Ten Years of Oldleither
Upcoming 10th Anniversary of Oldleither
Hi Folks, come the 30th September will be the 10th Anniversary of Oldleither coming on line.
In this time many have visited the site, see The Wall, and so in doing so have given me great satisfaction in initiating it.
From what started as purely a medium of putting my own story on site to see it in print, it has grown to a drop-in centre for Leithers worldwide.
To celebrate this date, I would love all of you to let me know just what Oldleither has meant to you, sic, meeting up with past friends; making new friends; memories recalled that you had long forgotten about; reliving Leith as you remember it. Just look at the feature page.
For myself, these past 10 years have flown by. Little did I think when I began this it would grow to a worldwide phenomenon
Even the Smithsonian Institute thought it worthy of a place in its website archives.
Please let me know of your feelings by filling in the attached form.
Thank you all, John
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John Stewart: livvyboy32@hotmail.co.uk Livingston 14/08/10
Old Leith Address: Cables Wynd
What has the site meant to you?
In the ten years of its life, I have been blessed with having made many new acquaintances. From Alex and Tom Wallace from the very early days, to the latest visitors in the past few months.
It gives me great satisfaction in knowing this has been the case of many of you; meeting up with long lost friends and acquaintances. Look at the number of entries on both sides of The Wall as well as the Roll Call. This just shows the appeal of the site.
Sharing our experiences of childhoods in the Old Port. Just look at the Features Page. What memories of games, radio programmes, schools, etc.
Our interests were simple and they didn`t cost much to participate.
The Guestbook fills up so quickly that I am forever having to delete old entries. (Guestbook has a limit of 1,000 entries).
You are the ones to be thanked for all this.
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Ian Ross: ianross46@yahoo.co.uk: Edinburgh 15/08/10
Old Leith Address: Great Junction Street
How long have you been visiting the site? About seven years, since 2003.
What has the site meant to you?
Just love reading about old Leith and seeing the many photographs - the schools, the shops, the streets, the traditions, but most of all the people. Would love to say that I have heard from lots of old friends, but I think that everyone is older than me! There must be something about Leith because I don't think that there will be many sites like this for other towns. Keep up the good work!
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Terry McGuire: tandjp@ntlworld.com : Allesley, Nr. Coventry, Warwickshire 16/08/10
Old Leith Address: Kirkgate, Newhaven Road.
What has the site meant to you?
Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, "This is my own, my native land, ---W. Scott -The Lay of the Last Minstrel.
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Bob Moffatt: r.moffat02@btinternet.com : Bonnyrigg 17/08/10
Old Leith Address: East Cromwell St.
How long have you been visiting the site: About 4yrs.
What has the site meant to you?
This site is truly remarkable; I love the guest book where Leithers from all over the world tell their stories and ask questions about Leith. It brings back a lot of memories, and shop and street names that we may have forgotten, and also names of forgotten companies.
From that information we have a features page that you can browse through and refresh the old grey matter.
I have met a lot of nice people on this site, what else would you expect? People from the Old Leith are always nice. I could go on all day and night about this site but I had better leave space for others to comment.
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Frank Condie: f.condie@btinternet.com: Edinburgh 18/08/10
Old Leith Address: 11 Bangor Road
How long have you been visiting the site? Seven years.
What the site has meant to you?
A lot of good memories have been brought back to me of the "old Leith" where I was brought up. I go into the site quite frequently now just to see what the topic of conversation is and also to see if there are any names from the past that I remember!
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Anne Kaczka (McMullan): puddocky@aol.com: Denver, Colorado 18/08/10
Old Leith Address: 26 Warriston Road.
How long have you been visiting the site? Probably since you started it John - didn't realize that it was ten years.
What the site has meant to you?
I know NOT Leith but I worked at Leith Fort had my tonsils taken out at Leith Hospital and spent many a Saturday shopping on Junction Street! So many memories of home especially shopping with my Mum at all the different shops along Junction Street. You could pretty well buy anything. Feel I know so many people from the Guest book A friendly and happy place to visit each day.
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Graham Whyte: chalkyaug52@yahoo.com: Harrogate, Yorks. 19/08/10
Old Leith Address: 36 Madeira Sreet/43 Prince Regent Street.
How long have you been visiting the site? 4/5 years.
What the site has meant to you?
Over the period since joining this site, I have come to meet some great and varied people. Maybe, not in the flesh but, as good as.
The great variety of memories that just ooze from almost every page is, a testament to the worth of site. Many thanks to John for his fore-sight in starting it and, continuing it. Allowing the rest of us to be able to keep our memories alive.
May I also take this opportunity to thank someone who is no longer with us, The Alex's of this world. gave her the name we all became to know as " Oor Jessie". To remind me of her, I still have her sat in our outside Privvy in our Miniature Village in our front garden. I know, she loved that picture I sent her.
This site is like getting to the heel of a plain loaf before the rest of the family did. You can't beat it.
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Murdo Stewart: mstewart23@toucansurf.com Longniddry 20/08/10
Old Leith Address: 24 Tennant Street.
How long have you been visiting the site? 2 years plus.
What the site has meant to you.
Although of the older generation, I look at the Old Leithers every night.
We had hard but happy days in Leith. The youngsters nowadays have the money BUT not as happy as we were with our made up games ie kick the can etc.
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Frank Ferri: frankmae@blueyonder.co.uk Newhaven Main St Edinburgh 22/08/10
Old Leith Address: 3/10 Ballantyne Rd 1939 to 1958
How long have you been visiting the site: About 3 years
What the site has meant to you:
Wonderful trips down memory lane and the gratification of sharing these memories and having them confirmed and enlarged by others; keep them coming folks.
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W J Elliot: wje1332@talktalk.net Jocks Lodge, Edinburgh 23/08/10
Old Leith Address: Leith Walk
How long have you been visiting the site: 3/4 years
What the site has meant to you:
A mine of information and nostalgia that would otherwise be lost
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Carol Ford (nee Crerar): carol.jan@btinternet.com Carnoustie 24/08/10
Old Leith Address: 18 Bowling Green Street
How long have you been visiting the site: 4/5 years
What the site has meant to you:
Memories of my childhood, Granny and all the aunties who visited Granny. Really nice.
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Cathy Welch: catherinehwelch@gmail.com Canada 25/08/10
Old Leith Address: 45 Sandport Street
How long have you been visiting the site: approx 1 year
What the site has meant to you:
A walk down memory lane to say the least! The comments are a wonderful read you seem to connect with so many folks from all over the world and yet our hearts still belong to Old Leith Forever......Thank You John
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Sandra Cochrane (Johnson): acochrane@distributel.net Ontario, Canada 25/08/10
Old Leith Address: 23 Market Street
How long have you been visiting the site: 4-5 yrs.
What the site has meant to you:
It has been so nice to hear all of your stories, and to know also, that there are other people out there with the same happy memories. It shows what a great community 'old Leith' once was. Since losing my Mum in 2005 this site has been able to answer a lot of questions that I would otherwise ask my Mum, she like John's Mum, had a great memory and never let me forget my roots. I am so glad that John undertook this phenomenal task and brought us all together and made sure that our history won't be forgotten. A big thanks to you, John. You have all made me feel that if I ever get back to Leith I could call on you and drop in for a wee cup o' tea and a blether.
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Wilma Tatnell nee Arundel: wilmatatnell@gmail.com: Portland,Victoria, Australia 26/08/10
Old Leith Address: 9 Graham Street
How long have you been visiting the site: 4/5 years
What the site has meant to you:
It is a mine of information on all things Leith. Bringing back memories of childhood and somethings long forgotten. Haven't caught up with anyone who knew me or my family but still hoping. So John and all contributors of the site please keep up the great work.
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Connie Newman (formerly Lanni): connie.newman@virgin.net Tonbridge, Kent 30/08/10
Old Leith Address: 51 Ferry Road and 16 Lindsay Road
How long have you been visiting the site: 3 weeks
What the site has meant to you:
Another means of keeping in touch with my home. To read the chat & memories of other ex-pats & present Leithers has been a great joy & one I hope to continue enjoying for a long time to come.
