Edinburgh History - Bingham Recollections

Recollections

recorded by

Lesley Conway

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia):

Lesley Conway wrote:

Bingham

From around 1945 then

Greendykes

"My mother, Lena Mary Conway (née Moran), was born in Fountainbridge on 6 December 1927. She is now the eldest living member of the Moran clan.

She now lives in Sydney, Australia, after first immigrating to Melbourne, Australia in 1960."

Lesley Conway: April 25, 2007

Lena Mary Conway's memories (recorded for her by her daughter, Lesley Conway, now living in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia):

Move to Bingham

"Around 1945, I moved from Niddrie to 31 Bingham Broadway."

Smitten

My elder sisters, Rose and Isa, met Micky Conway at a dance. He was such a good dancer. They walked all the way home with him and he came into our home to help hang some pictures.

He was working away when this wee thing (me) came into the room wearing a yellow jumper and a towel around my head. He was immediately smitten.

The very next day, I was waiting at Surgeons' Hall for a bus and Mick Conway was already there 'Oh, Lena, fancy seeing you here?'. Of course, it was all contrived. He was on a mission to woo me.

Marriage

"I used to go dancing with Dad, and every Friday night I went to the Empire Theatre, and had a fish supper afterwards."

I got engaged on my 21st birthday, December 6, 1948, and married the following year on April 22. Dad converted to Catholicism and I was married in St Pat’s, the Catholic Church in the Cowgate. My wedding reception is held in the Gas & Fuel Social Rooms on Candlemaker Row.

I didn't have a honeymoon but took the usual Bank holidays in July and visited Coventry."

More Moves

"I later moved several times. After my marriage, I lived:

- at 6 Drummond street, right at the top of the stair.

- with my parents, after our first child was born.

- at my mother-in-law’s place, I think at Craigmillar Castle Grove

- Easthouses, Danderhall, and finally, in a “pre-fab” at Greendykes

Greendykes

Then, in 1960, I emigrated to Australia."

Lesley Conway recording the memories of her mother Lena Mary Conway: April 25, 2007

Recollections

Rob Cleary

Johannesburg, South Africa

Thank you to Rob Cleary for sending his memories of Bingham.

Rob wrote:

Friends

"I’m Rob (or Rab if you come from Edinburgh). I'm now 50 years old and living in Johannesburg South Africa. I was brought up in the Jewel cottages just across the road from Bingham. My friends who lived in Bingham were Gordon Prior, Fay Miller and the Glasgows."

Tunnel

"I remember the tunnel that Mary mentions (above) as I used to stand beside it to catch the No 4 bus to take me to London Road."

The Burn

"I have many many great memories, I have to say. There was a burn that used to run through Bingham. It was the boundary between the Jewel & Bingham.

I used to fish there for tadpoles, as a kid. I can remember the man on the bike who would sell onions 'Onion Johnny' and the rag & bone man.

My gran used to tell me stories of during the war where she found incendiary bomb tale pieces in that burn, she used to keep them on the mantle piece."

Rob Cleary, Johannesburg, South Africa: August 1, 2008

Recollections

Richard Robertson

Thank you to Richard Robertson who replied to Mary Frances Merlin (2 above) and also sent this photo of Bingham Place:

Richard wrote:

Bingham Place

"Hi Mary. It was nice seeing the photo of you in the 'Planny' as we called it then.

I'm also from Bingham Place. I stayed in No 23, right across the road from where your photograph was taken. We moved to Bingham about 1967/8.

This is the only photo I could find from my time in Bingham Place. My house is directly behind the people in the photo, who are:

- my sister in law, Kate Hogg.

- my older brother Wullie."

Richard Robertson: August 19, 2008

Recollections

Sheila Cairns

Northfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Sheila Cairns who wrote:

Our Home

"There were six of us living at Bingham, myself, brothers Iain, David, Colin and Stuart and sister Susan. No. 7, Catherine, came along in 1967.

