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Piershill Between Edinburgh City Centre and Portobello |
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Recollections Piershill |
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1. |
David Arathoon |
Piershill Barracks - Birth |
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2. |
Annie Smiles |
Piershill Barracks - Piershill Square |
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3. |
Sharon Brown |
Piershill Barracks - 17th Lacers - Wars - Family |
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4. |
Piershill Barracks - 17th Lacers |
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5. |
Barracks and Piershill Square Parson's Green Primary School |
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6. |
James Morton-Robertson |
Dancing and Walk |
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7. |
Piershill Square |
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8. |
Postcards |
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9. |
Cath Tuff (née
Hay) |
The Carlton Picture House |
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10. |
Cath Tuff (née
Hay) |
The Carlton Picture House |
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11. |
Gus Coutts |
The Carlton Picture House |
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12. |
Bryan Gourlay |
The Carlton Picture House Our Shop Hairdressers |
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13. |
Cath Tuff (née
Hay) |
The Carlton Picture House |
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14. |
Gordon Wright |
Living at Piershill Carlton Cinema Coronation - 1953 Piershill Square West |
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15. |
Alan Grieve |
National Commercial Bank - Route to the Bank - The Bank has Gone.
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16. |
Bryan Gourlay |
The Carlton Picture House Our Shop Hairdressers |
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17. |
Piershill Barracks - My Family - Children of the Soldiers - Exercising the Horses - Accident - Northfield Broadway - Departure of the Horses |
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18. |
My Family - My Dad - My Mum - Dad's Memories - An Exhibition |
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19. |
Kim Traynor and
Laurie Thompson |
St Margaret's Locomotive Depot |
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20. |
The Calton Picture House The Regent Picture House |
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1. Piershill Barracks Early 1800s |
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Thank you to David Arathoon, Canada, who has been researching his family history and who is searching for more photos of the barracks. If you feel you can help, please e-mail me and I will pass on your message. Thank you. David gave me some details of the travels of the 6th Inniskillin Dragoon Guards, including the following:
If you have any further details about the Dragoons and Piershill Barracks that you would like me to pass on to David Arathoon, please e-mail me. Thank you. - Peter Stubbs |
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2. Piershill Barracks Early 1900s |
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Thank you to Annie Smiles of Edinburgh for leaving the following message in the EdinPhoto Guest Book:
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Messages for Annie Smiles Hi Annie: I hope you read this! 1. I received a message from Joyce Higgins (Bremner) attempting to contact you. Unfortunately, I don't have a note of your e-mail address. Could you e-mail me and let me know it, so that I can pass on Joyce's message to you? - Peter Stubbs March 3, 2006. 2. I have now received an e-mail from somebody else hoping to get in touch with you. The latest message comes from Viv McKenzie. If you e-mail me and let me know your e-mail address, I'll pass on the Viv's contact details to you. - Peter Stubbs March 5, 2006. |
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Update for Annie Smiles Hi Annie: Thanks for passing your email address to me last week. I'll now pass on the messages from Joyce Higgins (Bremner) and Viv McKenzie to you. - Peter Stubbs June 30, 2008. |
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3. Piershill Barracks Early 1900s (again) |
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Thank you to Sharon Brown, Lincolnshire, England, whose grandfather was a Corporal of Horse in 17th Lancers, stationed in Edinburgh in 1903 at Peirshill Barracks. Sharon wrote:
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4. Piershill Barracks Mid-1800s |
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Thank you to Maureen Brown who wrote:
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5. Piershill Barracks Mid-1900s |
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Thank you to Elizabeth Bell (née Gall) who wrote: Barracks and Piershill Square "It was great to see the photo of Piershill Barracks. I lived all my life at Meadowbank until leaving for Australia in 1958. My Father's foster-mother, with whom we lived, had lived there when the barracks were still occupied and spoke a bit of seeing the troopers returning there in the evening. It must have been quite a sight, seeing the troopers passing by. Her tenement flat had been built about 1897. Then, when she was a child, Edinburgh Corporation had built tenement houses there, about 1932/3. They had followed the barracks layout. That was good, for there were playgrounds in the squares, named Piershill Square East and West, I think." |
