Reminiscences of Leith

Home , Charles Cowan, Leith Races, Leith Walk, Little France, Lord Provost

REMI N I SCE N CES

PO RT A N D T OW N O F L EI T H

R E J O H N M A T I N ,

A UT HO R OF RE MI N I SCEN CES O F T HE ROYA L B U RG H O F HA D D I N G T O N , ET C.

E D I N B U R G H

P R I N T E D FO R T HE A U T H O R

1 8 8 8

P R E F A C E .

HE Port an d Town of Leith present a ﬁeld

r st r tra r ich in hi o ical , ditional, and antiqua ian

s a old or — treasure . M ny auth s Maitland , o rs— to Kincaid , and the have handed down th e or of its s and e posterity hist y ri e, progress, trad importance .

1 82 s In 7, Mr Alexander Campbell publi hed what ever was valuable and interesting as collected from “ f r a o es r o ormer histo i ns, a v lume entitled Tal , T aditi ns,

t u s of t t e of e and An iq itie Lei h, wi h Notic s its Trad

e &c . and Commerc ,

D r . r 1 8 1 . of In 5 , D H Robe tson, a native Leith, “ s h is arc ha olo ic al r publi hed interesting g wo k, The f ” e o o &c . Sculptur d St nes Leith, “ 1 8 of In 5 3 , Mr William Hutchison , author Flying “ o u s s an d s of Sh ts, p bli hed Tale Tradition Leith, 1 86 o of its . with n tices antiquities In 5 , Mr Charles

o o r u ed a n ew and r s Drumm nd , b okselle , p blish evi ed ’ o edition of H utchis n s work . The following pages are humbly submitted to the

f u public, in the hope that they may be o nd readable and interesting.

1 L ENG YL E ERRA CE 3 G T , H 1 ED I NB U RG , 888.

C O N T E N T S .

T HE SHORE

SHI PPI N G

OLD MERCHANTS

GRAIN I MPORTS NOTED CHARACTERS

L EITH N O B ILITY

CELEB RATED MEN

TRADE O F L EITH IN 1 8 14

L EITH WALK

L EITH STAG ES AND B OWED J OSEPH ” LEITH RACES WINE TRADE

OLD L oc A L I T I Es ODD CHARACTERS

OLD PLACES O F B USINESS

THE VA UL T s

A RETROSPECT

CHRONOLOG ICAL N OTICES

T H E S H O R E .

HEN a person in the present d ay walks along

i r of h e a but the Quay or Sho e Leith, c nnot f be struck with the absence o vessels. Ifhalf

a - e or so are doz n lying along the quayside,

f th e of th e a to r rom top Co lhill the lowe drawbridge, it is e an xception to the ordinary state of matte rs . Such w as as ma e not the c e long ago . It y be int resting at the present day to note some particulars of Leith ﬁfty to ar a o an d s e s or es sixty ye s g , om t i connected with the 1 826 e afte a town in and som years rw rds, which came e o of und r the n tice the writer. For a very long period of years before 1 82 6 th e Shore of Leith was the

a for i r es s princip l quay d scha ging and loading v sel ,

s c s rs . w as e pe ially coa te The new dock, as it then 1 8 6 oa 0 . called, was only ﬁnished in The C lhill, as its

m r r name i ports, was the quay whe e coal ca goes were

u . discharged . Between the pper drawbridge and the

on e th e e s an d u s lower , N wca tle H ll trader , the three o o e s L nd n compani s, and the Inverne s one had their

an d re u - berths . The Glasgow G enock t g boats lay on

s e . T h e th e Fidelit the north id Lerwick trader, y,

o u - r a A im ed a st ut, trig, f ll igged schooner (C ptain ), us ’ lie th e r s of to on no th ide the Coalhill, next to Innes s shipbuilding yard . A busy place the Shore of Leith A 2 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

was in those days on the arrival a n d departure of the

r an d London and othe smacks. The London Leith

o w as r Old Shipping C mpany, which o iginally a

e w one w as sferr th e B r ick , tran ed to Leith in beginning of the e u o m o c nt ry. L ng ago the goods fro Lond n to

&c . r ar e r m a o s Leith, , we e c t d f o Berwick by w gg n with

or fou se s r or ran f om three r hor s in a t ing, t shipped r

e raf m s Berwick to L ith in small c t, which u t have made the charges on them for freight and carriage very

s t an d th e s e e co ly, long tran it v ry inconveni nt to m r a s e sea t s e ch nt . P rsons going to London by in ho e days had to go to Berwick and take shipping there in

th e er w s a r s B ick m cks . The Be wick shipma ters and their d escendants long continued to navigate the s s of T h e ve sel th e Old Shipping C ompany. Berwick

am of esbitt r o s r w n es N , C abb, J hn ton, Cha ters, Cro ,

&c . ere ma s n . , w long know in Leith The s ck were

ou - u s 1 8 s e st t b ilt hips of 1 40 to 0 tons regi t r, able to

s e tand v ry heavy seas . They had a tall thick mast

a u - out r e e with heavy r nning bowsp it, and a v ry larg a s e ma a sa s fa m in ail . Th y de quick p s ge with a ir wind, bu t were sometimes two to three weeks on the pass age

e ar of wh n contr y winds blew. Six to nine them have been known to have come into the harbou r on a change of o e th e wind in n tide. During war times they were

ar e si x 1 8 - o s well m d, and carried pound carr nade and

o - ou s tw 4 p nd gun . ’ It is recorded that th e Old Shipping Company s smack the Queen C/za rl otte (Captain Nesbitt) w as once

a e r r of f att ck d by a F ench p ivateer, ourteen guns, r u betwi x t C omar and the Sp rn . Captain Nesbitt and his r r s c ew, aided by his passenge s, tood bravely and fu c man lly to their guns, and gave the Frenchman su h a THE SHORE . 3

r e o a w as o e to e off wa m rec pti n th t he blig d she r .

a n f r er C ptain Nesbitt an d o e o the c ew w e wounded. o a o t th e r The Old Shipping C mp ny, al ng wi h unde s e s of o s on o s e writer and own r go d b ard, pre ent d

es u u e s s Captain N bitt with one h ndred , g in a , be ides making allowances to the crew proportionally liberal

f r u u u f th e o their gallant cond ct . A partic lar acco nt o ’ ’ privateer s attack i s given in th e E d zn bu rg /z Weekly

ournal of 2 th u 1 80 . a o r a j 5 J ly 4 Captain D vid G u l y, o of L ad Forbes on e of l ng captain the y , William ’ ﬂ e of a e a Sibbald Co . s et West Indi m n which s iled f e w as for of rs a a e of th e rom L ith, a period yea m n g r

a u ﬁ n e - Old Shipping Comp ny. He was a sto t, looking

s an d sma s s man, harp active, and kept the ck in the be t f s o . a s order and ailing trim On sailing d y , Tuesdays

a s t e th e s . and Frid y , he was all ac ivity g tting hips away

eo e s o a e Old p ple in L ith will till rec llect him . L rg e s fr L ochrin an d o r s i r e quantiti s of whi ky om the di t lle i s,

s of u r a s as well as lot Edinb gh and Leith ales, were alw y h ad o e shipped . All the London smacks go d a com m d ation for s of o passenger , a considerable number

o e . e of wh m w nt each trip The sev nth Earl Wemyss,

for a n e t r a es many ye rs, went in Ju wi h his car i g and servants and returned home by the Old Shipping m of n ew s f Co pany, who named one their hips a ter him .

r for a a Some passenge s did not care a quick p ss ge.

of f- m s f o A story is told a hal pay pay a ter, hailing r m

u o e the east co ntry, who went to L ndon now and th n .

as e sea- s s a He w n ver ick, and u ed to tell the c ptain not

u of for of to h rry on account him, he had plenty time on e o his hand, and njoyed the g od living and viands on

board which the company provided . In those days convicts were shipped to London by 4 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

s for th e the smack hulks and the penal settlements.

was s rr fu s see to rt of It a o ow l ight to twenty thi y them,

both men and women, put on board, chained and

m o e re r f m anacled t geth r. They we b ought down ro

es Edinburgh in hackney coach , which came down the Kirk ate o g and the Tolb oth Wynd . The Old Shipping Company in 1 82 8 had seven smacks which were named D uke o B uccl euc/z E ar l o Wem ss Si r Will ia m the f , f y , ' Wall ace Wal ter Scott Ocean L ora Welli n ton and , , , g , L ord Mel vill e. They had a broad streak of white paint “ ” e e e e rs . on th ir sid s, and w r called the White Side The berth and ofﬁces of those vessels were exactly at

f o of u e r e the o t Q e n St e t . ’ The London and Edinburgh Shipping Company s smacks lay immediately below th e Old Shipping ’

o . Company s . R bert Bruce was manager They had

1 82 8 s e sse s— R o al Sover ei n Ea rl in al o s ven ve l the y g , o Ho etoun Rober t B r uce Fa vour i te Su er b T r ust f p , , , p , y, P a nd il ot. s es r They had red id , and we e called the “ ” e s r Red Sid r . The London, Leith, Edinbu gh, and Glasgow Shipping Company had their berth above the lower drawbridge ; formerly it was on the north side s — below the upper bridge. They had nine ve sels the ' A bercrorn b E a i nbur /z Ca tl e Venus Matckl ess Cz ar y, g s , , , P u l uck er tk E a l e Haw k B cc e . , g , , and They had green ”

e . Cz ar sides, and were called the Green Sid rs The

' w s eacliﬂ o as of (Captain Smith) as lo t on S r cks, e t erw m u North B ick, in a stor y night (Febr ary r when most of the crew and passengers were d owned .

ssr e Me s Ogilvi and Crichton were managers. The Glasgow and Greenock tug - boats of sixty to seventy s l be ton , which went through the Union Canal, a so

e . z longed to th m Thomas Men ies, a respectable and THE SHORE . 5

w as e for . o decent man, long h ad clerk them Fr m 1 83 5 to 1 840 the old Le ith and London smack companies had to encoun ter a strong opposition in

e th e e s of h &c . th ir trade from brew r Edinburg , , dis

rs e ufa &c tille and gunpowd r man cturers, . The smack companies were not disposed to bring their empty s s f or e ca k rom London, to carry gunpowd r and ex

os s w e e o e e pl ive , as they re und r c ntract to Gov rnm nt to

rr o e se ss . ca y c nvicts, and th y adverti d to carry pa engers

r f ur B ewers, distillers, and gunpowder manu act ers were

thus put to much inconvenience. Under the man agement of th e late Mr James Wishart

of e of - sa the Timber Bush, a ﬂe t six quick iling and

e - e s an d c o ut w ll quipped brig s h oners was p on , and continued trading from Leith to London and back

1 8 0 w u t fo until 4 , hen steam p rth its powerful arms and all e f h e u knocked sailing vess ls out o t trade. D ring the existence of this opposition ﬂeet no casu alty e s happen d to ships or crew . a old r h Mr J mes Wishart, an espectable Leith merc ant, w as f of chie owner and manager the Newcastle traders.

. w as a H s s Mr A . B Mabon m nager of the ull ves el . e e a to f 1 826 an St am rs to London beg n sail be ore , d in a few years the old renowned Leith and London

s f e of smack elt the chang times . The three companies an d s off had to be given up, their sailing vessel sold .

. . . ow for The L L E and Glasg Company, however, some time carried on the ir trade with steamers in

conjunction with th eir smacks. The present well

cond u cted and appointed steam - ships which sail from is th e r the Victoria Dock are, it believed, prope ty and successors of th e O ld London and Edinburgh smack

companies. 6 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

Below th e und er drawbridge sundry trading vessels

be s h ar oa e a d fe - used to di c ged and l d d, n at the rry boat

‘ a rs f ss u a st i the Fi e pa age l ggers lay, bringing over c ttle,

ee s ers fr r sh p, goods, and pas eng om Kinghorn, Ki kcaldy,

- &c . er e a u Dysart, They w e excell nt sea bo ts, and co ld

a u a u e es st nd ro gh weather well, ltho gh they w re sometim o as far h e s r is of bl wn down as t Bas . A good sto y told a Highland drover who w as crossing with h is cattle from

on e . e w as sea Kinghorn day Th re a rough on , and he

ot mu afra for se f g very ch id him l and his cattle. The

r l to u e u c ew to d him keep q i t and tr st to Providence. e I f was a s Donald repli d, I once ashore with my be stie , I ’ l ” l never trust to Providence or your boat again . The ” h r - e o D eadlie old a bour mast r Wils n, called , was an

m s his i portant per on in his own eyes, and gave orders to shipmasters roaring through a brass trumpet in ve ry

u B ut peremptory lang age. he was a good kind of body f e a ter all, although he did not like to be cross d . Idle fellows of boatmen used to congregate at the

r - for a fer y boat stairs, waiting ch nces of taking people out to the roads or for a pleasu re sail . A big coarse man who went by the name of Big Bob was one of w as for them, and constantly on the watch a job and a ” f e . do, as will be s en from the ollowing incident One ﬁn e s u ummer night two yo ng men , apprentices in a

r me cantile house, were taking a walk down the stone

r w as and pie ; the tide rapidly coming in, the Black

Rocks would soon be covered with water. They saw what appeared to them to be severa l persons running backwards and forwards on the rocks as if making for ass th e signals istance. Impressed with benevolent of f o r object saving them r m being drowned, they an to of r Big Bob and told him their fea s. In a minute THE SHORE . 7

’ they were in the fellow s boat with him and another We er man . He often roared out, are rowing v y quick, ” e d and will soon save them . When the rocks were r ache th e ou t to be objects soon disappeared, and turned large a h se ls w ich had been playing and romping on the rocks .

T h e s e ou e as ra cal knew well n gh what they w re, he

f a s o u f of a terw rd t ld , and la ghed in the aces the two s He em s for imple apprentices . d anded ten shilling h is s o men hire , which was re isted , but the two y ung h ad o s s to pay him tw hillings and Sixpence each . Thi is s a specimen of the Leith boatmen of those day . S H I PPI N G .

1 8 2 ROM the en d of last centu ry down to 4 .

or ea s - s s ea f ther bout , whale hip went y rly rom Leith to Greenland and D avis Strait whal e s n e e u ﬁ hing. Whe th y came hom b mper

fre ue esu of su sf full as they q ntly did, the r lt a cces ul ou ﬁshing, they br ght much wealth into the port. The owner of most of them w as the old respectable ﬁrm of s e e Peter and Chri topher Wood . In olden tim s th re

th e R o al B oun T Izomas and A n n th e R a i t/z were y ty, the , , D ex te h e Will i m a nd A n n a e e s r i a . the ty, t In l t r y ar

B a n N ar tb Pol e Pr i nce o Or a n e Ul vers ton . the ﬁ , , f g ,

The Willi a m a nd A nn was a remarkable ship. She

u 1 me s em was b ilt in 7 5 9 by Govern nt, had a pink t , f the fashion o that time . We ﬁnd her on e of th e

e 1 80 u to Leith ﬂ et in 3 , and she contin ed to go the

u 1 8 2 u w as s . ﬁshing p to 4 , or thereabo ts, when she lo t

Sh e u s h f ou h . m t have been, t ere ore, ab t eig ty years old f h e u o . e . S must have be n b ilt grand timber P C . Wood boiled the blubber in their premises at the

m s u u Ti ber B u h. The bl bber was bro ght home in

h - u o fro eavy iron bo nd casks, which were h isted m the o s s an d h ld of the vessels lying in the Old Dock ,

e e o oa s s s low r d int b t , then rowed round to the and , n o a f w Tower Street, and taken in at the b ck doors o SHIPPING. 9

- u o the boiling ho se. For some weeks a str ng, pungent, e was oily smell pervaded . the whole of L ith, which ’ ” - s called the Woods Scent bottle. There were al o f e e e our oth r whal rs owned in Leith, but which w nt ’ u es oil e e p to Bo n s to boil their , and th y lay th re th e h th e Success during winter. T ey were (Captain R attler Horncas tl e a e Thomson), the , and (the man g r of h e h t ese thr e ships was Mr Arc ibald Thomson,

r Yardh ead s u no o me chant in the ), and the j (bel nging 8: Co. . to John Hall , Edinburgh) e f e Co . o Georg Young , a later dat , owned the

Will ia m You n r d g and Cl a en on . s sa e h r e The whaler generally il d in Marc , and ar iv d home in October or November from D avis Strait ; if e they went only to Greenland they arrived soon r. h of 00 00 o s T ey were all biggish ships, 3 to 4 t n r e s f egister. Th ir bows were trongly ortiﬁed to pro e m f o h e e e s of f o te t the r m t ice. They carri d cr w r m f f h o orty to ﬁ ty men eac , and were provided with y ung surgeons.

a s er s a e Prestonp n , Cockenzie, and oth ﬁ hing vill g s

o s fu h u of on the c a t, yearly rnished t eir q ota active m en er w u a s . e , who w e ell acq inted with the ﬁ hing Th y

ar &c . T h e d a also emb ked men at Lerwick, sailing y of th e wh alers from Leith h arbour w as always a great

n fu event ; crowd s lin ed the quays and pier. Bei g ll

e a fu u e rigged , w ll m nned, and lly eq ipp d for their e p rilous voyage, they made a splendid appearance in f f clearing out o the harbou r. Many o them were lost an d h f e n ew in the ice, althoug o t n replaced by ships, the

e a o of s trade dwindl d away on cc unt bad ﬁ hing seasons, n ow n e e to and not a si gle whal r b longs Leith . The

a u 1 8 2 l st season of them may have been abo t 4 . I 0 REMI N I SCEN CES O F LEITH .

old of The ﬁrm William Sibbald Co . were long in

es su ru m e the W t India gar and trad . They owned the I sabella Sim son th e L ad For be p , y s (Captain Gourlay), '

R oselle L une &c . e oﬂI c e Kirk ate the , , Th ir was in the g , “ ’ e th e - e i n ar Loche nd water pip s . S bbald s Bond in s i e the dock s still known . Th y had to give up business o o 1 826 s mewhere ab ut .

The Australian Company was a public joint- stock a f m 1 82 2 s of comp ny, or ed in , and establi hed by Act f Parliament in 1 824. Many o the principal merchants ' u e h ad S s I t trad d in Edinb rgh and L ith hare in it . e

e chieﬂy with Sydney, carrying pass ngers and goods, and exported m erchandise of all kinds on its own

a an d ou to &c . ccount, br ght home produce London, — They h ad four ships of large tonnage th e T ri ton th e G reenock (Captain Crerar), (Captain Miller), the Por tl and i t o Edi nbur k (Captain Mood), and the C y f g ‘ 8 MKell ar n 1 8 . (Captain ), sold in Londo in 3 The oﬂi ce was on th e north Side of th e upper drawbridge.

Mr Robe rt Brown was manager for many years . Being

- s m an of s accounted a very hrewd bu iness, he was ” s o is called th e hor e of kn wledge. The company a for understood to h ve been prosperous some years,

a of of but on ccount losses and depreciation stock,

&c . u . , had to be wound p and the ships sold s as she h as Leith had alway a large trade, yet, with &c a e . the Baltic, Denm rk, Norway, Sweden, Archang l, Many of the old ships engaged in them are still re r th e Ma membered . The e was ry (Ritchie, master), the B arossa th e D a da/us (belonging to Mr Hay), the ,

e s I nt gr i ty (Captain John Wi hart), a stout trig brig the i ence ane and Mar a D il g (Captain Kirk), j y (C ptain

t . Smi h), and many others

I 2 OF L REMINISCENCES EITH .