The prefabs were still there, and as we lived on the top flat we had a wonderful view of the golf course and the Pentland Hills in the distance, not something you notice when you are young though.

The houses were freezing in the winter but each bedroom had a fireplace. Mum would put a fire on in the afternoon and we would go to sleep watching the flickering coals at night."

Neighbours

"We lived in the top flat (right) at 81 Bingham Road, known latterly as Duddingston Row.

Flats 79 and 81 can be seen in the photo below, at the terminus of the No 4 bus route.

This photo was taken about 1984 as the council was starting to empty the houses, prior to demolishing them and rebuilding.

Bingham Road

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Sheila Cairns, Edinburgh

Also at No 81, were:

- the Griffiths, next door to us..

- the Andersons, middle flat.

- Mrs Oliver, middle flat.

- the Mitchells, bottom flat

- the Carrs, bottom flat.

In the next stair, there were:

- the Carlyons

- the Brockies

In the next block were:

- the Liddells

At the back were:

- the Jeromesons, in Bingham Place

- the Alexanders, also in Bingham Place

- The Manders on the other side was Bingham Broadway

- The Steins, also on the other side of Bingham Broadway."

The Tin School

"When we moved to Bingham, there was only the tin school, an annexe of Niddrie Mill Primary School. Behind the school, there was a large cornfield.

St. Mary Magdalene had not been built then. Nor had the bungalows at the side of the church."

Back Greens

"In the summer we would put on the 'show' in the backgreen. The costumes were made from crepe paper that we bought from Dignan's Post Office cum haberdashery cum sweet shop."

Shops

"In the same row as the Post Office, there were:

- Mr Meehan, the Chemist.

- Jackie the Fruiterer.

- Mrs Campbell drysalters. She used to bring her husband to the shop with her every day. He was in a wheelchair. You could buy anything from that shop!

- a butcher.

- a fishmonger.

- a dairy.

You did not have to leave Bingham to do your shopping."

Delivery Vans

"On a Sunday, the vegetable van came round.

On a Friday, it was the Store van that you could walk into!

Every day, there was a visit from Bob in the Store Baker's van. We did not get much from him as Mum couldn't afford buns for all 6 of us!"

Sheila Cairns, Northfield, Edinburgh: April 23+26, 2009

Recollections

Cynthia Anderson (née Smith)

Bingham

Thank you to Cynthia Anderson who wrote: ©

Bingham Broadway

"I was born at 13 Bingham Broadway, one of the Orlit houses, in 1948 and was the youngest of 7 children. I had five sisters and one brother. With 5 children still in the house, my Mother, Annie Smith, fostered children through The Church of Scotland. She was well known in the area for doing this

Prefabs

"My mother and I moved to a prefab at 13 Bingham Medway, then moved from Bingham in 1965 when the prefabs were being demolished. I was educated in what we knew was the 'tin school' (Niddrie Mill Annexe) until Lismore Primary School was built alongside. My class P7 was the first in the new building and I was dux of the school in 1960."

Marco's Chip Van

"I remember Mario's chip van. It came into the scheme once a week and parked at the bottom of Bingham Broadway. It was owned by Mario Campanilli who also had a fish 'n chip shop in Northfield Broadway."

The Store Van

"There was the 'store' van. You had to remember your Mother's share number if you bought anything from it. It was a bakery van and they had the yummiest buns, but as my Mother was a great baker we did not buy from it very often."

Back Green Concerts

"I also remember having back green concerts, usually organised by my sister Christine and her friends, where ropes were tied to the top of the clothes poles and bed coverings would be thrown over to give the impression of curtains."

Work

"I began, at the age of 14, filling shelves in Fine Fare Supermarket at the top of Easter Road, after school on a Friday and all day Saturday, to earn some pocket money.

I then worked, full time from age 16, as a shorthand / audio typist at Stewart Goodall & Dunlop, 121a Princes Street and went on to work for others including National Library of Scotland.

