Continue reading Students step up to rekindle memories in Muirhouse
Hi,
My mother, Marion Fyfe Reilly (nee Banks) was involved in protesting and squatting in Lochend Gardens and West Ferry Road sometime around 1943-46. She had her first child in July 1943 and raised him alone while her husband was still overseas in the army.
She died (aged 95) last week and I only became aware of this yesterday from her younger sister (aged 90). There were apparently reports and photographs in the newspapers at the time. I am amazed and impressed.
I was wondering if you had any records from that time as I would love to share her struggle with friends and family at her funeral on Friday. It feels like it may be a very important aspect of her character that wasn’t known to us. I have viewed the Scotsman digital archive with no luck.
Thanks
Steven Reilly
If any reader remembers Marion please get in touch and we will forward details to Steven Reilly
Do you remember playing in North Edinburgh when it was fields?
North Edinburgh Grows is holding a meeting on Tuesday (16 September) from 11am – 12 noon at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre to share memories and look at photos of North Edinburgh back before it was built on.
All welcome. Free coffee and cake!
Picture (top) supplied by George Hunter – Pilton folk at Silverknowes beach 1954
A book has been launched recounting the memories of eight Leithers. ‘An Adventure! – Happy Days in Leith’ has been produced by the Citadel Arts Group and tells the stories of residents of Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) St Nicholas Court Sheltered Housing Complex.
A launch event was held at the complex on Monday, when musician Laure Paterson entertained residents and a class of Trinity Primary School pupils who called in to join the celebrations and bring the generations together.
Maureen Tait, Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA who manages the complex, said: “It is nice for the children and staff to hear stories of the past from the tenants and tales of things that we’ll never experience. The children are so good, always polite and helpful. It means a lot to the tenants here.”
‘An Adventure! – Happy Days in Leith’ is a collection of memories about childhood, school days, first work experiences and family life collected by Citadel Arts Group living memory workers, Laure C Paterson and Liz Hare.
The book features St Nicholas Court residents Rita Falconer, Bertha Glancy, Margaret McKinlay, Annie Mulvaney, Mary McNicol, May Stevenson, Jean Tait and Frances Veitch (pictured above) – each of whom shared their memories of Leith past and present with the book’s authors. Margaret said: “Things have changed a lot over the years and it’s been great to share those stories”.
The book is the culmination of seven weeks of sharing, recording and transcribing the stories of the eight residents. Citadel Arts Group’s Liz Hare said: “The tenants generously shared their memories and we have collected them into this book which will be a resource for the whole community. Each member of the project will receive two copies and copies will go into Trinity Primary and local libraries. It has been one of the most enjoyable projects we have been involved in.”
The project is funded by The Robertson Trust.
