Morningside Heritage Association

Programme : 2014-2015 Morningside Heritage Association Meetings are held in Morningside Parish Church Hall Established 1982 (at the corner of Cluny Gardens/Braid Road) Tuesday evenings at 7.15 p.m. Patron : Aileen Paterson

Refreshments available from 6.45 p.m. Visitors are welcome (£3.00 per visit) February 2015 Newsletter

03 March History of the Edinburgh Trams Speaker : George Murray Update on MHA Activity

07 April Film Evening (with ice cream!) : Talks 2014-15 Derek Cameron’s Dominion Cinema Details of the remaining talks for this session, which take place on 03 Edinburgh’s Secret Garden March and 07 April, are provided on the back page of this Newsletter. Summer Visits 2015 Full details of the arrangements for this evening Dates (all Tuesdays except 01 June) and venues for the five Summer will be given at the March meeting visits are :  Tuesday 19 May : The Royal Observatory  Monday 01 June : Lauriston Place Fire Station  Tuesday 30 June : National Library of Scotland  Monday 20 July : Trinity House  08 September : To be confirmed

The finalised list of visits will be available at the March meeting, and a booking form will be circulated to members at that time.

Bill Smith Archive Following his death last summer, Bill’s daughters have very kindly given us access to his collection of material relating to the history of Morningside. Both Bill and Charles were actively involved in raising awareness of the history of Morningside - it was through Charles that the Heritage Association came into being in 1982 - and we are very grateful indeed to Brenda and Pam for entrusting this collection to us as a lasting

Morningside Heritage Association is a registered Scottish Charity number SC044409 Morningside Heritage Association is a registered Scottish Charity number SC044409 memory of their commitment to the rich heritage of this area. We will tell Disney. Only a few of the outlets now remain, and they are in poor you more about the collection, and our plans for it, in future Newsletters. condition. The Cantina is the Library fire exit! There is some interest in seeing if these buildings might be restored as part of Edinburgh’s First World War project heritage, but a number of obstacles to overcome before that decision is A big thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in the WW1 project taken – crucially, as a starting point, confirming who actually owns the so far; we have amassed a lovely collection of family stories, photographs buildings, and whether and how funds might be generated for the and personal items and the time has now come to begin collating all the renovation if the project was considered worth it. It is intended, as far as fascinating material and deciding on the next steps. The Project Steering we understand, that the issue will be on the agenda for the next MCC Group has taken the decision that we will therefore complete the data meeting. collection phase at the beginning of June, and we will be thinking then about collating and cataloguing all that has been collecting, and about making it accessible for the future. We are still happy to hear from you, of course, if Other news you have stories or items from the Great War that you would like to share with us.. Morningside Community Council : The next MCC meeting will be held Second World War project at the Open Door at 1930 on Wednesday 18 February, with the usual One of the reasons for the decision to draw the data collection phase of the confidential police surgery from 1900. The Council meeting will be held WW1 project to a close is that as 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the end on this occasion in the ground-floor café. of the Second World War this seems to be a good time to turn our attention to developing a Morningside-based project. We will have more news about What’s on in Edinburgh Libraries : February 2015 this at the March meeting. There are a selection of the events taking place across Edinburgh in February, including one that may be of particular interest to members – including our Convener! ‘Wild West’ Edinburgh, Morningside Edinburgh Tales: Edinburgh‘s golfing history There was some discussion at the Wednesday, February 18, 2015 from 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM January Morningside Community George Washington Browne Room Council (MCC) meeting about the Central Library, George IV Bridge ‘Wild West’ street, a collection of Find out about Edinburgh and Leith’s oldest golf societies - the first rules outlets for a furniture business of golf, the first golf competition and the oldest golf clubhouse. The established in 1995/6 by Michael speaker Neil Laird presents an informative insight into their origins. Neil is Faulkner (son of George Faulkner, a a member of the British Golf Collectors Society and developer of the former Prime Minister of Northern Scottish Golf History website. Ireland) in the yard behind what used to be the Springvalley Picture House. For further information on all the events, including how to book, visit The units were decorated in wild http://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/ email [email protected] or western style with authentic paint effects and signage, apparently by one of contact them on 0131 200 2000. the employees and his girlfriend who had worked on the construction of Euro

Morningside Heritage Association is a registered Scottish Charity number SC044409 Morningside Heritage Association is a registered Scottish Charity number SC044409