Dumbiedykes Survey Photographs  -  1958

East Arthur Place

Jimmy Broadbent
'The Street Bookie'

1.

East Arthur Place

Thank you to Eric Gold for providing this photograph.

Thank you to Kerrie for encouraging me to attempt a little restoration on it.

Eric wrote:

The Photograph

"This photo was taken in 1958 at the door of Mr Ratterie's shop next door to us in East Arthur Place ('Eastie').

My family were well known in Arthur Street and the Southside of Edinburgh.

Jimmy Broadbent

Jimmy Broadbent is the big guy in the centre and the other two are Tommy Valance and my mum Bella McKenzie, née Isabella McMillan.

Jimmy Broadbent was the street bookie.  You could see he was a businessman.  I bet he is turning in his grave when I mentioned the £150 pounds that I found at Christmas 1959, but as my dear old mum would say "That's Life" (ha ha ha).

Tommy Valance lived opposite us. I will find out were Jimmy Broadbent lived.

Family

Most of my family on my mum's side were in the army. I know that 2 of my uncles were in the SAS and now are retired police officers in Canada."

Eric is one of many poeple from around the world who have sent me their reminiscences of life in the Dumbiedykes area of Edinburgh before the buildings were demolished in the early 1960s.

Please see the links at the bottom of this page for more photographs and reminiscences of Dumbiedykes.

2.

Jimmy Broadbent

Lloyd Rowsell, Vancouver, Canada, son-in-law of Jimmy Broadbent wrote:

Christmas 1959

"Thanks to Mr. Eric Gold, my wife Janet (maiden name Broadbent) now knows why she never got her school blazer, for xmas 1959.                   See Eric Gold's £150 comments.

Homes

"James (Jimmy) Broadbent was born in the Society Buildings, Chambers Street, Edinburgh.  He moved to East Arthur Street after marrying Jennie Robertson who lived with her parents also on East Arthur Street.

After 21 years in the Royal Scots Grays, he became a Bookie.  Jimmy and his family moved to Granton, then in the mid 60's to Glendinning Crescent, the Inch."

Family

"Jimmy & Jennie had 6 children, William (Billy), James (Jimmy Jr.), Sally, twin girls who died at 6 months, then Janet.

 Janet remembers the coal truck accident

©

and many things other people have put on your site."

Bally

"Jimmy Jr. had a friend that everyone knew as Bally, surname Ballantyne, who was killed in a road accident  in the Inch.

John Ballantyne submitted a picture of a soccer team, which my wife wonders if the person back row last to the left is Bally.

©

She says he sure looks like Bally."

Lloyd Rowsell, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada:  September 25, 2007

Please click on the thumbnail image above, then scroll down the page,  to see the answer to the question about Bally.

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