Perhaps also in response to the numbers turning up each summer at Portobello beach, the Coty Architect, E.J. Macrae ARIBA designed a number of bathing coaches for use on the beach.
The Corporation went out to tender for the coaches in December 1929, and on 21 January 1930 decided that 15 of the coaches should be located at the west end of the beach, near Kings Road.
The old horse bathing coaches had been withdrawn from Portobello sands so as to discourage bathing in the open sea due to the problem with effluent. That problem had not gone away. Especially along the Joppa shore, the water was frequently heavily polluted. It was estimated that the outlet pipe at Seafield needed to be extended at least a further mile out from the shore to avoid the currents which carried the sewage back on to the beach.
The same Committee considered the construction of a bathing pool at Joppa, at a cost of £50,000. Because of the effluent problem, it was decided that the Joppa pool is to be constructed above high water mark and the sea water pumped in by very costly means and filtered.
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On The Beach
by rathbone » 10 Nov 2006, 10:56
16 July 1931 saw overcrowding on the beach taken to the extreme.
The good weather had drawn great numbers to the beach, but the tide was abnormally high and at its height a large part of the beach was inaccesible, some of it only habitable by a single row of people who, in the most literal sense, defied the approaching waves with their backs to the wall.
From the foot of Bath Street eastward for a quarter of a mile or so the crowd on the beach crammed into a strip from about six feet to fifteen feet wide, depending on the distance from the retaining wall to the water and the outer ones had their toes in the Firth of Forth.
Contented mothers, who had paid for the hire of deck chairs sat in those chairs gazing calm eyed at the water lapping round their shoes and knitted while their offspring got cheerfully wet.
A disabled man, who had spent some time in arranging a model fort in the sand by way of earning a few coppers, stood anxiously beside the retaining wall watching the waves washing further and further up the seaward border of his fort, threatening its destruction and he looked relieved when, after one wave had very nearly carried away the entire barracks and some of the attendant soldiery, succeeding waves gradually fell back.
Motor boats and rowing boats were popular but donkey rides were out of the question owing to the fact that there was no room anywhere for a donkey to find standing room not to mention room to trot about. Theonkeys and ponies were therefore tethered in odd corners of Portobello away from the promenade and enjoyed a holiday, like everyone else.
The good weather had drawn great numbers to the beach, but the tide was abnormally high and at its height a large part of the beach was inaccesible, some of it only habitable by a single row of people who, in the most literal sense, defied the approaching waves with their backs to the wall.
From the foot of Bath Street eastward for a quarter of a mile or so the crowd on the beach crammed into a strip from about six feet to fifteen feet wide, depending on the distance from the retaining wall to the water and the outer ones had their toes in the Firth of Forth.
Contented mothers, who had paid for the hire of deck chairs sat in those chairs gazing calm eyed at the water lapping round their shoes and knitted while their offspring got cheerfully wet.
A disabled man, who had spent some time in arranging a model fort in the sand by way of earning a few coppers, stood anxiously beside the retaining wall watching the waves washing further and further up the seaward border of his fort, threatening its destruction and he looked relieved when, after one wave had very nearly carried away the entire barracks and some of the attendant soldiery, succeeding waves gradually fell back.
Motor boats and rowing boats were popular but donkey rides were out of the question owing to the fact that there was no room anywhere for a donkey to find standing room not to mention room to trot about. Theonkeys and ponies were therefore tethered in odd corners of Portobello away from the promenade and enjoyed a holiday, like everyone else.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
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rathbone - Posts: 1989
- Joined: 18 Aug 2004, 18:45
- Location: somewhere else
by rathbone » 24 Dec 2006, 13:34
The City Engineer reported that on January 30 1937, a portion of the foundation of the Portobello Promenade west of Melville Street was undermined by heavy seas which caused the wall to subside for a distance of approximately 60 yards.
A portion had been protected with steel sheet piling and the remainder with bags.
The cost of the repair would be £450.
With regard to the improvement of the beach the first groyne seemed to be working very efficiently . The second groyne was two thirds completed and it was proposed that a further sum of £750 should be set aside for a third groyne. The work could be started before the summer season commenced.
A portion had been protected with steel sheet piling and the remainder with bags.
The cost of the repair would be £450.
With regard to the improvement of the beach the first groyne seemed to be working very efficiently . The second groyne was two thirds completed and it was proposed that a further sum of £750 should be set aside for a third groyne. The work could be started before the summer season commenced.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
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rathbone - Posts: 1989
- Joined: 18 Aug 2004, 18:45
- Location: somewhere else
by rathbone » 06 Jan 2007, 12:06
People walking along the Seafield end of the Promenade on 26 February 1944 noticed a small bird, close inshore, and obviously in difficulties. As they approached, they recognised it as a Little Auk.
It was making frantic efforts to clean its wings with its bill. It had obviously picked up oil, possibly discharged from the naval traffic to and from Rosyth.
Each little wave washed it further in shore until it landed on the sand. On land its actions were ludicrously clumsy and contrasted sharply with the normal speed and power of the Auk on the wing. Its attempts to walk on the sand almost overbalanced it.
Then another wave washed it out to sea again.
It was at this point that some boys armed with stones arrived on the scene and began taking shots at trying to hit it. The bird managed to keep out of their way by paddling hard against the waves. The boys soon tired and moved on.
Perhaps by way of divine retribution, that night the combination of a high tide and a strong north easterly wind caused some damage to Portobello Promenade, portions of which were broken away at two points. The waves were washing right up against the garden walls along the front and in the morning the wholke Promenade was littered from end to end with seaweed, pieces of wood, stones and hundreds of pieces of orange peel.
It was making frantic efforts to clean its wings with its bill. It had obviously picked up oil, possibly discharged from the naval traffic to and from Rosyth.
Each little wave washed it further in shore until it landed on the sand. On land its actions were ludicrously clumsy and contrasted sharply with the normal speed and power of the Auk on the wing. Its attempts to walk on the sand almost overbalanced it.
Then another wave washed it out to sea again.
It was at this point that some boys armed with stones arrived on the scene and began taking shots at trying to hit it. The bird managed to keep out of their way by paddling hard against the waves. The boys soon tired and moved on.
Perhaps by way of divine retribution, that night the combination of a high tide and a strong north easterly wind caused some damage to Portobello Promenade, portions of which were broken away at two points. The waves were washing right up against the garden walls along the front and in the morning the wholke Promenade was littered from end to end with seaweed, pieces of wood, stones and hundreds of pieces of orange peel.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
-
rathbone - Posts: 1989
- Joined: 18 Aug 2004, 18:45
- Location: somewhere else
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