Edinburgh History - Central Edinburgh in the 1950s

Recollections

John Gray

Stenhouse, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Gray who wrote:

Tailors' Shops

"I worked in 'Jackson the Tailors' shop in Leith Street. They actually had three shops at the top of Leith Street within 500 yards of each other. I vividly remember my first wage was £7 7s 0d

There were a multitude of tailors at the top of Leith Street, including, among others

- Burtons

- Claude Alexanders

- Alexandre

- John Collier"

Snooker Halls

"Willie Mclaughlin's snooker hall was directly above the Jackson shop, so I spent every dinner getting in a game.

Fairley's snooker hall was directly across from the shop, but I was way to young to go to that place!!

The top storey dance hall, across the road, had a snooker hall but that was a bit down-market compared to Mclaughlin's.

When the Mclaughlin's snooker hall was demolished, Willie went out to the snooker hall at Manse Road, Corstorphine, which is still in use today."

Deep Sea Restaurant

"I remember also the Deep Sea Restaurant which at that time had a reputation of being a front for a house of ill repute. I don't know if that was a myth or not, but I didn't buy many bags of chips from there!"

Questions

"Can anybody tell me the names of pubs in that area? I'm sure I must have had my first illegal/legal drink in one of the pubs around there.

Also, was there a restaurant called the 'Bo Peep' around there, next door to an Adelphi Hotel?"

John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: June 16, 2007

Recollections

Eric Gold
known to many as Eric McKenzie

East London

Thank you to Eric Gold who wrote:

Deep Sea Restaurant

"You can tell John Gray that his hunch was right. The Deep Sea Restaurant was a front for ladies of the night and weirdoes (ha ha ha ha).

I remember my cousin was followed from the vicinity of the Deep Sea joint and, as luck would have it she bumped into my uncle Paddy near the Pleasance and he sorted the guy out, not with words either, then took him to the Police Station."

Public Houses

"John was also enquiring about pubs.

- Opposite the Deep Sea Restaurant, there was the Black Bull Pub, a notorious den for the ladies of the night.

- The Mayfair Pub was next door to the Salon cinema, near the Playhouse

- There was another pub in Greenside Place, but I've forgotten the name of it."

Eric Gold, East London: June 25, 2007

Recollections

Tommy Wishart

Thank you to Tommy Wishart who sent these recollections of Leith Street:

Pubs and Clubs

"I have fond memories of:

- The Top storey Club

- Fairleys

- The Imperial Hotel.

I used to frequent these places around the late '60s. My late father would have given me a thick ear if he knew

Also the pub in Greenside was the Weigh Inn. It used to be a funeral parlour If my memory serves me right"

Tony Henderson, Canada: June 28, 2007

Recollections

Eric Gold
known to many as Eric McKenzie

East London

Thank you to Eric Gold who sent these recollections of Leith Street:

The Black Bull

"The Black Bull pub was a notorious joint and when I had a drink in there the women were as hard as nails (ha ha ha ha). I remember one woman being tattooed all over her arms.

On the entrance, there was a Back Bull's head just above the door, which was solid brass or copper and was painted black. I wonder who has it now, as it is worth a few quid now."

Eric Gold, East London: June 28, 2007

Recollections

Eric Gold
known to many as Eric McKenzie

East London

Eric Gold replied to Yvonne's question about the Italian family above and replied:

Deep Sea Restaurant

"No one will forget the Deep Sea Restaurant if they came from Edinburgh. All the buildings down to make way for the St James centre.

The owners of the restaurant were probably Italians. I've been in there a few times but I did not know the owners or any of the staff.

In the 1950s and 60s, it had a reputation for weirdo’s. My dear old ma would tell me: 'Don’t go in there as there are bad men hanging around there.' Mind you, the food was good

The girls from the Black Bull pub across the road in Leith Street would come in with their clients. I liked the joint as it was a melting pot of all different people.

If the owners had played live jazz there, it would have been a great wee venue for jazz (ha ha ha ha)."