There were regular traders to Liverpool by the

Carron Company, and to Aberdeen, Wick, Helmsdale, r &c Thurso, Kirkwall, Le wick, . The ﬁrst vessel that ever left Leith for Calcutta or w as of 1 0 1 0 India a small brig 4 or 5 tons register, L ouisa a called the , commanded by C ptain Mackie, 1 82 8 about the year . She w as owned by Mr Alex a r for h nder B odie, agent the Bank of Scotland at Leit , h s s and others . S e was load ed mostly with wine in ca e &c s fe u and casks, . She arrived a in Leith Docks abo t m a o c t su twelve onths after with a c rg of rice, ot on, gar, c w & . It as thought a perilou s adventure in those days for such a small vessel to proceed on so long a voyage. Captain Mackie was m uch complimented on h is safe o arrival h me. The Leith shipbuilders did a large business in old

z . times . Robert Men ies Co was an extensive and

- well known ﬁrm , and built many ﬁne ships in its day, of l which traded to all parts the wor d. The ships it built were of the kind the poet Longfellow describes in his poem of The B u ilding of the Ship z

u l me stra t O w ort master B i d igh , hy , S aunc and stron a oodl vessel t h g, g y , a s all l u at all saster Th t h a gh di , v nd rl n A nd with wa e a whi wi d wrestle .

’ Sime 8c Ran ken s building yard was opposite

u - u d r o the C stom Ho se, now built on, but their y d ck u for still remains. During the war Mr Sime b ilt

Government the Fox frigate and other war ships. 1 826 r a A rcturus In a la ge West Indi man, named the , ai was built by Sime Ranken . Her capt n w as ’ I sabell a Sim son one Sibbald s Fraser, late of p , of ships. was a Her ﬁrst voyage to J maica. 1 SHIPPING . 3

’ o s Messrs Morton C . yard was where the North Briti sh Railway now runs below and on th e north side of e e the Junction Bridg . Th y built many good ships e o of th e there . They were the inv nt rs patent slip for hau ling up vess els for repair instead of placing — them in a dry dock a most usefu l invention . Messrs Lachlan Rose Son had their premises above the upper drawbridge, which are still in ex i sten ce . Mr Anderson ’s yard w as on the side of the Water of a ff w a o Leith, bove the Sheri Brae, here H wth rn ’ o s ﬁ i in u C . n eer o s n o 1 82 e g g w rk are w . In 7 he b ilt one of the largest wooden ships that w as ever up

o o to that time built in Leith . She was sold t L ndon

rs an d w as Gl a dstones . and Liverpool owne , called the

o u Cul loden a e s ou for He als b ilt the , a l rg t t brig,

a e e a o rs . Capt in William L yd n , and m ny the The lau nching of ships in Leith long ago w as no r e a e e r of ordina y event. Th y attr ct d larg c owds wit

ss s u e o o ne e , and m ch r j icing took place when the go d a s th e ship, decorated with ﬂ gs, slipped ea ily down greased ways into her native element ; a crowd of h er fro an d men and boys on her deck swung to and , ch ristened her sides well with a good wash of salt r wate : of was s ur The old stone pier Leith a strong truct e .

f u r of e f It was long ago a avo ite walk old L ith olk . ’ m s m Al o t every orning, betwixt nine and ten o clock, a o o there might be seen, mong others, Th mas Jamies n , of s of Jamieson Auld Jame White, Adam White

Co. f un . u o ; Robert Strong, j ; John H tton , the Reoch of ar o a o Rope Work ; James , Ch les C w n C . ; r of &c . Pat ick Hodge, , taking their walk to the end the I F 4 REMINISCENCES O LEITH .

pier and back again before they went to business .

’ en d of th e e w as the h h e At the pi r lig thouse, w er Signals an d ﬂags were hoisted to d enote the depth

of w ater for ships coming into the harbour and docks .

From th e Tower a light w as shown at night. An addition to th e length of th e pier was ﬁrst made in 1 82 8 or 1 8 29 by an extens ion formed on wooden piles

r v h e sa a n ve h as u d i en into t nd d gra l . It been m ch

r f r s s . es e o extended ince The W t Pi , med ome years is th e a e of e t a o . g , now princip l pi r L i h The contractor

old en e a t eson a e - his was K n th M hi , w ll known man in d ay. s of e t is h o n ow The old tone pier L i h ardly kn wn , having been c ut across to make th e entrance into the

but r of old - u Albert Dock, a pa t the light ho se still remains . M O L D E R C H A N T S .

H E recollection of th e names of many old Leith hous es n ot now in existence must at few th e present time be conﬁned to a very .

Among th e grain - merchants may be men

u s tion ed the old respectable ho se of Grindley, Cowan , 8: M lnc 8: o. eo Co C ; John Dudg n . ; Begbie y ; e o Shirreff Elliot, Biggar, Rob rts n ; James William

8: Co. a e a s Co . Goddart ; M xw ll, M r hall , ; George

8: o. t s . o Goodlet C , and o her Am ng the general mer

a s e o 8: Co . ch nt were Corb t, B rthwick, ; Ramsay,

8: Co . a es Pill an s 8: Co. Williamson, ; J m ; Adam

8: o s 8: . o White C . ; John Wat on ; Peter C Wo d ;

- t 8: Co. tea William Thorburn , merchants ; Rober

h . s s s c a 8: . 8: S w Co ; W. J Ain lie ; the Cas ell and ou 8: Scougalls George Dunlop 8: Co. ; George Y ng f &c . ous e s o Co. e o s t , P rhaps the lde t h es y in exi tence, n u th e old s r s e a good sta ding nder name , are the e p ct ble of 8: a ones James Wishart Co. ; Scott Allan ; J mes

8: . . . r 8: Co. . Bell Co J A Bert am , with others m Es of f Ada White, q. Fens, ounder of the old well

8: Co. known house of Adam White , was long a well m n s known a in his day in Leith, and a capital pecimen of r an active, clever, sh ewd, and prosperous merchant . was f ff s He a native o Gi ord, in Ea t Lothian, and came 1 6 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

so e u 1 80 w as s to Leith m where abo t 7 . The ﬁrm at ﬁr t

as 8: h t th e e and Fr er W i e, and was then in coop r

- ss herring curing busine .

r 1 th e u In the yea 797, year of the m tiny at the Nore, Mr White m ust have been a man of considerable fo means, as the llowing circu mstan ce and speculation h s s ow . which he with delight used to relate to the u men of his f yo ng o ﬁce. The country at that time

was s saffe f in a bad tate . Di ction, omented by the

o u o s s th e French Rev l ti nary principle , again t King and o er e e r u re e er rs G v nm nt, v y m ch p vail d . Ev y pe on

a os v ou r as o to o lm t belie ed that the c nt y w g ing p t.

o s f as l o ﬁ t - ﬁf - w as f t . Cons l ell y six to y nine Mr White, o h is f a al ng with riend, Mr Willi m Thorburn , tea

a o e as u on ou and merch nt, c ll cted m ch m ey as they c ld, bought consol stock to a considerable amount at a low u r f e th ff e s r o ﬁg e. A t r e mutinous an d disa ect d pi it f the

w as ut u e ess o country p down, and q i tn and c nﬁdence w as o s an d er s o os rest red, con ols oth Government t ck r e a to e orb s r pidly over 90. Mr Whit and Mr Th urn old out an d a e of o e for u , m d a great deal m ney by th ir t nate

at specul ion . am t for o Ad Whi e Co. a l ng period traded

s e t r r— - s a r exten iv ly in a an d butte sheep me ring mate ials. They were well known to all north and south stock s i farmers and graziers far and wid e . A good tory s told of a south country hill - farmer accosting Mr White th e s e on e d a as if h e o in tr et y, and king him c uld tell ” him where an e Yeddie White stopped that sold the

u r b tter and ta . Mr White told him to come along

th e u oﬂi c e with him to top of Q een Street, where the

w as out for . , and he would soon ﬁnd him him A good w as to u order soon given by, and booked the b yer, OLD MERCHANTS. I 7 who w as an extensive sheep - farmer in D u mfriesshire

r e of a Mr Ca lyl W terbeck . Mr White w as a most active business man ; he w as very frequently at the ofﬁ ce before breakfast and n r to opened the mor ing lette s, and back again at night ans e m He ro a w r the . w te a strong ﬁrm h nd with a as s pen as hard a tick . m a e r a s ee When ny L ith me ch nts were a l p , Mr White could be often seen in a morning running through ’ h e - u ers ar s o a h is fo rring c r y d , acc mp nied by old reman,

as s t of e r o er Sandy M on , in pec ing parcels h r ings and th e a se ma r h ses of e for m rch ndi , and king pu c a th m ship me nt. Mr White w as long a sharehold er and director of the old e a om a offi w as L ith B nking C p ny, whose ce in

er t ee n ow o u a a B nard S r t, cc pied by the N tional B nk. His name is fou nd in th e list of directors as far back 1 1 He w as a so on e of o s as 8 5 . l the riginal hareholders of r a a an d a d e o for the Comme ci l B nk, ir ct r many years ,

of his us and up to the day death . He ed to call it He a O u r a . B nk , long with Mr Wyld, was employed

a a e t u ou to m n ge the L i h Branch disco nts and acc nts, along with th e agent. He w as to be s een almost every day walking qu ickly u e a an u e r p L ith W lk, with mbr lla unde his arm, and

' th e s e s - o s beating low L ith tage c ache , on his way to ofﬁ e of th e e c the head c Comm r ial Bank, in the High H as s e u r . e w Stre t, Edinb gh al o a director in many a e of e of the shipping comp ni s L ith. The Leith and m a u . . H ll Shipping Co p ny (A B Mabon, manager) on e of e r sh s f — A da m W/z te ‘ named th i ip a ter him the i . Mr White w as a c ontemporary of the late Sir John

a s e of Pas ue efo to Gl d ton q , b re he went Liverpool . B 1 8 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

e s o e us Wh n in Leith, Sir John, then Mr Glad t n , ed to

a for th e f e u e ee c ll Mr White at o ﬁc at Q e n Str t, when

fr a o s they had a iendly chat b ut old time . Mr White w as a s o s lways a tr ng Liberal . He was the ﬁr t elected

r v s of u u s P o o t Leith, under the new M nicipal B rgh Act of 1 8 34.

His r a w as su r e for s po tr it, which publicly bsc ib d , hang

of a in the Hall the Leith Municip l Buildings, and is a s ff o o of good likenes . He was o ered the h n ur knight o th e ra of ho d by Libe l Government the day, which he fu 1 3 t 1 8 re sed . Mr White died 3 December 43 , aged

- ee He u e o u . eighty thr . was b ri d in S uth Leith ch rchyard There were a great many old well - known c haracters e o a o su o in L ith l ng g , ch as Cripple Cree, Peter H dge, ar e u u a Ch li M rray, John R ssell, W. Bruce, W lter a o e f e w as Bl ckie, J hn V itch o Woodsid , who called

u 8:c r Corky, or Co nt de Bung, . They we e all more or s less great cronie . Cripple C ree used to go up to Edinburgh every f oo an d a th e a tern n , w lk down in evening pretty well ” f e met rec fro to live. He o t n with a cold eption m his

er w a o at his sist hen he rrived home at a late h ur, ous u r Hot f h e in Constit tion St eet . words o ten passed

. us and between them He ed to open the door, , “ ” his ﬂinging in hat, cry out, Peace or War ! When

his s e h at si ter pick d up his , it was a sign of peace ; sh e it was when gave a kick , war proclaimed . was Corkie Veitch a little tattling body, and was his s never much liked by acquaintance . W of hen he got hold of an idle or ill report any one, it w as s e t oon proclaim d hrough the town, and enlarged of his f u pon . Some riends whom he had annoyed a

good deal by idle tattle, played a trick on him, by

G R A I I MPO R T S .

HERE was always an extens ive busmess carried on in Leith with the Baltic an d

s o ts . a of i e Dani h p r Gr in all k nds, timb r,

a &c . ere ﬂax, t llow, , w imported to a great

a o is th e as et r a s yearly m unt, as c e y . Young me ch nt cannot now know th e nat ure of the grain trade d u ring

a of old r o f er the d ys the Co n Laws, not to g arth back

e u than the time of the Sliding Scal D ty Bill, which am r 1 2 8 c e into ope ation in 8 . The object of the n ew C orn Bill w as to regu l ate the importation of foreign ai an d at m me to aff an e e gr n, the sa e ti ord ad quat pro tection to domestic agriculture on principles which it w as hoped would prove advantageous to all cl asses of on r f the community. It proceeded the p inciple o th e

er r es of ff r weekly av age p ic grain, in so many di e ent market towns in England ris ing and falling ; these

ut a of o w as s u being p together, an aver ge the wh le tr ck, which rul ed the weekly d uty on grain imported from a a of oo e foreign parts. A gre t de l c king and sch ming was understood to have been carried on by interested a e a s parties in raising the v r ge . When the average

r e w as 5 . s . r. was price of ba l y 3 3 to 34 per q , the duty A n d in of 2 d r . 1 3 . 4 . per q respect every integral 2 I GRAIN IMPORTS .

su s d s u shilling, by which ch price houl be 3 3 . , such d ty

e a e d . ou S 1 5 . 6 s hould be d cre s d by , until uch price sh ld

. 5. 1 5 er . e 1 u w as 1 be 4 p qr At or abov 4 5 . the d ty per

s n u s qr. Under 3 3 . , and not u der the d ty ro e to

1 5 . l d 3 o . 2 d s and n 26s . 5 . . Oats 5 , u der , the duty was 9 3 At or f 1 5 . e 1 5 above 3 the d uty ll to .

a e e a a r w as 625 . an d Whe t, wh nev r the ver ge p ice

6 . 1 5 d s s w as 8 . under 3 , the duty £ , 4 . ; every hilling e 625 6 s e u r e abov . or 3 . d creased the d ty until the p ic

a s u w as 1 5 . er . o re ched 73 . , when the d ty p qr nly.

an d u w as 1 5 . 8d Under not under the d ty £ , 5 . The duty on grain imported from a Briti sh possession

was at a m ss a . charged uch le r te, viz

e 6 o es 6 r s 25 . d . d . . Barley, high t duty, l w t, per q 6d o d o. 2 5 . 0d . . . d Oats, , ; do , .

d o. 6 d o d 5 d d . . o. 0 . Wheat, , 5 . ,

s s of r Large tock grain , p incipally wheat, which f ass f one a e requently p ed rom hand to nother, were k pt i n u o for o d bond, nder l ck and key, l ng perio s, ten to

s s f o r u twelve year sometime , until avourable ppo t nities

s fr u t aro e to have them cleared om bond at a low d y. Corn - merchants and speculators who held large stocks r the of s em we e in months July, Augu t, and Sept ber e s t a o s e extremely s n i ive, nxi u , and fev rish about the t of o e s of sta e the weather and the pr sp ct the new crop. of so of Many stories can be told me them . s Shirreff er e us to Jame , who lived in B nard Stre t, ed

of ea e an d hold a deal wh t, and oft n anxiously waited , s wished for a rise in price. It i told of him that one e of us we k, about the beginning Aug t, he had made up

a u f his mind th t rain wo ld all in torrents. Sitting in his chair one night (he was unmarried), he was extremely 2 2 REMIN ISCENCES OF LEITH .

o anxi us and restless ; he rang the bell frequently, and

inqu ired at his old housekeeper if the rain had come on . “ ’ ” “ ’ N o sir sh e ed it s yet, , repli , but I think not far

a a a h e way. Ag in and ag in rang the bell, and made

th e me th e ou e sa inquiry. At last h s keeper put on the

' s - o e Shirreﬂ hower bath in the h us , hearing which, old

a his e a a an d s if r ng b ll quickly g in , a ked it was rain “ ’ ’ ” e : i s an f u f . now. Oh y s t aw u po r o rain now He

t bed re o c but e wen to j i ing, on g tting up in the morning

th e s ee s n o e of he saw tr t dry, and vidence appeared the ’ ’ ” fo e s a f a rm r night w u r in. On questioning his house e r r e ed sir w a ke pe , she pli , Oh , I knew your y sae well, ’ and that ye cou ldna sl eep until ye heard the noise 0

- a weet. I just pulled the string of the shower b th to f s o a a u . make a noi e rain, and get ye w y to yo r bed s r is e e Another good to y r m mbered . Two grain merchants had a joint speculation in a quantity of

wheat. They were at South Leith Church one Sunday

o e o erts ffi e foreno n , wh n old Dr R b on o ciated . He pray d f r as o a e vently, was his w nt, that kind Providence u ﬁn e so r s f wo ld send weather, that the p eciou ruits of

r fe e and e the ea th might be sa ly gath red in, that ther be of a for man . might plenty gr in, both and beast The

com - er a of one m ch nt said to the other, in coming out “ r o e e s chu ch, J hn , this will n v r do. You mu t tell your father (Dr Robertson) he must not pray in this way ; for a a of mind , J ohn, you and I h ve a great de l wheat a an d d o on h nd, if prices not rise now, we will be ” ruined . The old Edinburgh bakers used to have large and

frequent dealings with th e Leith com - merchants in ﬁne s e Danzig and Rostock wheat , which in those days w re

all ground at the Water of Leith, Canon , and other 2 GRAIN IMPORTS. 3 m I f f e ills . the Leith olk were keen in g tting a good e ea h m price, the bakers wer equally keen in b ting t e down . is o A characteristic story told of Mr J hn Balfour, an

- extensive and respected old corn merchant in his day. He had been showing samples of wheat in the Grass t a e s an d e marke on W dne day, asking a pric which his c u e s th e ou stom r , bakers, w ld not give. During the ’ afternoon news came in that Monday s market in Mark

as 25 . 5 er s Lane w up to 3 . p qr. The baker went up to s the Cros , and ﬁnding Mr Balfour there, they said to “ Mr f u ou him, Bal o r, we will just take that wheat y ” ffe us own were o ring at your price. He replied, Ah, ” b 5 . ut . you will not get it now . I am 3 up now It ’ used to b e a common remark of Mr Balfour s that every heavy Shower before harvest w as worth a shilling

u rte of r c ss e re a q a r ise, whi h pa d into a cur nt remark in ”

t e s . Lei h in the grain trade, Ev ry shower a hilling

1 82 a and s u In 9, great d den rise in the price of wheat took place one Mond ay in Mark Lane market . The following great feat was performed in wheat trans s an f s action by East Lothian armer and peculator, John P han s . . a sie and Rennie, jun , of t Linton He was in a Mark L ne market the d ay the rise took place, and w as advised by Messrs Begbie 8: You ng to go down to

a s s o as ou an d Leith o n he c ld , secure, at a certain price, ea as much wh t as he could lay h is hands on . He

- started by the mail coach on the Monday night, which at that time did not arrive in Edinburgh until Wed nes

s r day night, and the letter we e not delivered until next f . s n f e o morning In pas i g the arm of Skat raw, east a f L ee Dunb r, he hailed his riend Mr Henry , riding, and

h e s n borrowing his horse, galloped on to Ea t Linto , 2 4 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

e he fr rs os - s at wh re got a esh ho e . He got a p t chai e d os e u to e . e Ha dington , and p t d very q ickly L ith Befor he went to bed he had secured a large qu antity of at i s f e e wheat the current pr ce O the day. Wh n n ws ofthe great ris e of wheat i n Lond on were made known next

n e u morning, the sellers to Mr Ren ie wer m ch chagrined by selling their wheat at many shillings be low the risen

r of s e f r u for p ice it . The tran actions w re o t nate ones

e l ed to fu e Mr Rennie at the time, but b ing on rth r

ar e a s ra &c . e u l ge sp cul tion in g in, cattle, , he ev nt ally s w a ruined . Fortunes were made and lost by th e old Leith corn

as are s merchants and speculators long ago, they to thi day. It is curious and interestin g at the present time to note the changes that have taken place in the corn ll trade since the Corn Laws were repealed . A the cargoes of grain were imported into Leith an d other

o e a e - s e sa esse s of places in m d r t iz d iling v l , which ten

a o a . r s eam r a m de long v y ges Now, la ge t e s bring in few s f f u a day rom the Baltic, and in ten to o rteen d ys f a s f r ou rom America, l rge cargoe o g ain and ﬂ r. Tele grams in a few hours trans mit and bring intelligence to and from the Continent and elsewhere of th e state of

e e f er s s the markets, wh r as orm ly weeks elapsed ometime before letters were received . The old ways of the corn trade in Leith and else are of s or where now matters hi t y. N O T E D C H A R A C T E R S .

