Lothian Buses - Terminuses - Greendykes

Comments

Bob Brindle

Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Bob Brindle, now living in Nottinghamshire, England for replying to Gavin Dickson's request for an old photograph of Graham Street.

Graham wrote:

Old Photo

"A good number of years ago, I stumbled across a telephone number of, I believe, a kitchen or office-fitting company, operating from 15 Graham Street.

I was particular intrigued as this was the address my mother was born at in 1912. I phoned and the kind lady that answered listened to my tale and my request of any pictures of the building.

She duly informed me that the old buildings had been demolished and indeed the area was scheduled for more work. However, she recalled her brother had a copy of a photograph depicting a `welcome home` for troops returning from WW2.

She duly scanned it and sent me a copy of the picture which is very precious to me. I enclose a copy and would be very interested to hear of any other pictures of the street that are still around."

Bob Brindle, Nottinghamshire, England: June 16, 2009

Comments

Stuart Murray

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Stuart Murray who wrote:

Old Photo

My Dad's Memories

"My dad, Charlie Murray, recalls, as a small boy lying on the sink and hanging out the window in the top-right of this picture."

The Photo

The banner hung from the Murray’s window on the right at No8 Graham Street, to grannie's window, McLennan No11 of the left.

- The group of woman in this photo probably includes Mrs Murray and Mrs May Gibb.

- The pram is outside Mrs Bess Scotts on the left.

- This street scene shows the timber yard at the back (Gaudies) and the two bomb shelters to its right.

- The women on the right are standing outside the Co-op and the chip shop on the corner of West Bowling Green Street.

Dad thinks that one of the lads coming home stayed in No.19, and possibly another stayed in No.17. He remembers how thin they were."

Bob Brindle, Nottingham. Nottinghamshire, England: June 16, 2009

Comments

Frances Togneri

Dryfebridge, Lockerby, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Thank you to Frances Togneri who wrote:

Graham Street

"My sisters enjoyed seeing this photograph of Graham Street at the end of the war, so I was inspired to look out my own collection of photos. "

Return to Graham Street

"I also was surprised when I went to visit the street some years ago to find the 'odd' numbers had been demolished and there was a shiny new business in their place. The buildings on the same side as the Water of Leith were still there. I always wondered if they were built later because the stairs were wider, with a good landing and better lit.

I was always a bit frightened when a light was out in number 7 because the stairs were narrow and almost spiral with very small landings on each floor. Also, the steps were badly worn by all the people who had climbed them over the years."

Photo at 7 Graham Street

"Here is the photo that I found. It was taken in 1963 or 1964 in the communal back garden of my gran's flat at 7 Graham Street. The photo is of me with my nieces and the oldest of my nephews. It was my birthday, hence the fancy dress."

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Frances Togneri, Dryfebridge, Lockerby, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Back Gardens

"All the gardens were separated by those high railings, always rusty and very sharp on the points. I know they were sharp because I once tried to climb over into the next garden (no 9) just behind where we are standing and ripped the front of my dress open! I had to sneak into the house to change, so my gran didn’t see.

As I recall, the grass was a very rough rye grass. I have no idea who cut it, but usually it was left in the condition shown. This photo was taken on 20 June and it was already very long.

Sometimes the railings were bent or removed and we could play 'hide and seek' through all the back gardens."

Wash Day

"On wash day I watched my gran would climb up onto a board over the big porcelain sinks and lean out the window to hang the washing on the line.

The other end of the line was attached to a pole and a pulley system was used to 'wind' the line in or out. As there was no bath or shower, visiting children were given a wash with a cloth at the same sink. The room with the sinks was the kitchen and living room, but there was also a bed in the recess for visitors."

The Railway Line

"At the other side of the wall (to the left of the photo) was a railway line, disused since the 1960s. It was dug deep to allow the trains to pass under the nearby Newhaven Road. The railway was so deep that it was not visible from my gran's flat on the first landing. I had to climb onto the wall to see it! Girls were tough back then!"

Frances Togneri, Dryfebridge, Lockerby, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland: 21 October 2013

Comments

Frances Togneri

Dryfebridge, Lockerby, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Thank you to Frances Togneri for adding:

Photo at 7 Graham Street

Back Gardens

"I am the tallest of the children in this photo, with my dad’s old camera round my neck. My dad had died a few years earlier and my mum decided I was now old enough to have it, so it was a proud birthday for me!

Incidentally, the girl to the right of me is my older niece (9 months younger than me) and the one to the left is nine months younger than her."

Frances Togneri, Dryfebridge, Lockerby, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland: 20 September 2017