Eric Gold, East London: December 30+31, 2007

Recollections

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Bryan Gourlay added:

Deep Sea Restaurant

"I’m sure Eric Gold is correct that the owners of the Deep Sea fish and chip shop were an Italian family.

When the buildings all disappeared from Leith Street in the early 1970s to make way for the big roundabout opposite John Lewis and the Playhouse, I think the fish and chip shop business moved to the small bank of shops at the beginning of Northfield, at its junction with Piershill.

In the 1980s and 1990s, I’m as sure as I can be that the sign above the shop said ‘Deep Sea’.

The fish and chips were certainly first class. The family that served, young and old, spoke to each other in Italian – and with distinct Edinburgh accents to their customers.

I think the shop is still there."

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: December 31, 2007

Deep Sea - 2007

I've checked on the internet and found a 'Deep Sea' takeaway restaurant at 2 Antigua Street, Leith Walk, very close to the site where the Deep Sea Restaurant was demolished to build the roundabout in the 1970s.

I don't know whether this is the same company or not. The following description of the restaurant at 2 Antigua Street may help.

"The Deep Sea, which has been around since 1920, has minimal décor and no seating, and wastes no time with frills or gimmicks. Its location amongst some of the busiest clubs and pubs in Edinburgh still ensures a healthy trade.

The dough is made fresh on the premises daily, and this remains one of the few places in town to offer its pizzas deep-fried. Indeed, owner Pasquale Bianchi is happy to batter and fry any of the chocolate bars on offer.

The mushy peas would please the fussiest of connoisseurs, and act as a perfect accompaniment to the excellent fish.

[The List web site: December 2007]

- Peter Stubbs: December 31, 2007

Recollections

Joe Curry

Thank you to Joe Curry who wrote:

Black Bull and Moir's Bar

"In the early 1960s, I believe that the ladies frequented Moir’s Bar, a base for petty gangsters on the corner of Little King Street, rather than the Black Bull.

Our taxi rank was in Little King Street, close to the Dolls’ Hospital and the Deep Sea Restaurant. This was an area of contrast – cathedral, pubs, Cafés, girls, rogues, etc, and young innocents like myself trying to make a living driving a taxi."

Joe Curry, West Lothian, Scotland: June 9, 2008

Recollections

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Thank you to Frank Ferri who wrote:

Austin's Café

"I remember Austin's posh Café in the 1940s/50s. It was just up from old Imperial Hotel in Leith Street, next to where Halfords used to be, set back off the pavement.

High teas were served in afternoon. there were big cake stands on table with fancy cakes, waitress's all dressed in black with white cuffs, little white aprons and wee white tiara hats."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: July 30, 2008

Recollections

10.

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Frank Ferri also wrote:

Tailors' Shops

"John Gray mentions tailor shops in Leith Street (1 above). There were also:

- John Colliers, The Fifty Shilling Tailors.

- Waverly Tailoring Co where you bought all the fancy shirts, ties, cufflinks and sports jackets.

- Tailorfit Ltd, not far from Imperial Hotel. I got a job there in 1959, moved on to their branch at Junction Street, Leith and ended up as Head Sales in their Nicolson Street shop.

The Walden brothers (Paul and Brian, owners of The Place and Bungeys beat clubs) also opened a smart gents boutique near the Imperial hotel.

Everybody had their suits made to measure in those days. Usually, it took between 8 to 10 weeks to get made.

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: July 30, 2008

Recollections

11.

Gloria M Rigg

New Zealand

Thank you to GM Rigg for leaving this message in the EdinPhoto guest book:

Black Bull Pub

"The Black Bull pub, I remember, had it's entrance on the little side street that led to the where the Post was taken from the trains & loaded into the PO vans to go to the sorting office between St James' Place and Little King Street (just behind St Mary's Cathedral).

It is just off Greenside where the walk over bridge to John Lewis is now. I was told that the pub was built under the road or the road was built over the pub - you choose which!