MONG the noted characters who ﬂou rished in Leith s ixty years ago or more was a Mr s a a s John Gilchri t, jovi l soul and a thir ty se to bed af a e one, who ldom went , ter he c m fr i r of down om Ed nbu gh, until the small hours the

o f s n a m rning. He was o ten a ked how it happe ed th t a he , who came so often down Leith W lk, then noted

for es at u m o s a t . robberi nti ely h ur , was never t acked He s ! s o off an wered , Oh all the c undrels are to bed ” o n o es before I c me down . There was Forb Mackenzie e a law in those days . When the now xtinct R inbow Tavern in the new buildings on the North Bridge w as O s e ﬁrst pened , Gilchrist pre id d at the opening dinner. He received from the proprietor a silver pipe with the

h s . e inscription To Jo n Gilchri t, Esq , who bl w the ” f a ﬁrst cloud o smoke at the R inbow. w as a fa s e an d a r e of s He mous ing r, sou c plea ure to

- his nu merous friends . When the song Black eyed ” a and h e to Sus n came out became very popular, used s f r e s ing it with much o ce and taste. It b gin All in ” th e Downs the ﬂeet was moored . It is related of him that one night he w as in a hotel in Edinbu rgh and

- h went to bed in a double bedded room . During t e morning a gentleman entered to occupy the other bed 6 2 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

wh o an d a - had been at the theatre, heard Bl ck eyed

u a w as so e S s n sung. He nchanted with it that he

began to sing it to himself after he was in bed . This a e who bed aw ken d Gilchrist, starting from his , ex “ ‘ a me s - us cl i d , You are not inging Black eyed S an ” ou e right ; I will sing it to y corr ctly, which he did in r s e g eat tyle, standing in the middl of the ﬂoor with his

a e his s b r legs and with only hirt on , to the great delight of his bedroom companion and other occupan ts

of th e se r u . hotel, whom he had rou d f om their sl mbers Mr Gilchrist held some s upe rior ofﬁ ce in th e Custom

us and u of a of Ho e, tho gh a jovi l turn, was most s e re p ctable character. T h e collector of Customs in Leith sixty or seventy

‘ s a o er MN ir e year g was Rob t a , Esq . He liv d in a

a u th e Es . l rge ho se on Links . James Ure, q , was m o oﬂi ces Co ptr ller. The young men in knew them for for well, they had to get all warrants landing and

exporting goods signed by them . U re a r Mr signed his n me in such la ge, strong, and thick letters that it ﬁlled one third to one half of the

arra a r w nt p pe . They were both very gentlemanly in their manners to

r e youngste s. Some Leith p ople will still recollect two

of e L on room the cl rks in the g , James Peat and Gines e e son e in H nd r . James Peat ch cked the calculations

r the war ant papers . He was very fond of joking and w as punning in a quiet way. One day a clerk passing an entry for a parcel of onions from Bordeaux by

R i n dov e a vessel called the g e (Garden , master), P at “ ” e whisp red Onions grow in a Garden . The duty on

o o s w as 5 s e r ni n 3 . per bu h l . Another time in an ent y for hoofs of cattle imported from Sweden he said

2 8 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

Oh d o ye ken P th e taxman an d writer ! ’ Ye re we aff wh a ken n a n a out h im ava ll ethi g b , ’ e ca h im n s ector or oor - ates Co ector Th y I p , P R ll , ’ ‘ fa t I h e s w e en t in L . . C My i h ll k , P M . ’ He ca s an d h e comes a a n aws an d h e ums a a n , g i , h , h g i ’ ’ He s on ae an but it s a s u as twa ly h d, g id ; ’ ’ ’ He ﬁ n s oot an raxes an raws in th tax d e es, ’ ‘ ” A n ouc e th r m ! C s e s e s a e . p h ill h P M .

‘ e MCraw w as e e Pet r a very d cent respectabl man , and did not deserve to have been so roughly handled G ilﬁllan by . The Ettrick Shepherd in troduced one of his songs N octes A mbrosia na r 1 82 8 in the , No. 3 5 , Janua y , as ’ ‘ f o w ee s ollows St p a , and I ll ing you, Blue ’ a fa o f e Bonnets by ﬁne ll w, a reen o min in Leith . I ’ ” h im a w ad s at a N o promised th t I ing t ctes.

r te wr te tour st an d trave l er W i , i , i l ll u our a es an d w r te in oo or er Fi p y p g , i g d d r te wr te scr er an d r vell er W i , i , ibbl d i

Why leave such margin s ! come n earer th e border . n a aure e ﬂ utters aroun our ea M a y l l d ad, d y h d Man y a tome i s your memen to mori Come rom our arrets t en son s of th e u ll an d en f y g , h , q i p

- rite for sn uff s o s if ou w r te n ot for or . W h p , y i gl y ’ Come rom our rooms w ere th e fart n w c s urn n f y , h hi g i k b i g Come w t our ta es s ea t e a n ess or woe i h y l , p k h y gl d Come from your small - beer to vinegar turn ing C m r h e o an d h e ur un ﬂ ow o e whe e t P rt t B g dy . ’ — Fame s trump is sounding topic s aboun ding L eave t en eac Scr er our att c stor h , h ibbl , y high i y Cr t cs s a man a d a s ea of our oo and sa i i h ll y y p k y b k, y, ’ - —h He wrote for th e sn uff shop e wrote n ot for glory. r te wr te tour st an d traveller W i , i , i Fill up your pages an d write in good order ; r te wr te scr er an d r ve er W i , i , ibbl d i ll , uc mar n n r r Why leave s h gi s ! c ome ea er the borde . 2 NOTED CHARACTERS. 9

“ s e To which North replie , V ry well indeed . ” James . In 1 836 G ilﬁll an was appointed by the Grand Lodge

a to th e f for a of Scotl nd Grand Bard Cra t Scotl nd , and many a ” good song he indited and sung to the honour of f a His at the Cra t on high festival d ys. songs many ’ - e Burns birth day festivals were long w ll known . G ilﬁll an enjoyed the acquaintance an d friendship of

d . e e a to the Ettrick Shepher He d dicat d song him , which w as sung at a dinner given to him in Peebles in 1 8 fess r so August 34, when Pro o Wil n presided, being the las t public honour the Bard of Kilmeny received in o to his native land . He also wr te a Dirge his memory, w s us a which as publi hed to m ic by Finl y Dun. The ﬁrst stan za of it is thus

’ T h e ar of Ettr c s s en t n ow B d i k il , ar soun s ho more His loved h p d , ou s r e we t n its n otes are ea Th gh ca c hi k d d, ’ A nd all its tones are o er.

’ T h e eaf s not fa en t at ate w as reen l ll , h l g , en i n h is woodl an ower Wh d b , m st h is orest so tu es A id f li d , e sten o i o r W li ed t ts p we . The last stanza is thus

’ 0 more to sm mon Ya row B raes N g g r , O r c arm in Ettr c Vale h i k , ’ O r cheer the shepherd s humble hearth n With simple so g or tale. All mourn ul —all mournfull f ly y, ore h im sad a on We b l g, A n d laid h im in th e n a rrow house Where lives no voice of song

’ He was long clerk in a wine - merchant s ofﬁce in 1 8 Leith. In 37 he was appointed Collector of Poor 0 3 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

‘ s s es e r M ra 18 0 Rate , ucc sor to P te C w . He died in 5 ,

and w as u A n b ried in S outh Leith Churchyard . a f eleg nt monumental stone, erected by riends, marks his r g ave.

- m The Leith Saw Mills, im ediately above the junction of t for Bridge, on the Water Lei h, were a long period of years in the occu pation of the extensive ﬁrm of

f r o. a a Corbett, Borthwick, C , terw ds, as they are yet,

- e Co. e a s. of F rguson, Davidson, , timb r merch nt Timothy Bu rsta ll w as their manager and engineer in

n e man of the sawi g and v neer department . He was a r a no o din ry scientiﬁc knowledge and skill . For many years his mind w as engaged in trying to bring to per fection a e e locomotive ngin , to draw carriages along the

a or r public ro d , on ails . In 1 827 he had brought his engine to such a state of f t n s of for s o per ec io , that the trial it, everal times, al ng f r r r the Queens er y Road, were deemed ve y satisfacto y . I t ran fast and drew a carriage loaded with his friends m and acquaintances many ti es . his n Mr Burstall took engi e, which he named the n c at Perseverance, to Rainhill, near Ma hester, when, of o 1 82 the trial locom tives on 14th October 9, it took its place along with three others to compete for a priz e ff for t n e of 5 00 o ered the best cons ructed o . The engines were ’ Ericcs n s t Braithwaite and o Novel y. H k ’ “ ” Timothy ac w orth s Sans Pareil . ’ “ ” s Robert Stevenson Rocket. ’ m B urstall s Ti othy Perseverance.

To the Rocket was adjudged the prize as the best. ’ B urstall s f Mr engine, although not success ul in getting was of n e th e prize, much thought and comme d d. The 1 NOT ED CHARACTERS . 3 result was no dispafagement to h is scientiﬁc kn owledge an d skill. Mr Burstall may therefore be accounted as on e of th e celebrities at that time in Le ith in his profession of n engi eer and machinist. Y L E I T H N O B I L I T .

EW people in Leith or el sewhere now- a - days “ are acquainted with the expression The Y Leith Nobility. et true i t is that the expression w as neither a groundless nor a

sa r a on e. e a o e e e n ot ti ic l In L ith, long g , th re w r only th e a tat s of th e s of th e b u t of a es h bi ion noble land , M j ty

se f for of se th e u e - e e too u it l , Mary Gui , Q e n R g nt, k p h er res e e r h er e e c some re id nce in L ith du ing r g n y, whe a t w as fo o bou the year 1 549 . She ll wed thither by

a of s o s an d o rs n s of ar m ny the bi h p n ble pe o her p ty,

e th e arr a at e of 6000 re u ar e whil iv l L ith F nch a xili i s, ’ mma e e e a D E5 5 e 1 to aid co nd d by G n r l in 549, her a a st s a a e of re g in the Engli h, made Leith pl c g at

m ortan . arr ed e i p ce The French ﬂeet, when it iv in L ith

R a s e of w e - e s s t o d , consist d t nty two gall y and ixty o her s s hip . ’ T h e Queen - Regent s ﬁrst resid ence w as in Queen ee e se o e o Str t (h nce the name), in the premi s l ng b l nging

d u e m E s . an o to Ada White, q , of Fens, cc pi d by the of l old mercantile ﬁrm Adam White Co . Som e o d n e e f rs to pai ted c ilings wer , ﬁ ty to sixty yea ago, be see f s r ma see n in the lo t , and pe haps y be n yet. The ’ ses h e s adjacent premi , w ich were old Rob rt Neil on s c s ooperage, rebuilt by Jame Wishart, Esq. , were also LEITH NOB ILITY. 3 3

connected with her residence in Queen Street. In the present bu ildings the old respectable house of James

Wisha rt Sons have their offi ces and warehouses. She had a new residence afterwards built for her in

‘ Row a Rotten , now Water L ne, which was rebuilt in is ss e e Co . 1 8 . 75 by Me rs J H ddl , and known now by ’ ” f u the inscription on it as Mary o Guise s B ilding. A street near it is known to this day as Q uality Street . ’ u of Undo btedly where Mary Guise s court was, there e a old would courtiers congr g te . Many family mansions ’ s t rt were in it sixty to even y years ago . In Bell s Cou ,

a t r e Qu li y Lane, a la g one within a spacious yard yet

s f u remain , testi ying that it m st have been occupied by

of ua a family q lity.

u f r The n ortunate and last Lo d Balmerino , who was e ea e on 1 8 1 6 b h d d on Tower Hill, th August 74 , for

a a e t king part with Prince Ch rli , and who possessed R estal ri f er of an f g a t the last the Log s, had an old amily

e e of f r sid nce in Leith . The grounds it extended rom

o u o e r C nstit ti n Street wh re Cha lotte Street crosses, up to the Kirkgate ; the east wall in Coatﬁeld Lane s enclo ed the grounds . ar e 16 When Ch l s II . came to Scotland in 5 0 he a of e B almerin os lodged night with one the form r Lord ,

h i s o se. in h u Wm . Sibbald , Esq. , of Gladswood, long

the only West India merchant in Leith, was the last of th e a e occupier B lm rino House in a respectable style. Above the principal entrance is the ﬁgure of a ship in f a ull sail, cut in superior manner . The Duke of

Argyll h ad a mansion - house where Great Junction r St eet is now. The Marquis of Queensberry had a large house in the centre of Water Lane at the head of ’ a s all s W ter s Close, which still exists. It h a the mark C F REMINISCENCES O LEITH .

’ an d s em - f s tyle of a nobl an s dwelling place. Lo t which “ ” still remain are known as Douglas lofts . Lady ’ f s Fi e house stood on th e south s ide of the Links. It is not many years th at the grounds of it have been ’ e e s a s u is e cov r d with building . L dy Fife Mo nt w ll ’ o d a s r e kn wn to this y. It and the Giant B a were ’ ra ised by Cromwell s soldiers in 1650 for the planting ’ of e am cannon . Lord Forres ter s house was wh re Ad te m s s . for a Whi , Esq , lived ny years on the ea t ide of th e Links . ’ The Duke of Lennox s house was on the Coalhill .

is n ow e r It taken down, but bor all the appea ances of having been a stately building in its day. On the east gable of it there was a l arge ornamental carved o e o r r a e a rose st n , in go d p ese v tion, d corated with of the emblem of his conn ection with Henry VIII .

— s for o s England and a thi tle Sc tland . It is aid that th e e r a e Duke, when Reg nt, kept his court in Pa li m nt ” u e the e a o r Sq ar , now called P at Neuk. M ny the resid ences of the Scotch nobility are known to have s e in a o exi t d Leith long g . One hundred years elapsed ’ between the time of Mary of Guise s residence in Leith of om 1 6 0 and the occupation it by Cr well in 5 . He no u had o do bt a residence in Leith. General M nk, who ’ e u u s er cted the citadel nder Cromwell s instr ction , is said to have lived in a large house in Dock Street. The barracks for his soldiers were built on the site of

r - s the ancient chapel and bu ying ground of St Nichola , A f which w as taken possession of for the purpose. ter

es r . s o the r to ation, Charles II be t wed the citadel, which

e e s on au had b en ordered to be d moli hed , Lord L der w ho t dale, afterwards sold it to the Ci y of Edinburgh a for the l rge sum of £6000.

3 6 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH.

e James VI . arrived in L ith Roads, with his young on e n se of r I st Queen, of the Pri ces s No way, on May

1 0. six a on 59 He remained d ys board ship, because

Holyrood Palace was not rea dy to receive him.

The King and Queen landed on 6th May. They of of were received by a large retinue of nobles, ﬁcers “ e o &c . t Stat , L rds of Session, , with the whole hones ” men of Canon ate. is Edinburgh, Leith, and g It narrated that the King h ad particular reason to

u h is f o on congrat late himself on sa e arrival on this ccasi , as he h ad been sorely beset during his voyage with the incan tation of witches who had frequently threatened s him with hipwreck. Thes e alleged horrible and treasonable facts came ft ar to light some time a er the rival of the King, on the examination of certain old women accused of being in a an r f comp ct with the devil . They d othe un ortu nates were tortured to declare on their trial that the King would never have come safely to land had not h is royal f e aith prevailed over their cantrips, which wer per f r on c ns o med, that oc asion, by mea of a christened cat . The most important event which Leith h ad seen f S o u . w ince the landing Q een Mary and James VI , as v the isit of George IV. to Scotland . The royal ‘ th squadron, with the King, arrived in Leith Roads on e

1 4th d ay of August 1 82 2 . The excitement of the e a mom nt was great, and the spectacle was gr nd to a r of witness, when the ad mantine lips of eve y ship the

u r . l sq ad on were tipped with ﬁre Edinburgh Cast e, s ur o d f e r Leith Fort, and Sali b y Crags p ure orth th i heavy ordnance in a royal salu te which reverberated to h f fe e a o a t e arthest nook of Fi , W st, E st, and Mid L thi n, B Y LEITH NO ILIT . 3 7

i d c . & Walter Scott who, with other distingu she o o th e o w as s to pers ns, went on b ard r yal yacht, the ﬁr t “ ’ u to s strike his m sical lyre Carle, now the King c o of f ome. He had the hon ur a baronetcy con erred T h e of His e on on him . landing Maj sty took place 1 th n was e at s of s August, whe he receiv d the ide the

of Mac ﬁe . barge by the Magistrates Leith John , Esq , o Es R eoch . James , Esq ; Abraham Newt n, q ; the

of u s u of s Judges the S preme Court , the D ke Dor et,

a u of of a the M rq is Winchester, the Earl Cathc rt, the of f o Earl Fi e, Sir William Elli t, and Sir Thomas

f m of th e r a . Brad ord, Com ander Fo ces in Scotl nd The landing place was j ust below th e under draw

s th e . bridge, and oppo ite Old Ship Tavern An iron e h as th e f plate commemorat s the event, and ollowing inscription on it

G E . I V RE! O . .

Feli m O ce Diem .

os s r th Here Our M t Gracious Maje ty, Geo ge the 4 , ﬁrst

o 1 u 1 82 2 touched Sc ttish Ground, on 5 th Aug st .

of Mac ﬁe William Child, Admiral Leith ; John , R h eoc of . James , Abraham Newton, Magistrates Leith u H gh Veitch, Town Cler

His e w as Majesty proc eded to his carriage, which

u of open, and being seated with the D ke Dorset and th e of s ov off e Marquis Winche ter, dr e at a slow pac , u g arded by the Royal Company of Archers, under the of of of th command the Earl Elgin . A detachment e w as Scots Greys also in attendance. The cavalcade reached the barriers of the City of Edinburgh at one ’ o c ock the m l , where Lord Provost, acco panied by th e 8 3 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

r est othe Magistrates, presented His Maj y with the r of m u silve keys the City, which he i mediately ret rned , a u with co rteous address . An exuberance of spirited poetry ﬁlled the news

r of s of a pape s the day, in prai e His M jesty on coming

. far to Scotland The hills around, and near, blazed at night with bonﬁres .

rom to th e t n s ﬂ F hill hill idi g y, ’ rou rt ur s crest is az n P d A h bl i g high , T ra rain owers u an ts th e sk p gl p d ligh y, T o r welcome Royal Geo die .

