Edinburgh History - Leith North Fort Street Primary School

Recollections

Jean Macaulay (née Westwood)

Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland

Thank you to Jean Macaulay for sending me her recollections of growing up in Leith (below), and also her memories of dance clubs around Edinburgh and Leith:

School

"I was born in Industrial Cottages, off Fort Street in Leith.

When I was about 2 years old we moved to Madeira Street, which was off Ferry Road. I lived in 42 then 40 Madeira Street and went to North Fort Street Primary School then DK school.

My best friend was Wilma Lamb, who had a sister, Dena. We were friends from Primary School and at DK school. She left for America when I was about 22 yrs old."

Family

I married a John Macaulay of Arthur Street in Leith, off the Walk. He went to St Anthony's school and had three brothers, Michael, Dennis and Ronnie. John died in 2005, aged 75, and Ronnie a year later. Michael and Dennis still live in Leith.

I met John while he was working for D W Beatie & Sons and I was working with Munro's, Joiners on West Harbour Road, Granton, next to Phillip Anderson's Yard.

John had only one and part of an arm, but was a very good swimmer and diver and had all the newspaper cuttings.

My Father, Campbell Westwood, worked as a Shipwright in Leith Docks. He was seemingly well known. He used to dock a lot of ships, and was a chargehand building ships.

His Father was one of the Gaffers, on the Forth Rail Bridge. They asked my Father if he would work on the Road Bridge, but he said 'No'.

I remember him saying 'Not all the money in the world would make up for the lives that would be lost on it.' They came back a few times to ask him. It certainly wasn't the height that put him off as he loved heights. When he was abroad he used to dive from the mast of a ship under the ship, I didn't inherit his love for heights."

Move from Leith

John and I moved from Leith to Abbeyhill. All the houses there are down now and have been replaced. We were re-housed by Beattie's in Bonnyrigg, where we have lived for about 37yrs, John for 34 yrs."

Jean Macaulay (née Westwood), Bonnyrigg Midlothian, Scotland: February 8, 2009