Deep Sea Restaurant

"The Deep Sea is situated on the corner of Union Street opposite where the Leith Walk Clock stood." (The clock was recently removed to allow work to be carried out in preparation for Edinburgh's trams.)"

The Steamie

"I used to go to the steamie in Union Street every week with "me ma" to boil my dads overalls. He was an engineer so his clothes were covered in grease. He worked at the London Road works where the shopping centre is now."

Sweetie Shops

"The sweetie shops I remember are:

1. The small shop at the bottom of Little King Street (opposite the burnt out shell that I believe was a theatre) where I used to buy:

- Fairy Drops - multi coloured sweetened puffed rice in a poke.

- Lucky Tatties - cinnamon toffee patties costing 1 penny. If you were really lucky, would contain a silver thrupenny bit, wrapped in paper.

- Sherbet Fountains.

2. A shop further up the Little King Street (opposite the church hall) that I think was called Auntie Brydie or Auntie Brysie (I'm not sure of the spelling, but I'm told that it was short for Bridget) where I used to buy:

- Cherry Lips - cherry gum drops like little smiles

- Floral Gums - honeysuckle scented fruit gum drops shaped like wee pails.

3. A tiny shop shoehorned in at the top of Greenside (where the road met the pavement of the apartments above, right opposite where Millets used to be). I used to like their

- Toffee Pans- foil tartlet-sized trays of toffee with a lolly pop stick in it.

- Fairy Cones - cornets filled with mallow and topped with hundreds & thousands).

Friends

"My best friend was Dawn Baxter who lived in the next block at St James' Place. We both attended London Street School."

Gloria M Rigg, New Zealand: message in EdinPhoto guest book: January 12, 2009

Recollections

12.

Gloria M Rigg

New Zealand

Thank you to GM Rigg for also leaving this message in the EdinPhoto guest book:

Poor-oot

"As we kids at St James' Place were just around the corner (via Cathedral Lane) from St Mary's RC Cathedral and Greenside Church. We were spoilt for choice on the 'poor-oot' front.

Saturday mornings were a busy time, trying to time when the bride & groom would emerge from the church. Timing was of the essence as you had to be a good distance from the groom or the guest bus.

If you were too close all the coins flew over your head, but if you were too far back the bigger kids would jump up & catch them mid fling. We could make as much as ten bob (ten shillings or 50p in new money) on a spring or summer Saturday morning."

Gloria M Rigg, New Zealand: message in EdinPhoto guest book: April 8, 2009

Recollections

13.

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Bryan Gourlay wrote:

Montagu Burtons

"Just across the road from John Colliers, tailors, in Leith Street was Montague Burtons, gentlemen's tailors.

It was on the lower level of Leith Street right next to the stairs that took you up to the East end of the higher Leith Street Terrace that ran all the way up to where entry to St James centre is now at East Register Street. The terrace can be seen well on this photograph of the top of Leith Street:"

Billiards and Snooker

"Like many of Burtons' shops, there was a billiards and snooker hall above the shop.

I seem to remember entry to the hall was not through the shop, but up the steps which took you the higher level and to a large low-lit room(s) directly above the shop. It had a number of snooker/billiard tables and a couple of table tennis tables, where we used to spend an hour or so some lunchtimes."

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: December 31, 2007

Recollections

Alex Macdonald

Peffermill, Edinburgh

Thank you to Alex Macdonald for providing this photograph of a party for staff and family at Central Restaurant, Union Place, Edinburgh.

Alex wrote:

Fish & Chip Shops

"There were two fish and chip shops in Union Place:

- Central Restaurant (seen in the photo above) and

- The Deep Sea. It had a tea room upstairs.

Both were owned by Italians. The Central was owned by Premo Bosi. Most of the staff that worked in the Central were local. I remember a lot of them."

Alex Macdonald, Peffermill, Edinburgh: September 8+9, 2009

Recollections

15.

John Gray

Stenhouse, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Gray who wrote again, a couple of years after sending the message in 1 above.