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Jim Laidlaw: rubenjames@kol.co.nz Auckland, New Zealand 30/08/10
Old Leith Address: 195 Great Junction Street
How long have you been visiting the site: About eight years
What the site has meant to you:
I suppose it keeps me in touch with my past, which were the best years of my life.
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Norma Ross: norma-L@rossy.co.uk Lochgilphead, Argyll, Scotland 01/09/10
Old Leith Address: 64 Lorne Street
How long have you been visiting the site: About 2 years
What the site has meant to you:
Touching base with Leith and "hearing" my dad, aunts and grandparents in the memories of other Old Leithers
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George Robertson: george_robertson@blueyonder.co.uk Lapicide Place 02/09/10
How long have you been visiting the site: 2 years
What the site has meant to you:
Very enjoyable too see photos of the past and present,and see names of old friends.
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Philip Glancy: p.glancy@blueyonder.co.uk Restalrig 06/09/10
Old Leith Address: 15 & 9 Burlington St. and 13 George St.
How long have you been visiting the site: Years
What the site has meant to you:
I think this is a fantastic site. It reminds me of happy days gone by. It is also good to know that there are a lot of people who share the same nostalgic views on old Leith as me. It is also nice to rekindle old friendships and make new ones. John has not missed a trick. Thanks John.
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Christene Richardson (Donaldson): cmdrichardson@gmail.com Waterdown Ontario, Can. 06/09/10
Old Leith Address: 11 Ballantyne Place
How long have you been visiting the site: 2 years
What the site has meant to you:
Keeping in touch means a lot when you are so far away. I love the chit chat. It's so nice to hear Leith means so much to a lot of people. We are certainly proud of Leith, thanks so much John.
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ALEX WALLACE E-mail:brigodoon@sympatico.ca MEAFORD/LEITH ONTARIO,CANADA 16/09/10
Old Leith Address: Burlington Street LEFT LEITH 1960
How long have you been visiting the site: FROM THE START.
What the site has meant to you:
THE site has done many things for me, most important being the memory of How proud and happy we all were growing up in "OOR TOON LEITH".alec,eacky etc.
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Tom & Wilma McLuskey E-mail tommac1@shaw.ca "Shannon Lake Westbank. BC.Canada 22/03/11
Old Leith Address:1 3 East Thomas Street (Chinatown)& 44 Pitt Street Leith
How long have you been visiting the site: Just found it and love it.
What the site has meant to you:
I cannot express what this site truly means to my wife and I, it is about finding old friends making new friends, a walk down memory lane. It is a truly fantastic site and I show it to my grandchildren who now see Leith and the people who lived there and the people like ourselves who moved away but never forgot their roots their heritage their luck of having been brought up in Leith.
My grandchildren who only used to believe about half of my stories about Leith now believe most of my stories and memories and that is through this site, the wonderful photos and the many stories about Leith and its history. Tom & Wilma McLuskey "Leithers and proud of it"
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Sheila Herriot (nee Brown) E-mail Sheila Herriot@hotmail.co.uk Edinburgh
Old Leith Address:16 Wilkie Place, Leith
How long have you been visiting the site: Just a few weeks
What the site has meant to you:
This wonderful site has brought a lot of very happy memories back to life for me. Since I found the site I have not been getting to my bed until about 2 in the morning. Reading all the letters have had me laughing ma heed off and a tear in my eye too. Still got a lot of reading to do. There are a lot of names that seem to ring a bell to me.
My grandson Bruce who is 11years old loves me telling him about the old days so now I will show him this site and take him down memory lane with me.
John you have made a lot of people very very happy keep up the wonderful work Take care all you great Leithers with the kindest regards. Sheila Herriot (nee Brown).
From Archive
From Archives
Frank Ferri Autobiography (A must read)
From Archive of 2002 Now back on site