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Parsons Green Primary School "My husband and I have just completed living in Australia for 50 years last week. That's twice as long as we lived in Edinburgh. I went to Parsons Green Primary School at Meadowbank, then to Broughton Senior Secondary School, as it was called then, from 1945 to 1948. Parsons Green school burned down not long after we arrived here in Australia. My husband went to Leith Walk Primary and then Bellevue, just around the corner from Broughton. |
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Elizabeth Bell (née Gall), Australia, March 31, 2008 |
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6 Recollections by James Morton-Robertson Sevenoaks, Kent, England |
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Thank you to James Morton-Robertson, for writing about living in Edinburgh, after he had moved from Heriot Mount at Dumbiedykes, to Piershill. James wrote: |
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Dancing and Walk Home "After we moved to Piershill, my dancing was at the Plaza. I was always meeting girls who lived at the other side of town and because the Sunday night busses stopped at midnight, I usually had to walk home, many, many miles, usually through the King's Park. I wouldn't do it now." James Morton-Robertson, Sevenoaks, Kent, England: August 11, 2009 |
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7 Recollections by Janey Hinds |
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Janey Hinds left the following message in the EdinPhoto guest book |
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Piershill Square "I lived in Piershill Square East, in the early 1960s with my mum, dad, two sisters and brother. I would just like to say 'Hi' . Could anyone who knew us or remembers us reply to this message?" Janey Hinds: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook: March 21, 2010. I don't have an email address for Janey, but you should be able to leave a reply below the message that he posted in the guestbook on March 21, 2010 |
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Replies for Janey Hinds Hi Janey. Some people remember you. I don't know whether you have found their messages or not. 1. Annie Smiles left a reply on 31 March 2010, below your 21 March 2010 message in the EdinPhoto Guestbook. 2. Winnie Purves Liddel left a reply on 22 January 2012, below your 21 March 2010 message in the EdinPhoto Guestbook. 3. Christine Boyle posted her own message, on 22 June 2012, including a comment for you, in the EdinPhoto Guestbook. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: June 22, 2012 |
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8 Recollections and Postcards from Mike Kelly Littlehampton, West Sussex, England |
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Thank you to Mike Kelly for allowing me to reproduce some of his postcards of the 17th Lancers. Mike is keen to find more postcards of the Regiment. He served with the Regiment from his 17th birthday in June 1977 until December 1992. |
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Piershill Barracks Please click on the thumbnail images below to see a few postcards of the 17th Lancers: - At Piershill Barracks - Exercising on Portobello Beach Acknowledgement: Mike Kelly, May 31, 2010 |
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More Postcards? If you know of any more postcards of the 17th Lancers, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Mike Kelly. Thank you. Peter Stubbs: June 2, 2010 |
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Recollections 9. Cath Tuff (née Hay) Warwickshire, England |
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Cath Tuff asked: |
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The Carlton "Does anybody know anything about the history of an old picture house called The Carlton at Piershill? It's now a supermarket. I went there as a bairn until I grew up then got married & moved away. I hope to find some history about it. I spent many a good time there." Cath Tuff (née Hay), Warwickshire, England: September 25, 2012 |
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Reply to Cath Hi Cath: I have a copy of a book titled 'The Last Picture Shows, Edinburgh', published in 1984. In this book, the author, Brendon Thomas, mentions 'The Carlton'. He writes: The Carlton Opening "Designed by McKissack & Son of Glasgow (designers of the Lyric and the Tivoli, Edinburgh) the Carlton was built for the Edinburgh Cinema Properties Company, consisting of R M McLauchlin, W H Cameron and others. The 1,400 seater supercinema opened on December 23, 1935. ... " Closure "The lack of suitable films and the comparatively small size of the auditorium were given as the re3asons for the Carlton's closure in July 1959. ... . The building then became a lemonade factory and, later, a garage for a transport company, but no sign of the Carlton remains on the site opposite the opening of Piersfield Grove." Brendon Thomas 'The Last Picture Shows, Edinburgh, p.26 |
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If you have any of your own memories of The Carlton that you would like to share with Cath, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her. Thank you. |
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Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 30, 2012 |
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Recollections 10. Cath Tuff (née Hay) Warwickshire, England |
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Thank you to Cath Tuff for writing again about the cinema. Cath wrote: |
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The Carlton "The Carlton was my Saturday afternoon picture house. It was the first picture house I went into by myself. I can't remember what age I was then, but I remember that my big brother took me to the door and I paid my 6d and felt so gown up. I was just a wee thing then. In teenage years, it was the place you went on your first date - and now it's a supermarket. It would be great to hear if anyone else remembers the place. Cath Tuff (née Hay), Warwickshire, England: September 30, 2012 |
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Recollections 11. Gus Coutts Duddingston, Edinburgh |
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Gus Coutts wrote: |
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The Continental Café ? "I don't know if my memory is playing tricks but, as I remember it, The Carlton didn't have the normal cinema layout of Stalls with a Balcony above projecting over the rear portion of the Stalls. The Carlton's version of a Balcony was just a raised stepped up separate section at the rear with no Stalls seating underneath." Gus Coutts, Duddingston, Edinburgh: October 1, 2012 |
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Recollections 12. Bryan Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Brian Gourlay who wrote: |
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Carlton Picture House "In response to Cath Tuff's question (10 above), I remember the Carlton Picture House very well indeed. We lived directly across the road from it for three years when I was four to six years old, in our tobacconist and confectionery shop. I cannot remember going to the Carlton cinema very often as we seemed to favour the Eastway at the top of Easter Road for some reason." Our Shop "Our shop was very busy in the early evenings, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, with a queue sometimes out on to the pavement, as the film goers stocked up on their supply of fags and sweeties before going across the road to the Carlton. These were the days when the back of the seat in front of you had ash trays (often full) and there was a thick fog of smoke in front of the screen." Hairdressers "There were two or three small shops directly to the east of the Carlton. One was a hairdresser where little boys sat up on a huge rocking horse while getting their hair cut I seem to remember there was a similar steed in the hairdressing department of Patrick Thomsons where many toddlers were dragged screaming for their fist hair cut." |
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Brian Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland, August 2, 2007 |
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Recollections 13. Cath Tuff (née Hay) Warwickshire, England |
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Cath Tuff added: |
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The Carlton Picture House "I've just read Recollection 11 above, saying that The Carlton didn't have a real balcony. I can tell you it did. The steps were on the right side as you went in. I'll never I will never forget I went on what you could say was my first date. I was about 12 or 13. The boy asked me for my money and I had 1/-. He took my shilling and paid to go up to the balcony. I was not pleased. I got 1/- pocket money on a Saturday and usually spent it: - 6d to get in to the pictures - 3d for toffee - 3d for ice cream. I never went out with that boy or any other boy for a long time." Cath Tuff (née Hay), Warwickshire, England: September 30, 2012 |
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Recollections 14. Gordon Wright Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England |
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Thank you to Gordon Wright who wrote: |
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Living at Piershill "Although born in Glasgow, our family moved to Edinburgh shortly after World War 2 to live (temporarily) with my Grandmother on my Father’s side. We lived at 1 Piershill Square West till just after the Coronation in 1953 then moved to council accommodation in Northfield Gardens, where I lived until joining the RAF in 1962. My parents (now both deceased) remained there into the late-1990s." Carlton Cinema "I was especially interested in some of the memories written about the Carlton Cinema in Recollections 9 onwards, which evoked very fond memories for me. I enjoyed many a Saturday matinee in there as a boy. Regarding the difference of opinion re the balcony in the Carlton cinema, I think both parties are correct in a way. The balcony was only slightly elevated above the level of the stalls, perhaps eight feet or so. Where the balcony stopped, there was a walkway from one side of the cinema to the other then the stalls began and went down towards the screen. I'd be interested to hear what others remember regarding this,"