’ D un e n s streets are in a az e di bl ,

A s when great N elson ruled th e seas. I s Wellington upon the breez e ! ’ Oh n o it s o al eor e . , , R y G di

es o f m Hol i' ood George IV. went in proc si n ro y

a u as 2 2nd 1 82 2 Pal ce to Edinb rgh C tle on the August , in a carriage drawn with six horses . The crowd was a be w et immense, lthough it happened to a day. The

u king was received with m ch cheering . Sir Walter e e a two Scott, who had be n mad a Baronet day or f r be ore, appeared in the procession, and received a g eat ovation as he proceeded along. The writer witnessed the procession from a window in the house of Mr John m L aw n arket. e was o Yule, in the Mr Yul long Deac n f th e of of r and o Incorporation Bakers Edinbu gh, therefore a member of the Town Council of Edinburgh in olden times . is 1 888 t It singular to note now, in , that an old aun ’ u w as of Deacon Y le s who lived with him, and called by “ ” the family Auntie Annie, narrated to the company B Y LEITH NO ILIT . 3 9

’ s e u h e o a sembl d in Deacon Y le s house, t at she r c llected of Prince Charlie going to the Castle from Holyrood 1 f th e of s 1 r in 745 , a ter battle Pre tonpans, now 43 yea s “ ” n ago . Au ntie Annie was the n a girl of eleve or twelve years old ; sh e was in 1 82 2 eighty- eight years

- old, and died in her ninety third year. She was of the

of h e of B lackd kes s . old family t Yules y , in Ea t Lothian

1 82 a e s o In 9, gr at tir was made on the sh re of Leith by the landing from a London trader of the great gun “ ” c o u . alled M ns Meg, or more commonly M nch Meg It had been removed from Edinburgh Castle to th e of 1 w as Tower London in 754, and restored to of Scotland , mainly by the intercession Sir Walter r Scott with King Geo ge . It was no easy business to get Meg removed from of u of the hold the ship, and required a n mber artillerymen with their appliances to get her safely ’ placed on a large carriage made for the purpose. w as a When Meg ﬁnally adjusted on the carri ge, eight ’ I t of Sandie Rollo s strong horses were yoked to it . n started along Ber ard Street, and up Constitution s Street, among the huzza and cheers of an immense e u multitude of people, who w lcomed the ret rn of an h as ou old fri end . Meg in her day gone thr gh many v e u icissitud s, but she will now no do bt remain a i n s ﬁxture Edinburgh Ca tle, as long as Edinburgh Castle exists (or she becomes decayed and falls to as o pieces), a relic of f rmer days, intimately connected with Scotland . It may be that few people in Leith now - a- days

s e know where Little London wa situat d . a According to Kincaid , Leith historian, it stood at “ s . the north end of Quality Street, and ea t side It 40 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

“ 0 f f s measures, he adds, 9 eet rom east to we t, by 75 f f a of o n eet broad over the walls, and orms kind pe ” O th e or . u e on court within , pen to n th It was bo nd d

- a u e . the e st by Weigh Ho se Wynd, now Bernard Stre t A view of it is given in the Tales an d Traditions of ” Leith . The following is given as th e origin of Little London

1 Si r Wm. r a s of In April 5 73 , D ury, M r hal Ber a at e 1 00 e e a o s f m wick, rrived L ith with 5 v t r n tro p ro

s h e s e of u r as England, to as ist in t i ge Edinb gh C tle, then he ld in name of Queen M ary by Kirkcaldy of a f . s a u e u o Gr nge The ca tle h ving been red c d, the b lk the English army departed from Leith on the 1 6th fo June llowing. “ e o of e e r o a Und r the pr tection the R g nt Mo t n , few of the soldiers with their families were indu ced to e o e w as r main in Leith, and the l cality inhabit d by them o o the s m w a as den minated Little L ndon, in a e y the

u e e a e th e re ho s s n ar Cr igmillar Castle, occupi d by F nch ’ e r of u e r er a e e a r taine s Q e n Ma y, w e c ll d Littl Fr nce, and as part of th e subu rbs of Glasgow at th e present ‘ ’ as e ma n d day is known We Ireland . A ro ntic a melancholy story h as been handed down as to the

u e of a e u fu m w as s icid b a ti l young wo an, whose body e s a r e e o buri d in a m ll ga d n at Littl L ndon, and known ’ ’ “ th e a e — r o as Maiden s Gr v . (See Tales and T aditi ns of Leit B ME C E L E R A T E D N .

E I T H of can boast many celebrated men , who, if ea they were not natives, at l st lived in it, and became famous in their day in their s e ev ral callings. o f r a s s Es . w h J hn Glad tone, q , a te ards Sir Jo n Gl d tone, ’ f P fa e w as o r . o Ba t asque, the great Premier s th r, b rn in

an d for a . Leith, carried on business many ye rs in it

us s s o r His ho e, till a stately man i n, in King St eet,

u is of J nction Road , now in possession Mr James f f e o Sword. A ter leaving Leith he ound d in Liverp ol

r e ﬁrm es e a ve y xtensive business , in the W t India trad ,

&c . w as a u , which well known to the merc ntile comm nity of o on e of the world . He was long acc unted the f merchant princes o the land . Mr Gladstone was once retu rned to Par liament as

r e for erw - - O n the To y m mber B ick upon Tweed . a

o a s u a u se u s u petiti n ag in t his ret rn , and s b q ent cr tiny h is by an election committee, he had to vacate seat, which w as no uncommon thing in the history of a

w e was e o e e Ber ick el ction. It und rstood , h w v r, that

nothing wrong was found against Mr Gl adstone himself. The Roya l Blind Asylum of Edinburgh h as been s e is e u long an establi h d institution . It n arly a h ndred ss t years old , and will always be a ociated wi h the 2 4 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

m of s s of reverend na e Dr David John ton , Mini ter

or e are e few of N th Leith . Ther p rhaps the old residents of North Leith who have not heard of him . Old North Leith Parish Chu rch was a little above

e r is s . the upp r drawb idge, and it till known as such The

u u 1 8 1 was new ch rch was b ilt in 4, and the congregation

f e to was for trans err d it. Dr Johnston nearly sixty years th e well - known and esteem ed minister of the a s his d a th w as . p ri h , and a man of mark in y He died 5

u 1 82 i - ﬁ rs h s e t . J ly 4, in nin ty year Benevolent and h is a on f kind in all cti s and doings, he, a ter much

a ffo f energetic and l borious e rt, succeeded in ounding,

th e e 1 e for us ou . in y ar 793 , the Soci ty the Ind tri s Blind w as The Duke of B uccleuch long the ﬁrst president.

a r es of of Sir Willi m Fo b , the Earl Leven, the Marquis Wem ss an d o Tweeddale, the Earl of y , , thers were vice

w as th e . presidents. Dr Johnston long secretary It has been told of him that he published a volume

’ of o s u f an d serm n , and went abo t himsel sold them, to

i us raise money for h s darling object. He ed to say that th e s s r - a ermon were ve y common place, and perh ps not

r e s wo th the r ading, but they would not do any per on for f an d e . any ill, he want d money his blind olk He w as adored by all people as a most worthy and ex em l ar s e v e ﬁshwives p y mini ter. Wh ne er N whaven met a r e an d him they m de their cu ts ys to him, called him ow n ee for their bonnie Dr Johnston . Their est m him is characteristically illustrated by the exclamation m with which, when selling ﬁsh to a higgling custo er, they tried to destroy all hopes of further abatement in ” s sa price . Na, na, they were wont in such case to y, n a Na, , I wadna gie them to the bonnie doctor himsel for that siller !

44 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

f s ff f e m of his riend , in a ectionate and grate ul r me brance f e u us fu r t ervent pi ty, nwearied e lness, and t uly Chris ian ’ - t . th 1 82 a . chari y Died 5 July 4, aged ninety one ye rs Dr Johnston w as particularly exact in keeping his s to u for appointment a min te, and used to scold parties of u t their want p nctuali y, and keeping the company f e r &c waiting at un rals, mar iages, baptisms , .

m off u It is said he someti es went , beca se he could as us an d not wait any longer. He w noted as a fa mo and f quick walker, o ten beat the coaches in walking to

an d f u . rom Edinb rgh Mr Adam White, who was accounted in h is day on e of th e qu ickest walkers in

us . Leith, ed to compete with him A good story has ’ f a n been urnished to the writer about Mr White s w lki g,

which it may be interesting now to note. Mr White n e s we t down to Caithn s with Mr John Watson, an extensive Leith merchant in his day (he lived in the large house in Constitution Street now occupied by the ’ of a o Bank Scotland), to purch se j intly the season s

f f r h ad a s . ﬁshing o herrings o export. They long w lk Mr White (the informant says) was a great and fast

u u walker, and sed to compete with the famo s Dr o m s e re Johnst n in that acco pli hm nt . On Mr White marking to Mr Watson one evening that it was curious

a e s be that he, gr at walker, hould generally more f u a w as of atig ed than Mr W tson , who an example

u for tranq illity, the latter replied it was no wonder, he e walked ﬁve times the distanc he (Mr Watson) did, ef him e r a starting away b ore ve y now and then, for of and o a quarter a mile, then c ming back g ain . Mr ” - Wats on must have been a s low coach.

m - e al 1 8 10 Sir Tho as Graham, Lieutenant G ner in , of f w L ned och the hero St Sebastian, a ter ards Lord y , CELEB RATED MEN . 45

e of s f and propri tor Balgowan , in Perth hire, began li e as a Leith merchant.

m - e 1 8 1 2 Sir James Ke pt, Major G neral in , a dis tin uish ed f e w as a e g o ﬁcer und r Lord Wellington , nativ

f . a o Leith He w s created a Knight of the Bath. “ ” u of o was o a John Home, a thor D uglas, b rn in u th e as house, now reb ilt, which stood at e t corner of

2 2 n d e e 1 2 O S . w as Quality Street, S pt mber 77 , He u u His f buried in So th Leith Ch rchyard . ather, Alex e of ander Home, was Town Cl rk Leith.

of u Dr Hugh Blair, minister the High Ch rch, Edin

u f e b rgh, and Pro essor of Rhetoric and B lles Lettres in h s t e u t e Univer i y, a celebrat d man and a thor in his day, e t th e lived long in a hous enclosed wi h high walls, at f of Restal ri o and e e 2 th oot the g R ad , di d th re on 7

1 8 - e 00 of a e. December , in the eighty s cond year his g w as s e of The Rev. John Logan mini t r the Second of f 1 2 1 86 Charge South Leith rom 77 to 7 , when he e resigned and w nt to London . He was born at Sou tra

Farm in East Lothian in 1 748. He published a volume of f a s poems, in which are to be ound three par phra es, th e 8 1 1th 8th th, , and 5 , which are included in the psalmody collection of the Presbyterian Chu rches of two ” . n Scotland Also tragedies, Ru nymede and th e ” Carthaginian Heroine, and Lectures on Roma n and ” Universal History.

w as of h is Logan a man celebrity in day, and his

s u poem and hymns were much tho ght of. His art was a so to imit te nature, and natural and ﬁne is th e

h is a s e of r imitation, that p g es, like the cen s nature, a e ” f always new. (See his li e, page Dr George Kellie was a celebrated physician in Leith

. w as a for a long period His house in B ltic Street. It 46 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

- was taken down by the Leith G as Light Company. ’ e er Dr K llie s death . took place v y suddenly one night

1 82 r e m f in 9 in Bernard St e t. When coming ho e rom s h e f e vi iting a patient, ell down on the pavem nt and

s sea of th e in tantly expired . Di se heart was said to f u have been the cause of h is d eath. His name is o nd in the list of members of th e Roya l College of Surgeons as far 1 808 ma as . back as , and rked an examinator of of Dr Lewins, formerly a pupil his, and a native s for an o Leith, who practi ed m y years in Haddingt n,

o u to k p his practice. He lived in Quality Street, and died there somewhere a bout 1 83 2 . Dr Charles Anderson w as another eminent Leith

e . e o s tr surg on He lived in a larg h u e in Quality S eet , He taken down and built upon by Aitken 8: Wright. 1 8 0 a was living in 4 , and at that time must have been

. as a s very old man He w l o, like Dr Kellie, a member

f ur 8 of the Royal College o S geons in 1 80 . Dr James Scarth Combe was an other Leith surgeon s as n in exten ive practice. He w an exami ator in the r Royal College of Surgeons in 1 829 and afterwa ds.

He died within these few years at an advanced age. s a u Mr Thomas Morton , hipbuilder, Leith, att ined m ch celebrity for his invention of the patent slip before all mentioned . Mr Morton received orders from nearly o the principal seaports in the kingdom, and als from ’ &c France and Russia, . Mr Morton s shipbuilding ﬁrm is s e ar is now the olde t in Leith, and th ir y d situated near the Victoria Dock. Leith was celebrated eighty to ninety years ago for the famous ale brewed by Mr Giles in St Anth ony w as Street brewery. It made very strong, and had an extensive sale and reputation at home and abroad. B CELE RATED MEN . 47

am r e ro ee s Mr Giles bec e ich, and acquir d p perty in P ble

. w as es shire The ﬁrm latterly Gil , Black, Co . The brewery afterward s passed into the hands of J ohn

Mac N air Es . r e on e for , q , who car i d it extensiv ly many

s e o . year , chi ﬂy in the L ndon trade ’ - . . o Co. s r e es s on e J B Sc tt b ew ry, an old tabli hed , t ree o of e s was also in S Anthony St t. B th thes brewerie

er o have been conv ted t other uses .

a e a n old r s e man for Mr Thomas B rk r, e pected L ith a a e rs a e e Yardh ead s great m ny y a , was br w r in the . ’ His r ses n ow fo a of s s r r o s p emi rm p rt Me sr Be na d C . distille ry premises. Another brewery was carried on by Mr Thomas

e f a s s e Renni , and a terw rds by Mr Whit on to ome ext nt . It is perhaps singu lar now to note that there is n ot one brewery in Leith . TRADE O F LE I T H I N 1 8 1 4 .

e HE op ning of the Elbe, which had been shut and trade prohibited with Great Britain a o for o by N p leon Bonaparte s me years,

took place at his downfall, and the subsequent of 8 1 peace 1 4.

u w as th e o for t Hamb rg great p rt, as it is yet, Lei h

e s for s of but o of trad r a long eries years , the bl ckade th e had fo Elbe annihilated the trade, except in reign t s e a e e bot om , b twixt the two pl ces . When, how v r, the of me s u opening the Elbe took place, Leith rchant r shed wildly into large speculations and exported almost e n of o s s s c e ev ry ki d go d , ugar e pe ially, to a larg extent, thinking that large proﬁts would be got in Germany uss e ue t and Pr ia, wh re war and conseq nt desola ion of m property h ad bee n carried on for so e years . Other

s e e v th ports a w ll as L ith exported ery heavily, and e consequ ence w as that the Hamburg market became o e c mplet ly glutted with goods of all kinds, and a great

downfall in prices took place. Goods had to be parted

with at less than one- half to one- third of the cost

e prices. It has be n said that almost every one of the Leith exporters could not meet their losses large and

u s formerly rich ho se came to grief, and much disturbance in trade took place . 1 8 1 TRADE OF LEITH IN 4. 49

f The opening o the Elbe was a great shock to Leith, as to fo other places, and it was many years be re it

recovered from the dire calamity. A good story has

been handed down of a well - known soap manufacturer f of o in Dunbar o the name Th mas Mitchell, or u Soapy as he w as called . He had sent a q antity

of u for o soap to Hamb rg sale. Acc unt sales and remittances were very long in coming to hand ; at

length they came, made out in German money to the of e s of mares rix d oll ars extent some hundr d and . ” o s of w as S apy, on the ﬁr t sight the account sales, su o delighted to ﬁnd ch a large am unt, and called it ” grand clink ; but when he came to know that the hundreds of marcs and rix d ollars only represented few ou s of s a p nd terling money, he changed his tone, “ ” s o as and called it helli h clink . The st ry w kept up n h of o him to t e d ay of his death . Many more the exporters to Hamburg in 1 8 14 shared the same fate as ” Soapy Mitchell . The L ei th Commercial L ist is now a very old as publication . It w published for many years by the

of s old ﬁrm William Reid Son . The ﬁr t number under their management must have been printed about 8 1 1 st 1 o . I March 3 , at 9 Br ad Wynd It was published u s 1 1 15 6 . d every T e day and Friday, price £ , . per

fre of o a s annum, e p stage, by Willi m Reid , book eller, o o Sh re ; Ge rge Dowling, Great Alley Street, London ;

. 8: . as . o and R J Grieve, Argyle Street, Gl gow Fr m a of 2 th 1 8 1 l Vo . . . 1 10 copy date 5 March 4, I I , No , it is to ff curious note, at the present time, the di erent goods

o — 10 61 s of o s o s exp rted , 7 pair w r ted st cking to Amster

in s 200 s dam two hipments ; to Bergen , boll potatoes ; s s 00 s 1 to Chri tian and , 3 boll ; to Copenhagen, 5 05 D OF 5 0 REMINISCENCES LEITH .

o i 100 s gallons rum ; to Lisb n, 75 t erces beef, barrel

o s . of t p rk, yards cotton good , 75 39 lbs oil vi riol, e a oa s s a larg qu ntity of wheat, t , barley, peas, and bean , u St brought coastwise from D nbar, Eyemouth, Crail, s an d of s f Andrew , Largo, Elie, lots Iri h oats rom

as of s ff &c Gl gow, a great deal ugar, co ee, . , from Green

- of o s ock and Port Glasgow. Large quantities go d e tw w re sent coas ise to London, Hull, Newcastle,

e &c is th e Oberon s o - of Gre nock, . It noted that , lo p i to Els n eur . war, will take convoy , ﬁrst fair wind The old stone pier of Leith w as built somewhere about 1 72 2 ; the stones of it were brought from

u o s . s sea C lr s It extended a hort way only into the , s s and at the end was the lighthou e. Ball signal were hoisted there to denote the depth of water in the fair

way. The ﬁrst pile of the east wooden pier was driven

. of B allin d ean by William Trotter, Esq , , Lord Provost of 1 th 1 826 w as Edinburgh, on the s August . He attended by the Magistrates and Town Council of th e

' — City of Edinburgh. The Leith Magistrates Alex e — fo o ander Burn , John Hardie, and Jam s Scarth ll wed o after the Edinburgh nes. All were clothed in their f s of e robes of o ﬁce. The ﬁr t pile the west wood n pier on was also driven the same day. A general holiday

was kept in Leith, and a great assemblage of people

r . f of of we e present The roo s the Custom House, ’ e s - s ah sea of M nzie shipbuilding work hops, d the wall w s the Docks were cro ded . Three London smack were

o e s th e of mo r d at equal distance along inside the pier, and from every rope and spar of all the vess els in th e harbour and docks th ere streamed forth many ﬂags f and pennons o various and brilliant colours . Mr Kenneth Matheson was the contractor for the new

2 S 5 REMINI CENCES OF LEITH .

o o Assembly Ro ms, old Dr R bertson, second minister of ou S th Leith, was present, and made a strong speech s u a s few again t the Edinb rgh M gi trates. In a days he was represented in a caricatu re standing with his gown o h is on, in a deﬁant posture , h lding in outstretched “ hand a port wine decanter, and exclaiming, We will ” f o make no surrender o our Port rights . Pr vost Trotter of Edinburgh w as often made the butt of th e “ L eith ers a artiﬁcer s , and c lled a cunning in hittim ” wood . (He was by trade an upholsterer. ) Bailie

Child was called the weak and unweaned child . The quarrel became at last so bitter that to com promise matters a new mu nicipal act was obtained in 1 82 s f u 7, by which the juri diction o Edinb rgh over Leith of r was modified and improved . A leet nine pe sons qualified to hold the ofli c e of resident Magistrates of Leith w as to be presented yearly to the Town Council out of of Edinburgh, which leet the Council were to elect three persons to be M agistrates of Leith for the su 1 8 2 e on en ing year. In 3 , the Reform Bill b stowed

us Leith, along with M selburgh and Portobello, the

e of e privil ge electing a m mber of Parliament . And the Burgh Reform Act of the su cceeding year conferred on s s Leith a separate and independent magi tracy, consi ting of f s a Provost, our Bailie , a Treasurer, and Councillors ff e of for the di er nt wards . Adam White, Esq ., Fens, w as the first Provost elected under the new system in 1 8 ofli c e for 3 3 , which he well and worthily filled some

years . W K L E I T H A L .

