Edinburgh

Moderators: John, Sharon, Fossil, Lucky Poet, crusty_bint, Jazza, dazza

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:02 pm

Smart arse :wink:

If there were originally four fire stations and this was one of them, then I can only imagine that the other three were those on the High Street, the West Port, and Hamilton Place in Stockbridge. (Now a Polis museum thing, a pub, and a public convenience respectively.)
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:51 pm

Actually, while we're on the subject of fire brigades, I wonder if anybody's ever spotted the likes of this in Glasgow or elsewhere? These wee faded painted signs are dotted around on corners here and there in Edinburgh, mostly in the Northern New Town, though there's at least one elsewhere:
Image

Image

Image

After much wondering, it seems these point to the location of fire plugs, i.e. wooden plugs in the water mains; the idea was to follow the directions and dig like mad, then connect to the mains pipe. An early version of the fire hydrant. For the last photo, it says '12ftE 26S'; well, around 12 foot east and 26 foot south according to this map from the 1890s (the painted sign being on the corner at the top, above the E in 'Place'):
>Click<

(You might have to zoom in or out a bit on the map there, as it's being a bit funny tonight. Maps have a notoriously terrible sense of humour.)
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby HollowHorn » Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:28 am

Do you know, I don't see enough of you. You are a big part of what makes HG special for me. I'm so glad I started this thread................. :D
Yes Bridie, you do.
User avatar
HollowHorn
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 8921
Joined: Mon May 23, 2005 9:59 pm
Location: Paisley

Re: Edinburgh

Postby cell » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:17 am

FP=Fire Plug! I’ve seen these countless times on old maps and had them down as Fire Points but was vaguely unsatisfied with that explanation as it just didn’t sound right. Well done LP or Lamp Post as you should be known as for your excellent old map detective work.
cell
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 470
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:54 pm

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Sharon » Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:30 pm

cell wrote:FP=Fire Plug! I’ve seen these countless times on old maps and had them down as Fire Points but was vaguely unsatisfied with that explanation as it just didn’t sound right. Well done LP or Lamp Post as you should be known as for your excellent old map detective work.


Me too, and had no idea about the digging for wooded plugs! I have a hazy recall of there being some chat on here at somepoint, but it can get to be a long time ago!

So thanks Lamp Post from me too (and thanks cell for renaming LP!!)
Beware of yawning dogs.
User avatar
Sharon
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 7495
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2002 11:30 am
Location: Galloway

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:43 pm

I've been called a damn sight worse :)
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby The Egg Man » Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:49 am

A NEW long awaited edition of the CAMRA guide to Edinburgh and south-east Scotland will be available soon. It promises to be the definitive guide for beer-lovers and includes more than 300 pubs and includes details of regular ales, food, opening times and whether children and dogs are welcome. The cost should be around the price of a pint.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/top-ten-ti ... -1-2734373
I hear the people sing.
The Egg Man
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 2702
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:07 pm

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:40 pm

Minor update, anent the Cowgate ex-gap site:
Image
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Sun Feb 17, 2013 10:42 pm

It was a beautiful day today, almost Spring-like; what better way to spend it than in search of the final resting place of a long-dead celebrity who died in tragic circumstances? Sigmund Neuberger is just the fella. Or rather:
Image

Cutting a long story short-ish, Sigmund/The Great Lafayette was born in Hamburg in 1871, moved to the States with his parents at 19, became a stage magician, befriended Harry Houdini when they were both up-and-coming performers, and by the early twentieth century was living in London as the highest paid magician anywhere, ever. Outside of magician type circles, he’s possibly only remembered at all in Edinburgh, as his was the act on stage when the Empire Palace Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1911.

A few days before the fire, The Great Lafayette’s dog, Beauty, died. To say he loved the dog would be to say the least. After a bit of negotiation, Beauty was buried in Piershill Cemetery, just a wee bit to the east of Meadowbank. This isn’t all that unusual, as the cemetery was run by one of the many commercial cemetery companies of that era, so had very little bother with religious rules. It still is run by the Edinburgh Eastern Cemetery Company, it seems; they even have a wee website, which points out that there is a pet cemetery in the grounds (no more internments as it’s full). The deal was that The Great Lafayette would himself be buried there when he himself died.

There wasn’t long between them; the theatre burned four days later, set off by an accident during the finale of his elaborate stage performance. It could have been a lot worse, for the three thousand strong audience got away intact; eleven died, including members of the orchestra, backstage hands, and several of the Great Lafayette’s entourage. Not least a diminutive fifteen-year-old girl in a mechanical teddy bear costume.

His remains were sent to Glasgow for cremation; only a few days later did they discover that this was his body double. The real Lafayette was beneath the stage, identified by his jewelled rings. He was finally cremated. (Or re-cremated.) Estimates would have it that from 100,000 to 250,000 people lined the route of the funeral cortege to Piershill, where his ashes were laid to rest between the paws of his beloved Beauty:

Image

Image

The Empire Palace Theatre, meanwhile, was rebuilt as the Empire Theatre and went on to host acts ranging from Harry bloody Lauder to Laurel and Hardy; after a period in limbo as a bingo hall from the 1960s, and a radical change of exterior in the 1990s, it is now the Festival Theatre, just south of the South Bridge:

Image

Here's a link to a couple of Scottish Screen Archive-hosted film clips from 1911 of the aftermath of the fire, and a wee bit of the funeral:
<Click 1>
<Click 2>

There's lots more on the Interwebs of course. Incidentally, Piershill also has a very large Jewish contingent. I know I'm at risk of pretty much saying the place contains magicians, animals and Jews, but it was somehow touching to see a lot of gravestones with Hebrew inscriptions. I'm not sure why.

Here's to The Great Lafayette. *Swig*
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby HollowHorn » Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:26 pm

George St. Nice Curtains:
Image

Raeburn Place, Stockbridge:
Image

From the Dean Bridge:
Image

From Belford Rd:

Image

From Belford Rd:

Image

Rothesay Mews:

Image
Yes Bridie, you do.
User avatar
HollowHorn
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 8921
Joined: Mon May 23, 2005 9:59 pm
Location: Paisley

Re: Edinburgh

Postby The Egg Man » Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:47 pm

Image

The Canongate.

No wonder Keith O'Brien has had enough.
I hear the people sing.
The Egg Man
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 2702
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:07 pm

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Josef » Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:47 pm

I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more literal in your comment there for the slow-thinking amongst us.

I haven't the faintest idea how that photo can possibly relate to O'Briens resignation.
User avatar
Josef
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 8144
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:43 pm

Re: Edinburgh

Postby The Egg Man » Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:24 pm

On the day O'Brien 'resigns' Edinburgh decides the Canongate should have orange setts.

"WITH plans to improve the Royal Mile out for consultation, the future for Edinburgh’s most historic thoroughfare is bright – and in the Canongate it could also be orange.

One idea being discussed as part of the Royal Mile action plan is extending the cobbled road surface, which currently runs from the Castle as far as St Mary’s Street, down to Holyrood.

And there is some evidence that the original cobbles – or setts – in the Canongate stretch of the Mile were a different colour from the grey setts used for the rest of the street.

Historical accounts record “grey and orange granite setts” being brought to Edinburgh from Aberdeenshire. Euan Leitch, assistant director of the Cockburn Association, said he had heard descriptions of “reddish” stones being used in the Canongate."

Alternatively. On the day Edinburgh decides the Canongate should have orange setts, O'Brien 'resigns'.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/royal-mile ... -1-2808605
I hear the people sing.
The Egg Man
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 2702
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:07 pm

Re: Edinburgh

Postby Lucky Poet » Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:01 pm

Somewhere in there is an interesting story about the possible original complexion and appearance of the cobbles of the 16th Century Canongate. Other than that it's fluff and rubbish. You should generally avoid the Scotsman - it's genuinely bad for the soul.
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon, when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
User avatar
Lucky Poet
-
-
 
Posts: 4161
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Up a close

Re: Edinburgh

Postby The Egg Man » Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:35 pm

Lucky Poet is right. That's why I didn't quote the Hootsman till I was quizzed about my post.

Sadly, short of sitting all day in Embra' Sheriff Court or the Cooncil Offices, there are few other ways to find out what's going on other than the Hootsman.
I hear the people sing.
The Egg Man
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 2702
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:07 pm

PreviousNext

Return to Around the World

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests