Comment From Alan Brown

Comment: Hi Peter, First off can I just say your blog is fantastic! All the photos and stories just bring Oxgangs back to life, the trips down Braidburn valley everything you've mentioned throughout this Blog has had me going 'We used to do that too!' (did you roll your easter eggs down the 'grass steps' at the Braidburn Valley?). As I got older, I can remember Burn jumping all the way through the Braidburn Valley, trips to 'The Gully', Crab Apple fights (crab apples were collected from the trees by the Braidburn and stored in bags for each team then the battle would commence ~ what a mess we made!), British Bulldogs, walking up the Pentlands, Skateboarding down Naffi Hill. I also owned a Raleigh Chopper 1976 model, it was the best bike I ever owned although the Gear stick position was in a dodgy place.

I can remember Callum Orr, he was in my class (72'-75'). I have a vague recollection of him bringing some fantastic toys to school, a bright and clever lad, he seemed like the ultimate model pupil at Hunters Tryst. Teachers ~ I can only remember Headmaster Mr Conway and a Mrs Sym but not much else, I can remember the strong smell of sawdust which seemed to follow the Janny as he stalked the corridors in his long Brown coat and pail.I realise that my time at Hunters Tryst began long after you had moved on but I wonder if you have any recollection of a Scot/Dutch family who lived in one of the stairs on Oxgangs St, either one of the ones next to the main road or the next one up. My classmate and pal Tony (Whinnier?) I can't remember the exact spelling. He had an older brother Stuart? and an older Sister, I think. They spoke English with heavily accented dutch which always had me laughing. They were good friends of mine and I always wondered what happened to them as I left H.T. in '75. Cheers, Alan Brown 

Response: Thanks Alan-my sister Anne had a similar view of Callum and held a candle for him. I didn't really know him and he started doing well at athletics after I stopped-he was a good all-rounder competing in decathlon reaching international level. There's a Power of 10 website that may give you some information. The last I heard he was the head of an academic institute in the Midlands area. If we were off on an adventure toward the Pentland Hills we occasionally were in the NAFFI-it always had an unusual feel to it compared to the likes of The Store. I had forgotten until you mentioned it, but the original janny at Hunters Tryst was a Mr Phillip who had a tied house outside the school at Oxgangs Rise-he too wore a brown warehouse coat, so I assume they were standard issue from Edinburgh Corporation-I guess with 300-400 kids there was always someone being sick thus the trail of sawdust! Sorry I don't recall the Dutch family-I moved away in 1972 so perhaps they arrived after me.

Comment From Alan B on The White Lady

Very interesting story! Recalling an account from the early 1970's by my pal Eric Mullen (Oxgangs Ave) he, his sister, Liz, and my brother Dougie Brown, Derek Aitken, Stuart Robertson and possibly Stevie Montgomery ventured up to Comiston House/Farm ruin as a dare, while exploring around, unknown to them, Liz Mullen climbed onto the roof and rang an old bell, resulting in 5 wee laddies doing somersaults in fear and taking off at great speed. :D

Comment From Paul Kaszynski

myself, a brat who vaguely gazed
on the knee high nineteen fifties
and the waist high nineteen sixties
and couldn't figure numbers worth a damn
was always a chancer
and given three lines to add I'd put the middle row
down as the answer
but I would read all day if I could get away with it
and all night too with a flashlight under covers
of Merlin of the borders
and in seeking out the stories of Britain's ancient lineage
I delved
on days subtracted from the blackboard's paltry tyrannies
among dog eared authorities, back shelved in libraries 

I absolutely loved this comment which arrived yesterday from Paul Kaszynski. In the Comments section of the blog it arrived as a normal paragraph, however in my e mail box it was jumbled up as in the above extract-I think it's a startling piece of poetry which resonates with me with fantastic imagery-made me think of the great Polish poet, Czeslaw Milosz-check out his poem Encounter. Thanks Paul!

Paul Kaszynski

Yesterday was a red letter day as I received e mails from Paul and Douglas Blades and a big, big surprise-a lovely update on the Douglas family from Ali Douglas who has featured so prominently in The Stair. I don't think I've see Ali for forty years, but I hope to remedy that!

For Paul's full e mail comment (slightly edited), see below:

Hi,
I was pleasantry surprised after dropping down the internet rabbit hole to find my self remembered.on Sturmey-Archer; Zen; and Lance v Boo-Boo + The Hoffster v Eastern Scottish! My sons stay in Firrhill Loan and I still take a walk round the area usually Colinton Dell. We moved up to 6/3 Oxgangs Street from Slateford Village about 1962. Yes, I'm still cycling just the same but never as a sport-it's the freedom and the means to be. 

All these names, some forgotten some not-I can think of a few more that have not appeared in your blog and if you wish I could add. I now live in Livingston-its a bit like Oxgangs Woods with a view to the hills which is great. As for myself-a brat knee high in the nineteen fifties who vaguely gazed to the hills and then waist high in the nineteen sixties; and couldn't figure numbers worth a damn; was always a chancer and given three lines to add I'd put the middle row down as the answer; but I would read all day if I could get away with it and all night too with a flashlight under the covers of Merlin; of the Borders and seeking out the stories of Britain's ancients lineage I delved on days subtracted from the blackboard's paltry tyrannies among dog eared authorities, back shelved in libraries 

Thanks Paul Kaszynski,on Facebook. I'm now going to prove I'm not a robot , I like that ..lol!

On The Cusp Of the Year

Today is Thursday, 15th August, 2013. It's the last day of the year since, on a whim, I first started the blog, The Stair, on Thursday 16 August, 2012. On the cusp of the year, both for the blog and when late summer is just turning to early autumn I thought I would display this lovely photograph of the season. 

The photograph has been taken up at Swanston Road with the T Woods in the background on the lower slopes of the Pentland Hills. A local farm worker is atop a cart and horse carrying hay; they are making gentle progress up the slope on a golden afternoon at the cusp as summer turns to autumn.

It was on such afternoons throughout the 1960s and on to 1972 that I along with the other twenty four children from The Stair contemplated our return to the classroom. Quite often the weather remained similarly fine and sunny which made it a struggle to return to stifling classrooms at Hunters Tryst, Firhill and Boroughmuir Schools. Those of us with an awareness of the English system would be envious that our peers across the border wouldn't return until September.

For most of the kids we didn't really want to go back-even if by the back end of the holidays being off school had perhaps lost a little of its sparkle. I've no doubt though that a few others like Gavin Swanson who were more studious actually looked forward to the start of the autumn term and the new school academic year. I don't think I ever did, but there was always a certain 'buzz' about going back. 

The boys had visited Ben Mackenzie for a haircut-Michael; Boo-Boo; Brian and Alan Hanlon will have had their number ones, whilst Iain Hoffmann and I had our hair plastered down with jungle juice. 

For those with new schoolbags (and that unforgettable smell of leather) or new school clothes and ties or perhaps those going up to secondary for the first time many will recall these days with a mixture of excitement and pleasure, but pain might be too extreme a word choice!

Many of us were keen to squeeze the last drops from the summer fruits and as the countdown began we managed to play amongst the hay in the fields at Swanston; have grass fights with the mown grass in the front garden of 6/2 Oxgangs Avenue; or late evening games of kick-the can or British Bulldog at The Field. Bike runs were still taking place-I note that in August 1972 Paul Forbes; Boo-Boo Hanlon; Iain Hoffmann and I cycled through Arthur's Seat to Portobello whilst young Colin Hanlon cycled so far. On another occasion Boo-Boo, Iain and I watched a world record at the Edinburgh Highland Games-little did I realise that a few years later I would take part myself. 

There was still a certain continuity in our lives as milk runs and paper runs were still being undertaken, because not many of us at The Stair went away on holiday other than Liz Blades to Stonehaven; Anne Hoffmann to our New Town cousins; or Alison and Fiona Blades; Iain; Paul and I camping at Stobo, Peebles. 

For a few summers we enjoyed our Mini-Olympics at the army's former running track at Redford Barracks which were great fun. We might even manage a final visit to go jumping the burn at Colinton Mains through to the Braid-Burn Valley, but by then the grass and wild flowers and weeds and nettles had perhaps become too overgrown. 

And if it was wet, Iain, Paul and I would enjoy card games at The Blades with Fiona and the girls or play mischievously with their giant tape-recorder with Paul blowing great rasps onto the tape.

The cusp of the year was further illustrated and articulated through the school calendar.What was truly lovely about the summer was that it brought many of us at The Stair together whilst school would unfortunately divide us. At the start of the autumn term The Duffys returned to St Augustine's whilst The Hanlons; The Hoggs; Norman Stewart; The Swansons; and The Hoffmanns were divided up between Boroughmuir; Firhill; The Royal High; and of course Hunters Tryst. The cusp was thus metaphorical and literal.

And on this last day of the year of the blog whilst it should perhaps be a time for reflection I'm not inclined to go down that road, and for whatever reason I'm not inclined to quite bring down the curtain on it-and certainly not before I do a Where Are They Now blog-and even that of course is unlikely to be a final hurrah.

So, on the cusp of the year after a golden 2013 summer good luck in your adventures-and I look forward to meeting and hearing from old acquaintances and making new. And by way of update, one former member at The Stair, Fiona Blades has been accepted to undertake a PhD whilst I'm joining Iain Hoffmann on holiday to Portugal. Any updates from others would be welcome!

Comment From Neil Kellock (2/2 The Stair, 1963-1976)

Comment: Had an interesting time reading many of the posts here, great fun and brought back a lot of memories.
Got me thinking about my "Stair" on Oxgangs Ave, number 2. The families I can re-call in Stair 2 are:
The Kellocks - Neil (that's me) brothers Willie and Graeme.
Miss Hood, the old spinster who live opposite us on the ground floor.
The Strachans, can't re-call all the kids but there was a David and a couple of Strachan girls.
The Burns, I think Irene and John were the Burns kids.
Lynn Steer or Mitchell.
I'm missing some here but it's who comes to mind so far.
Neil 
Response: Neil, Possibly a little before you, but the McFarlanes used to live opposite at 2/1-Colin played football etc with my peers-he had an attractive younger sister called Linda. Above you lived the Mutch family with the Burns' opposite. Stephen Westbrook lived at 2/6 with his younger sister Gillian and older sister Connie. Was it Jacqueline Purvis (or similar) who stayed at 2/7? The Bonds-Phyllis, Robert and Helen lived at 2/8. I have a good story (unprintable!) about Robert after a visit to the polo fields at Dreghorn to watch Hearts at pre-season training. My brother Iain seems to recall your brother Willie who worked at Ferrantis like many others.
Best.
Peter
ps Lynn Steer was my sister Anne's best friend for many years. She was a real character and a very bright girl-I well recall her David Bowie phase-or perhaps it wasn't a phase!

'Ox-Gangs'

We at The Stair grew up knowing only flats at Oxgangs Avenue 

and for those with longer memories also the old prefabs.

However before either were built it was only farmland at Oxgangs in the first part of the twentieth century. The oxgang represented the amount of land which could be ploughed using one ox, in a single annual season. 

Oxgangs Mains Farm-Ploughing in November

As land was normally ploughed by a team of eight oxen, an oxgang was thus one eighth the size of a ploughland - thus Oxgang(s).

Oxgangs Police Station-formerly Oxgangs Mains Farmhouse-I remember climbing in to the building through the door/window on the far right hand side!

Comment From Neil Kellock

Wow, just stumbled across this blog and can't wait to read through the whole thing. I'm in Canada now but lived at 2/2 Oxgangs Avenue from 1963 to about 1976.
I'll get reading and get back to you with my comments, great stuff, thanks

The White Lady

Did mass hysteria have a ghost of a chance of occurring in Oxgangs in the early to middle sixties?

According to Wikipedia the term mass hysteria refers to collective delusions of threats to society which spread rapidly through rumours and fear. The White Lady was a ghost who was rumoured to have appeared during the 1960s, close to the old school grounds of the former school and been seen by some Hunters Tryst School pupils near Comiston Farm and Comiston FarmHouse

At this time Hunters Tryst School had the most wonderful and extensive school grounds. At the far south-east there was a delightful little copse of woods where the more adventurous or wildest pupils played. The little woodland was relatively far from the school buildings-indeed if the school lunch bell rang out, no matter how fast a runner you were, if you were playing there it was too far away to return to the classroom on time.

The copse sat on a small raised ridge on higher ground-really on a small hillock above the far away second school pitch which nestled down below. The former sports pitch is where the new Pentland Primary School is sited today. 

In this old wood were half a dozen large old trees, some bushes and brush and a path which extended to the school boundary. The first tree had a Tarzan swing on it. It was an excellent spot because children could swing out from the ridged hillock over the immediate drop, which curved away to the grassy valley below.

Comiston House Stables (Photograph by Alan Brown)

At the far end of the copse was a metal fence which formed the extensive boundary of the school. On the other side of the fence were the former Comiston Farm buildings and Comiston House. It was here that some girls had sworn they had seen and been terrified by the appearance of a ghostly white lady. The girls were in such a state of shock that the headmaster Mr Mackenzie and schoolteachers became involved and also the local police too. The sighting went viral and many pupils were seriously spooked, upset and in tears. This happened deep into the autumn months when there were heavy mists around in late October or early November, 1965. 

Sheer bravado on my part, I joined a few friends at lunchtime and we headed up to the copse to see if we might catch sight of the ghostly figure. It was very quiet. The only sounds which could be caught on the autumn breeze were distant children’s voices playing in the far playgrounds. Of course, we didn't see the ghost. We weren't disappointed as it only added to the tension as to what might be out there.

Later that day after school and just as dusk was beginning to fall we ventured out to the old farm buildings. As we roamed around the gloaming and the mist enshrouded surroundings we were on red alert. Darkness was beginning to fall. Talk about a finger on the trigger- when we were very close to Comiston Farm, of a sudden someone screamed out that they had heard something and that was enough-we all turned tail and took to our heels like Tam O'Shanter and ran toward Oxgangs Broadway, down Oxgangs Street and all the way home to the sanctuary of The Stair, without ever looking behind once, in case we might be turned into a pillar of salt!

The day after, a dictat went out from the school-until further notice, the copse and the immediate area of the old farm were firmly out of bounds to all pupils-rather similar to when we were banned from visiting the army's firing range at Dreghorn where we collected used ammunition.

Decades before the advent of social websites and the internet, knowledge and information came slowly. It's understandable how rumours could spread and create mass hysteria in the locality. So much so that many children didn't venture out after school and during playtime and lunch breaks we remained close to the sanctuary of the school. 

If someone had asked about this episode in later years I would have laughed it off as nonsense...and yet...and yet, how does one explain the following quote from Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes by Robert Louis Stevenson:

The district is dear to the superstitious. Hard by, at the back-gate of Comiston, a belated carter beheld a lady in white, 'with the most beautiful, clear shoes upon her feet,' who looked upon him in a very ghastly manner and then vanished.

White Lady Walk (Photo by Neil Black) 

The old stone pillars at the back gate to Comiston House: note the  sign 'White Lady Walk'-the City Fathers must have initiated this new name in recent years-it's part of a well established footpath which Stevenson often trod on his way up to Swanston Cottage as a teenager

I would be surprised if the girls were familiar with the works of RLS, particularly as this is one of his lesser known books. So, perhaps they really did see something. Clearly the City Fathers have recognised this by the new addition to the area's names: White Lady Walk.

Comiston (Photograph by Alan Brown)

Today some of the children at the new local Pentland School occasionally tell tales of The White Lady. Certainly, I'd be reluctant to venture there on a late autumn, misty day, toward dusk.

Anonymous Comment, 2 March, 2016: 'When I was around the age of 10 in the early 70s I used to go up to Bonaly, Oxgangs and the Pentlands Hills with my friend during the school holidays. One occasion we got such a scare that we didn't stop running until we reached home; we were both walking down a dirt footpath near an old rubber mill and for some reason we both turned around and witnessed a woman with a white dress hovering off the ground and you could see the grass underneath her feet. It spooked us and I have never run so fast in my life. On getting home I explained this to my mum who said, 'Oh that will be the White Lady'. As the days passed we just got on with our lives and tonight for some reason it popped into my head again so I did some checking on line and came across this Blog.’ Did mass hysteria have a ghost of a chance of happening in Oxgangs in the early to middle sixties?

Comment From Edward Alexander Smart

Peter, thanks for creating the 6oxgangsavenue blog. It was so great to discover in-depth memories of the area, albeit a bit earlier than mine.

"One Mid-Summer Morn-Three Girls, Swanston and the Pentlands, 1913-1914 Anonymous Comment

Comment: Beautiful picture Peter-I have been following your memories avidly Unfortunately Oxgangs for me does not hold the same pleasant memories as yourself-liked Hunters Tryst hated Firrhill. Perhaps because I am a wee bit older but I do remember you and most off your gang trying to spread your wings to other parts of Oxgangs. People stayed in other parts like the Street, the Row, the Park and you may get some more contact from others. Peter as you can see I am not computer literate one finger typing etc but please don't stop the stories . By the way Paul's name is spelt Kaszynski-have to keep you clever people right please carry on! Thanks.

Response:  Thanks for your comment-it's always great to get some feedback-although the site hit numbers are encouraging I'm never really sure whether the blog is of interest to others or not!  Partly because of this I decided to stop daily blogging at midnight on Auld Year's Night  December, 2012 and apart from one or two occasional updates I've generally retired-however since then I've had a few requests to carry on. 

When I've had the time and motivation I've been editing the 200 plus blogs into a book format-I feel apart from one or two blogs that should have appeared such as Easter, there's a certain completeness to it. However, after almost 6 months away I may, as suggested by Liz Blades think about doing a weekly blog post for fun. 

Thank you for the name correction for Paul Kaszynski-I've updated his name on the blog post on Friday, 31 August 2012 on one of the early stories-one of my more zany titles-Sturmey-Archer; Zen; and Lance v Boo-Boo+The Hoffster v Eastern Scottish! Although Paul wasn't a lad that I really knew well I can still picture him very clearly in my mind's eye-I think he had dark hair, was above medium height and wore glasses-his last name was probably Polish and I think this made him stand out-whereas in my innocence I clearly thought Hoffmann was a good Oxgangs and Edinburgh name!

The Sunday Post #5 One Mid-Summer Morn

Pentland Hills and T Plantation circa 1914 (Photographer Unknown

Edinburgh Libraries, Museums and Galleries Collection)

This wonderful old photograph from a century ago shows three schoolgirls walking down Swanston Road through the farmland and fields. 

There is no sign of Swanston Farm or Swanston Golf Club. 

The Old Schoolhouse in Swanston Village was in existence, so perhaps the girls are heading off to school in the morning. 

The Pentland Hills and the T Woods can be seen clearly in the distance. 

The scree slopes of the hills were no different fifty years later come the 1960s when the Blades; the Hoggs; and the Hoffmanns stood at their living room windows looking out for the number 16 bus coming down Oxgangs Road North.

There are hay stacks in one of the distant fields and one of the girls is only wearing a blouse, so we might surmise it is late summer. 

They are all dressed smartly in their straw hats; skirts; and dresses and each of them is carrying a metal case perhaps containing their school-books and lunches. 

On a fine summer morn or in early autumn the walk would be refreshing and enjoyable. However, on a bitter winter's morning, in the semi-darkness or in the cold of a March morning with a biting wind it would have been a very different story. But, at least they walked together which would have eased their passage and no doubt they will have enjoyed each other's company. Still, it's a long exposed country lane and one which we at The Stair often travelled along on our adventures to the Pentland Hills half a century later and half a century ago.

I wonder where the girls are coming from as back then, there wouldn't have been many houses in Fairmilehead. 

Perhaps they were sisters and lived at the old Hunters Tryst Farm. 

It's certainly a very lovely photograph capturing a moment in time. 

I also wonder who the photographer was. Was it set up or just serendipity? Perhaps their mum and dad wanted to capture that special moment in time to treasure and hold dear in their hearts, before the girls grew up, left home and moved on to follow life's journey. 

They are all smartly dressed and don't look poor. Their outfits - straw hats, skirts and dresses remind me very much of the two girls in The Railway Children. They all look quite lady-like - composed and serene, but not prim. If there had been a companion photograph taken at the end of the school day, it might have been quite different. We would of course see their faces and perhaps being the end of the school day and free from their lessons, we might have seen them un-lady-like taking to their heels, racing downhill from Swanston Village to head homewards for their tea and back to the welcome bosom of the family home.

Because we can't see the girls’ faces it adds to the elusiveness of the subject material. It forces the viewer to use their imagination.

You can't but help wonder what happened to each girl. The First World War was a matter of months away. Did they go on to become wives and mothers or follow a career in nursing or teaching? Did they remain in Edinburgh or move on to other towns or even make a life for themselves abroad?

In a way, the photograph reminds me of the cover of the novel Three German Farmers On The Way To A Dance by Richard Powers which was based on an old photograph. 

It seems to me that in the hands of a fine novelist such as Joan Lingard a rather good story might be weaved.

Postscript: In late 2017 I came across an update that revealed the premise on which I based the vignette was false - if you look closely the girls are actually carrying milk carriers!  Still, much of my musings on what happened to the girls remains true so I thought I would leave the vignette as it stands!

Comments on Dr Motley and Oxgangs Crescent and Broadway Shops From PsyGeo

Comments From PsyGeo 'Thanks for remembering Dr Motley - he did his best to help my mum - that trip to the cottage was a regular one with me in tow. We lived at 34 Oxgangs Avenue in the mid-70s/early 80s - so far away now, and a mostly unhappy time but made me who I am. Contact me if you'd like to see some pics.' 

Oxgangs Crescent/Broadway Shopping Precincts - 'Happy memories of Airfix kits bought at the newsagents and a huge crush on the butcher's (T. Combe) wife! We only trudged up to the Broadway to buy paraffin for our two ancient heaters - I still have vivid memories of the sign which was on the first/second shop coming from the east entrance stairs. 1976 (I think) was a really harsh winter: -17 degrees - and the metal window frames/windows in the flat were thick with ice. That blue flame from those (what are now outrageously dangerous heaters) was our only way of keeping warm.'

Response Many thanks for your comments-it would be interesting to see photographs from Oxgangs at that time-the following e mail addresses would reach me: 6oxgangsavenue@gmail.com or peter.hoffmann@btinternet.com 

VignetteTaken From Edinburgh Photos Website Courtesy Peter Stubbs-Motivated By Series On Edinburgh Prefabs

Peter Hoffmann

Highlands, Scotland


Thank you to Douglas Blades for allowing me to reproduce the photo below, and also to Peter Hoffmann who wrote:


1960s

Grandfather's Car

"During the 1960s, the Hoffmanns had a general Sunday pattern for many years which revolved around being collected at 'The Stair' by our grandfather any time after 11am to be taken down to Portobello for the day.

We didn't have a telephone and of course mobiles weren't even dreamed of back then. Anne, Iain and I used to stand at our parents' front bedroom window to look out for our grandfather's car (Ford Zephyr Mk6) coming down the hill at Greenbank.

It's uncanny to think we could see that far from the far end of Oxgangs Avenue, but this was when the prefabs were still there and before the new blocks of flats were built which replaced them. We couldn't be entirely certain that it was his car, but there were relatively few cars on the road back then on a Sunday.

A cry would go up: 'That's Gaga!' - and we'd all rush to get ready. Sometimes of course it wasn't and we'd go back to our waiting stations."

Oxgangs Avenue

Photo taken from the balcony of 6/6 Oxgangs Avenue

Prefabs in the foreground, Oxgangs development in the background.



© Douglas Blades (one of 41 members of Peter Hoffmann's 'Stair 6, Oxgangs' blog site.
Thank you, also, to Peter Hoffmann for sending a copy of this photo to me.

Photies From The South-Oxgangs And Its Neighbouring Edinburgh Communities: Colinton Village Garages

It's occasionally occurred to me that perhaps an interesting linked follow on from The Stair would be to publish on the blog an occasional photo gallery, with a few comments. Similar to commencing the blog last summer it's not something which I've really thought through and getting a hold of personal photographs from individuals who lived in Oxgangs, Colinton Mains, Swanston Village etc. over the decades would be challenging. 

I don't think it should be restricted to the general period of The Stair i.e. 1958-1972, but could be from a century ago right up to today. I know that one of the followers of The Stair kindly offered to go out and take any photographs for me that I might need for The Stair as he is one hundred and seventy five miles closer to Oxgangs than me! With the changing seasons, new building developments, etc. there must be some interesting possibilities especially if one were able to intersperse these with photographs from time gone by. If any readers have any thoughts, suggestions, ideas (Perhaps I should explore putting a notice in Oxgangs Library?) or better still, photographs they might like to share, please get in touch! This could be done through the blog or by e mail-the address is: peter.hoffmann@btinternet.com

Photograph by Gordon Boyd

These two photographs would appear to have been taken over half a century ago. I vaguely recall seeing the old garage as it was as a wee boy, when I was in my grandfather's old converted Bedford van, when we bought some petrol at the old Swanson's Garage further up toward Merchiston Castle School. Now that I think of it I seem to recall he worked at the old butcher's shop that existed almost next door to Waddell's Garage at Spylaw Street.The butcher's shop was long established and on the go when we left Colinton for the Highands in 1996-despite walking past it each week and whilst walking Atticus when he was a very wee boy it never occurred to me that my grandfather had worked there-funny thing, memory! The garage still exists today and isn't too different-back in the late winter in January d'Artagnan and I enjoyed a meal with friends at the Spylaw Tavern next door. It still has a charm to it.

The second photograph (below) is interesting-selling petrol and Standard Vanguard cars on a shoe string-the site now has a large modern chemist's on it. These cars were produced between 1947 and 1963. I remember the site well when it remained unused for years. When we stayed at West Mill Road, Colinton for seven years it stood empty-I hadn't realised that it had formerly been a garage. Talking of garages, when we first moved to West Mill Road, three old Summer Wine gentlemen ran a hole in the wall garage for fun and an interest-it too had an old world charm to it.

Photograph by Gordon Boyd

Comment From Ruth Kaye (Blades)

Well done Fifi!

CONGRATULATIONS To Fiona Blades!

Many congratulations to Fiona Blades who's added an M.A. with merit to her qualifications-brilliant news about one of the original members of The Stair!

Fiona at The Stair circa 1964

Fiona, Autumn 2012

Comments From Ruth Kaye(Blades) And Peter Hoffmann

Comment From Ruth Kaye (Blades): Thanks for the photies Peter I appreciate them. I have another friend in Scotland whom I am jealous of as she often posts wonderful photies of her trips around Scotland. I certainly miss the wide open spaces that is for sure. I do like living in the big smoke but at the moment Wembley is all consuming and has taken over my life but it is enjoyable. I spent most of Sunday mingling with the Bradford fans. I do admire Fiona and Liz for doing so much studying later in life I could not be bothered to bury my head in books I would rather be writing them. I do need to plan a trip to the auld country soon-I do miss it. Warm regards Ruth.

Response: Aye, I think it was Disraeli who said, 'When I want to read a good book I write one'!

Index

I've made an initial start on putting together a much needed index (See left, LABELS)-I'll update further in the coming weeks!

Comment From Ruth Kaye (Blades)/Response From Peter Hoffmann

Comment From Ruth Kaye (Blades): I too am missing the blog and makes me realise that you should keep a diary you forget so many things and I am sure there would have been many a funny story to tell. I annotate believe the detail about the bus Douglas that fair made me chuckle!

Response (Peter Hoffmann): Lovely to hear from you Ruth-I miss your regular, quirky wee comments. I'm just back in (2.00 am after a lovely drive up a quiet A9 on a cloudless evening with the stars out and a fantastic moon) after a week down in Edinburgh-I met up today with one of your (many!) big sisters, Fiona, at the Botanics for coffee, scones, walk and a three hour blether-emotionally exhausting for both of us (!)-you cropped up a few times (in the nicest possible way!) so perhaps your ears were burning! It was an absolutely glorious day-more than a wee hint of spring. Earlier in the week we'd also met up with my mother at Swanston-there's a nice cafe/restaurant there now. Earlier in the week I tweeted a couple of photies of Swanston Village and of a walk on the Pentlands thinking that you in The Big Smoke might particularly appreciate!

Fingers crossed, but Fiona is awaiting the results of her MA, to add to her previous brilliant achievements-she's quite remarkable and a great role model for anyone out there who is keen to dip a toe in the water and pursue academia after the first flush of youth-total respect, but even back in the 1960s at The Stair I was always very aware of how bright she was.

