Buttercup

Poultry Farm

Clermiston lies to the west of Corstorphine Hill

About 5 miles west of the centre of Edinburgh

Around 1928

Poster showing the layout of Buttercup Poultry Farm at Clermiston, Edinburgh, around 1928 ©

Poster

1935

Boys with hens on Buttercup Poultry  Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1935 ©

Boys with Hens

Poultry Assistants on Buttercup Dairy Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1935 ©

Poultry Assistants

When?

Buttercup Dairy Co van  -  Where and when might this photo have been taken? ©

Buttercup Dairy Co van

1947

Farm Entrance at Buttercup Dairy Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1947 ©

Buttercup Poultry Farm Entrance

1952

East Lodge, Buttercup Dairy Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1952 ©

Buttercup Dairy Farm, East Lodge

Mr Ewing

Around 1940 and 1950s

Andrew Ewing leaves Buttercup Dairy to go to work - around 1940 ©

Around 1940

Mr Ewing Leaves for Work

Andrewl Ewing returning from work to Buttercup Poultry Darm - 1950s ©

1950s

Mr Ewing returns home

1955

Anderson Shelter and bins at Buttercup Dairy, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1955 ©

Bins and Anderson Shelter

Buttercup Dairy Farm Cottage and Buildings, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1955 ©

Farm Cottage and Buildings

Garden of the 'Big House' at Buttercup Poultry Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1955 ©

The 'Big House' Garden

Big House Garden and beyond - Buttercup Dairy Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh, 1955 ©

The 'Big House' garden
and Beyond

Hay Cart on Buttercup Dairy Poultry Farm - 1955 ©

Hay Cart

Looking towards Turmhouse from Buttercup Dairy Farm, Clermiston, Edinburgh - 1955 ©

View towards Turnhouse

2010

Clermiston Mains  -  This used to be the 'Big House' at Buttercup Dairy, Clermiston, Edinburgh ©

Clermiston Mains

formerly the Big House'

2013

Announcement of a new park, Buttercup Farm Park (2013) and extract from a recently discovered film about Buttercup Poultry Farm (c.1930) ©

Announcement of a new park, Buttercup Farm Park
and Extract from a recently discovered film (c.1930)

Buttercup Poultry Farm

and

Buttercup Dairy Co

Buttercup Poultry Farm

Buttercup Poultry Farm was at Clermiston, to the west of Corstorphine Hill, about five miles to the west of the centre of Edinburgh.  Here is a poster showing the layout of the farm around 1928:

Poster showing the layout of Buttercup Poultry Farm at Clermiston, Edinburgh, around 1928 ©

The farm closed, I believe some time around 1960, and new housing was built around it.  The remaining farm buildings were converted to housing.  The 'Big House' at the farm, Clermiston Mains , is still standing and occupied.  Here is a recent photo of it:

Clermiston Mains  -  This used to be the 'Big House' at Buttercup Dairy, Clermiston, Edinburgh ©

Buttercup Dairy Co

Buttercup Poultry Farm sold its produce - eggs, chickens and mushrooms - through the farm's chain of Buttercup Dairy Co shops in and around Edinburgh.

Buttercup Dairy Co van  -  Where and when might this photo have been taken? ©

The shops were owned by Andrew Ewing (1869-1956) .

Mr Ewing leaves Buttercup Dairy to go to work - around 1940 ©

Andrew Ewing opened his first Buttercup Dairy Co shop in 1904.  These shops featured attractive  tiling.  Here is a photo of a replica Buttercup Dairy Co shop in the People's Palace Museum in Glasgow:

A replica of a Buttercup Dairy Co shop, at the People's Palace Museum in Glasgow ©

The Buttercup Dairy Co is no longer trading, but some of the old tiling can still be found. Here is some on the wall of a former Buttercup Dairy Co shop in Comiston Road Edinburgh , now trading as Craiglea Clocks .

Tiles in a Buttercup Dairy Co shop, based on a painting by Tom Curr ©

These tiles are based on artwork by the Edinburgh artist, Tom Curr , who incidentally, was one of the selectors in Edinburgh Photographic Society's International Exhibition of Photography in 1936.

Painting by Tom Curr  -  girl and brown cow  -  probably uses as the basis for tiles on Buttercup Dairy Co shops ©

Recollections

Several people, including Bill Scott, who was born at East Lodge on Buttercup Poultry Farm in 1949, have written to me, giving some of their recollections of the farm.

Please click on this link to read more:

Recollections:  Corstorphine and Clermiston

Books

I know of two books currently being written.

-  Sandy Brewer, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, is writing a book about Tom Curr and his artwork.

-  Bill Scott, Alnwick, Northumberland, England is writing a book about the history of the farm

If you have any information or recollections that you think might be of interest to either of these authors, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on your message to them.

Thank you. Peter Stubbs:  November 21, 2010

Book Published

Bill tells me that his book has now been published and will be reviewed in The Scotsman on August 24, 2011.

Copies are available from Leghorn Books.

Clermiston Recollections

Corstorphine and Clermiston Recollections

Around Edinburgh

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