Edinburgh History

[Maroon Sailor]

A mini Parkers

 

[larbertjambo]

On 04/02/2021 at 22:07, Sharpie said:

 

Its funny how sometimes you look at a picture and can almost feel yourself walking on the subject sidewalk. This one has does just that for me,I can feel it, smell it, and just tucking my police box keys away now I am clear of the box at the Tron.

Did you ever have to patrol tron square back then? My grandparents stayed there and a few other relatives. One of whom was quite well know to the local constabulary in the 50s/60s. Used to visit as wee boy. Enjoyed standing out on balcony watching the activity over the road in Campbell hope & King brewery.

[Sharpie]

20 minutes ago, larbertjambo said:

Did you ever have to patrol tron square back then? My grandparents stayed there and a few other relatives. One of whom was quite well know to the local constabulary in the 50s/60s. Used to visit as wee boy. Enjoyed standing out on balcony watching the activity over the road in Campbell hope & King brewery.

I wasn't a regular on the Tron but worked it quite often, Braid Place police in these days was split into four area sections the Tron was in the first, I worked mainly the second and fourth sections. I never worked a beat like the Tron on a regular basis but done relief work.  I knew the area reasonably well though.

[Debut 4]

Sorry to divert slightly, does anyone know a website you can find out about Edinburgh’s population growth?

 

I read some years ago an article about a big influx of West coasters ,to the South and West of the city, over the period when the City was starting to expand. I just can’t remember where I saw the article?

 

Cheers. 

[larbertjambo]

26 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

I wasn't a regular on the Tron but worked it quite often, Braid Place police in these days was split into four area sections the Tron was in the first, I worked mainly the second and fourth sections. I never worked a beat like the Tron on a regular basis but done relief work.  I knew the area reasonably well though.

Heard some great stories about the square as I grew up. Think my gran would occasionally 'look after '😀 items for my uncle. Some great people in the square though and as I grew older it was nice to see so many helping each other. 

Always heard the story of the horrible murder in 1952. My mum and dad had bumped into the son George? In leith Street in the afternoon and he was killed the same night. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

7 minutes ago, Debut 4 said:

Sorry to divert slightly, does anyone know a website you can find out about Edinburgh’s population growth?

 

I read some years ago an article about a big influx of West coasters ,to the South and West of the city, over the period when the City was starting to expand. I just can’t remember where I saw the article?

 

Cheers. 

Maybe a Scottish register website if one exists.

[Maroon Sailor]

7 minutes ago, larbertjambo said:

Heard some great stories about the square as I grew up. Think my gran would occasionally 'look after '😀 items for my uncle. Some great people in the square though and as I grew older it was nice to see so many helping each other. 

Always heard the story of the horrible murder in 1952. My mum and dad had bumped into the son George? In leith Street in the afternoon and he was killed the same night. 

 

The Tron Square murders were in 1954

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by Maroon Sailor

[larbertjambo]

Just now, Maroon Sailor said:

 

The Tron Square murders was in 1954

Doh! Got mixed up. Should remember my mum dad got married in 54. They were shopping either for a ring or dad's new suit when they bumped into the lad. It was a horrible murder. Think the evening news done a feature on it recently. 

[Debut 4]

19 minutes ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Maybe a Scottish register website if one exists.

Ok mate, cheers. 

[merrymac]

1 hour ago, Maroon Sailor said:

Got married in that Church 

[NANOJAMBO]

2 hours ago, Jambo314 said:

Didn't realise there was as much history in Canonmills tbh

 

Canonmills

City of Edinburgh

 

A district of NW Edinburgh, Canonmills lies between the New Town and the residential suburb of Inverleith. It developed as a village with mills on the Water of Leith which is known locally as the Puddocky Burn. A solitary orange-pantiled mill building from c.1700 remains, on the corner of Eyre Place and Canon Street, which was refurbished as offices in 1987.

Once situated on royal land, this was gifted by King David I to the Augustinian monks of Holyrood Abbey, who worked the mills. The land later became the property of Heriot's Hospital and eventually the estate of James Eyre, a brewer whose name was given to several streets in the vicinity. The bakers of the Canongate were obliged by law to grind their corn here. Canonmills Loch served as the mill dam and, in the winter, was used by Canonmills Curling Club, founded in 1760. The loch shrank as it was no longer required to power the mills and was finally drained between 1847 and 1865. It is now the site of King George V Park.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94) was born in Howard Place, and the composer Frederic Chopin (1810-49) stayed in Warriston Crescent.

There used to be a piece of masonry built into the petrol station there when it was first built in the mid 60s that said "Baxters land" and had a date , something like 1650.

Across the street from it is a church hall that was RLS village school.