Happy Memories

"I have happy fond memories of my life in Bingham and am more than happy to talk about it to anyone who would listen. The Bingham I knew is no longer there as it was demolished and rebuilt, and they have now also closed Lismore Primary School."

Cynthia Anderson (née Smith), Bingham: October 19+25, 2010

Recollections

William (Billy) Wright

Paris, France

Thank you to Billy Wright who wrote:

Family

"I was born in Edinburgh and lived in a ground floor flat at 4 Bingham Road from around 1959 to 1977, along with:

- my parents, William (deceased) and Ann (born Tulloch)

- my sisters, Jacqueline and Barbara.

We were fortunate to have great neighbours. Maybe all neighbours were great back then, unlike today."

School and Work

"I attended Lismore primary school, then went on to Portobello secondary school. I suppose that I was a bit lazy back then when it came to studies, but so were many of us.

It seemed to be our lot, for most of us anyway, to simply get out of school and start working. This was probably standard for a district like Bingham that was often hard, and was working class.

No matter that is was working class, those were wonderful times. We looked forward with, I suppose, anxious little eyes to holidays, Christmas, Birthdays, anything that was special."

Friends

"My best friend during those years was Dave Wilson. He lived in the prefabs opposite the flats in Bingham Road. I lost track of him after my marriage to Rosemary Latimer in 1977. That's still something I regret to this day. I've tried searching for him through the net but to no avail.

Others that I remember from those days are:

- our neighbours, the Polsen family

- Jackie Calder, with home I was madly in love

I’m sure I knew Sheila Cairns ('Recollections 5' above) but I can’t swear to it.

I would be more than happy to reply to anyone who remembers me from that period."

Golf Course

With my pals, we often wandered around Duddingston golf course looking for lost golf balls we could sell to the players. We sometimes waded through the burn that ran through the course, in our wellies. The mud at the bottom of the burn hid more than one ball.

This angered the green keepers, who sometimes tried to catch us. One of my friends was unlucky enough to be caught. The last I remember was looking over my shoulder as I was running away, to see his head being thrust under the water more than once (lol). He survived of course."

Memories

"I remember:

- Bonfire Nights

- Halloween, when we pestered the rich folks who lived in Duddingston Road - before Bingham inherited the same name!

- Winters. The flats were very poorly insulated against the cold. Luckily we had fireplaces in every room, even the bedrooms, but that didn’t stop us from waking up to two millimeters of frost inside the bedroom windows."

Nice things that I remember about Bingham:

- The people of Bingham Rod

- The No 4 bus that took us into the city centre

- Lismore primary

- Summer holidays."

Leaving Bingham

"I moved away from Bingham in 1977 to start my married life in Livingston, then to France and a new marriage, and still live here in the Paris suburbs.

Even though I have a fairly comfortable life these days, one daughter and one grandchild, I still look back with very fond memories of Bingham and my childhood days. Many thanks to my parents for having brought us up in such a wonderful place."

Billy Wright, Paris, France: April 16, 2011

Reply to Billy?

If you know how Billy might be able to get in touch again with Dave Wilson, or if you have any other message that you would like to send to Billy, please email me, than I'll pass on your message to him.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: April 16, 2011

Recollections

John Aird

Fife, Scotland

Thank you to John Aird who wrote:

Family

"I stayed at 16 Bingham Place with my parents:

- Alex and Margaret

and my six brothers and sisters:

- Linda

- Alex

- Heather

- Kenny

- Fiona

- Allan

I lived in Edinburgh till we moved to Fife in 1994 where we still live now."

Childhood

"I went to Lismore Primary School, then on to Portobello High School.

I have fond memories from my childhood:

- going up to the Circle to play football

- going to the golf course to find golf balls

- playing football on The Planny. **"

Friends

"My best friend from Bingham was Alex Hamilton (Hammy). I'm still looking for him, with no success. I lost touch with him when I moved away. I know it's a bit of a long shot but if you know of his whereabouts can you please get in touch?" ***

*** Please also see 'UPDATE' and 'UPDATE 2' below . - Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh

Other friends I remember are:

- William Robertson.
He was the brother of Richard who posted on the EdinPhoto web site.