HE spacious road now known as Leith Walk w as as s o a , its name implie , riginally a n rrow

’ f - h u oot pat betwixt Edinb rgh and Leith, and

for f - s e s used only oot pas eng r . It owes its origin to fortiﬁcations erected by General Leslie in 1 65 0 e or to oppose Cromwell . The parap t mound speedily

c m f o h e e two o . ef be a e a o tpat b tw en the t wns D oe, who v 1 2 s es r isited Scotland in 7 5 , de crib it as a ve y hand 20 f o w as some gravel walk, eet br ad, which kept in u a n o o se good repair at the p blic ch rge, and h r s allowed

o on . e s w as f e to c me it By degr e , another path orm d o of th e o s now at the b ttom m und, and the e were k n e a s resp ctively as the high n d low walk. The hou es ’ e a s at Springﬁeld, n ar Ste d Place, are said to have of a as o as been on the level wh t w kn wn the Low Walk. When the North Bridge of Edinburgh w as pro ’ ected 1 6 j in 7 9 in Provost Drummond s time, it was fo e es intended to rm an asy acc s to Leith, but it w as not gone into for some years after the opening of the s North Bridge . Carriage were then permitted to pass s w as along it, but no provi ion made to keep it in : u o s repair the nat ral c n equence was, that although was o f h w as it the principal r ad to and rom Leit , it f u for most dangerous and di ﬁc lt wheeled vehicles. In 5 4 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH . this condition it remained until the beginn i ng of this u r f cent ry, when the present ve y spacious thorough are w as f e s w as ormed at a gr at expen e, and a toll estab lish ed to provide for repayment of the outlay and

upholding the roadway. o e R b rt Chambers, in his Traditions of Edinburgh, thus describes the glories of the Walk in olden times I f my reader be an inhabitant of Edinburgh of a ny s a li f s i t nding, he must have many de ght ul as oc ations of Leith Walk in connection with his childhood . Of all the streets in Edinburgh or Leith the Walk in fo w a rmer times as cert inly the street for boys and girls. Fr om the top to the bottom it w as a scene of wonders e and njoyments peculiarly devoted to children . Besides the panoramas and caravan shows which were com arativel a p y transient spectacles, there were sever l shows upon Leith Walk which might be considered as regular ’ t of r of ﬁx ures, and part the count y cousin sights of Mrs Edinburgh . Who can forget the waxworks

Sands, widow of the late G . Sands, which occupied a laigh shop opposite to the present Haddingt on o of e Place ; and at the do r which, b sides various s r of th e e parrot and sund y birds paradise, sat wax ﬁgur of a little man in the dress of a French courtier of th e ’ ! r on e of ancient r gime, eading eternal copy the Edi nbur h A dve tiser r of s g r . The ve y outsides the e wonder shops was an immense treat ; all along the Walk it w as one delicious scene of squirrels hung out of o rs do rs, and monkeys dressed like soldiers and sailo , with holes behind where their tails came through. From one end to the other Leith Walk w as garrisoned

o a f - h l by po r cre tures who, rom hand barrows, w ee n s s rs barrows, some draw by dog , entreated the pas enge W K LEITH AL . 5 5 for s of s charity, ome by voices ong, some by speech, d riddlin n ﬁdd les some by g, as Bur s calls it, on , or

- — e grinding on hand organs indeed , a compl te ambus cade against the pocket. Shows and objects have f o a now vanished r m the W lk. of The Reminiscences an Elderly Gentleman, ’ published in the L ad ies jou rnal thirty or thirty- ﬁve r fo of yea s ago, contain the llowing picture the Walk as it appeared in his early days : Leith Walk was ou r for quite a c nt y road, and such a road holes, ruts , o s and big st nes, that at pre ent there is not its equal in

t . Scotland. The Black Bull Inn terminated the ci y

fu v of A little rther down, the illage Picardy occupied t its f he site of Picardy Place . It derives name rom a colony of silk weavers from Picardy in France having f been located there. The next building was the Hal ’ of way House, now incorporated with the houses u a f of Shr b Pl ce . The ootpath on the east side the road r e w as 1 8 feet higher than the carriage way. The jou n y on foot to Leith at night w as an undertaking requiring

- d f no little courage . There was no well pave ootpath l an d n h s ined with gas lamps thro ged wit passenger , but r h th e s of a long drea y road , accompanied wit ri k f off f alling the ootpath and breaking a limb, and at G allowl ee two e the having to pass or three dead bodi s , hanging in chains, creaking dismally in the gusty wind . A rising ground adjoining Shru b Hill was the site of G allow lee n ow ch the , and is ieﬂy occupied by Mr ’ M h n s r of h et ve nu sery. Criminals more t an ordinary s w e n importance, after being strangled el e here, wer hu g for Chiesl in chains there ; example, y of Dalry was the of r was hanged at Cross Edinbu gh , and his body n the G allowl ee his n hu g in chains at , and right ha d , 5 6 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

h off f whic had been struck , was a fixed to the West ’ f Stan field s w as Port o Edinburgh . Also Philip body w as hung in chains at the G allowl ee . He tried on the 1 th 168 for th e of h is f 4 December 7, murder ather, Sir of e t w as James Stanfield N wmills, near Hadding on, found gu ilty and sentenced to be hanged at the Cross of u his on c ut ou t for s n Edinb rgh , t gue to be cur i g f off for a his ather, his right hand to be cut , the p rri

a ut of cide, his he d to be p on the East Port Hadding ton s a of and , as neare t to the pl ce the murder, his body to be hung in chains betwixt Edinburgh and Leith . ’ ’ Anderson s Leith Stage seems to h ave been a 1660 for very slow coach long ago, about , it took an hou r and a half to go from th e Tron Chu rch to the a Shore. Shopmen and merchants generally w lked to ff on f save time. It was a great lumbering a air our

s f e o tw o wheel , the two ore painted y ll w, the hind red, having formerly be longed to different vehicles. It

r u sta ted from opposite the Tron Ch rch . The warning bell rang a quarter of an hour before starting. Shortly

of - - a pair ill conditioned, ill sized hacks made their s appearance to be yoked into it. The harnes , partly of old s of I ' O es e leather strap , and partly p , bears evid nce of m ass many a end . A p enger comes and takes his

f m s or o s seat, probably rom the Kra e Luckenbo th , who

ffi had shut his shop, and a xed a notice on the door, to this effect Gone to Leith and will be back at 4 of ’ c P M r e s the clo k, . . The qua ter b ing up and the econd ff ‘ e s o o s . bell rung, tarts the stage at a v ry l w pace

Having taken three- quarters of an hour to go to the ‘ ’ f- s th f Hal way Hou e, e stage sticks ast in a rut, the u s e 10 ! o driver whips p his nag , wh n away go the h rses, ‘ ’ s o e but the stage remain . The r pes having be n tied , W K LEITH AL . 5 7

’ f th e f- and assistance procured rom Hal Way, the stage ” is o extricated and proceeds on its destination t Leith. er usson his of Robert F g , in humorous poem Leith ” s Race , immortalises Leith Walk. Many adventures happened in Leith Walk in olden times which sometimes led to unpleas ant results in the breaking of the peace and in getting broken heads . A good story w as often told by an old respected

- and well known Leith merchant in his day. He and a friend attended the classes of a famous Italian fenc ing

e e . e mast r in his day, to learn the art and sci nce Th y were returning from the Edinburgh Theatre one night ” when they met their maste r Angelo coming home f his s to h is rom evening classe in Leith . Desiring test

a f s a e cour ge, they turned a ter pas ing him, and ch lleng d

e . him in threatening language, to stand and d liver

e u a o his at But s eing him p t his h nd bel w cloak, and the same time hearing the so und of a button being

off o e m a a snapped a foil , which in a m m nt ade it r pier, they were fain to disclose themselves and avert a s di aster. The extensive and famous nursery grounds of Messrs

o Co . s Dicks n , nursery and seed men , on the east side of th e o o the Walk, below T ll, al ng with the large house m on Sh an klie in the middle of the , l g occupied by Mr ,

o s of . s their manager, are but mem rie the past Street and large blocks of buildings now occupy the whole ground . ’ u fe The Lovers Lane, long a q iet, retired lane, nced r s ff e on each side with tho n hedge , a ording a shelt red ,

n for w a s s . sweet, conversi g walk s eethe rts, no longer exi t

u f e It is now a causewayed thoro gh are, and almost lin d

u with ho ses on both sides . “ LE I T H STAG ES B OWE D J OSE PH .

is curious at the present day to read a description of the Leith and Edinburgh a s of h st ge in olden times . In a print Leit , n u an d e graved by Pa l Sandby, published in “ 16 1 is of of th 5 , there a view one e leathern con ven ienc es is of that time. It drawn by two horses, e o r preced d by an utrider, and is suspended from a so t of f me o e ra work c nnected with the wh els, which must have rendered it a most un comfortable means of

o - e locom tion . The hind wheels are enormously larg , of c reaching almost to the top the coa h, and it must have required a wonderful effort on th e part of the

to . driver, who ﬁgures in a cocked hat, attain his seat At this date there were only two of the lumbering

machines on Leith Walk, and they consumed one hour on the journey.

u Anderson, the first introducer of the Edinb rgh and t o e n o Lei h c aches, s ems to have give up his c aching 1660 for n n a concern about , the Edi burgh Cou cil gr nted “ permission to on e William Woodcock to fit up ane h aickn ey coatch for the convenience of the lieges o a His having occasi n to visit the se port . authority — “ for fitting up his coach is as follows Apud n u r th e 2 8th t 16 e Edi b gh, day of Sep , hundred and thre

6o E REMINISCENCES OF L ITH . years ran from the Tron Church to the Shore of Leith and Bernard Street. The contrast now in the transit betwixt Edinburgh vice vers two and Leith and ii by railways, and tramway e of is cars, compar d with that olden times very s triking. G all owlee and The , midway between Edinburgh e th e as s Leith, n ar present Shrub Place, tated in last

- w as f . chapter, a well known and amous place An old ” Chronicle of Tales and Traditions of Leith thus narrates about it During the troublous times of ’ Morton s regency the G allowl ee had rather an undue

r share of notoriety. Acco ding to Captain Grant, while Morton strung up his prisoners by ﬁfties on a gigantic G allowl ee a w gallows at the , midw y bet een Leith and s Edinburgh, the loyalists di played an equal number on w its a gibbet, hich reared ghastly outline on the Castle ’ ” of e a . Hill, in view the Reg nt s c mp The gibbet at the G allow l ee was occasionally used for the purpose of exhibiting the eﬂi gies of individuals wh o had rendered themselves in some w ay obnoxious

o u . to the p p lace For example, when the celebrated u o a John Wilkes in 1 763 p blished th e mem r ble No . 45 of d N orth B r i ton his perio ical entitled the , the bitter satire in which he indulged towards Scotland and ff n n Scotchmen gave great o e ce in the orth, and a

of a famous leader the Edinburgh mob, n med Bowed f m Joseph, got a cart ﬁtted up with a high gallows, ro uff which depended a ﬁgure st ed with straw, intended to represent the arch enemy of Scotland with the Devil T h on er. e perched his should cart, with its curious the burden, was leisurely paraded through principal G allowl ee streets, until it reached the , where two ” 61 LEITH STAGES AND B OWED J OSEPH .

s criminals were at that moment dangling in chain , h is th e and alongside of these Wilkes and companion, m a us Devil, were elevated , a id the enthusi stic appla e of the u os ff m ltitude. No opp ition was o ered by the s to n for e : authoritie these proceedi gs, two r asons they fully participated in the angry feelings entertained towards Wilkes, and they were not in a position to res ist the will of such an independent leader as Bowed ” s a Joseph . The Magis trates on many occasions di pl yed s f m a di grace ul timidity unbeco ing their position, and they frequently sent for the bowed leade r to consult with him regarding the best means of dispersing and suclr s appeasing a troublesome mob . On occa ions l for his e s h is he a ways stood up zealously comp er , and boldness generally compelled th e feeble au thorities to comply with whatever terms he dictated . These interviews generally ended i n his being authoris ed to f r of of s promise a re o m the evils complained , and al o to dispens e among his followers a hogshead of good f u ale . a o e The promise and libation never f iled s cc ss, and the popu lar favourite had no difﬁcul ty in clearing s of the street by the simple command Now disperse, ” my lads.

o t o Acc rding to that excellent authori y, R bert s Chambers, this mob director mu t have been a f “ f f ormidable person . A ter he had ﬁgured or a few th e years as an active partisan of people, his name waxed of such an account w ith them that it is said he of ol f could, in the course an hour, c lect a crowd o not fewer than ten thousand persons all ready to obey h is his orders or disperse at bidding. He collected his

forces by beating a drum, and as he strode along “ his s e d thudding out noisy summon , ev ry close an T 62 REMINISCENCES OF LEI H . alley poured ou t their dingy denizens to swell his “ s a train . Bowed Joseph was at la t killed by fall f o th e of e s a n f r m top a L ith t ge, while returni g rom the races on Leith sands in a s tate of intoxication about “ ” 1 a o of the year 780. In the Tr diti ns Edinburgh will be found an interesting account of this singular character. The ﬁne sand of which th e mound at the G all ow l ee w as composed w as carted away to be mixed with th e lime used in the erection of the N ew Town of Edin o al burgh . The spot once kn wn as the dreaded G low

is or w as e o u a e- lee, now, lat ly, cc pied as a m rbl work, but e s of as e e chi ﬂy by the nur ery Thom M thv n Sons .

T h e o r of ou m f pr p ietor the gr nd at the ti e re erred to, a s w as s f according to Mr Ch mber , nearly a m uch o a

- h i t - sa as s . w as s nd bed proper y He a big ized man , one of those persons on whom drink never seemed to

e ffe . is e a hav much e ct It r lated th t every day, while th e a w his h e c rts were taking a ay sand , stood regularly at the place receiving the money in return which w as o r and immediately c nve ted into liquor, applied to the

o f of man - c m ort the inner . A public house was at t e at th e s o for h is leng h rected p t particular behoof, and ssu as o as G allowlee a redly, l ng the lasted, this public u to house did not want his c s m . It must be born e in — o mind, however, that the Gibbet Laird only got quit f the hillock of sand in this way ; he still retained the

ou o - c gr nd, the gr g supplying pro ess having merely con verted it from a con siderable eminence into a deep hollow which remains to the present day as nursery ground . The G all owl ee and the victims of its gibbets are now of only matters history. L E I T H R A C E S .

Leith Sands the Edinburgh races were held

for a s Mercur i us a ledon i us m ny year . In the C , u 1 661 of as our p blished in , they are spoken ” o s o accust med recreation , which sh ws that o at that peri d they were no novelty. It is narrated that they took their origin from the of o of is Palace H lyrood in the time James VI . , who, it ou s e o said, c ntenanced the amu em nt ; no d ubt, the e f u fo w noblem n who req ented his court, llo ing royalty, a s would patronise them much . Edinburgh r ce on t s s a Lei h Sand thu became a great ye rly institution . s v of It eems strange, howe er, why the managers the of races at that time made choice the Sands, when the of ﬁne turf Leith Links, which might have been at s o ff e e their di p sal, a orded them a much b tt r and more

e for - eo conv nient place a race course. P ple congregated s f os s a a of t at the race rom the m t di t nt p rts the coun ry .

of - for It was a sort trysting place, not only a parish or for a . of county, but a kingdom Some the most noted celebrities of the day were certain to be found on Leith u co rse, and the festivities were never complete without their presence.

T he - of na well known Laird Mac b, who was nearly of h is s the last cla s, was a regular attender at Leith 6 4 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

races. A characteristic anecdote is told of him in con

n ection m r with the . On one occasion he had ﬁgu ed on u s m u se s the co r e, o nted on a rough and coar heltie, su e th e s which dd nly dropped down dead . At race in

fo o u - be e s the ll wing year, a wo ld wag who had witn s ed

s o e u the cata tr phe, rod p to the laird and asked Is th e sam o s a that e h rse you had la t ye r, Laird No, ” “ ” man re e th e a bu t s me u my , pli d l ird, thi is the sa wh p, and he w as about to apply it to the should ers of the

u es o e s s q ti n r, who e caped his intended chasti ement by a u e r a q ick r t e t. “ s a of In tho e d ys spoken as the good old times,

as e for e u s Leith races l t d an entir week . The c p , plates,

urses be run for f e u e an d and p to were o considerabl val , the sporting matters were managed by steward s chosen f m s e as fol ro the nobility. A Leith hi torian narrat s s T h e s of e low Magistrate Edinburgh, att nded by th e u a th e s City G ard, counten nced proceeding and fes es was s for of offi tiviti . It u ual one the city cers in

ss e th e m of holiday dre , accompani d by dru mer the

uar f a ess of tw o fo e City G d, to orm proc ion , the rm r bearing aloft on th e end of a pole a gaily ornamented

s e th e u e - pu rse tyl d City P rse, and the latt r row de dowing behind him with micht an d The well

c a e oﬂi cer a known Ar hie C mpb ll, city , was the l st who

e th e u se carri d p r . The procession of course was su ﬂi cien t to attract all

ta - ra an d - of so th e the g g bob tail the city, that by time it reac hed Leith it had swelled into a goodly mob of

u f- a s v f ragged rchins and mischie making l d , who ga e ull scope to their propensities as soon as they reached the

u us Sands. The m ltitude of minor am ements which s served to ﬁll up the intervals betwixt the race , con 6 LEITH RACES . 5

of of f - sisted shows, wheels ortune, and rowley powley in

s e as e s endles vari ty ; and l tly, though not l a t, whole

- s rows of drinking booths and tent . For an entire week was of and Leith one continued scene racing, drinking,

ﬁghting. The sports were usually concluded by a s an d general demolition of the tent , a promiscuous of s ﬁghting match amongst those who, in spite whi ky, a s were still ble to keep their leg . Wh en th e races were transferred to Musselburgh many of the L eith ers asserted that a serious blow had ” f o been struck at the prosperity o the auld t on . Robert Fergusson published his famous and humor “ 1 r ous poem on Leith Races about 770. He ve y “ off ff cleverly hits in guid broad Scotch, the di erent incidents of the race - days in the following stanzas

’ ’ N ow mon y a scaw d an d bare- leg d loon se ear to t e r war Ri ly h i k, Eneu to ﬂ e a muc e toon gh y kl , ’ ’ Wi din some squeel an bark ’ Here is th e true an d faithfu list ’ ’ n o emen an orses 0 bl h , r e t e r we t t e r e t t e r r st Thei ild, h i igh , h i h igh , h i g i , That rin for pl ates or purses ’ ’ Fu ﬂ t t s da ee hi y.