John wrote

The Royal Buffet

"I've been doing some digging and discovered the pub in Greenside Place where I had my first legal drink when i worked in Jackson the Tailors in Leith Street. It was the Royal Buffet at 1 Greenside Place.

Dawson's Bar

"I also remember a small pub in Little King Street that I went to. Trawling the net, the name Dawson's Bar, Little King Street came up.

John asks:

"Do any of the contributors to the EdinPhoto web site remember these bars?

John added:

Tailor Shops

"There were a couple of other tailor shops in the area, as well as Jackson the Tailor. They were:

- John Temple

- Neville Reed "

John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: September 23, 2009

Recollections

16.

John Gray

Stenhouse, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Gray who added:

Silhouette Lounge Bar

"My mother was the Manageress in 'The Silhouette Lounge Bar' during the 1960s and 1970s,

The Silhouette Lunge Bar' was in Union Place, opposite 'The Salon' picture house. Guiliano's 'al fresco' restaurant occupies the space now."

John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: September 25, 2009

Recollections

17.

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote:

Tailors

"For men, Leith Street was the place to be in the 1950s and 1960s as it had a large number of men's tailors. All men wore suits at that time.

I remember my Italian-style suit. I think got it from Jackson's.

Another time, I tried on a ready-made suit in Burtons. The salesman was saying "It only needs a few alterations, sir" as he held a handful of the jacket at the back. That time, I was not fooled.

Gents tailors that I remember in Leith Street are:

- Jackson's (2 shops)

- John Collier "John Collier, John Collier the window to watch"

- Hepworth

- Claude Alexander

- Burtons Most Burtons shops had the same frontage throughout Britain"

Shoe Shops

"There were also many shoe shops in Leith Street. I remember:

- Timpson

- Stead & Simpson

- Trueform

- Barratts"

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: November 4, 2009

Recollections

18.

Jim Keppie

Thank you to Jim Keppie for writing in response to Frank Ferri's comments in 9 above.

Jim wrote:

Austin's Café

"Frank Ferri has already referred to Austin's Café as a 'posh Café' in the 1940's-50's.

Can any of your readers add to this, particularly in regard to the pianist, Symon Stungo, who is believed to have played with a band there, possibly in the 1930's-40's?

While he is known to have played ragtime piano at a concert in the Old Royal High School, back in 1974, little else is available other than that he was a pupil at the School."

Jim Keppie: December 20, 2010

Reply to Jim?

If you know anything about Symon Stungo, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Jim. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 30, 2010

Recollections

19.

Irene McHale (née McGinley)

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Thank you to Irene McHale (née McGrinley) who posted a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Irene wrote:

Leith Street Terrace

"After living with my family at Greendykes Crescent for a few years in the 1950s, we moved to Leith Street Terrace, where we lived in the top flat. My dad was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers.

I then went to St Mary's School. I made my Communion and Confirmation at the Cathedral down there.

Emigration to Australia

"We came to Australia, mum and dad and eight kids - mum had another at Leith Street Terrace - travelling on the £10 scheme scheme and, much as i love Scotland, I'm glad to live here. It's great. I'm now 60 yrs old. My husband is from Glasgow."

Return Visit to Edinburgh

"We are coming to Edinburgh this year, August 2011. I am going to go to the Tattoo, catch up with relatives and go to all the places I still remember.

I have lived here, in Australia, for 50 years, but will always remember Greendykes, Craigmillar, Leith Street Terrace, Princes Street Gardens and the shops.

I learnt to tell the time from the big clock near the terrace. I'm sure my brothers and sister, Gerald, Kenneth and Joan would be remembered by some as they where older than me there. They are all still living and doing well."

Irene McHale (née McGinley), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book, January 6, 2011

Recollections

20.

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Callaghan who replied to Irene McHale's recollections in 19 above.

Danny wrote:

Leith Street Terrace

"I had an aunt stayed at Leith Street Terrace. She stayed in No 9 on 2nd floor looking on to Leith Street. She was Mary Bryson (née Callaghan), one of my dad's sisters.

This was in the 1950s, it was single, large room, and was what appeared to be part of a large flat and now split into rooms. The toilet and sink where in the hall. She only had gas lighting. I remember there was a company called Girdwood ?? who I think did shop signs etc, below no 9."

Above the Pawnbroker

"My father and his family (mother, father and 7 children) also lived on Leith Street Terrace, near to the top at no 2. I have found documents which has them living there during the period of at least 1917 to 1937. They used to use the clock on Register House as their reliable clock.

They also lived, at some time, at the bottom of Leith Street above the pawnbroker on the corner of Little King Street where the entrance to John Lewis is now."

St Mary's School

"Irene also mentions going to St Mary's School but I do not remember any of her family being in my class. I started in 1950."

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: January 9 + February 12, 2011

Recollections

21.

Margaret Cooper

London, England

Thank you to Margaret Cooper for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Margaret wrote:

96 Leith Street

"Our first home was a room and kitchen up a tenement at 96 Leith Street, back in 1958. We were so pleased. we had a room, a kitchen, and an outside loo.

The building was opposite Fairley's Dance Hall. Our kids went to St Mary's School and were baptised in St Mary's Cathedral."

Neighbours

"We had some great characters as neighbours. My immediate neighbour was a giant of a man, named Jock. All week he would go quietly to work, but on a Friday night he had a wee ritual he performed. He would go out get drunk, weave his way up the four flights of stairs to his door, say three Hail Marys, then kick his door in.

On the Saturday morning, he would knock at our door, apologise for the noise the night before and ask my husband to help him to put his door back together.

Other than that, he was an o.k. neighbour.

Ah, life in the tenements!"

Margaret Cooper, London: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook: August 18, 2011

Recollections

22.

Jim McGurk

Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Jim McGurk who wrote

The Deep Sea

"Alec Mc Donald (14 above) was correct. The Deep Sea was owned by the Crolla family. I think Tony was the father. They had a son called John who, very unusually for the times, circa 1943, was overweight. None the less he was a nice wee guy."

Buskers

"I also remember the buskers counting there takings, while eating there fish teas.

I was brought up on pie suppers. I'm still going strong aged 77."

Jim McGurk, Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland: August 23, 2011

Recollections

23.

Jim McGurk

Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Jim McGurk for writing again, with more memories,

Jim wrote:

129 Leith Street

"These are some of the service providers that I remember from the time when I lived at 129 Leith Street. They would all have been awarded CBEs for services too the community in this day and age."

Tamson the Coalman

"Our coalman was Andrew Thomson - or 'Tamson the Coalman', as my mother referred to him. I can still see his cart at the foot of the stairs - the horse's head buried in a near-empty nosebag - the sign on the back: '2/6 a bag'.

Andrew, himself, was about 5’6. He always had a clay pipe in his mouth, never lit. I was about ten, but always wondered how he managed to deliver coal to about 30 houses up 4 flights. He looked as though he would have a problem bringing the empty bags down!"

The Gas Man

"The gas man was a life saver. The meter took pennies and shillings. There weren't many shillings in there. He always left you with a small fortune. With the amount of calls he had, his bag must have been as heavy as the coal man's."

The Chimney Sweet

"The height to Leith Street was scary 5 storeys, but the back to Greenside added 5 more - and there was no 'Health & Safety' then.

Jim McGurk, Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland: September 1, 2011

Recollections

24.

Irene McHale (née McGinley)

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Thank you to Irene McHale (née McGrinley) for posting another message in the EdinPhoto guest book following her visit to Edinburgh in 2011.

Irene wrote:

Return Visit to Edinburgh

"I came home to visit Edinburgh again in August 2011. It's some fifty years since we emigrated to Australia and I'm now aged 61.

When I arrived back in Edinburgh, it was like I had never left. I remembered where all the streets were:

- Leith Street Terrace, where I lived at No.5 has been changed to a mall, but the rest is just the same.

- I walked down to Princes Street from Tollcross, then past the gardens and to the station where there is now a small mall.