Coronation - 1953 "Here is a photo taken in the swing park of Piershill Square West on Coronation Day 1953. t shows the children of the families who lived there, who attended the street party given to celebrate the Queen’s accession. Please click on this photo to enlarge it. A right scruffy bunch we are! I am located in the second row down from the rear, fourth from the left, the one with the natty Fair Isle pullover! I was eight years old at the time. The boy on my right was, I believe, Andrew Edwards and I think the one on my left was called Alec Westgarth." Piershill Square West "In those days, the area in the centre of the square was split into two parts, there was a swing park for kids at the South end and a bowling green at the North end. The bowling green was fenced off and children were not allowed in, the wooden building you can see in the background of this photo is the bowling green clubhouse which was decorated for the occasion." Gordon Wright, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England: October 28, 2012 |
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Reply to Gordon Wright? If you'd like to send a reply to Gordon, perhaps about the Coronation Photo or about The Carlton Cinema, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on his email address to you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 30, 2012 |
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Recollections 15. Alan Grieve Minehead, Somerset, England |
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Alan Grieve wrote: |
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National Commercial Bank Route to the Bank "In 1961, I worked at the Piershill Branch of the National Commercial Bank of Scotland. I used to get the train from Musselburgh to Piershill Station then walk up the hill to the main road and turn left on to Portobello Road, past the barracks and the Bank was on my left after that, before reaching Northfield Broadway."
The Bank has Gone "The Bank has gone now, but I've been trying to see the Bank building on Google Street View. After all this time there is nothing that I recognise to pinpoint it, but I'm wondering if the building where there is a beauty salon called Heatwave. No.123 Portobello Road was the Bank, although I don't remember a newsagents next door. That could be new since I was at the bank. Does anybody remember which building was the Bank?" Alan Grieve, Minehead, Somerset, England: October 31, 2012 |
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Reply to Alan If you have anything to tell Alan about the location of the bank, please email me, then I'll pas on his email address to you. Thank you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 31, 2012 |
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Update According to my 1961 edition of the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory, the Piershill Branch of The National Commercial Bank of Scotland was at 123 Piersfield Terrace. A Google search for 123 Piersfield Terrace shows that this is now the address of Tanz Professional Tanning Saloon Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: November 1, 2012 |
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Recollections 16. Brian Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
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Brian Gourlay wrote: |
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Piersfield Terrace "Alan Grieve's memory is spot on. The bank he worked in was at 123 Piersfield Terrace, now showing as Heatwave on Google Street View. Our Shop "I lived at Piersfield Terrace, a few yards away in my folks' Tobacconist and Confectionery shop at No.119. A shop of some sorts would have been there during Alan's time at the bank." The Bank "My dad used to use the bank, which was the Commercial Bank in the late-1940s when we were there. It became the National Commercial in 1959, then eventually part of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1969." Brian Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: November 2, 2012 |
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Recollections 17. Iris McMillan |
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Thank you to Iris McMillan who wrote: |
