Recollections

1.

Greta Gibson

 USA

Thank you to Greta Gibson, for these recollections of the 1960s.

Greta wrote:

Manclark's

"George T Smith, now living in from British Columbia, mentioned Manclark's sewing factory. George said: 'It seemed staffed by girls from the Calders'.

I am from East Ealder used to work there.  Then I moved to Robbie Ave Gorgie."

Snowhite Laundry

"I also wanted a wee mention of Snowhite laundry where my Brother-in-law put me in a big tub of soap bubbles to show off in front of palls.

I had to walk up the road and go back to work at the Waverly laundry,  ahha!"

Lemonade Factory

"The Lemonade Factory was Kelly's.  My mom made the lemonade, and in '65 I worked there.  We made Blue Bass and the vans also brought in Guinness.  My, my, what memories!

Baker

"I remember going to the baker and getting a pie and an apple turnover with my Ma at break time, and yummy bran scones,

Memories

"Thanks again.  I'm really enjoying this.  My girlfriend from Livingston sent the web page, to US for me and, boy oh boy, I can say I had a good greet too."

Greta Gibson, USA:  February 6, 2007

Recollections

2.

Dorothy Jeremy

England

Thank you to Dorothy Jeremy, now Dorothy Land, for these recollections of the 1950s.

Dorothy wrote:

Gorgie Tenement

"I was born in 1951 and brought up in Gorgie with my mother and grandparents at 354 Gorgie Road, a tenement block with a row of shops along the bottom, if my memory serves me right."

Industry

"I left for England when I was three, but returned every summer to spend a few weeks with my Granny.  She lived in the heart of Gorgie, within a short walk of the Cox's Glue Works, the Shunting Yards, the Heart of Midlothian Football Ground and my Uncle's place of work, Gilbey's Gin Distillery."

See also, comments on Gilbey's Gin from:

- George T Smith  [3. below]

-  Dorothy Jeremy  [4 below]

Coal Deliveries

"I am old enough to remember the coal coming on a horse-drawn cart, the sacks of coal and coal dust 'bricks' being carried up 5 flights of stairs and along our hall to be hurled into a wooden cupboard in the kitchen.

My granny would skuttle about, putting down old newspaper to keep the hall carpet clean before they arrived."

Washing

"My granny did her washing at the sink, using a washboard and a mangle that she clamped onto the sink.  There was a drying frame on a pulley on the kitchen ceiling and you had to dodge about in the kitchen on wet washdays or you'd get a slap across the face with a wet sheet.

On warm days the washing got put out on the communal washing lines in the yard below.  One day my granny lost her wedding ring while hanging out the washing and offered the local children a 'jeely piece' (bread and jam) to the one who found it.  They found it!"

Rag and Bone Man

"The Rag and Bone man would also visit with his cart.  His strange cry of 'REKBO'  'REKBO' would bring the children running out.  I think he gave out balloons for rags."

See also, comments from George T Smith  [3. below]

Shopping

"I have very vivid memories of 'getting the messages', or doing the shopping, with Granny Aspey.

-  First, would be the greengrocer with the all pervading smell of boiling beetroots

-  Then, the very long, patient, queue for the baker.  I remember with fondness the Morning Rolls, Vanilla Slices and Coconut Cakes.

-  We would go the the Coop Dairy (St Cuthbert's) to buy the milk tokens, which were made from an early form of dark red plastic (Bakelite).  These would be left out with the empty bottles to pay for the next milk delivery.

-  We might pop to the butcher for a bit of "Potted Heed" (pork meat brawn) or a pig's trotter, I don't recall any steak! 

-  The Fishmonger's was run by the Haliburton Family, who stood on wooden duck boards at the large sinks that ran behind the fish counter. They would take the fresh fish from out the back, and skin and fillet it for you in a matter of seconds with breathtaking skill."

Ice Cream Parlour

"The local Ice Cream Parlour was owned by a big-hearted Italian.  The story goes that when my mother was expecting me, she ate rather a lot of his vanilla Ice cream.

After I was born, she would take me into his Parlour where he would greet with me delight and tell anyone present:

'You see thisa lovally baby?
My Icacream mada thisa lovally baby!'."

Sweets

"Another recollection about my Edinburgh childhood was the amount of sweeties we all consumed  -  bought and home-made.  I think all the children born in the early 50's were indulged by their parents because of war-time austerity.

I had a mouth full of fillings before my 'teens after sucking on:

-  'Edinburgh Rock'

-  'Berwick Cockles'

-  tablet

-  home-made honeycomb

-  treacle toffees

-  sherbert dabs and

-   coconut ice.

This was all washed down with fizzy Cremola Foam which was a sherbert drink that came in a powder form, Raspberry or Orange flavour.

The now iconic tin featured the moon with a grinning face."

Chocolate Spillage

"My favourite family story has never been verified, so it might well be exaggerated.  After living in Gorgie Road my grandmother moved to Stewart Terrace in Gorgie, opposite the McVities biscuit factory.