The King GeorgeV park is actually the site of St Bernards football - it didn't transition straight from loch to a public park. 

[NANOJAMBO]

2 hours ago, Maroon Sailor said:

Anyone know the history of that clock. Seems to the one constant around that area. Tried reading up on it but can't find much on it

 

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

[Maroon Sailor]

[NANOJAMBO]

Just now, Maroon Sailor said:

That's now the site of the petrol station. To the far right (background) is the remains of the old mill building. 

[Sharpie]

41 minutes ago, NANOJAMBO said:

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

 I remember the sirens being tested, they used to tell us to stay out of the police box when they were I guess it must of got loud in those steel boxes.

[NANOJAMBO]

1 minute ago, Sharpie said:

 I remember the sirens being tested, they used to tell us to stay out of the police box when they were I guess it must of got loud in those steel boxes.

👍

[Tazio]

47 minutes ago, NANOJAMBO said:

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

I remember air raid tests from back in the day, which would have been in the mid 70’s if I remember them. One in particular sticks in my mind as we were on a long day of mischief as kids along the shoreline from Granton towards Leith and it was the siren at Trinity Bridge that was the one we heard as we were next to it. 

[Shanks said no]

 

 

[Shanks said no]

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[Tazio]

3 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

 

I know someone that owns a couple of the old police boxes and converted them to coffee outlets. The council were very strict that once you bought it you had a short timescale to get the work done so it could open for business. I suppose they were worried people were going to buy them with good intentions and not have the money or commitment to opening them so they’d sit and fall into even worse disrepair. 

[Cade]

5 minutes ago, Tazio said:

I know someone that owns a couple of the old police boxes and converted them to coffee outlets. The council were very strict that once you bought it you had a short timescale to get the work done so it could open for business. I suppose they were worried people were going to buy them with good intentions and not have the money or commitment to opening them so they’d sit and fall into even worse disrepair. 

 

There's even a wee Police Box Festival, with some of them being used as tiny wee art galleries.

The one in my local park got a good restoration and is now used as the tool shed/information booth for the park.

[Tazio]

2 minutes ago, Cade said:

 

There's even a wee Police Box Festival, with some of them being used as tiny wee art galleries.

The one in my local park got a good restoration and is now used as the tool shed/information booth for the park.

Aye, it’s good that they get used for decent things. My mate’s one next to Shakespeares is my go to for my morning coffee instead of giving it to Cafe Nero on Lothian Road. Feels better to be supporting a local business and you get a good chat with the lad who runs it for him. 

[Sharpie]

I spent enough time having a cold tea with a cup of tea to wash it down to ever sit in one and have a recreational coffee. Miserable cold poorly  equipped wee sites of violence, but perfect because totally soundproof, aye they were  no sae bad mebbe I would enjoy sitting in one and reminiscing to myself.Lots of water under some of those bridges.

 

[Sharpie]

2 hours ago, Tazio said:

I know someone that owns a couple of the old police boxes and converted them to coffee outlets. The council were very strict that once you bought it you had a short timescale to get the work done so it could open for business. I suppose they were worried people were going to buy them with good intentions and not have the money or commitment to opening them so they’d sit and fall into even worse disrepair. 

 Drummond Street I think at Pleasance, was spare box never really used.

[Sharpie]

2 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

 

 

 Looks like Simon Square opposite the Deaconess, used it many many times.

[Shanks said no]

10 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

 Looks like Simon Square opposite the Deaconess, used it many many times.

Couple more from different angles Bob

 

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[J.T.F.Robertson]

2 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Couple more from different angles Bob

 

 

 

I wonder when the flats to the right of the box were built. I do a pilgrimage every year when I'm back and swear they weren't there on my last trip. The boax wasn't psychedelic either.

Our auld place was the second floor, second and third windows in from the left of the tenement behind the blossoms.

 

I need to get hame.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by J.T.F.Robertson

[Sharpie]

15 minutes ago, J.T.F.Robertson said:

 

I wonder when the flats to the right of the box were built. I do a pilgrimage every year when I'm back and swear they weren't there on my last trip. The boax wasn't psychedelic either.

Our auld place was the second floor, second and third windows in from the left of the tenement behind the blossoms.

 

I need to get hame.

 

   

 

Much as my life is full of good Edinburgh memories , lonely as it is now this is my hame.

[¼½¾]

18 minutes ago, J.T.F.Robertson said:

 

I wonder when the flats to the right of the box were built. I do a pilgrimage every year when I'm back and swear they weren't there on my last trip. The boax wasn't psychedelic either.

Our auld place was the second floor, second and third windows in from the left of the tenement behind the blossoms.

 

I need to get hame.

 

According to google streetview, the flats were there in 2008 and the police box disappeared in 2014.