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Piersfield Barracks My Family "My father, Hugh McMillan (9 May 1922 to 12 July 2011) died aged 89. He was born at 149 Piersfield Terrace, Edinburgh. - His father was Fred Archer McMillan, Tram Driver - His mother was Mary Jane McMillan, née Hardie who had worked in PT’s before her marriage. In 1958, Hugh McMillan moved to Restalrig Avenue, In his 80s, he spoke about the local history to groups and schools in the area and had exhibitions on local history which he had put together." Children of the Soldiers "The children of the soldiers based at the barracks attended Parsons Green Primary School, the same school as my dad. Therefore through knowing the children, he got to know the men stationed there." Exercising the Horses "My dad passed on to me tales about the Barracks. - How the cavalry trooped down and exercised their mounts on the beach at Portobello. - Some of the men were thrown by their horses from time to time. - The horses knew their way home. - If clattering was heard, the sentry on duty went out onto the road and all traffic, really trams and carts were stopped. The gate opened, as the panting horse swung sharply right, into the barracks, and made for its stable, round at the back, on the right-hand side. - There was a tram stop just opposite the barracks. About 15 minutes afterwards, an embarrassed cavalryman got off the tram and went quickly inside." Accident "My dad loved the horses and, as a special privilege was allowed to hold the reins of the horse of the officer in charge in the barrack. One day, he had his bike propped up, watching the horses, when something spooked the horse of the officer in charge and the horse suddenly began backing and his bike was damaged. A bit bent. It was taken away, mended by soldiers and came back in better condition." Northfield Broadway "The horses were also exercised on the ground which was referred to as cavalry park, up Northfield Broadway. My dad said he enjoyed watching the guns whizzing past, drawn by the horses. The troops used to play football on the cinder pitches beside the chemical/glass works on the east side of Northfield Broadway, near to the Piershill Cemetery." Departure of the Horses "My dad remembered the horses leaving the barracks and being loaded onto wagons at the station at the foot of Smokie Brae. All the men marching down to the station. He believed they were going to serve in India." Iris McMillan: June 17, 2014 |
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Recollections 18. Iris McMillan |
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Thank you to Iris McMillan for following up her Recollections 17 above, written yesterday, with the message below telling how he has recorded his parents' memories over the past few years. Iris wrote |
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My Family My Dad "My dad, Hugh McMillan was born and brought up at 149 Piersfield Terrace, Edinburgh. - He was born in 1922 - His parents had moved there just after their marriage c 1911. - His father died in 1937, a tram driver, nickname Big Fred. - His mother died circa 1946? Neither my mum or myself ever met his parents and he really had few relatives. My Mum My mum died in 2006 - She was a Thorburn from Fisherrow, an old fishing family with roots back to the 1600's - After her death, I researched and wrote Crans, Creels and Tunes re the fishing families and communities of SE Scotland 1870 to 1918 with particular emphasis on Fisherrow. - I prepared a talk which I gave all over SE Scotland and into Northumberland. Dad's Memories "I knew Dad was getting frailer in 2008, and that no real history had ever been pulled together for the Piershill area. I think that's because it lies across the boundary of two parishes - Duddingston and Leith. I have a profound interest in local history. I had already taken family stories from Mum's side of the family. Dad and I had had had great fun giving these talks all over Edinburgh and East Lothian. (He was still driving into his 80's.) So, I got him a notebook to record his memories: - He was not enthusiastic about writing down stuff. - So I got him telling me about the old days. - He did the talking and I did the writing down. - Now, we had the basis of a local history talk. - He adored doing that. An Exhibition We pulled together all the photos and produced an exhibition, 'A window on History' - everything you could have seen from 149 Piersfield Terrace since the Romans, including the 1918 surrender of the German fleet which his mother had witnessed. The exhibition was shown for the last time in April 2011, opened by Kenny MacAskill. Fittingly, this exhibition was shown in Piershill library, almost opposite 149 Piersfield Terrace. Iris McMillan: June 17+19, 2014 |
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Recollections 19. Kim Traynor Tollcross, Edinburgh and Laurie Thompson Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England |
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To read recollections by Kim Traynor and Laurie Thompson, of the old St, Margaret's steam locomotive depot at Smokey Brae, Meadowbank/Restalrig/ Piershill, please see the recollections beginning here: |
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Recollections 20. Janice Ward |
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Responding to Recollections 9, 10, 11 and 12 above. about The Calton Picture House, Janice Ward wrote: |
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The Carlton Picture House "I've just read Cath Tuff's message about the Carlton Picture House. I was brought up by my grandparents and lived in Piershill Square West. The Carlton was where I went on Saturday afternoos with my cousin The last time I remember going was, I think 1959. I was too young to see 'Rock Around the Clock', and was sneaked in by my babysitter. Great memories! I've been back and, of course, it has all changed now." The Regent Picture House "My Nana used to take me to 'The Regent' in Regent Road, as well. Perhaps that's another one Cath went to! Janice Ward: 10 May 2016 |