120-136 Leith Street (on the left) and 4-12 Little King Street (on the right)

Leith Street and Little King Street

Photo 1

1966

This photo was taken in 1966, looking up:

- Leith Street (on the left) towards the East End of Princes Street, and

- Little King Street (on the right) towards St James Square.

None of the buildings in this photo survived into the 21st Century.

In this photo:

- there is a Gents Public Toilet in the lower left corner

- the remains of the Theatre Royal, destroyed by fire, on the extreme right

- the main block of buildings includes Moir's Bar, Miller's Wireless and JA MacGuire, Newsagent.

Photo 2

2012

This photo was taken in 2012 from about the same position as Photo 1 - not exactly the same position because there were trees in the way.

In this photo:

- the large building in the centre of the photo is John Lewis Department Store.

- New office buildings in Leith Street is on the left.

- St James Centre car park, built in the 1970s, possibly soon to be demolished is on the right.

- The board in the foreground is for the Police Box Coffee Co. stall (off the photo on the right).

Here is a photo of the same Police Box taken in 2008. Please click on this photo to enlarge it.

Photo 2
Enlarged

2012

Please click on the thumbnail image below to see a larger copy of this photo (1536 pixels wide)

Enlarge this photo

Recollections

Alan R Hall

Sedgefield, County Durham, England

Thank you to Alan R Hall who wrote:

Little King Street

"I showed these photos 'Looking up Leith Street and Little King Street in 1966 and 2012' to my mother

I thought you might be interested in her recollections of the area, so here they are."

St James' United Free Church

The photo from 1966 above also shows the Church Hall of St James' United Free Church. That's the building which appears to be built across the top of Little King Street.

Between roughly 1926 and 1931 my grandfather was Church Officer and, with my grandmother, my mother and my late uncle, lived in the house which was attached to the left hand end as we look at the photo.

Only part of the house can be seen here but it started from roughly where the drainpipe is just visible and occupied the end of the building where it is angled as the street rose steeply up to the left."

The Church Hall

"The hall itself was used for all the usual Church activities such as:

- Session Meetings

- Sunday School

- Brownies and Girl Guides

Plays and concerts were also staged in the hall. My mother recalls that:

- Brown Owl (Miss Conon, the Minister's daughter)

- Tawny Owl (Dorothy)

- Miss Conon's brother Lex

were very interested in amateur dramatics. Long after the family moved out to Morningside, my mother can remember returning to take part in plays and shows in the hall."

Regular Events

"Regular events at the hall included:

- 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoons' took place in the hall every month or so. They were part-religious and part-social event: a hymn, prayers and an opportunity to chat over a cup of tea and a bun.

- 'Ladies Afternoon Work Parties' and the 'Ladies Evening Work Parties' (for ladies who worked during the day) both met regularly. These would gather to sew etc for charity but they were also social occasions at which a cup of tea, cakes and buns and dainty sandwiches were provided."

Food

"My grandfather was always told to take any left-over food "for the children".

In those days it was possible to buy thinly-sliced loaves of bread with the crusts cut off with which to make the sandwiches, and no party was complete without the small pastel-coloured sugar cubes available only from Law's Coffee Purveyors in Princes Street (always known as Coffee Laws')

I believe Coffee Law's has long since ceased to trade but people may still be able to recollect the shop."

Alan R Hall, Sedgefield, County Durham, England: August 27, 2012

Recollections

Alan R Hall

Sedgefield, County Durham, England

Thank you to Alan R Hall who added

Any More Recollections?

"My mother, who provided 'Recollections 1' above, is now 91 years old.

If anyone is able to add to her memories it would be of great interest to her."

Alan R Hall, Sedgefield, County Durham, England: February 5, 2013

Any More Recollections?

If you have any recollections of St James United Free Church hall at Little King Street, or any other recollections of the area, that you'd like me to add to this page for Alan and his mother and others to read, please email me.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 6 February 2013