Leith Lives

Rose Minto was born Rose McIntyre on March 13th 1920. She spent her first 14 years in Bridge Street in Leith. Bridge street is now known as Sandport Place. None of the buidings exist that Rose would have known. Aside from The Rose Leaf pub, known as The Black Swan in Rose's day. (see widescreen photo.) Rose had an amazing and detailed recall of her life. These are evocative memories of life in Leith in the 1920s and 30s. The streets, the backgreen, the crowded housing, the shops, the pawn brokers and offal butchers. The close community, poverty and complex family relationship. Rose paints a vivid, unsentimental picture of life 90 years. Recorded in 2008 when Rose was 88.

Archie Minto tells us what it was like growing up with right side hemiplegia a form of cerebral palsy in 1950s Leith. At a time when disabled children were often taken from their families and placed in special homes Archie's Mother and Father fought to keep him at home and have him educated at main stream school where he was fortunate to have dedicated teachers including Sister Columba. His Father worked hard to buy a home for his family and his Mother fought for everything she could to get the right help for her son. It is due to their strong characters and the support of his maternal family that he is the man he is today.

In this episode of Leith Lives Maureen Sweeney tells of starting work in the office of Bond 9 on Commercial Street at the age of 17 Maureen recounts the lively atmosphere in the Bond where all the workers were given 'an official' a tot of whisky two times a day and if the ladies wanted lemonade it was an extra 6d ! After working for 3 years in the Bond Maureen moved to work in the Eastern General Hospital where along with paying out wages and pensions she had to help transport body parts !Maureen then takes us on a trip around the fine assortment of shops that existed in Leith at that time from Andersons the butcher for lovely mince to Stella Blacks for delicious vanilla slices and pies

Originally broadcast on Thelma Internet radio Evelyn Whitfield reads a selection of articles from Old newspapers- The Evening News, Despatch, Leith Gazette, quotes from a series of booklets produced in the 1980s called Leith Lives and a book called Old Leith by Guthrie Hutton. We hear reports about Henry Robb's shipyard, Leith Links, golf, Hibs at Easter Road, Willie Merrilees, Leith Pageant, Lambs House and Edinburgh and Leith's old people's welfare council. Some memories stretching back to 1900. Interspersed with music and songs from old 78rpm records.

In the 8th edition of 'Leith Lives' we are joined by author and Trainspotting Tour Guide Tim Bell. Tim takes us on a wonderful journey through his life from a Quaker boarding school and voluntary work in the Lebanon to hitch hiking home from Gaza, a short stint as a geography teacher and working for the U.N. in West Africa. From a filmic meeting on a bridge in Istanbul to social work in Northumberland, falling in love and ending up in his spiritual waterside home via a short stay in Niddrie. The show looks at Tim's 40 years in Leith through his path to divinity, becoming an alternative tour guide and releasing his first and last book based around his home and its relationship with Trainspotting in all its forms.

Andrew Grant's second visit to the Thelma studios. Once again he talks about some of the extensive research he has undertaken into Leith and the First World War. This time round he reads poems gleaned from Leith newspapers from the period and gives some background into the events they commemorate. These may not be the works of the war poets Wilfred Owen and Rupert Brooke but neither are they casually thrown together dogrel. Funny, satrical and often deeply moving these are powerful pieces written by local authors or, in some cases, by an unknown pen. What comes across are poems written about the every day aspects of war, both at the front and at home. Originally broadcast on Thelma FM the programme been split into two podcasts. It is interspersed with contemporary music from WW1 played from original 78rpm records.

Once again our regular volunteer Stan Eadie tells us about his younger days in Leith. This time we are knocking about the Kirkgate. We're in Michael's cafe with it's Teddy Boys and juke box. We hear of the businesses in this busy shopping area, nearby cinemas and being watched by the undertaker from his doorway. Then its up town to The Palais de Dance, where Stan was the floor manager in the 1950s. We learn how to eject 'awkward' punters, how the Palais's famous revolving stage revolved. Then there is working with Big Tam. Wonder what happened to him? Interview by Donna Mackie at The Wee Museum of Memory.

Frank Condie was born in 1938 and was brought up in Leith, around Bonnington Rd. He talks us through school days, doing a milk round, memories of war, going to the pictures, the dancing, The Gaiety Theatre and an apprenticeship in Henry Robb's ship yard. He also chooses some favourite music- Izzy Bonn, Billy Daniels, Bill Haley, Elvis and Frankie Laine.