Edinburgh History - Central Edinburgh in the 1950s

Recollections

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Frank Ferri recalls several Cafés and restaurants around Edinburgh in the 1950s, including:

- Manhattan Café , Princes Street,

- Austin's Café, Leith Street.

- Sherry's Restaurant, Lothian Road (See below.)

Frank wrote:

Sherry's Restaurant

"Sherry's was near the bottom of Lothian Road on the east side of the road. It was an up-market restaurant, on par with the old Brown Derby that was above the Three Tons pub in Hanover Street."

Barkley Night Club

"Before being a restaurant it was the Barkley night club, used by many American service men from the Kirknewton air base."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh: July 31 + August 2, 2008

Recollections

Lyndsay Montgomery

Old Town, Edinburgh

Lyndsay Montgomery wrote:

Smith's Burger Bar

"I've noticed that no-one has mentioned Smith's. It was a restaurant burger bar on Lothian Road. I think it was owned by the famous Mr W. and associates.

It was very teenager-orientated. Bruce Finlay of Bruce's music shops, who was Manager of local bands, had his first venture into selling music there. He had already been 'DJ'ing at a disco in Rose Street Lane that later called Flannigan's. I don't know if there is anything going on there now.

I think there is a lap-dancing bar now in Lothian Road, where Smith's used to be. (It might belong to the same people nowadays!) I think the famous milk bar was just up from there, and was very old fashioned compared to Smiths."

Smith's Music

Smiths was a great place then. All the music that we danced to at the time was being played, and of course you could buy stuff that was not easily found elsewhere, and catch up with pals that you would probably only see in the clubs at night, and given the decibels that were pumped out listening to live music, it was not conducive to conversations!

Ring

I worked for McEwans the furniture shop in St Patricks Square as a decorator (painting the little rooms that provided the scenes for their furniture, and arranged stuff) and on my day off I went to Smiths.

On one unhappy occasion, I met up with some guys who did a bit of ducking and diving. One one of them admired my ring, a family heirloom with a rather nice setting.

He asked to see it. there was a lovely ruby in it, and I was very naive, and took it off to show him. Making the excuse he took it to the door to have a better look, and vanished. I never saw either him or the ring again, and got hell from my Dad about wearing it.

Lyndsay (formerly Linda) Montgomery, Old Town, Edinburgh: August 6, 2008

Recollections

James McEwan

Duddingston Mills, Edinburgh

Thank you to James McEwan for responding to Lyndsay Montgomery's comments above.

James wrote:

Smiths Burger Bar

"I recall Mr Smith's in Lothian Road as a place to meet up with fellow clubbers around 1965-66.

I think it was taken over by the late Ronnie Shade and became known as 'Shades' or 'Shade's Place'. I can't remember which!"

James McEwan, Duddingston Mills, Edinburgh: December 7, 2010

Recollections

Andy Merrylees

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

This photograph above looks to the east along Princes Street from the steps of the Royal Scottish Academy:

However, the scene reminded Andy Merrylees of Lothian Road.

Andy wrote:

Lothian Road

"I always thought, any time it was raining in Edinburgh, that Lothian Road seemed to be more miserable than anywhere else. But otherwise, I always liked that street."

Andy Merrylees, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada: June 25 + 26, 2011