Forbes Street, Dumbiedykes, around 1956

Recollections

Christa McDonald

near Colchester, Essex, England

I originally put the photograph above on to the web site with an estimated date of 'around 1956'.

However, within a few hours of the picture being published on the site, I received an email from Graham Carlin.

Jimmy wrote:

Forbes Street

1970s

"Your recent update showing the picture of Forbes St is a lot later than 1956. I would hazard a guess at the mid-1970s.

The school on the left *** was an annex of James Clarks. It was used for the boys' gym, metal-work classes and other classes.

Also you can see Carnegie Court which was built around 1965 on the site of Carnegie Street."

Graham Carlin, Edinburgh: June 30, 2006

*** Correction: Please see 'Recollections 3' below.

Graham Carlin also told me about a scene for a BBC film about the Orange Order in Glasgow that was filmed in Dumbiedykes, Edinburgh.

BBC Filming

"In the 1970's the BBC filmed 'a riot' in Forbes Street for its play "Just Another Saturday" - a play about sectarianism and the Orange Order in Glasgow at a time when the sectarian troubles in Northern Ireland were at their height.

The play was broadcast on November 7, 1975, as part of BBC2's 'Play for Today' series.

The houses on the left were not bricked-up then. It caused a real uproar at the time about filming a story about Glasgow slums using buildings in Edinburgh."

Graham Carlin, Edinburgh: June 30 + July 17, 2006

When Graham first mentioned this film, he thought the title was "Just a Boy's Game", then he decided that it must have been "Just Another Saturday".

However, it appears that "Just a Boy's Game" was another film about Glasgow sectarianism, that included filming from the Dumbiedykes area of Edinburgh.

Eric Gold, East End, London, formerly from Dumbiedykes writes:

STV Filming

"A reader who put an entry about a Orangeman film, shot in Edinburgh.

Well he is right as the film was shot for STV in Edinburgh due to the trouble they would have if they tried to shoot the film in Glasgow.

The film was called "Just a Boy's Game" and was directed by John Mackenzie and written by Alex MacDougal. The first assistant director was called George Rose, a friend of mine from Bethnal Green, East London.

The trio shot the Jimmy Boyle film "A Sense Of Freedom" for STV and also "Long Good Friday" about East End Gangsters. George introduced me to John Mackenzie and I had about 2 months work on the film as an extra, as henchman for Bob Hoskins."

Scenes in Edinburgh

"The final shot of the Orangeman film was shot in Newhaven near the Granary Mill and the old 'Eldorado'. A lot was filmed in the St Leonard's area as the gentleman said on you website. What springs to mind is that they did a shot in a wee pub called either "Jim's Bar" or "Bill's Bar". It is a wee bar, just past the Deaconess Hospital in the Pleasance, on the opposite side.

Deaconess Hospital

Frankie Miller did all the music and played a part as a deaf and dumb man in the pub scenes. I would like to see that film again."

Eric Gold, East End, London: July 3, 2006

Recollections

John Preece

Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to John Preece, who lived at No 12 Forbes Street, St Leonard's from 1959 until 1972 for writing.

John wrote:

School

"I see that 'Recollections 1' above mixes up the left and right in this photo of Forbes Street:

"The school was on the right. My mother went there when it was Forbes Street school, but still a Jimmy (never James) Clark's annexe.

The gap on the left was the back of a church which fronted St Leonard's Street, until it was closed. (I don't know when.) In my day, it was a Findlater Smith's furniture warehouse. They had big orange vans."

John Preece, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland: July 21, 2010

John added:

"I could probably give you a yard by yard account of what was where in 'Forbie' and St Leonard's Lane."

John Preece, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland: July 21, 2010

If I do receive any more memories of the area from John, I'll add them to the web site.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: July 25, 2010