment

Gus Coutts

Duddingston Laundry

Thank you to Gus Coutts for identifying the location of Photo 1 above. I received this reply from Gus just a few hours after I added Photo 1 to the web site.

Gus wrote:

Ardmillan Terrace

"I think I have pinned down the location of the Autowash Launderette shown in Photo 1.

I first went to my copy of the 1973 Phone Book and looked up McLauclan. This showed the following entry:

- McLauchlan, A.E. Frtr. & Flor, 3, Ardmillan Terr, 11

I then went to Google Streetview and found a more or less exact match to the photo at the foot of Ardmillan Terrace opposite Springwell House. The beige painted shop is the Launderette and the Pharmacy is McLauchlan the fruiterer.

Look above the shops and you will see that the downpipe is in the right place. The stonework around the windows and the stone plaque on the right also matches. Even the black marks on the stones match."

Gus Coutts, Duddingston, Edinburgh: October 9, 2012

Comment

Stephen McMahon

Munich, Germany for replying

Thank you to Stephen McMahon, Munich, Germany, for providing a copy of the Google Streetview image that Gus Coutts refers to above.

I've converted the image to black and white for comparison with the photo taken around 1952.

Please see below

Stephen wrote:

2 Ardmillan Terrace

"Here's the screenshot from Google Streetview that shows the shops, downpipe, masonry work etc. Matisse is a hairdresser's shop so washing still goes on, albeit of a slightly different type."

Stephen McMahon, Munich, Germany: October 9 + 16, 2012

Photo 1

2 Ardmillan Terrace - Around.1952

Photo 2

2 Ardmillan Terrace - 2008

© Google, This page has been taken from the Google Earth web site
with acknowledgement to Gus Coutts Duddingston, Edinburgh for telling me about
this image and to Stephen McMahon, Munich, German for providing a copy of it.

Comment

Robert Laird

Longstone, Edinburgh

Thank you to Robert Laird, Longstone Edinburgh, for sending me a photo of the outside of Snow White Laundry to go with those of the inside that appear higher up on this page.

This is the photo that Robert sent, showing a tram standing in front of the laundry. Please click on this image to enlarge it.

Robert wrote:

The Tram

"Snow White Laundry, here. It was just behind where the No 2 tram on Granton route is standing.

My dad recalls travelling on that tram, from that stop, as a ten year old boy every Sunday at 6.00am. He and his sister were given a pillowcase each.

These were filled with bread and buns that were returned from McVitties Guests shops to their premises in Gorgie, at a cost of sixpence per "bag". Hard times!"

The Laundry

"The laundry was on the opposite side of the road from Stenhouse Castle. Stenhouse Castle was at the end of a lane that ran from the rear of the Longstone Inn to Stenhouse Drive/Road.

My dad remembers the laundry well well, and thinks that some of his cousins worked there."

Robert Laird, Longstone, Edinburgh: October 10 +16, 2012

Comment

Mike O'Sullivan

London

Thank you to Mike O'Sullivan, London, for telling me more about Photo 7 above.

Mike wrote:

Photo 7

Coach Outing

"The woman in the middle row left wearing a white dress and spectacles looks like Rosie Dunn and the man on the extreme right back row with his hand in his jacket pocket could be her husband Bert Dunn.

At the centre of the front row, the young girl with her hand under her chin could be their daughter Cecelia. The smallest girl in the front row left is possibly their younger daughter.

The Dunns used to live at 7, Brandfield Street, Fountainbridge."

Mike O'Sullivan, London: October 15, 2012

Comment

John

Thank you to John who wrote:

Photo 7

Coach Outing

"My mother and father are in this photo

- My father, Robert (Bob) Dillon, is in the front row, far right.

- My mother, Jessie Dillon, is in the front row, centre, holding a hand bag."

John: February 12, 2014