These look like the boys responsible.

 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

10 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

   

 

Much as my life is full of good Edinburgh memories , lonely as it is now this is my hame.

 

Aw, I understand that, Bob. I doubt other than possibly in an urn, that I'll actually move back but still love a visit, especially so since due to the dreaded virus, this is about the longest it's been for me since I was last back. (coming up 2 years now)

 

Pauvre moi.

 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

5 minutes ago, Lemongrab said:

According to google streetview, the flats were there in 2008 and the police box disappeared in 2014.

These look like the boys responsible.

 

 

I would walk along the lane between the cop box and the gardens on the right, to Richmond Place, as my cousin lived there and I must have been in some kind of oblivion because I don't remember those flats and am sure the box was still there.

Weird and it had nowt to do with the demon drink. 

 

[Footballfirst]

13 hours ago, Debut 4 said:

Sorry to divert slightly, does anyone know a website you can find out about Edinburgh’s population growth?

 

I read some years ago an article about a big influx of West coasters ,to the South and West of the city, over the period when the City was starting to expand. I just can’t remember where I saw the article?

 

Cheers. 

There are some historical numbers here.

 

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin/1_edinburgh_history_-_dates_population.htm

 

and here

 

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/22849/edinburgh/population

 

and here

 

https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10211104/cube/TOT_POP

Edited February 9, 2021 by Footballfirst

[maroongoals]

12 hours ago, Maroon Sailor said:

My Grandad was born in the first house behind the guys in the pic, where did that pic come from ? I would like to try to enlarge to see if they are family

[Maroon Sailor]

3 minutes ago, maroongoals said:

My Grandad was born in the first house behind the guys in the pic, where did that pic come from ? I would like to try to enlarge to see if they are family

 

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_STREET/0_street_views_-_canon_mills_7-21_tenements_and_bar_800.htm#start

[maroondevo52]

I painted the inside of the Police box halfway along the meadows when I was an apprentice, no much room inside.

[¼½¾]

54 minutes ago, maroongoals said:

My Grandad was born in the first house behind the guys in the pic, where did that pic come from ? I would like to try to enlarge to see if they are family

Here's one you can zoom in on.  https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1098309

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, Footballfirst said:

There are some historical numbers here.

 

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin/1_edinburgh_history_-_dates_population.htm

 

and here

 

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/22849/edinburgh/population

 

and here

 

https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10211104/cube/TOT_POP

Thanks for that but I suppose I was looking more for an insight into how the population grew, an explanation of sorts.  Obv as living standards improved, people live longer etc...but I’d imagine there had to be an external influx of people or certainly movement in the outlying areas to and from? 
 

 Cheers 

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, Footballfirst said:

There are some historical numbers here.

 

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin/1_edinburgh_history_-_dates_population.htm

 

and here

 

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/22849/edinburgh/population

 

and here

 

https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10211104/cube/TOT_POP

Thanks for that but I suppose I was looking more for an insight into how the population grew, an explanation of sorts.  Obv as living standards improved, people live longer etc...but I’d imagine there had to be an external influx of people or certainly movement in the outlying areas to and from? 
 

 Cheers 

[jb102]

17 hours ago, NANOJAMBO said:

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

I remember a test in Oxgangs.1975 maybe.

[cheetah]

4 hours ago, Debut 4 said:

Thanks for that but I suppose I was looking more for an insight into how the population grew, an explanation of sorts.  Obv as living standards improved, people live longer etc...but I’d imagine there had to be an external influx of people or certainly movement in the outlying areas to and from? 
 

 Cheers 

 

Not sure how it was in Edinburgh but in the 60's and 70's we had a huge increase in Glaswegians coming to Whitburn and surrounding towns in west lothian, 'Glasgow overspill' was the term used.

 

Can't remember the driving factor for this but definitely changed the dynamic in schools with loads of hard nuts turning up out the blue  

[Sharpie]

5 hours ago, maroondevo52 said:

I painted the inside of the Police box halfway along the meadows when I was an apprentice, no much room inside.

 

I don't know what was left when they were no longer used, but in my time you came in the door, to your left was a desk  with a stool, if you were at the desk and turned to your right was a sink, and in the corner to the right of that was what was called the prisoners seat and across from that was the door.  When you had a prisoner in there with you, he sat in the corner, and you sat on the desk, this gave some distance. If there were two of policemen or prisoners it was  more than cosy. If as say at the Tron box one of the many meth drinkers was the prisoner it could get really smelly in there, one old wino when arrested for D& I especially by a young new police officer took great pleasure in releasing his bowels in the enclosed space causing immediate police departure from the box. 