- William Wright.
I heard from him on Friends Reunited, but nothing after that. I tried to email him with no success.

- Freddy Hogg.

- Tam Hogg.

- Rab Craig.

- Gordon Shields.

- Coco Manders.

- Martin Moor.

- Allan Curry.

Some of the girls I remember are:

- Valerie Grant.

- Ada Stein.

- Liz Hogg."

Work

"After leaving school, I went to work at The Store, Milk Dept, where I stayed for about two years, then on to a few other jobs, till I went to Edinburgh District Council where i stayed till made medically retired in 1992."

John Aird, Fife, Scotland: May 19, 2012

** Please see also Recollections 9 below

Reply to John Aird?

If you know the whereabouts of Alex Hamilton and would like to tell John Aird how he can contact Alex, or if you would like to send any other message to John Aird, please email me, then I'll pass on his email address to you.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 19 May, 2012

UPDATE

Sadly, Alistair Blakey wrote to me on 19 January 2013, telling me:

"Hammy was murdered in Niddrie, years ago. Sorry to tell you."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 9 July 2017

UPDATE 2

However, I received two emails today from Sheila Lawson, the sister of Alex Hamilton (Hammy). She wrote:

"I am Alex Hamilton's sister. We stayed at 77 Bingham Road. It was not Alex who was murdered but his brother, John Hamilton."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 9 July 2017

Recollections

John Aird

Fife, Scotland

John Aird who mentioned 'The Planny' in Recollections 8 above. I emailed him to ask what 'The Planny' was.

He replied:

The Planny

"I don't know how it got its name, but The Planny was the area of grass between Bingham Place and the Broadway. It is the land in the background of this picture, taken from Recollections 1 above:

The Planny is where we always played football, or sometimes we would go up to the circle, a bricked wall area in the shape of a circle, great for keeping the ball in, which was in the new houses across from Bingham Road, just to annoy the residents."

John Aird, Fife, Scotland: May 20, 2012

Recollections

10.

Tom Polson

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Tom Polson who wrote:

Bingham Road

Our Home

"I lived at 77 Bingham Road with my brothers ...

- Charlie

- Eddie

- Ian

... and my sisters

- Margo (who moved away by 1956)

- Jose (ho passed away in the 1980s)

- Ann

- Denise.

My Family lived above the Liddells, Mrs. Liddell being my God Mother. I left home in 1955 to start my army service, returning to my parents' home for a short spell in 1957"

Football

"We played football in the golf course at the clearing behind the Prefabs and at the Pylon."

Cycling

"The kids of the day (1947-50) along with some parents made a speedway track layout. It was just like Meadowbank, but we had bikes. (A lot of bikes disappeared in those days, LOL.)

I think the name 'Planny' was given to that area as trees were planted round the grassed area. I think the actual name is Bingham Square.

We'd say, "We'll race you at the treed area in Bingham Place; you know - where the Grassed/Treed area is - the Planny." The name stuck from then on. It was round about 1948 when it was completed."

Tom Polson, Perth, Western Australia, Australia: December 24, 2012

Recollections

11.

Tom Polson

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Tom Polson for writing again with more recollections of the days when he lived at Bingham.

Tom wrote:

Bingham Road

Family

"I have lived in Perth, Western Australia for the past 43 years, but I do visit Edinburgh periodically.

- My brothers, Iain and Edward, still live in Edinburgh.

- My brother, Charlie, now lives in Gibraltar

- My sister, Margo, still lives in Edinburgh.

- My sister, Anne, lives in the Newtongrange area.

- My sister, Denise, lives in Glasgow.

Schools

"I believe that the headmaster in this school photo was the first Headmaster of Lismore Primary School.

My sister Anne was one of the first pupils to attend the new school."

Buses and Trams

"The first bus to come along Bingham Road from Milton Road was a No. 24. This service to Bingham terminated when the No. 4 tram service came to an end and was replaced by a No. 4 bus.