T o whi sky plooks that brun t for wouks ’ n toun - uar so ers aces O g d dg f , e r ar er aul his w tt e croo s Th i b b b d hi l k , ’ s ra s t m for th e ra A n c pe he ces. e r stum s erst use to a e s Th i p , d phil b g , A r t in s atter as es e digh p d h , Whase barkent h ides scarce fen d their legs ’ Frae weet an weary splashes ’ O rt t di hat day. E F REMINISCENCES O LEITH .

’ Come a e a care th e ca ta n cr es , h f , p i i , O n un s our a uets t raw g y b g h , N ow m n our man ual x r i d y e e cise, ’ ’ A n mars o n ra ra h d o w by w . ’ A n d as t e marc e ower a out , h y h, h ll gl b , ’ ’ ’ Ten t a their cuts an scars M ang them full mon y a ga usy sn out Has gusht in birth - d ay wars ’ Wi u a a bl id th t d y.

’ Her n a n se maun be arefu n oo i l c , ’ N or maun sh e b misl ea r d e , ’ Si n baxter lads h ae sealed a vow ’ ’ T o S e an ou h uar k lp cl t t e g d. ’ ’ I m sure Auld Reekie ken s o n an e at wou be sorr at it Th ld y , ’ T h o they should dea rly pay th e kain ’ A n get their ta ils weel sautit ’ A n sa r t r a s i , hi d y .

’ T h e tin kl er billies i th e B ow A re n ow ess e en t c n n l id li ki g, ’ A s an s t e r t or s l er d ow l g h i pi h i l , ’ ‘ ’ ’ e re daﬂin an t e re r n n Th y g h y d i ki g, e ow n e t al w at bourracks ree B d L i h W k h l, ’ 0 a tra e an d stat on ilk d i , ’ That gar their wives an childer feel Toom wames for their libation ’ O drink thir days !

T h e browster wives thegith er harl ’ ’ tras t at t e can fa on A h h h y , ’ e ra e th e run ds o a arrel Th y k g ilk b , T o proﬁt by th e lawin r wee wat t e a sk n eal h e Fo l h y, i l t ’ For drinkin n eeds n ae hire ’ A t drumly gear they tak n ae pet Foul water slocken s ﬁre A n rout r a d h, thi d ys.

68 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

’ T h ra r ha ll h e ces o e , they i t e dool s ’ ’ Wi r n 0 a kin - n d i k ki d, ’ Great feck gae hirplin hame like fools l T h e cripp e l ead th e blind. ’ ’ May ne er th e can ker o the drin k Mak our au s r ts th rawart b ld pi i , ’ ’ Case we get wh erewith a to w ink ’ ’ Wi een as bl ue s a blawort ’ Wi straiks thir days

th e Weekl our nal of 1 1 80 In y j newspaper 3th June 3 , th e Edinburgh races are thus advertised To be run for th e o 1 8th u on Sands of Leith , on M nday the J ly, of of 0 es of the City Edinburgh purse 5 , the b t 3 , ’ s a — His four mile heats. Tue d y Majesty s pu rse of

u fo s ed d 100 g ineas, best of 3 , ur mile heat . W nes ay — The Noblemen and Gentlemen subscription of 5 0 f — s . 0 guinea , 3 our mile heats Thursday 5 guineas ’

r u . fo H nters, 3 four mile heats Friday Ladies purse f 0 m —a u o 5 guineas, 3 four ile heats. Saturday p rse for th e beaten horses . The horses to be booked by th e - t his oﬂi c e Town clerk of Lei h, at , on the Satur e are day pr ceding the races, when the horses to be s w e u d ho n , the proper certiﬁcat s prod ce , and the entry money paid . Ordinaries and balls during the race - week at ’ r its i Fo tune s [a famous hotel in day in Pr nces Street! , and assemblies as usual . — f Stewards M arquis o Douglas.

Lord Elcho. Es re er w George Baillie, q , of J vis ood . ’ B elhaven s Lord bay horse, Brandon, won the 100 ’ u s N oblemen s 0 u s and g inea , the purse of 5 g inea , the ’ as Ladies purse of 5 0 guine . A similar advertisement as ss i n 180 T he w i w i ued 4 stewards ere Lord Sincla r, 6 LEITH RACES . 9

- . Sir John Hope, and Sir David Hunter Blair Lord ’ ’ B elh aven s horse again won the 100 guineas race and ’ a s the L dies pur e . i n Brandon was a famous racer his day, and won w as e almost every race he was engaged in . He onc ,

fe e u f however, de at d at D m ries by a horse belonging to

e Es of t Rob rt Baird, q. Newby h, ridden by a young lad of th e of a a s name M tthew D w on , brother of the late s Mr George Daw on , long the celebrated trainer at

- f Gullane, whose sons are the well known and amous &c t trainers at Newmarket, . It was by accident hat ’ s Matthew Dawson rode Mr Baird s hor e . The jockey w as w as n ot who engaged became unwell, and able to ride. Matthew Dawson was put in his place. He got

a s - great appl use when he pa sed the winning post ﬁrst,

r . beating B andon, the crack horse of the day Mr n was a a t Dawso long respected resident in H dding on, f f and one o the bailies o the royal burgh . He used to relate h is victory at Dumfries with much glee. The Edinburgh races were yearly held on Leith Sands f 1 620 1 8 16 of 200 s rom about to , a period nearly year , f when they were trans erred to Musselburgh. The f is f L ondon Obser ver ollowing extract taken rom the , u 1 8 1 of u at A gust 7, the second year the new co rse f f o . . Musselburgh The Earl Fi e, Lord Elcho, Sir J B

Baird, Bart. , and Sir R . H . Dick, Bart ., are appointed r for of s stewa ds next year the Edinburgh race . On

- f the last day of the late races, thirty our coaches with f es 1 10 our horses each, 3 3 7 carriag with pairs, gigs, 1 and above 000 horsemen appeared on the course. The last relic of the old races w as a long pole which

- was w marked the starting place. It cut do n some w 1 82 8 e r w here about . The L ith aces ere, however, 70 REMIN ISCENCES OF LEITH .

re- a 1 8 6 est blished on the Sands in 3 , and continued to e 1 8 6 n be h ld annually until 5 , whe the Magistrates and s f m Dock Commi sioners re used the requisite per ission, n d t a hey were thus brought to an end . Leith racing are sands now covered with extensive docks, landing now sheds, and warehouses and the races can only be recorded as festivities of the past in the ann als of the e history of L ith . W I N E T R A D E .

B w as i ITH always a noted port, nto which a were imported the wines of Fr nce, Spain . to a u &c . . w Port gal, , large extent The ine houses in Leith were always numerous an d respectable.

u R an nie . u The old ho ses of Bell, Co Wa chope,

e Co. 8: Moodie Co . Cathcart, F rguson ; Cockburn

Co. Co. Co John A . Bertram ; James Bell ;

. a e 8: Co. . . Hutchison Co Cond min ; R M Weir, and a t Whigham, Vernon, and m ny o hers still remain, and are n of well k own as importers the ﬁnest qualities. Owing to the ancient connection and intercourse h a which Scotland generally, and Leit in particul r, had a f of a of i with Fr nce, dating rom the time M ry Gu se, t a who resided in Lei h and had her Court there, cl ret m u was largely imported and uch dr nk . Many a r undlet on joyous and festive occasions was consumed by the burghers of royal burghs at their mercat crosses ; for of instance, in the Burgh Records the royal burgh of d f f Had ington, the ollowing order is ound in the year 1 573 The Town Council ordained Adam Wilson, of younger, to buy and bring hame ane puncheon claret w n f for i e rom Leith, a propine to the Regent to be h of e pitc ed at the Mercat Cross, with a dozen torch s, and for x x i the spice, and to be allowed the puncheon j 2 E E F 7 REMI N I SC N C S O LEITH .

u e a In the a tobiography of Dr Carlyl of Inveresk, of in ar t w as view the great esteem which cl e held, n f in f is and the large consumptio o it ormer times, as f o an given oll ws Dr Alexander Webster, Edin

u of h i hﬂ in t b rgh clergyman , and leader the g y g par y in

u m the Ch rch, had obtained much respect a ongst the a of v was clergy. H ving a deal con ivial humour, he held to be excellent company even by those of dissolute

five - manners, while, being a bottle man, he could lay the m all u nder the table . This had brought on him ’ the nickname of Dr Magnum Bonum in the time of f i n c rs action ; but, never being de ently the wo e of of n ot liquor, and a love claret, to any degree, being i n a sin all his reckoned those days in Scotland, ” excesses were pardoned . It is recorded of D r Webster that h e sold a field of twenty acres of fine land near the village of Dirleton 2 u for 000 g ineas and two rundlets of claret. The field ’ ’ is called Webster s or Ainslie s field to this day. er usson his of ec io Robert F g , in poem the El t n, thus immortalises claret

— ’ ’ T h e grace is said it s na e o er lang T h e claret reams in bel ls uo D ea con L et th toast roun an Q d , e d g g ; ’ ’ Come r our n o l s s , he e s b e el ,

Weel met th e day.

“ of ed of John Home, author the trag y Douglas, r f of an d was ve y ond claret could not bear port . He w as very indignant when the Government laid a h eavy f a duty on the ormer, they h ving previously long connived at its introduction into Scotland under very i mit gated duties . He embodied his anger in th e following epigram WINE TRADE. 73

rm an d erect th Ca on an too Fi e led i s d, O ld w as his mutton an d hi s c aret oo , l g d ’ L et h im r n ort an En s statesman cr e d i k p , gli h i d H ” e ran th e o son and h is s r t e . d k p i , pi i di d

he for During t long French war the taste claret, on a of u ccount its high price, much s bsided, and port and

r &c . a use . sher y, , came into more gener l “ ” I n n 26 1 82 N oc tes A mbrosia ae . the , No , 9, will be found th e following testimonies in favour of the excellent quality of Leith wine — A mbr ose to T i ckl er Wha t win es shall we put on th e table ! ’ ’ s — f rr of ockbum s th e 8 T i ckl er to A mbr o e Some o that She y C , 4 ’ m n . Som of B rou s a e ra th e reen seal . ort I ea e gham M d i , g P , ’ ’ l et us ave Ca s 1 2 an d a s for c aret ou ma sen in two or h y ; l , y y d x f r h n three bottles of differen t kinds before we ﬁ o t e even i g. ’ t — ’ O D ocher y to A mbr ose Begin with Sams 19. T i ckl er Sings

Wh o dares to say That Albert Cay I s n ot th K n of ne e i g Wi , Whose bin s in spire Suc enerous ﬁre h g , n or a or s n Whe c di l T ie di e.

Till morn in g glows Make that your dose A nd toast th e K n of ne i g Wi , Whose bin s in spire Ce est a ﬁre l i l , n When cordial Tories di e.

It is said that the great William Pitt got his port f wine rom Leith . Before he began to speak at length in th e s of h e important debates in Hou e Commons , fortiﬁed himself with a good quantum of rare old Leith i w as is port. Le th long and still celebrated for the 74 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

’ ’ ’ f of s - manu acture brewers , di tillers , and spirit merchants

s rs e r ca ks. Among the old coope th re were Richa d

D r bur h Bl aiki e Ged , Neil y g , Walter , Wood Sinclair, a o r J mes Skinner, R be t Neilson, William Hampton ,

u &c of r a a . Yo ng John Pentl nd, Most them we e lso e e s win coop r and tasters, who attended to the landing, m f o &c . sa pling, and bonding wines and brandy, , in the s of e vault , and the clearing th m when they were taken

out of . e bond and the duty paid The wine tast rs, f o rom l ng experience, were excellent judges of quality, and were often employed in references . s of B l aiki e one of A good tory is told Walter , the e e s e Hi oldest win coop r and tast rs in his day. s cooperage was in Mitchell Street. A dispute had arisen between parties about the quality of a large

of l aw - f of importation port, and a suit be ore the Court i n r B laikie Session ensued, which ended a ju y trial . Mr w as a principal witness to testify as to the quality of i of the wine n dispute. At the trial a number sample u a B l aikie bottles were prod ced , e ch of which Mr was e o call d on to taste, and give his pinion on . In doing so is s w th e he did not, as u ual, swallo wine, but spat it f h is f out, a ter he had rinsed it well in mouth . A ter he th e sa had tasted the samples, presiding judge id to

' B l aikie s him, Now, Mr , how is it pos ible that you can give an opinion of the quality of the wine when you ” ! B l aikie did not swallow it Mr replied, My Lord, if to w th e a n ot I were swallo all wine I t ste, I would ‘ ’ n be long in not bei g a judge of wine at all, and I leave your lordship to draw an inference from what I ” say. This story is as good as the one told of an old

Dalkeith butcher who was robbed on a Hallow- fair

6 7 REMINISCENCES OF L EITH .

“ ” s as w a ked him how he w in health. No eel , Sandie, “ s for see i Mr Pa ley replied, , you , I had a bit d nner r s old fr — pa ty ye terday of some iends Dickie Grindlay, e Willie Woodie, Kit Woodie, Sandie Whit , John m Hutton, Graham Smith, Ja ie White, and some more, ’ 2 2 was so and I gied them my port, which ﬁne and r e g and that we ﬁnish d two bottles each, besides claret ’ nd s er see a - a h ry, and ye , S ndie, I m no weel to day ; ” n ae h ! and wonder, but we were all so happy toget er as was Mr Pasley w a quiet gentleman bachelor, and m e uch esteemed by all h is friends and acquaintanc s. Such is a specimen of the quiet social intercourse of

- Leith dinner parties in olden times . M . O LD LOCA LI T I ES , T I B E R B US H , &c

HE old naval yard of Leith was a govern ment repository or arsenal for holding al l s kinds of naval store . It was an extensive

square yard , with buildings on each side, and f u o of s extended rom the j ncti n Con titution, Bernard , and Baltic Streets to the sea beach.

It is not exactly known when it was erected, but

u e probably early in the eighteenth cent ry, when cruis rs and war ships began to frequent the harbour and Leith s u Roads. The pre ent Corn Exchange (b ilt in ’ s - u e u s merchant counting ho ses and war ho se , and the booking oﬂi ces of th e North British Railway now occupy the site of it. Sentries guarded not only the

u e of . pper sid it, but also the lower one next the sea ’ The sentries walk w as a particularly cold one during a

- of north eastern gale wind . The beach an d sand s of Leith extended from the back of the old stone pier and the signal tower in a

s a n straight line east, pa t the naval y rd, to the e d of e Seaﬁeld the glass hous s, and onwards to . They are now covered with warehouses, landing sheds, and docks — of a most remarkable change, indicative great and t increasing prosperi y in the commerce of Leith. The sands were almost always covered with logs of 8 7 REMINISCENCES OF L EITH .

th e e f . wood , cargo s o Baltic and Canadian timber ships

f s e e f Ra t w re ﬂoat d rom the docks and harbour, round

end of s . the the tone pier, and hauled up on the beach Many a public sale of timber took place on Leith

s . s sand The log were all measured, lotted , and marked for s w as for ready the ales . Mr Richard Stoddart many years th e principal measurer of timber in th e port. He was a brother of Admira l Stoddart. He for s might have been seen many day at a time, busily his a working with measuring line and callipers, t king e o the l ngth and girth f the logs.

th e e s of In adv rti ements timber sales , Richard m o Stoddart was enti ned as the sworn measurer, and his meas urements were always depended on to be correct A good story has been handed down about Mr

Stodd art. There was a rage among Leith folk long

- &c . ago, grocers, spirit dealers, bakers, merchants, , to

far a take ms in Mid and E st Lothian . It was reported

da h ad t f s that Mr Stod rt aken a arm al o in East Lothian . “ ’ e as e if was u e e On b ing k d it tr , he r plied , Na, na, I ll e just ke p the job I have, and farm it well . Most of e t s of f m u a the L i h taker ar s ltimately c me to grief. Mr

- a . w as o John S unders , jun , also a well kn wn measurer f e h is d a o timb r in y. T h e duty on timber imported in those days was s s 105 0 f f o from any Briti h po session, . per 5 cubic eet ; r m

e 2 1 5 . f e any oth r country, £ , 5 Now there is a re importation . Pirates and others who had committed crimes on the high seas, and who were sentenced to death, were “ a o ﬂ oddis long g executed on Leith sands, within the ” “ ” r his mark. Pitcai n, in Criminal Trials of Scotland, a tr 1 1 records sever l ials for piracy . In 5 5 a certain OL D LOCALITIES . 79

J oh nn e Davidson w as sentenced to be hanged on th e “ e irac ie a sands of L ith, in irons, for the violent p of ” 1 610 sen ship of Bourdeaux. In nine pirates were hill ten c ed to be h angi t upon the sands of L eyth qu ” they be deid . In the same year thirty more were

doomed to un dergo a like fate. The last execution for a 1 82 pir cy on th e sands of Leith occurred in 3 , when two foreigners expiated their crime on a gibbet erected

nearly opposite the foot of Constitution Street. In 1 783 there were six glass houses close to th e

r w as beach and sands of Leith . A la ge business done in glass manufacture for a long period of years at these

of t s . works, which were the seat the Lei h gla s trade s as The remains of them still exi t, and are now used

f s warehouses or other purpo es. It may be interesting at the present time to note that the ﬁrst glass and bottle work in Scotland w as established in the neighbourhood of the Citadel by ’ 1662 Ki n dom s I ntell i English residents in . In the g encer 2 th ec 166 g , of date 4 D ember 3 , a small quarto

newspaper, which seems to have been printed in the

Citadel, there appeared the following announcement —“ A remarkable advertisement to the Country and i Strangers . That there s a Glass House erected in the s Citadel of Leith, where all sort and quantities are made

sould th e f w : s and at prices ollo ing to wit, wine glas , bodd el s three shillings, two the beer glass, two shil lings and Sixpence ; the quart bottel l a t eighteen shil lings ; the pynt bottell at nine Shillings ; the Chopin bottell at four shillings and Sixpence ; the muskin bottell tw o S at shillings and ixpence, all Scots money, so f t s f rm and or h of all orts, con o to the proportion of ff ” s an d t r ed . the glasses, better tu s ronger than is impo t 8o REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

u of t The Timber B sh Lei h, anciently named Bourse ” u a e a or B rse, was origin lly a large yard enclos d with o fe e . a sea wo den nc H ving been reclaimed from the , it

e o s was subj ct to frequent inundati n during high tides . of s o One these is thu related by Calderw od, the Scotch “

o . 16 1616 hist rian Upon the th September , there a u th r rose s ch a swelling in the sea at e ﬁ th of Leith, a was for eers th t the like not seene a hundred y , for the besin e bulwarke water came in with violence the , a t e holfe in place called h Timber (or Howf), where e the Timber lay, and carri d away some of the timber, ma s n sea r and nie last of herring lyi g there, to the , b ak sun d rie l ow s s into hou es, and ellers, and ﬁlled them o o s ex traordinarie with water. The pe ple to ke thi tyde ” of so e ill m to be a forewarn ing me v to co e. Arnot states that a house which in 1 62 3 occupied

e S of th e - o n was th ite old weigh h use in Ber ard Street, s th e s ea s described a being bounded by , which show that the Bourse even th en was nothing more than a a a w ai piece of v c nt ground enclosed by ooden r ls, and f 16 he m f . t looked upon as a mere te porary a air In 44, th e th e timber trade of Leith being on increase, of Magistrates Edinburgh, to whom it belonged, caused

u s the Bourse to be s rrounded by a strong tone wall, and from that time it became a perman ent an d im o a p rt nt erection. u s In the co rse of year the Timber Bush, long used for storing timber, become more valuable for the u s of erection of b ildings, and the store timber were f sa s then trans erred to the nds and other place . During e s th e w the time of the old Leith whal ship , o ners

of . . o o e them, Messrs P C W od , st red the casks, whal

- ﬁshin a th e boats, and other whale g ge r, and boiled 8 1 OLD LOCALITIES .