[¼½¾]

18 hours ago, NANOJAMBO said:

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

Not Edinburgh, but in the town I was brought up in an air raid siren was used to call the part-time firemen to the station when needed. This went on at least into the 70s, till I'd imagine some sort of pager took over. They used to test the siren every week, 7.30pm on a Tuesday, if I mind right.

[NANOJAMBO]

7 minutes ago, cheetah said:

 

Not sure how it was in Edinburgh but in the 60's and 70's we had a huge increase in Glaswegians coming to Whitburn and surrounding towns in west lothian, 'Glasgow overspill' was the term used.

 

Can't remember the driving factor for this but definitely changed the dynamic in schools with loads of hard nuts turning up out the blue  

Apparently it was a deliberate policy to reduce population numbers in Glasgow as it was seen as a threat to Edinburgh's eminence. 

[Stuart Lyon]

52 minutes ago, NANOJAMBO said:

Apparently it was a deliberate policy to reduce population numbers in Glasgow as it was seen as a threat to Edinburgh's eminence. 

I'm in my 70s and have never heard this explanation for the GW overspill before!

 

Have a read at this

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Report

[NANOJAMBO]

2 minutes ago, Stuart Lyon said:

I'm in my 70s and have never heard this explanation for the GW overspill before!

 

Have a read at this

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Report

Actually after I posted I spent a bit of time reading a Warwick University study into the "overspill" issue although it didn't mention any policy along the lines I alluded to. 

Re my comment about deliberate policy  to reduce Glasgow's population  (I don't have a link) - it was something I saw online just a couple of years ago. Maybe the Record getting its knickers in a twist when what seems to have happened is that the areas like Pollock & Easterhouse were regarded as not being in Glasgow (apparently there just wasn't enough space to build the sheer volume of housing required within the then city limits) and perhaps that's been contorted into an anti-Edinburgh agenda for publicity. 

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, NANOJAMBO said:

Apparently it was a deliberate policy to reduce population numbers in Glasgow as it was seen as a threat to Edinburgh's eminence. 

Another Glasgow myth to fuel their self appreciation? (Only kidding). Didn’t want to derail this great thread. I was just curious as to how Edinburgh’s population grew and the need for expansion. (Aside from what I mentioned earlier)  Because Glasgow had the big Irish influx and Scots from the North.  

 

👍🏻

Edited February 9, 2021 by Debut 4

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, cheetah said:

 

Not sure how it was in Edinburgh but in the 60's and 70's we had a huge increase in Glaswegians coming to Whitburn and surrounding towns in west lothian, 'Glasgow overspill' was the term used.

 

Can't remember the driving factor for this but definitely changed the dynamic in schools with loads of hard nuts turning up out the blue  

Funny, my Mum’s side (Father) are originally from Whitburn, my Grandad was a miner . I think there maybe was a period where people from outlying areas around Edinburgh moved to the city in decent numbers. 
 

They moved to Newcraighall in the 40s and slowly the family spread out. It was a big family.  Again, my Grandparents moved back West to the Calders in Sighthill because it was a new estate just built in the late 60s. My Mum and Dad ended up there too in 74 just as I was born.

 

The movement of people 🙂

[FORTHCLYDE]

21 hours ago, NANOJAMBO said:

The clock has been moved from the position shown further towards the centre of the street  ie towards centre of the pic (in the mid 60s, I remember it).

Just to the right of the tram  there is a police box which had an air raid siren and I can recall it being tested regularly in the early 60s - as part of the "two minute warning" . Maybe at the time of the Cuban missile crisis ?

I'd love to know from other burgers if they recall similar testing in their neighbourhoods. 

I lived in Buccleuch and the Police Box next to the toilets at the end of the Meadows tested the air raid siren.

[Shanks said no]

3 hours ago, Sharpie said:

 

I don't know what was left when they were no longer used, but in my time you came in the door, to your left was a desk  with a stool, if you were at the desk and turned to your right was a sink, and in the corner to the right of that was what was called the prisoners seat and across from that was the door.  When you had a prisoner in there with you, he sat in the corner, and you sat on the desk, this gave some distance. If there were two of policemen or prisoners it was  more than cosy. If as say at the Tron box one of the many meth drinkers was the prisoner it could get really smelly in there, one old wino when arrested for D& I especially by a young new police officer took great pleasure in releasing his bowels in the enclosed space causing immediate police departure from the box. 

 

Is this your Tron Box Bob?

 

 

I also came across this, something called a Sky Lantern, that I knew nothing of

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by The Frenchman Returns

[Shanks said no]

Remote Sky Lantern

This remote 'sky lantern' was a blue light to tell the police on duty that they should go to the police box nearby, in High Street, near Hunter Square, to receive a telephone message: