Edinburgh History - Central Edinburgh in the 1950s

Recollections

Yvonne Cain

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Yvonne Cain (née Dorr) for sending these recollections of visits to the centre of Edinburgh. Yvonne was brought up in the Boswall then Montgomery Street districts of Edinburgh. She now lives in Sydney, Australia.

Yvonne wrote:

Edinburgh Shops

"I remember:

- getting new shoes at a shop in The Bridges. It was upstairs, and you put your feet in a machine to see how much room you had to grow.

- getting 'lucky tickets' and looking around the shops windows at Churchhill to try and win. It would be around November time. We never won anything."

At Play

"I remember:

- rolling hard-boiled eggs down Calton Hill at Easter

- the Museum on a Sunday, looking out the talent ,but never found any!

- Waverley Station, putting a penny in a machine and getting your name put on a piece of metal

- Christmas Parties held at the Assembly Rooms in George Street."

Buildings

"I remember:

- flats in Edinburgh with 'black windows'. There are no windows there, they were just painted in. Something to do with taxes."

Yes, some of Edinburgh's flats still have some of their windows 'bricked in'. This was done to avoid 'Window Tax.' It was introduced in the 1690s and lasted until 1851 - Peter Stubbs.

Yvonne Cain (née Dorr), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: July 7 to 24, 2006.

Recollections

Alasdair Steven

Thank you to Alasdair Steven for sending these recollections of Edinburgh in the 1950s

Alasdair wrote:

Trams and Ferry

"I was brought up in Murrayfield, near Roseburn, in the 'fifties and can (just) recall trams in the middle of Princes Street. I remember how they had problems getting up The Mound, let alone up Liberton Brae.

I also recall a short-lived ferry service between Granton and Burntisland in D-Day landing crafts. Perhaps a crossing there could be reconsidered?"

The latest plans are for a hovercraft to operate between Kirkcaldy (Fife) and Portobello (Edinburgh). - Peter Stubbs

Festivals and Panto

"My experiences of Edinburgh Festivals date from the 'fifties too.

But my abiding memory in the theatre was the Panto in the Kings. Stanley Baxter and Jimmy Logan were just unbeatable and provided years of enjoyment and laughter."

Church

"We attended St George's Church, the one with green dome in Charlotte Square - now no more.

Every Sunday we got dressed in kilts to walk to the kirk, and sometimes in the evening too. Then Charlotte Square had SMT busses parked in the Square and was full of important investment trust offices."

The Church is now West Register House, It holds old records. - Peter Stubbs

Parking and Golf

"There was seldom any trouble parking in Edinburgh until the mid-'sixties and streets such as Rose Street and Young Street were much used by shoppers.

At night we used to park there for dances in the Assembly Rooms at which we drank merrily (and far too much!) and calmly drove home without a care in the world - to get up next morning and be on the tee at Murrayfield Golf Club (annual subscription for juniors, £5) at 9am, invariably freezing but the view from the 4th tee is one of the best in Edinburgh".

Alasdair Steven: March 5, 2007

Recollections

Lilian Young

USA

Thank you to Young, USA for her recollections of a visit to the centre of Edinburgh

Lilian wrote:

March of 1,000 Pipers

"One wonderful memory I do have of Edinburgh is that while we were still living in Edinburgh, my Mom and I went to Princes Street to look at the shops - we couldn't afford to purchase anything there.

As we came close to the Mound, we heard this wonderful sound of a pipe band, and looking up the mound we saw this wonderful sight of piper and drummers marching down the Mound and onto Princes Street, heading out to Murrayfield stadium.

The pipe major wore a white velvet jacket and white Busby and he was well over 6 feet tall. He was an extremely imposing sight. This was billed as the 'March of 1,000 Pipers' and there certainly seemed to be that many, that wonderful day.

Not long after that, we left Scotland to come to the US, but we never forgot that wonderful sight and sound show. I think it must have been in 1955 or 1956. It shows how long that memory has remained in my heart."

Lilian Young, USA, March 10, 2007