I'm 500 pages through editing the 600 pages of The Stair-I'm aware there are one or two wee gaps e.g. Easter so who knows what might appear-however I'm more than happy to publish contributions!...Isn't Douglas amazing when it comes to transport details-really quite uncanny-I've also exchanged one or two e mails with him and his recall of journeys on old steam trains is astonishing!

On a sadder note, Mr Bill Leslie previously at 4/1 Oxgangs Avenue died just over a week ago. He was the much loved father of two daughters, Janice and Catriona and I'm sure followers of The Stair's thoughts, sympathies and best wishes go out to them both. Interestingly Bill was a Highlander, born in Newtonmore-I wonder if Catriona was named after the heroine in one of Robert Louis Stevenson's novels. I can picture her quite well. Her sister, Janice was much older than me and I can't quite recall her so much, but I do seem to remember that she had a boyfriend (husband now?) who had a very stylish little French car-was it a Renault Dauphine?

ps On a happier note the week away and drive up was well worth it-d'Dartagnan took part in his first major British Senior Open down south-at the oldest UK fencing tournament-The Merseyside Open, really just for some fun/experience-full field of 108 and he ended up finishing 5th, but incredibly, the first Brit, behind two Frenchies/Slovak/Bulgarian and also winning the Under 18 medal! He's asleep now and back to school tomorrow, meanwhile I'm still in a mild state of pleasant shock!

Comment From Sandy Shaw

Comment: I like your blog post. Keep on writing this type of great stuff. I'll make sure to follow up on your blog in the future. Locksmith Edinburgh on Saturday Afternoons-You Grunt, I'll Groan!

Response: Thanks for your very kind comments, Sandy-there are approximately 200 daily blogs from last summer to Hogmanay, some of which may be of interest-I'm currently editing them into a book format. Since I stopped them I've had a few requests to re-enact-who knows I might be tempted!

NEEEP!-Bonus Post From Douglas Blades On Bus Crash At Oxgangs!

Peter,

Looked at BLOG tonight. Front page was Aug 2012 and mentioning the bus which toppled over. It was Leyand PD3 with Alexander body and reg ASC 655B. Here’s a photo of it on another service on the front cover of Buses magazine.

I'm fairly certain (and George Upstairs has confirmed so) that this is off the ECT Leyland PD3/6 Alexanders double deck 655 (ASC 655B) bus that came a cropper at Oxgangs on Wednesday June 18 1975 when it fell over one day and was subsequently scrapped. I have memories of finding the hulk in Shrubhill Works and managing to acquire this. Mind you someone with a fleet body list for Edinburgh should be able to verify it. The serial number is E/1/3463/5. Alexanders were for many years in the 1960s to the 1980s the coach-builder of choice for Edinburgh-based up the road in Falkirk they are of course, still in business.

As for the accident I have the Edinburgh Evening News for the day-and nine were hurt in the accident-a lorry hit the bus as it turned right from Oxgangs Road North and Oxgangs Avenue.

From George Upstairs: So you're right Mike. Also, see the beast itself.

Comment From Circle1939: It wasn't actually the accident which resulted in 655 being scrapped. The crane sent out to get the bus managed to distort its offside doing so and that was enough to put 655 off the road for good.

I have two angles on the bus story. Our father, Charles Blades, was shaving at the side window in the large bedroom and that window looked out towards the junction – I wasn't in at the time but the story was related later – when he  exclaimed to our mother, Helen, that bus is toppling over – or words to that effect!

I think I was away to work at the Transport Dept by the time it happened but Mike Ashworth is correct, they did make a mess of getting it back up again so it had to be written off. I too visited the remains in Shrubhill after the event. The engineers had coincidentally just been considering having an exercise in raising a toppled decker when this happened. Normally they would bolt a large iron upright bar to the two upper hubs and perhaps drive a couple of large metal pins against the wheels on the ground to stop the thing slipping. Well, whatever they did they couldn't raise it hence the crane and infliction of terminal damage!

And as you can see from above – someone managed to retain the body plate a souvenir!

Douglas