- I walked the Royal Mile about fifteen times and went to the tattoo. It was very good. The seating was great.

- They have changed my old school, St Mary's. The building is still there but it's not used as a school any more. I was surprised to see that the little swing park nearby is still there. I used to play there.

I met all my cousins who I haven't seen in a long time. I'll be coming back to Edinburgh again with two of my sisters in September 2012 as there are still places I want to go."

Scotland

"I went to Glasgow and saw the Brad Pitt movie being made, right outside the railway station.

I went to Montrose and Aberdeen to shop, but I love Edinburgh and hope to see the Festival Fireworks this time, as we left this time on the day of the fireworks.

I loved hearing all the Scottish accents. Mine has long gone but I do understand everyone."

Irene McHale (née McGinley), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book, November 22, 2011

Recollections

25.

Patrick Lindsay

Perth, Western Australia

Thank you to Patrick Lindsay who wrote:

The Doll's Hospital

Broughton Street

"Joe Curry, in 'Recollections 8' above, mentions The Doll's Hospital. This was in the row of shops at the Leith Street end of Broughton Street, nearly opposite St Mary's Cathedral. (The shops and that side of the street have now sadly all gone.)

You went in and straight down stairs and turned 180 degrees to a shop in the basement that must have run back under part of the street. There were racks of very many dolls in various states of repair.

As a boy in the very early-1960s, I visited often as the old gent who ran this with a lady also had second-hand Hornby Dublo and Triang trains and parts for sale at very reasonable prices.

The old gent had no teeth and had a distinct way of pronouncing UHU (the glue) which he was always promoting to modellers like me.

I wonder if anyone would have any photos or additional recollections of this shop and it's very interesting owner.

Patrick Lindsay, Perth, Western Australia:
Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook: November 23, 2011

Demolition

Broughton Street

As Patrick says, the shops and tenements at the top of Broughton Street have all been demolished. There is a large empty traffic roundabout there now.

There have been plans in recent years to build a hotel on that site, but at present I believe there is ongoing discussions about whether or not some of the land might be needed for a terminus for Edinburgh's new tram line.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: November 25, 1011

Recollections

26.

Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar)

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Thank you to Dorothy Finlay(née Cossar), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, for posting another message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Dorothy wrote:

'Top of the Walk'

"I worked as a waitress in the North British Hotel for a time in the late-1950s.

When we finished work at around 10pm, the Top of the Walk was where we went for a nighcap. There always seemed to be lots of places still open and lots of people in the streets.

I didn't realise that many of these building have now been demolished. The atmosphere was very different then, as not many young people had cars, and the streets were friendly."

Dorothy Finlay (née Cossar), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: June 9, 2012

Recollections

27.

Jim Suddon

Morningside, Edinburgh

Thank you to Jim Suddon for writing about:

- The Theatre Royal at the top of Broughton Street, following its fire (See Theatre Royal, Reply 3)

- Life in the surrounding streets in the 1960s (below).

Jim wrote:

The Area

"Close to where the Theatre Royal once stood, there was a triangle of buildings. These took in Broughton Street, Union Place and Picardy Place where the house that Conan Doyle was born in once stood.

Public toilets were in Union Place as was a Police Box which was always containing someone whilst the Black Maria was summonsed.

There were never less than six police who walked around the triangle all night and there were frequently naval shore patrols of various nationalities who were checking-up on their sailors."

Restaurants

"I seldom saw any soldiers, so I suppose the sailors came from Leith or by train from Rosyth to the Waverley. The main attractions were the two large chip shops, The Central and The Deep See.

There was also a Café but it was run by four Italian sisters who would have no nonsense and seemed to put the fear into the toughest characters."

Hotel and Pubs

"A temperance hotel called King's Commercial was on the corner of Union Place and Broughton Street.

The area was surrounded by pubs. I recall two of them:

- One was at the corner of Leith Street and Little King Street. This was where the ladies of the night were to be found.