m e m blubber in their pre ises th re. The old Ti ber n ow e Bush of Leith exists only in name. A larg

me u se printing establishment, nu ro s warehou s, grain f ’ fﬁ s . lo ts, and merchants o ces now occupy its old ite T he e late Mr John Kay, an old xtensive Leith merchant,

m s e u uncle to the late Ja es Wi hart, Esq., own d m ch e s as th e f property in the Timb r Bu h, also did amily

th e L earmonth s of u of w as of Edinb rgh, all which

fr m th f h originally purchased o e City o Edinburg . ’ L earmonth s grain lofts and warehouses are known to this d ay. “ of Sir Walter Scott, in his novel of the Bride o Lammermoor, brings into n tice the Timber Bush at f s of mm Leith, rom the lip the i ortal Caleb Balderstone, “ ” in his humorous beﬂumming harangue with Mrs f of o of Girder, the wi e Gibbie Girder, the co per “ ’ ” — - u a I st Wolf s Hope . I ma n be g nging ju wanted ’ ud eman s e to round in the g lug, that I heard th m say u t h o to p by yonder, that Pe er Puncheon t at was co per ’ th e Qu een s stores at the Timmer Burse at Leith is — dead sac I thought that maybe a word frae my lord to the Lord Keeper might hae served Gilbert ; but since he’s frae hame ’ 0 h is - but ye maun stay hame coming, said the ‘ tel led dame, I aye the gudeman ye meant weel to him ; but he taks the tout at every bit lippening ’ word . The cooper’s foreman heard of Caleb’s conversation “ ‘ ’ with Mrs Girder, and exclaimed, And Peter Puncheon s dead ! ’ ‘ A a — y, y Puncheon has leaked out at last, the auld ’ ‘ ’ a f o c rle, said the oreman ; mony a dribble brandy ” h as gane through him in his day. F 82 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

r a th e e It is na r ted in nov l, that the Lord Keeper, a m omm of Sir Willi Ashton, rec ended the cooper ’ ’ Wolf s - Hope to the Government as Q ueen s cooper at the m us h e mus e th e s a Ti ber B h, and t hav got itu tion to s according his own howing, when he thanked Mr Caleb Ba lderston e for h is good ofﬁces in th e following ’ racy terms Mr Girder s preferment had occasioned as s to for a ple ing urprise old Caleb ; when, some days ’ ft his a s d u e h e m e f e a er m ster epart r , found hi s l absolut ly

o e so e es s c mpell d, by m nec sary busines , to visit the

s am e an d w as e as e ﬁ hing h l t, gliding lik a ghost p t th

oo of for fear of u d r the Cooper, being s mmoned to give som e account of th e progress of the solicitation in h is

f u more ro a m s avo r, or, p b bly, that the in ate might upbraid him with th e fal se hope h e had held out upon su e ea f n ot o a re the bj ct, he h rd himsel , without s me pp h ension su m e s — a , moned at onc in treble, tenor, and bas ,

f rm e the e of Mrs r e a e trio per o d by voic s Gi d r, old D m

- th e - e th e of Loup dik , and goodman the dwelling Mr — — Caleb Mr Caleb Mr Caleb Balderstone ! I hope

re a - e sae ye a na g nging dry lipp d by our door, and we muckle ind ebted to you ’ u u r Mr r s s e s s . Gude g ide , Mr Balde ton , aid Gi der Wha wad hae th ought it of an auld and kend ’ m friend ! said the other. ‘ ’ sae u e as to e e And no m ckl stay rec iv our thanks, ‘ ’ th e e m f f 0 said coop r hi sel , and rae the like me that ’ s eldom offers them ! I am sure I hope there s nae ill e sa e e e — s ed wn b twe n us, Mr Balderston Ony man that ’ s to ratefu for h e s of has aid ye, I am no g t ituation ’ ’ u o me h ae a wi Q een s co per, let whample at him mine ’ ’ ’ — - a . u is tub eatche that s G de will, man, a geizen d , — ’ s u but - s that haud in nae liq or gude deed like the cask,

O D D C H A R A C T E R S .

B o ITH , like many ther places, had its odd characters long ago as it has yet among its e f e s varied class s o soci ty. Dean Ram ay remarks in h is inimitable Reminiscences of ” “ f a r t m con Scottish Li e and Ch racte , hat any things nected w ith our Scottish ma nn ers of former times are f s w e s es ast becoming ob olete, and eem at pr ent to be placed in a juncture which some Scottish traditions are f s s o s o . in danger being entirely lo t So old t rie , and e o e as as anecdot s, and names in numerous l caliti s well in Leith are becoming quite forgotte n and unknown to e a a new gen r tion . s o Sixty year ago, old Leith pe ple will recollect a woman that used to be going about the harbour an d

- s. s t dock She was a hort, thick set woman, wi h very s u s a a to t leg , and hobbled wkwardly long in her walk, f of f owing to the mal ormation her eet, which were ﬂat, s of sh e f broad , and like tho e a goose or duck ; there ore “ m of was went by the na e Duck Meg. She always for cleanly dressed, and well put on her station in life, ” o sh f alth ugh in warm weather e used to go bare oot. a She had a particularly broad f ce and big eyes. A stranger cou ld easily see at once tha t Sh e was a a r peculiar person . She had strong memo y, and knew 8 ODD CHARACTERS. 5

most of the ships and crews that belonged to the port . a f s of s Meg had particular gi t in making natches song , or rants, madrigals, as she used to call them, on the f m s arrival of ships ro foreign voyage . She used to

a e an d st nd along the quay sid , salute the men and

. f s s e u boys Some o her madrigal are till recollect d, s ch as

Ye are my bon n ie lambs fr m c J ust hame o Quebe , D r i n d dru kit ap t a c , G ae hame to yer wives warm an d ru G et ed bbit ,

A nd gie me some auld raipies .

She was a great favou rite with the crews of th e whale

e s f . ships, and saluted th m when they got a e into dock Here is one of her rants

Here e are a a n m onn e amm e y g i , y b i l i , ’ ’ h W lli a m and n fu f h l i Wi t e i A n , o w a l e a ame an d ss er ﬁne bairnies G e h ki y , A nd u le r o n e wivies c dd ye b n i , A nd ie a e a w een old ro ies g M ggi h p , For e ken I l e e a r y ik y f i lie. Also

’ Ye e ame a ai n m onn e la es r h g , y b i ddi , Frae th e B altic in th e bonn ie brig Mary T h e Mar e an s to can n e ohn Ha y b l g i J ie y, A n d sa e m onn e Ca ta n R h il d by y b i p i itc ie . Come as ore an d see our swee r s h , y thea t , Yer on n a d aim i b ie wives n b es, A n d ﬂ n som u rai s to i g e a ld pe Maggie. f ’ &c . She got many a lap ul of old ropes, , for her rants, which she sold to the marine dealers . For many years sh e w as a favoured and privileged person about d oc the ks, in begging for ropes and alms. 86 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

th e ar rs sh e h ad Meg could never endure c te , and

s cr many a thraw with them . She u ed to y to them

’ r B s e a B ease ye a e, and ea e y c , ’ r a r l aw Wh ips and whisky a e ye .

s - so be She was a trict church going per n, and could se e f f r s a en ev ry Sunday orenoon and a te noon , itting in h e a back seat in the galle ry of Nort L ith P rish Church . Dr Robert Dickson was minister of th e First Charge

- Rev of South Leith for th irty eight years before the . 2 th 1 82 e s Dr Grant. He died s January 4, ag d ixty

w as e e te e e . ﬁve. He an abl and much s em d minist r A good story is ha nded down abo ut him and his

T h e tw o e th e ess - o s old beadle . w re in s ion h u e one s T h e o w as for a day by them elves . D ctor inclined “ ou crack, and said to the beadle, John, y have heard me for an d s preach, now, a very long time, I dare ay ” as se f you will now be able to preach well as my l now. ”

N a n a o s . n ae , , D ctor, aid John I could do that, but I think I could draw an in ference as well as you ” ony day. for Well, John , I will give you a text you to draw an inference from : And the wild asses did stand in the

t uff o s high places, hey sn ed up the wind like drag n s f s their eye did ail, becau e there was no grass

m . f (Jere iah xiv Now, John, what in erence can you draw from that ! “ ’ “ o Deed , Doctor, said J hn , I think it would be a ” f th e s fat long time be ore a ses would grow . “ a t The Doctor s id, John, I quite agree wi h you, and a a a f enjoyed he rty laugh at his h ppily applied in erence. ’ The beadle s inference would have been a good on e for Dean Ramsay. 8 ODD CHARACTERS. 7

Most people have probably heard of the Rev. Walter m P s f . U . Dunlop, . mini ter in Dum ries Dean Ra say ” in h as e s his Reminiscences, pr served many anecdote of hi him and s racy humour and originality. E w as u o s . His brother, George D nl p, q , long a very e extensive merchant in L ith, and distiller at East ’ u Linton . He lived in John s Place, and his co nting ’ f s e room and warehouses were at the end o J ohn Lan . was e The minister, who a stout big man, one v ry warm u of P u day, d ring the meeting the U . . Synod in Edinb rgh, ’ his was walking up John s Lane to call on brother. w as e eo e He spied by his nephew, the late Mr G rg d Dunlop of Haddington, who kindly salute him and in sisted on his sitting down in the warehouse to take a s r e e re t, c ying at the sam tim to Richard Wright, the old to s s r s warehouseman, bring ome of the best pi it he

h e w as s e un w as had in the store, as ur his worthy cle f ” u . o e very warm and atig ed Ge rge, the minist r said , r u or I thank you ve y kindly, I will j st take ten drops so for w out in water, I am really tired , arm , and worn f n e walking down rom the Sy od . And how are y , and i G eorge ! I hope to see you well ; Richard Wr ght, f f ! my old riend, how are you, and all your amily I ” fte hope th e blessing of the Lord attends you both . A r “ the mutual speirings had been gone through, and in m of w as a of the iddle a crack, George Dunlop, who bit “ a s a wag, s id, Uncle, I am very orry to tell you that Richard Wright has become an awful and profane s e him a wearer, and I would like you, uncl , to give ” word of rebuke and admonition . ” I s t 5 0 ! tha , George ” “ is Yes t . , he said, it quite rue a r Then I must give him word . I am sor y for you, 88 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

ou Richard ; stand up, and I will give y a word of ou t a th e h as rebuke. I tell y , Richard, h t drunkard f h is pleasure in his cups, the ornicator has pleasure in

us s th e ar h as u his s but th e fa l t , li pleas re in lie , pro ne

e s h e e . c swearer s rve t d vil and him only Ri hard, my fr ma old friend, take tent om my rebuke, and y the ” m ou Lord make you to end y r ways . ’ f e the s a his A t r minister departure, Rich rd delivered

u . wrath on Mr D nlop, in no measured terms Every considerable wine and spirit merchant in h ad e as Leith trav llers or riders, they were called long a o s ago, as they h ve yet, who went n rth, south, ea t, f s e o e c s . and we t in qu st ord rs, and in collecting ac ount Many of th em rode on horseback or drove in gigs u th e e s o thro ghout wid di tricts . They were exposed t e a s s e and and encounter d many coar e bla t of wind, sle t,

- s of rain, and were a hard working clas commercial men, receiving often very indifferent treatment at the hands men d us s o an . of their c tomer , b th women The circulars sent out to the customers ten days f e s be or were in general curious, pithy, and hort as sa documents, such We beg to y that our D r . V. epresentative, Mr will ( ) wait on you on when you r orders to help the success

of u s e the journey will be m ch e t emed.

ALB — u Amount of acco nt, Many of the old country customers used to call the ” is traveller the God willing kind . A good story told of s of o 8: of a traveller the old hou e Gill n Rule, having

been taken ill in a town in the north. The landlord of the hotel asked him if he would be the better of ’ some brandy. Oh yes, he replied , but for God s ’ ” a r of s s ke do not b ing me any Gillon 8: Rule . 8 ODD CHARACTERS . 9

n w ar in an d Duri g the long French , g brandy were e is of old us a . s o scarc and de r A t ry told an ho e, who h a d sent a cask of gin to a customer in the cou ntry. T h e a e m customer c ll d on the one day and said, Man , the cask of gin you sent me last w as very capital ’ quality ; I made twae o it. Have ye any more of it ” th e It must have been very good , merchant replied , ” for we made two of it ourselves before you got it. ’ This perhaps explains Gillon Rule s brandy. ’ - a f Spirit merchants travellers, like other tr ders, o ten do not ﬁnd the cash ready for them in country places

is when they call. The following a true story . A tailor and general merchant at one time, in the hamlet of L ammermuirs Longformacus, in the , who called himself th e e f the head merchant in town , b thought himsel to th e apply for spirit licence. He consulted a neigh bourin g farmer about it, who said to him, Willie, do n ot to th e for it try get licence, if you get , you will ” drink all the proﬁts . ” ! f e Proﬁts said he, I thought thae olk wer all ” w as u a dead long since . Willie successf l in getting

l an d a of f . icence, ordered cask whisky rom Leith The his e traveller called on him on n xt journey, expecting

as w as s s . his cash, it a ﬁr t tran action Willie told him, sk am r Your whi y cask is toom , but I sor y I have nae

- but siller to give you to day, I will not send you away with a sair heart ; you can send me anither cas k f 1 2 th u Although some days be ore the of Aug st, Willie asked th e traveller if he would no be wanting a brace or tw o of grouse to take across the hill with him . The infringement of the game laws was no

uncommon occurrence in the parish of Lon gformacus. O L D PL A C E S O F B U S I N E S S .

ar of — Kirk ate the old p t Leith the g , Tol ff a booth Wynd , Coalhill, Sheri Br e, Giles Yardh ead s &c Street, , . , many of the old m erchants and traders had their places of

u s s an d f . b sine s eventy years ago, long be ore

th e o Mr o e In T lbooth Wynd R b rt Brunton, hardware

a for h e r e merch nt, kept many years t Carron wa ehous , e e s o w as and had a very xt nsive trade. His h p a little

o th e o o t an d s e bel w Old T lb o h, his warehouse extend d

a to ea u th e b ck the P t Ne k, of which he was one of h of principal proprietors . At t e opening the Elbe 1 8 1 S u mania in 4, he had hipped a q antity of goods, f &c . e o a or a e , to H lig l nd s l , and like many others in se uff s Leith and el where, he s ered so much los that he thought h e w as on his beam - ends and would have to

u his fr fail . He cons lted old iend and acquaintance Mr

h e e h is Adam W it , who kindly und rtook to look into matters . ft s o f A er taking t ck (which he had never done be ore), an d e it making up a list of d bts due to and by him, was found that he had a large surplus . He carried on of his business to the day death . Mr Thomas Thomson w as another old merchant in o He the T lbooth Wynd, next door to Mr Brunton .

2 9 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH . sorts of male and female garments and cloth were to be d th seen daily rying in e wind . Mr White was a great

‘ sm hi His new onger and politician in s d ay. yard was a of for a h e — for place meeting m ny wort i s in Leith, such as e a e u a es e Corkie V itch, Ch rli M rr y, Jam Mill r, grocer,

am for re of o and John Ad , the tailing news and p litical e s o es e e e be ru as ev nt . St ri w re b li ved to t e when it w told by the tellers of them that they heard them at ’ Tam White s . A cork manufactory w as carried on i n the same e s for s pr mi es many year by a Mr Merril ees. ere w as o r of Th an ther dye in Water Lane, the name of a e of u of S ndi Lowrie, a native the royal b rgh o Haddingt n , a good worthy man . He had two sons, who became ministers of the United Presbyterian

at e Church Lauder and East Cald r, and were men of s e s note . The Pipe wer o called becaus e the reservoir for the water brought from Lochend Loch was placed e w ther bet ixt Water Lane and the Tolbooth Wyn d. The water was carried from the pipes by the general h o w s. o public, stood their turn The L chend water, but for e m es was w lls in private pre is , the only supply the e o th L ith pe ple at that time had . At e Pipes and at the end of Water Lane Messrs J . 8: Ebenezer Murray ’ h ad th e for ir grocer s shop many years . Eben. was

- a a well known man and character in his day. In the Sheriff Brae there was an extensive soap manufactory th e carried on by old ﬁrm of Jameson 8: Auld . The date of the bu ildin g is shown on a stone in th e wall D ’ s ar e s 1 8 . oppo ite to Mr g public house, Built in 5 3 — . . e 1 800 c Rebuilt by T J (Thomas Jam son) , whi h s m shews it must have been a very old establi h ent. Mr f s a Jameson was a brother of Pro e sor J meson, of th e OL D A B PL CES OF USINESS. 93

a Natur l History Chair in th e University of Edinburgh. ’ Mr Au ld was long in the service of the Hudson s Bay

for e ear of e Company, and som y s a magistrate L ith

th e s oa - o a e under old system . The p w rk was l tt rly m o. carried on by William Taylor 8: C , whose na e can

e a s are still be seen on the gat w y. The premise now

o u eor a partly cc pied by Mr G ge Taylor, dairym n .

th e e a o In Coalhill, in a tenem nt now t ken d wn,

s o o ex u er which t od in the c rner, n t the harbo r, Rob t o e his a of w as i n Str ng, s nior, had pl ce business. He e r — o s in the Sh tland t ade R bert Strong, junior, was al o a of the s me trade. They were natives Shetland origin

ally. They used to brag that the name w as ﬁrst given “ to the family because they were Strong men in u s e of th e stat re and other re p cts, and descendants old “ ” e o e e u Vikings . Some peopl , h w v r, used to do bt the of t as e o application the name to hem, they w re nly

e - middl sized persons .