The tram, used to terminated at the chip shop in Northfield Broadway, Piershill, about 300 or 400 yards past the old Carlton Picture House towards Portobello.

When this tram service ended, it was replaced by the No. 4 bus which continued along Northfield Broadway and joined Willowbrae Road at Gordon Smith**'s Pub and Newsagent terminating at the junction of Bingham Broadway, Bingham Drive and Bingham Road where there was a path through the tunnel to Niddrie leading to Lettie's wee shop.

** Gordon Smith was an ex- Hibs and ex-Hearts footballer.

Football Team

"Our football team at the time was Bingham Rovers. A Mr Douglas, who lived in the top flat of 75 Bingham Road, started the team and managed it for quite a few years.

Robert Bauld (brother of Hearts' player, Willie Bauld) played for the Rovers. The team acquired its colours, 'Maroon hoops' through Willie from the Heart of Midlothian Club."

Shops

"I remember the shops in Bingham Crossway. From the Bingham Avenue end, there were:

- The Chemist

- Clapperton the Grocer

- The Baker

- The Newsagent (paper shop)

- The Butcher

- The Fruit Shop (veggie shop)

- The Drysalter (hardware shop)

then you walked down steps into Bingham Drive.

Tom Polson, Perth, Western Australia, Australia: December 24, 2012

Recollections

12.

Tom Polson

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Thank you to Tom Polson for sending more recollections of Bingham.

Tom wrote:

Bingham Road

"I remember some of the neighbours who lived at Bingham Road from the time when I first lived there, in 1947-55.

No. 75

- Top left (gable end): the Buchanan family.

- Next door: the Douglas family.

- Middle flat: the Wales and Thomson families.

(The Worth family took over the Thompson's House)

- Ground floor: the McGill and Alison families.

No.77

- Top left: Mr & Mrs Lyons.

- Next door (gable end): the Darcy family.

(Tom Darcy played with Hibs.)

- Middle flat: the Ferguson and Polson families.

- Ground floor: the Liddell and Rosbie families

(The Wright family took over the Rosbie's house. They were there when I came out of the Army in 1957. Mrs Wright and my mother went to Musselburgh Legion Club to play bingo I sometimes picked them up afterwards. Billy's Mum was a lovely lady too.)

No 81

"I remember the names of the neighbours well that Sheila Cairns mentions in Recollections 5 above.

The Suckolds also lived in her house, but I don't remember whether that was before or after she lived there.

Tom Polson, Perth, Western Australia, Australia: December 26, 2012 (2 emails)

Recollections

13.

Frances Allred

Thank you to Frances Allred who wrote:

Growing Up in Bingham

"Bingham used to be a good place to live. I have many happy memories of living there. I've heard that it is not so good now.

- We had good people as neighbors, hard working people.

- We all knew each other and helped one another.

- We had backyard concerts in the summer time.

- We walked to Portobello as kids.

- We played in the burn, across the street,.

- My dad had an allotment as well.

- We all got together at New Year time.

- We lived in the Old Bingham.

- They were called the Orlets (spelling?)

- We went through the tunnel to the fish and chip shop.

- We went to Lettie's to get ice lollies.

- The chip van and ice cream van came around.

- the bakers van, vegetable van and fish van came as well.

Frances Allred: July 17, 2013

Recollections

14.

Ronnie Peters

('Rocky')

Thakham, Bangkuntian, Thailand

Thank you to Ronnie Peters who wrote:

Our Home, Neighbours and Friends

"We lived next to the burn, at 18 Bingham Crescent from 1957.

- Mrs Alexander down below.

- Her two daughters were Sally and Janet.

- My mates were, all from Bingham Drive, were:

- Jimmy Nicol

- Ged McClory

- Jimmy McIntyre

- Dougie Sheilds."

Ronnie Peters ('Rocky'), Thakham, Bangkuntian, Thailand: September 27, 2014