Bilston

About 7 miles to the south of the centre of Edinburgh
on the road to Penicuik

Recollections

1.

Joe McHale

New Zealand

Thank you to Joe McHale, New Zealand for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Joe wrote

Home

I lived in Caerketton Avenue at Bilston and worked in Valleyfield Paper Mill at Penicuik.  My brother, Terry, still lives in Castlelaw Crescent at Bilston."

Neighbours

"I remember:

-  Meldrum, the local policeman, lived up Seafield Road.

-  Dodd Bain, the bookie, lived next to the Bilston pub.

-  Geordie Gilpin, the publican."

School

"I went to Pentland School.  I  walked down to Swinton's garage then turned left along Old Pentland Road to the school.  The old Pentland Cemetery was down past the school. "

Play

"Our playground was:

-  Bilston Burn and woods.

-  Dryden Tower'.

-  fishing in Auchendinny Ponds."

Emigration

I went to Australia with Ian Wilson from Bilston.  I've lost track of him now.  Does anyone knows how I can contact him again? -  perhaps via his family in Bilston, if they are still there.

Ah!  The flash backs."

Joe McHale, New Zealand (formerly Bilston, near Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland:
Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, May 4, 2013

Reply

2.

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote:

Water Department Cottage

Today

"I went to search out the Water Dept cottage, as promissed earlier, but sadly I was too late, and doubt if the cottage would have been there in October either.

The cottage still appears on the Google Street View photo taken in July 2008, but the site is now part of a new Asda superstore, recently opened."

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:  December 26, 2011

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