B ead e a - mer ff J . C . i w s a grain chant in the Sheri Brae ’

for . B eadie s f s are long lo t still known there. John and Francis Fu lton were long well - known h c eese and butter me rchants in the Coalhill . Their

s fr e is n ow . hop ont d east, and occupied by J Marshall, provision merchant . ’ In Williamson s directory of Edinburgh and Leith

for 1 86 1 88 am s o 7 to 7 , we ﬁnd J es Gladstones, ch ol m master, North Leith, and Tho as Gladstones, ﬂour

a . s and barley merchant, Co lhill Jame was uncle, and f F u m s f t o . o as e . Tho a a her of Sir J hn Gladstone, Bart , q At th e foot of the Tolbooth Wynd th ere stood for a l ong period a singular pile of buildings which went by th e m of r na e of Babylon . It was g eat height, and had ee f n t e b n o ten patched and repaired, and prese ted a very 94 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH

e n . markable, and by no m ans a prepossessi g appearance “ of e fu e for Part it, a L ith historian narrates, was a re g s u For the de tit te. many of the dens within its precincts

s v u its no rent were e er so ght or paid, and hence tenantry was always more numerous than select . Sailors and stragglers from various countries found refuge within its walls ; it was frequ ently the scene of

o e us r b ist ro revel y, and the shouts of noisy inebriates e o e f w re heard pr ce ding rom it at all hours, by day and u s u e by night. As nat ral con equences, q arr lling and r of fr u a ﬁghting we e equent occ rrence, and if tr dition is be to to relied on , murder must be added the grave calendar recorde d against the inmates of the gloomy e e e it o s pil . Altog th r, had a m st villainou character, and its removal must have been regarded in the light of a positive blessing by those whose misfortune it ” i s was to live in t neighbourhood . th e e f In pile, or n ar it, were grain lo ts which were o u e r e cc pied by Mr H n y Band, an xtensive grain w as an of merchant in his day. He extensive buyer

t e . wheat in Hadding on market, which was cart d in Old H addington carters used to tell that they had to carry bags of eighteen stone wheat on their backs up

si x s u ﬁve or wooden stair , and co p them down in the f lofts o Babylon . Mr Band was accidentally killed in

1 8 1 th e f of e 9, by alling a spar on his head wh n he was in specting a cargo of wheat in the harbou r at the

. s s Coalhill Babylon, it is aid , tood where Messrs ’ a e r r M ul s d ape y establishment is now, and ran back

towards the Peat Neuk . u H gh Miller, in his book My Schools and School ” m s a es o of aster , narr t that he fell heir to a pr perty s o house in the C alhill, which must have been near to

96 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

Fas ue a e a of - f h is ow n q , as m mori l his amily, and o connecti n with Leith . A Leith historian thus notices the Peat Neuk in “ e 1 85 6. Immediately b hind the Coalhill lies the o f u s mewhat amo s locality known as the Peat Neuk. th e re e t h e The Peat Neuk of p s n day, owev r, would \ scarcely be recognised by those wh o knew it even f r f twenty or thirty years ago. It is still a rom being a s an inviting or attractive loc lity, but circumstance s a e a e n ar have con ider bly am lior t d its sa it y condition. u u s e Part of the ruino s b ilding have b en rebuilt, and

u n d f T h are occ pied by shops a grain lo ts. e locality formerly afforded Shelter to a most reckless and of m s w as abandoned portion the co munity, and thi the especial ﬁeld of labour for those painstaking and u ntiring men who cannot ignore the heathendom

ev o s tr which pr ails at our own do r , and who y, in the ’ s words of Dr Chalmer , to excavate the heathen.

For many years a weekly praye r- meeting w as held in u w as this locality, in one of the b ildings which rooﬂess

ou u and uninhabited. The gr nd ﬂoor was occ pied by F r a a reprobate named atie B and . In the partments above a weekly meeting of s ome of the better disposed rs l o th e s neighbou was he d, to wh m mini ters of th e town in rotation were wont to address th e words of f everlasting li e . With the devotional exercises were intermingled the profane ribaldry of the inmates of e e his dwelling immediately undern ath , while, abov all, Patie were heard the sonorous oaths of Brand, addressed r u ma to his ho se, pigs, and h nity, and perhaps the order in which we have named them is a correct ” s e enough de cription of th ir rank in the social scale. r Mr John Adams, baker , Leith, ebuilt the Peat Neuk . V T H E A U L T S .

St Andrew’s Street there is an extensive an d substantial block of buildings c alled th e s Vault , including large vaults, grain

f u ffi lo ts, wareho ses, yard, and business o ces, extending up to St Giles Street. They were long th e owned , as they are yet, by old respectable firm f o ess s . . o 8: Co. M r J G Thoms n , wine and spirit s an d a o th e merchant , gents in Sc tland for old firm f o e 8: o. C of . Barclay, P rkins , porter brewers London u &c s . run The va lts, which are below the warehou es, , of r round the entire square the yard , and are ve y n an d of r exte sive, capable storing a ve y large quantity s of s of of puncheon whi ky, pipes and butts wine, hogs f o &c . heads brandy, porter, A good story used to be told of the foreman c ooper of old firm u h an in Leith, who had once nder t eir c o of s harge in b nd a large lot whi ky in puncheons . The vault w as frequently inspected to see that the

s ere . f an puncheon w all right and tight The orem ,

ss fﬁ f with an a istant and the Bonded Vault o cer, be ore to u t proceeding make a min te inspection, always s arted n ss of a bu g, and helped themselves to a gla whisky, One of his masters on one occasion coming into the

u saw u va lt, what they were abo t, and said to him , G 8 9 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH .

d o a s - as efo e Sandie, you lway take a gl s b r you begin “ ” ur s sir a e for see yo in pection I do, , said S ndi , you , sir r is a s me of s , the e lways uch a strong s ll whi ky and ‘ ’ f u vouts a o o l air generated in the , th t we would so n

u s be u e d o our or if t rn ick, and q it unﬁt to w k, we did ” a e ou r s o a ass not h rd n t m chs with a gl .

as n a u t ou and The m ter, taki g t rn hr gh the vaults, “ fe a u a s e f e eling little sq e mi h, said , Sandi , I think a t r ou u all y are right, and I think I will j st take a little ” f f s a a s e o to . dr p too, orti y my tom ch l o Sandi replied , s far o ve I think, ma ter, ye are no wr ng. I will gi

ou s of th e s s a y a gla s be t ca k in the place. Ple sant s u s f o e remark abo t the whi ky oll w d .

a of au es ee th e At the b ck the V lts, in Gil Str t, was

well - known wine and spirit establishment of Messrs

Sch aw 8: . w as e Robert Co It called the Gr en Tree , on o of e s r acc unt a larg tree which tood in a corne . u f a It spread its bo ghs, well clothed with oli ge during

e e . ou a e the s ason, into the stre t Getting rotten thr gh g , s it was replaced by two young one , which have now s e a s e as O ld of di appear d l o , as w ll the ﬁrm Robert

s is e on Sehaw 8: Co . The e tablishment now carri d by

rs o e 8: Co. s e th Mess Low, R b rtson , and it till r tains e ee name of the Gr n Tree. ’ e s th e In St Andr w Street, at the corner of side of s a e the Vault L ne, there was long a not d grocery and

s S . fo s of pirit hop, kept by James Miller Be re the day ’ s the Forbe Mackenzie Act, Miller s back shop was one f u a enou a u o the q iet pl ces, common gh in m ny b rghs, where burgh politics and news were discussed over a n s r e glass, and pla s and plot were a rang d to secure e votes during a contested el ction . Mr Miller was a r s strong Liberal, and a leading man in Lo d Advocate

I OO F REMINISCENCES O LEITH .

i ce as as two as in the , well the other , and they were ’ rs f s not replaced by the owne , Millar s ﬂeet o whaler a came to n end . The old established tea an d coffee warehouse of Messrs William Thorburn Sons was in a very a Kirk ate subst ntial tenement near the top of the g , at

o . f of the c rner of Laurie Street The ounder it, Mr

u for n - William Thorb rn, was a lo g period a well known u s e of th e and m ch re pected m rchant, and one old s a s t tand rd of the town . Al hough much engaged in s f busines , he spared time to promote the urtherance of e n a f . w s or . ev ry good i stitution He many years one of r of e e the the p esidents the L ith Missionary Soci ty, s r u as far Leith Di pensa y, and H mane Society back as 1 82 s h e w as of 0. Several time chairman the Leith

Merchant Company. Many old people in Leith will still recollect an d respect the name of William

r . v u son w as Thorbu n . The Rev Da id Thorb rn, his , minister of the Second Charge of South Leith until 2 th e e the Disruption in 1 84 . He is now v nerable and e s of t respect d senior mini ter Sou h Leith Free Church, and on e of the few remaining fathers of the Free Church of Scotland . e The Broad Wynd was a not d place long ago . In it are yet to be seen many old houses which must have been important ones in th eir day. We ﬁnd in the “ Tales and Traditions of Leith that in 1 739 the declaration of war aga inst Spain was declared in this of year, at the foot the Broad Wynd at Leith, and at ’ c on the end of th e pier. Admiral Vernon s vi tories o o the Spanish Main, and the taking f Carthagena, to k 1 place in 1 74 . Many opulent families can date the origin of their wealth from their ancestors having had V S I 0 I T HE AULT .

h t eir places of business in th e Broad Wynd . Old Mr i n f Sligo, orig nally from Aberdee shire, settled in it, a ter ’ ’ he gaed awa a thegithe r from his situation as a his f tidewaiter in the London Docks . He and amily a cquired a deal of wealth in the wine and spirit trade, which enabled them to purchase fine and large estates in Forfarshire and East Loth ian of great value. The r firm 8: n old ich of Messrs William James Ai slie, e of also wine and spirit merchants, first had th ir place busines s in a small way in th e Broad Wynd . They af w ter ards removed to large premises in Water Lane, where they for many years carried on an extensive and i f lucrat ve business . The Ainslie amily now possess n early 2000 acres of fine arable land in East Lothian alone i r i th e Ai as . One Sandie P giv e succeeded nslies

- a spirit dealer in the old premises in the Broad Wynd .

1 8 0. He died wealthy, somewhere about 3 e s In Constitution Street, in old low pr mise now

s . . 8: Co. rebuilt an d occupied by Mes rs T B Campbell , t s metal merchants, here lived over sixty year ago a ‘ c ct r e of MConnell e hara e of th e nam James , a nativ of ff r was - - n Gi o d . He a bill discounter, money le der, an d was a of usurer, and lleged to have a mint money for th e past him. He had customers many of ” a f s . Abbey L irds, to whom he requently paid visit It was observed he w as always busy w ith them of h c on Sundays, their day freedom, when t ey ame o n se e r an d rs d w to e him. N cessitous pe sons trade h a i he d often to apply to h m when hard up, and made them pay exorbitant charges for his advances .

n - f oc - o He lived to be a wri kle aced, Shyl k l oking, old man and af h is ﬁlch in it is a h e . , ter all g s id died poor ” He used to be c alled Old Beelz ebub . A R E T R O S PE C T .

RETROSPECT of sixty years recalls to recollection many changes and improve ments in the trade a n d commerce of th e r f po t and town o Leith . Leith has always been the chief port on th e east coast of Scotland for o of r n s w e f the importati n g ai , mo tly h at, rom Danzig, KOn i sber u Rostock, g g, St Petersb rg, and other Baltic

e s ports. Bak r long ago dealt largely in Baltic wheat, a nd ground it into flou r themselves at the different th e r s of mills. Now large impo tation American , of Hungarian, and other kinds flour have entirely changed the character of the Leith w heat trade. The large cargoes of wheat which are now imported from almost all parts of th e world pass into the hands of er r n the large mill s, such as the ve y exte sive firms of

. 8: . 8: 8: A R Tod , Gibson Walker, John Inglis Sons, e 8: John H rdman Sons, and others who supply bakers and s w a uf of dealer ith the m n actured article ﬂour. It is interesting to note now the difference of th e value of wheat compared with what it was forty to

ft . f h 1 860 ﬁ y years ago To go no urther back t an , a s af o e thirteen ye r ter the C rn Laws w re abolished, the

ﬁrst ﬁars price of wheat for crop . 1 85 9 for the county of

Ha w s : a 85 . d . ddington 5 3 per quarter ; for barley,

1 R S 04 EMINI CENCES OF LEITH .

n ro the opening up of the lo g, wide, and broad adway, t f t Great Junction Street, ex ending rom Lei h Walk to r th e a Junction B idge, on to Caledonian R ilway Station e e s on c in Comm rcial Stre t. Handsome building ea h side have been raised at a rapid rate ; and when the s of s e new treets in continuation Hender on Stre t, to be

f u ormed and opened p to the Shore, under the Leith m are ni a I provement Act, ﬁ shed, they will m ke this on s part of Leith e of the be t in the town . The dense of mass old narrow closes and dilapidated tenements, to which belonged many old historical tales and e i traditions, will give way to better v nt lated and a r t s nita y habi ations. The greatest works which have been lately done in — Leith were the New Docks The Victoria (opened in Albert (opened in and Edinburgh (ope ned in which now accommodate the largest class of steam and sailing ships which are required in th e s e much increa ed trade of th e port. The ampl railway lines around the docks afford every facility for the conveyance of merchan dise to all parts of England a and Scotl nd . S fo The plendid carriage drive, rmed by the Leith s f c Dock Commis ioners, rom the Albert Do k to beyond Seaﬁeld , and bounded a great part of the way by a t s strong embankmen on the seaside, deserve to be

noticed ; also the substantial and handsome building, ’ c 1 88 e f t r the Sailors Home, ere ted in 3 , wh re or y yea s a o sea h as ed of and g the ﬂowed, prov an object great worthy commendation for th e welfare and comfort of “ ! a th e sea our hardy s ilors, who go down to in ships, off e coming a long voyage. There is p rhaps no town anywhere better supplied with ways of transit th an S C 1 0 A RETRO PE T . 5

an d Leith. Tramway cars the Caledonian and North British Railways quickly transmit passengers to and from — ff of &c . a Edinburgh, very di erent way travelling now w h t es compared it the old Lei h stag , which started

u w from the Tron Church , Edinb rgh, and ent down the Kirk ate th e g and Tolbooth Wynd to Shore of Leith, o f ab ut which many old Leith olk used to remark, that when they were in a hurry they would walk up to Edin th e burgh, and when not in a hurry they would take ” stage. The port and town of Leith has within these thirty f to orty years made great strides in population, trade, 1 8 1 r and commerce. In 5 the census retu n showed the 1 861 1 8 1 population to be in , in 7 , 1 88 1 in , It is now the sixth most l of important town in Scot and in point population . The next cens us in 1 89 1 will no doubt show a great increase . CH RO N OLOG I CAL N OTI CE S

OF T HE T RA D E A N D SHI PPI NG OF L EI T H.

T may be interesting to note in 1 888 some of th e old e nactments passed by the govern ment of the day with which Leith was e concern d .

1 2 of u 3 9. The city Edinb rgh obtained a grant of

t a f m e Lei h and its h rbour ro Rob rt I . 1 w s s e 0. of s a 43 (In the reign Jame I . ) It pa s d and o f r e r of r the rdained that o ve y sack wool expo ted , merchants should ﬁnd security to the customers of the f t r s port rom which the ship sailed , that he e hall be

u s of th e t of bro ght home to the ma ter mint, hree ounces

th e a for s of . e bullion , and s me a la t hides Ther must ” have been diggings somewhere even in those days. 1 e 45 7. Gov rnment passed an Act to restrict the

u t u of a f m l it de s ilers, and debarred any one rom “ en gaging in traﬂi c unless he were abile and of good ” fa S f me, and that hips should be manned by reemen of

u s boro gh . 1 66 w as f 4 . It enacted that no cra tsman, either by e f f f ss hims l or his servants, should ollow the pro e ion of s h is f and a merchant, unles he renounced cra t, that each merchant shou ld have of his own or in trust one half

last of goods .

108 REMINISCENCES OF LEITH . are l udged shall answer to the ki ng for their customes u if a stran eris s im and d ties, the s yd g pas es away ” costw s. y First stone bridge built. 1 544. The English under th e Earl of Hertford burnt th e pier.

1 u n 547. Leith b r t by the same general, now Duke of

Somerset. ’ 1 6 B irrel s r 5 9 . It is recorded in Dia y, that in this “ 66 shi is year, betwixt July and August, pp arrived in ’ ” wi ic all Leith Haven v tu .

1 was toth e o . 607. An addition made wo den pier

1 2 1 - th e h 6 . The coal masters on both sides of Fort undertook to put marks and beacons on all the craigs

s and retired rock within the Firth above Leith Road, upon their own charges .

1 6 e of n n . 36. The Villag Leith gra ted to Edi burgh in 1 645 . The plag ue broke out Leith more than

2000 died. ’ u e 1 6 0. th 5 Lei occ pi d by Cromwell s army .

16 2 fﬁ e of t e of t w 9 . First o cial r turn onnag h e t enty

to 1 2 . nine ships belonging Leith , 70 tons h a set . 1698. D rien expedition sail from Leit 1 1 B orl um 7 5 . Macintosh of takes possession of Leith for James VIII .

1 1 8 f . 7 . First dock ormed, and stone pier built

1 20 s - th e 7 . Fir t graving dock constructed opposite to ’ R ken s present Custom House (late Sime 8: an ). f 1 . s two to 749 One, or at mo t sailings rom Leith as a h e London w the aver ge each month in t year. 1 0 Ro erie a th an 7 5 . Edinburgh p and S ilclo Comp y established . 1 1 for 77 . Act passed public water and lighting of s treet. CHRON OLOGICAL NOTICES . I 09

1 777 . Custom House quay built. The smack E di n burg h advertised (to sail at a ﬁxed date) in the Cal edon ia n Mercury ; that she h as neat accommodation for passengers, and that good usage may be depended ’

. ff on Captain to be spoke with at Forrest s Co ee House, ” h is at house in Leith, or on the Scots Walk, London .

1 . t s 779 Paul Jones at empt to seize Leith .

1 8 six - h 7 3 . There were glass houses in Leit . (Not one now in 1 8 e 7 7. Tonnage of ships b longing to Leith, 1 88 s i f ff 7 . Fir t drawbr dge ounded . A ray at the Black Rocks betwixt Newhaven and Prestonpans

ﬁshermen . 1 1 w as a for f 79 . There proposal the ormation of a joint- stock company to cut a canal from Leith to

Lanark. 1 2 79 . Tonnage of ships belonging to Leith at this date, d 1 800. Government advance to the city of

Edinbu rgh on security of the Dock reven ues . Eastern w ex e wet dock commenced this year, along ith an tensiv

of e s 1 806. range war houses, ﬁni hed in 1 f m of 805 . A urther su advanced by Govern ment to Edinburgh on the Dock property. 1 1 805 . Seven vessels sailed on the 9th February for — th e whale ﬁsh ery the greatest number that ever sailed from Leith in any one year. ’ 1 8 1 u 0. Western or Q een s Wet Dock commenced ; 1 completed in 1 8 7 .

1 8 14 North Leith Parish Church built .

1 1 t Kirk ate . t 8 7 . Trini y House in g rebuilt Cos

2 5 00. ’ s ﬁ s 1 8 1 8 . Morton patent slip invented , and the r t one I 1 S F H 0 REMINISCENCE O LEIT .

constructed and laid down by the patentee in his ship i r r . building ya d, below the present Junction B dge ’ 82 an d eamen s r e 1 0. Edinburgh Leith S F i ndly t Socie y instituted . 1 82 1 m . London and Edinburgh Stea Packet Company f r e Cit o Edinbur h o med, with three steam rs , the y f g ,

a mes Wa tt Soho. 1 8 6 w as j , and In 3 this company

merged in the General Steam Navigation Company. of a was 1 826. The ﬁrst pile the e stern wooden pier driven on the 1 sth August by the Lord Provost of

mo . Edinburgh, with grand and imposing cere ny ”

1 82 a at f . 9. Mons Meg l nded Leith rom London

1 8 1 . n 3 The Londo , Leith, Edinburgh, and Glasgow t Shipping Company added steamers to heir trade. e a 1 83 3 . Leith made a Parliam nt ry Burgh . 8 a s 1 84 . South Leith P ri h Church renovated . 1 e a 854. Tonnage ent ring harbour mounted to s of o of fo ton British, t ns reign , with tons a r of coasting ships . Gr in imported, quarte s . c Pr e 1 8 5 8 . Western pier now ompleted . inc of Wales f r Graving Dock o med . 60 a e a t 1 8 . Foundation of Corn Exch ng l id wi h 6th s 1 . . . a Ma onic honours on October W G Cochr ne,

Esq . , presided . 86 e te 1 4. Tonnag entering harbour amoun d to of s c s tons British sailing hips, with tons of oa ters, an d of British steamships, of coast

s an d of f m s wi e, oreign stea ship , and 5 097

of . 8 8 r tons coastwise Grain imported, 5 , 599 qua ters ; a ﬂour, bags ; wood, lo ds guano, s tons . Due on shipping , and on 1 goods imported , and exported, £37 9.

1 1 . T he re a 87 West Pier g atly d maged by ﬁre.