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Princes Street Shops between Castle Street and Frederick Street Jaeger to Salisbury's |
Princes Street Shops and Decorations
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Princes Street Shops |
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Shops Thank you to Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for allowing me to reproduce this photo that he took of shops in Princes Street, probably in the 1960s. I have assumed that the decorations are for Christmas, rather than for the Edinburgh Festival. I believe the shops are from left to right: - Jaeger (fashions) - Singer (sewing machines) - ? - Salisbury (handbags) Acknowledgement: Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England: November 21, 2011 |
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Date of the Photo A little research using the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directories (or a comment from Allan) might reveal the approximate date of this photo. Here's what I have found from the directories that I have readily available for the shops and businesses from Jaeger up to the junction of Princes Street and Frederick Street. (The numbering appears a little odd, but the details below are as they were published in the directories!)
I see no mention of Salisburys in any of these directories. If I discover anything more about the date of this photo, I'll add it to this page. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 6, 2011 |
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Reply 1. Phil Wilson Aberdeen, Scotland |
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Thank you to Phil Wilson who wrote: |
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Festival Decorations August 1960 "I have a photo that was taken in or about August 1960 showing these same decorations. This seems to be too early for them to be Christmas decorations. I believe they would have been for the Edinburgh Festival, and that the photo above would probably have been taken at the time of the Festival in August/September 1960." Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland: December 9, 2011 |
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Reply 2. Simon Capaldi Sheriffhall, Midlothian, Scotland |
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Simon Capaldi wrote: |
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Only in Scotland ... "Only in Scotland would people wear the same type of clothes in August and December!" Simon Capaldi, Sheriffhall, Midlothian, Scotland: December 24, 2011 |
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Reply 3. Danny Callaghan Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
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Danny Callaghan added: |
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Christmas Decorations? "I'd have to disagree with Phil Wilson's comments (in 1. above) on the on the dating of this picture. It seems to me not to have been taken in August or September. It is dark, and there are lots of shoppers about so it must have been taken before 6.00 pm. Taking that into consideration, and also the heavy coats everyone is wearing, the photo would appear to me to have been taken at about Christmas. As to the year - I don't know that. Christmas Decorations? "The restaurant on the first floor was 'The Copenhagen'." was the restaurant on the first floor. Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: December 24, 2011 |
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Reply 4. Peter Stubbs Edinburgh |
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Date of the Photo More Questions Does anybody else have any views about the likely date of this photo? e.g. 1. Is it possible that the same decorations might have been used for the Festival then again for Christmas? 2. Might the same decorations have been used for more than one year? 3. Might the people in this photo just be 'window shopping' after the shops have closed? The Singer shop appears to be closed, with a gate across its entrance and the shop between Singer and Salisburys does not appear to be open. 4. There appear to be diners in 'The Copenhagen' restaurant that Danny mentions. Does anybody know whether this restaurant closed at 6pm or remained open in the evenings? Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 24, 2011 |
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Reply 5. Phil Wilson Aberdeen, Scotland |
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Thank you to Phil Wilson for replying: |
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Festival Decorations "You asked whether these decorations were used in different years. In fact, they were. I've just noticed the same type of decorations in one of my night-time views dating from 1963. The central street-lights on this 1963 photo are the new, oblong, orange, sodium type." Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland: December 9, 2011 |
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Reply 6. Allan Dodds Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England |
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Thank you to Allan Dodds, who took the photo at the top of this page for replying: |
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Edinburgh Festival - 1961 "This photo was taken in 1961 on the same roll of film that I used to photograph the Epstein Exhibition. I was just using up the roll, as I couldn't wait to see how the film developed! Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Scotland |
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Epstein Memorial Exhibition - 1961 The Epstein Memorial Exhibition in Edinburgh was held at Waverley Market from 19 August to 18 September 1961 i.e. during the Edinburgh Festival. So, Allan's comments above confirm that the decorations beside the shops in Princes Street were indeed the Edinburgh Festival decorations of 1961. Peter Stubbs: Edinburgh: December 25, 2011 |