- The other was Dawson's Bar on Little King Street where drunks and trouble makers were tossed out by staff who wore white aprons. It could have been a set for a Charlie Chaplin film!

The guys under the canopy lived off the money made by the girls.

It is peculiar looking back now. We think things would have been more strictly law abiding then, but guys like that were not moved on although they were not infrequently jailed."

Law and Order

"The Leith Street, Broughton Street, Union Place and St James Place area is one worth trying to get recollections about it was full of characters.

Despite all its reputation, I cannot recall any local person being mugged or attacked although there were lots of fights. One was started by Honest Joe, and it spread the length of Leith Street with 17 policeman being injured. This was in the 1960's.

It took about two weeks for Honest Joe to be found, charged and then imprisoned."

Jim Suddon, Morningside, Edinburgh: July 21, 2012

Recollections

28.

Jim Suddon

Morningside, Edinburgh

Thank you to Jim for writing again.

Jim wrote:

Two Chip Shops

"I recall the two chip shops in the Leith Street area very well. There was no nonsense in the Deep Sea, other than that some of the customers would be the 'ladies of the night' who were in for a meal.

My father was friendly with the proprietors of both shops so we would go into one or other on a Saturday evening to buy fish suppers to take home. They were always so busy the food was always freshly made.

The Doll's Hospital

and

Cigarette-type Cards

"Regarding the Dolls' Hospital, its location was in the area described by Joe Curry in Recollections 8 above. It was directly opposite the Cathedral."

"In the late-1940s and early-1950, there was a craze for collecting cigarette-type cards of sportsmen. There were, in particular, cards of Scottish Football players. They came in two forms, 'wee heads' and 'big heads'.

The 'wee head' was a normal artists drawing of the players, whilst the 'big head' showed him with a small body but a good facial likeness.

The Dolls' Hospital sold these cards at 3d. for 8. They were in little packets so you just had to take what you got, but they were swappable at school.

I remember getting a card of Joe Lewis, the World heavyweight Champion and being offered 10 cards of my choice for that card. I don't know who marketed them. By this time the cards were not being produced by cigarette companies, but they certainly were being produced in their thousands and I'm sure that the old chap at The Dolls Hospital did quite well with them.

Police

"I remember two of the Police who were regularly paired together. From a distance, they looked like Laurel and Hardy.

The police wore helmets in those days and it seemed to increase their height. This pair were to be seen regularly walking around that area with the big 'Hardy' look-alike and his colleague moving on any guys who were hanging about.

He always carried his gloves in his hand and if the people did not move he would flick them with his gloves. They then moved.

Years later, I came to know a man who had been a policeman with them. He told me that the big chap used to have ball bearings in the fingers of his gloves. If they complained he would say 'I just flicked you with my gloves; what's your problem?'.

The Black Bull

The Black Bull was in the same location as it is today, at the top of the Low Calton where it joins Leith Street. It's a pub that Stevenson mentions.

I've never been into it, but I was fascinated as a kid to see so many sailors going in and out with their girls. It was just across the road from Farley's Dance Hall which I was told was at one time a very classy place."

Jim Suddon, Morningside, Edinburgh: August 6, 2012

Recollections

29.

Jim McGurk

Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland

Thank you to Jim McGurk for writing again, this time replying to Jim Suddon's Recollections 27 above.

Jim McGurk wrote:

Moir's Bar

"The pub that Jim Suddon referred to was Moir's Bar.

By the way, the pubs closed at 9.30pm at that time . That’s when battle commenced. It usually lasted till just after 11pm when Fairlies’ shut. Big Louie was the bouncer. At 6ft 4ins, he never had a problem.

Band of Hope

"In the mid-1940s, Saturday night was pay night, and The Band o' Hope, had its meetings at the bottom of Little King Street.

We would sing for about an hour then got 2 or 3 pennies. Which was promptly spent in Maran's. it was amazing what you could get for your cash.

Restaurants

Of the four sisters in the café that Jim Suddon mentions, only one ever smiled. That was Lydia."

Jim McGurk, Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland: September 23, 2012

Recollections

30.

