"Coming across your site the other evening brought back memories, what memories! I am not strictly a Leither, but my parents were. In fact, my father was brought up in the Bowery (87 Bonnington Road). Sadly, he passed away in 1998.
"I was born in 1946 and spent the first five years of my life in Redbraes Place, just up the road from Bonnington Road, then moving on to Lochend. My mother used to take the bus down to Leith so she could buy ice cream from Lannies for my dad. Eventually he was persuaded to try the ice cream that was made by a more local shop, De Felice of Marionville. Then mother didn`t have so far to travel.
"I laughed when I read about chewing the tar; no-one believed me when I told them that I used to do this when I was a boy! At last I have the proof.
"Even though we lived at Lochend, I continued to spend my weekends and school holidays at Redbraes Place with my granny who, incidently, was also a Leither. Her next door neighbour was a widow with four children who used to take me on occasions to the Grand picture house. I have to say that it was considered a flea pit even in those days. These trips to the Grand stopped when the same family became the proud owners of a television. All the kids would crowd into this house on a Saturday night to watch 6.5 Special or Jukebox Jury. .
"I also used to go to St Mark`s Park and watch the greyhound racing from the same bridge that is mentioned in your site. Another memory from those days is of the back-green singers. Remember them? We used to throw pennies to them after they sang their songs.
"I too went to Leith Academy Secondary; coincidently I also was in 1a2. Mr Little was my Latin teacher. He was grey haired when I knew him. We knew him as Big Pop Little! A real gentle man he was. I also had Miss Puntis for music but I preferred Mr Adams. I also remember Johnny Bathgate. He used to carry the belt over his shoulder beneath his jacket.
"I left school in 1961 and went into - yes, the shipyards, Menzies in fact, who were later bought over by Henry Robb. I served my time as a welder. It was while employed at Menzies that I had my first swim at the Tally Toor. I used the word swim in the loosest possible sense, as I really couldn`t swim at all! I decided to go to the Vickies during lunch breaks so I could learn to swim in comparative comfort.
"I was sent to Robbs on loan at one point to work on a ship called the `Engadine` I think. She was a helicopter port and the biggest ship I had ever seen.
"I also worked for a short time with the Anglo-Swedish Welding Company before moving south in 1968.
"Some incidentals. My father, Bobby, worked for Leith Provident Coal. His brother Jimmy was a welder. Their sister married a Willie Doig and they too lived in the Bowery. My grandfather, after whom I am named, was a plater in the shipyards. He retired at 74! A hardy old character who still managed to put the fear of death into the platers` labourers.
"Yes John, you have certainly unlocked many memories for me and I thank you for that".
George Shepherd
A Leith Gaffe - anecdote 6 March 2002 from George
I was working at Motherwell Bridge in Leith Docks on nightshift and was heading for work one night when I spotted smoke coming from what appeared t be a derelict tenement opposite Newhaven harbour. I called the Fire Brigade and waited for them to appear. When they arrived, the firemen had to don breathing apparatus and climb over a steel spiked gate to get to the entrance of the building.
They hacked down the door with a big axe and entered the building only to find that it was a smokehouse for kippers! I slunk away very quietly, I can tell you!