One afternoon the tanker that brought the liquid chocolate to the factory had a spillage and flooded the street.

Despite Health Warnings from a factory official, everyone in Stewart Terrace rushed out with saucepans and jam jars and scooped up the chocolate.

If it's not true, it should be!   Can you imagine the scene?

Dorothy Land (née Jeremy), Suffolk, England:  June 1+3, 2007

Recollections

3.

George T  Smith

 Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Thank you to George T Smith for the following comments made in response to Dorothy Jeremy's comments above.

George wrote:

Distillery

"The nearest distillery to Gorgie was the North British which made Scotch Whisky (technically BPS or British Plain Spirits until 'aged in the wood').

Gilbey's is a London firm. I concede that part of the spirits distilled in Scotland go to London for second distilling into gin but I can't remember tankers from NB.

Most of Friday's distilling at Cambus  distillery (Alloa, now closed) was sent by road tanker to London."

Rag and Bone Man

"The rag and bone man's cry 'Rekbo' is likely a memory of 'Rags,  Bones'  heard from a hoarse voice? Personally I remember the badly  played bugle blast.."

Sweets

"Dorothy Jeremy's memory of the 'sweeties' like tablet made my (remaining) teeth corrode.

We all seemed to have had  this craving for sweets and most of us from that era suffered early toothache, cavities etc."

Washing

"Dorothy Jeremy's wash day memories brought back to mind that 'sculleries' were equipped with two sinks - one a deep 'Belfast sink' with a 'bunker' over it - with a cast iron gadget between them on which the wringer was clamped.

Small boys were enlisted to turn the handle. I suspect that washing was done on Sundays, despite our Sunday observance traditions as washing appeared very early on Mondays.

The 'pulley' in the kitchen may get a resurgence in these days of global warming and energy conservation.  Here in this part of Canada we must not hang our wet washing in the 'yard' so must use an electric dryer."

George T Smith, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada:  June 3, 2007

Recollections

4.

Dorothy Jeremy

England

Thank you to Dorothy Jeremy, now Dorothy Land, for the following further comments on Gilbey's Gin

Dorothy wrote:

Gilbey's Gin

"My father corrected me this morning saying that my uncle worked at a bottling plant, not the distillery, a "bus ride" away from Gorgie. 

My uncle bottled Gilbey's Gin amongst other drinks.

Sometimes a bottle would smash and the contents would soak his overalls. When my uncle took the bus home, everyone would try and sit as far away as possible from 'the drunk who was reeking of gin'."

Jeely Pieces

"My father also told me that in the early days, when the children were playing in the washing yard below the tenements, they would call up to their mothers for a 'jeely piece'.

The mums would put a slice of bread and jam in an old paper bag and throw it down to them.

The first Takeaways!"

Dorothy Land (née Jeremy), Suffolk, England:  June 4, 2007

Recollections

5.

Bob Bell

Colinton, Edinburgh

Thank you to Bob Bell who wrote:

Play

"I was born in 1945 and moved from Calder Terrace pre-fabs to 28 Hutchison View around 1957.

- I played at that time with Alan Ruddy and Brian McLennan, also in the View.  We played in the lade at the back of the view which led to Cox’s Glue Works.

Cox's Glue Works

    ©

What a smell on a really hot day!  One day we were in an old tin bath and almost tipped it over.

-  I used to play in the Water of Leith in Saughton Public Park and catch ’tiddlers’.

-  I spent many hours as a boy in Balgreen library.

- I recall the trains shunting along the siding of the goods railway line, where Bainfield Bowling Club now stands.

- I also climbed over the metal footbridge beside Manclarks factory.

 -  Do you remember ‘Charlotte Cottage in Gorgie Road?  It's now been built on with sheltered housing complex.  The Wheatsheaf Pub building is still there, but it's no longer a pub."

Employment

"In 1960 I left Carrickvale School.

-  I took up a trade as an apprentice Cabinetmaker with Scott Morton Ltd in Murieston Lane, Tynecastle.  I became friendly with Davy and Jack and bought timber from them to carry out small jobs for pocket money.

- In 1965 I joined the Edinburgh City Police and on occasion worked out of the police box at Balgreen Road that has already been mentioned here on the web site.

- At that time the ‘Horseshoe Pub' on the corner of Balgreen Road was a joiner's business owned by the brothers, Davy and Jack Paterson.  They had carried it forward from their father, David."

Around 1975, I was approached by Jack Paterson.  He told me he was retiring from the business and offered me the building and goodwill for a few thousand pounds, but I declined."

Retirement

"I retired from the police after 33 years and spend my time golfing, bowling at Colinton and atBainfield Indoor Bowling Club.

My other hobbies include making amateur historical films and local history. I occasionally drive around Hutchison View and recall the good times I had as a boy."

Bob Bell, Colinton, Edinburgh:  September 5, 2014

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