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Memories of Fairleys Dance Hall at the top of Leith Street continue to arrive.

Danny Callaghan wrote:

The Corner of Little King Street

"My father lived, as a kid, in the flats above pawnbroker on the corner of Little King Street and Leith Street, before the family moved to 2 Leith Street Terrace about 1917."

Fairleys Dance Hall

"Fairley's Dance Hall was across the road, on the east side of Leith Street on the other side of the road. I have never been in there but have a great sorry told by my cousins.

Fairleys was a haunt of sailors and had a bit of a reputation. My father was a great dancer and used to go there. One evening, two of my much older cousins Katie and Mary Dick were there and my Dad came up to them and basically frog marched them out, saying something like ‘This is no place for you.’ So the question is: 'What was my Dad doing there?' ”

Imperial Hotel

"Just down from Fairleys was the Imperial Hotel. I used to go there to dinner/supper dances on Friday and Saturday nights in the 1960s. It was a good venue and had good bands."

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: August 2, 2012

Recollections

31.

Margaret McLay

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Margaret McLay for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Margaret wrote:

Billiards above Burton's

"Does anyone remember a Billiard Centre above Burton's at the top of Leith Walk, run by Andrew Ross McLennan.

Do you remember this guy?"

Margaret McLay: Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook, October 26, 2013

Recollections

32.

Ruth McClounnan

Thank you to Ruth McClounnan for posting a reply to the message that Margaret McLay posted above in the EdinPhoto Guestbook.

Ruth wrote:

Billiard Hall at Kirkgate, Leith

"There was a billiard hall above men's store, Burton's, in the Kirkgate, Leith."

Ruth McClounnan: Reply posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook on 4 November 2013
in response to a message posted in the Guestbook on October 26, 2013

Recollections

33.

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Billiards above Burton's

"I remember there being a billiard hall on the balcony that ran above the shops (probably above Burton's) at the top of Leith Street on the west side of the street, when I first came to Edinburgh in 1963. I don't know who ran that hall.

Those shops and the balcony above them, and all the other buildings on that side of the street were demolished a few years later to make way for the St James Centre and King James Hotel.

I believe that in that era, many of the Burton's shops had billiard halls above them."

Margaret McLay: Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook, October 26, 2013

Recollections

35.

John Gray

Stenhouse, Edinburgh

John Gray read the recollections above and replied:

Snooker Hall

"I can say for certain that Willie Maclaughlan ran the snooker hall above Jackson the Tailor which was opposite Burton's.

I worked in Jackson's until it closed, then moved across to the St James Centre. The Jackson's name name then disappeared as it was not trendy enough for the 1970s. It opened as 'Top Man' in the centre.

I spent nearly every dinner time in the snooker hall. When it opened in the morning, I used to run upstairs and 'put my name down' on the chalk board to secure a table."

Blackouts in the Shop

"I had some great times working in Jackson's when the miners' strike was on and we had blackouts. Although we had candles everywhere in the shop, and you could still hardly see a thing, we still had people trying on suits in virtual darkness instead of waiting for the lights to come back on in a few hours to see if the suits fitted them correctly. i think there were more than a few guys going to the dancing with ill-fitting 'ready made' suits.

In those days, we moved the cash around the shop by 'air tube' which I'm sure older people will remember. We caught a 'mouse' and put it into the tube downstairs, then waited until it arrived upstairs in the Cash Room, staffed by Mrs Sutherland and another female. Their.their shrieks would have woken the dead!"

Pranks

"We played a prank with the suit dummies in the windows. We used to tie thin threads to their fingers and when people were looking in the window we just gave them a slight tug to make them move.

You should have seen the look of amazement from some people, thinking: "Did that dummy just move or was it my imagination?"

Signatures

"You know, for some strange reason, I learnt all the signatures of the staff at the 'bottom shop' as it was called, back in those days, and to this day I can still copy them all!

Happy memories, indeed!"

John Gray, Stenhouse, Edinburgh: July 28, 2014