Porty at War: World War I

[rathbone]

On 24 January the Battle of Dogger Bank took place.

Able Seaman James Gow, of 12 Bath Street was among those who drowned when the armed merchantman Viktor foundered. When volunteers were called for to make up a gun crew, Gow, who was in his nineteenth year, stepped up and for four hours did good work. He was formerly an apprentice at a Leith shipyard and had been a corporal in the Portobello troop of Boy Scouts.

The pupils at Portobello High School were busy making useful articles for the soldiers overseas. The girls made shirts, socks and mufflers. The boys made felt slippers. The work was entirely voluntary and done out of school hours. In total 87 articles were produced. Tobacco, soap, toffee, chocolate, matches, boot laces, vaseline and boracic powder were included in the parcels sent.

The Lord Provost’s Committee agreed to make representations to the Post Office with regard to the deterioration in postal services in Portobello. In particular they would draw attention to the insufficiency of deliveries and the fact that a charge of 4 shillings was being made for the delivery of telegrams outside normal hours.

Mr. Schulze and his sons of the portobello Chocolate Factory were in the High Court charged with defaulting on a contract with P.A. Baumann and Co. Ltd. of London. They were fined £143 17s 8d.

Dr. Thomas Crawford was appointed as the new Police Surgeon for Portobello.

No 10 Pitt Street came on the market for £300 and No. 14 Straiton Place for £260

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An institute for Territorials was opened in the Marine Gardens. It was of wood construction and capable of accommodating five hundred persons and well equipped with facilities for recreation, reading and writing. Refreshments wwere provided at moderate charge. It cost over £1,200, which had been paid for by the Church of Scotland Young Men’s Guild.

In Edinburgh Sheriff Court the Directors of Wood’s Bottle Works, Baileyfield Road Portobello pleaded guilty to employing child labour. The children in question were Samuel Moore, aged twelve, and James Gibson, aged thirteen. Both boys lived in Kings Road. They were both working full time, day shift and night shift on alternate weeks. During the days shifts they would abscond from school. During the night shifts they would go to school at eight o’clock and remain until 3.30 in the afternoon. At 6 o’clock they would go to the bottle works, where they would work until 5 o’clock in the morning. In effect they only had an opportunity for sleep for about two hours in the morning and one in the evening. The situation only came to light when James Gibson finally collapsed. The Directors claimed exceptional circumstances because so many of their employees were now serving in the armed forces and there was a great shortage of labour. They were fined £10, with 10s costs.

The asking price for 8 East Brighton Crescent was reduced to £500.
Douglas and Smart, the Portobello house agents, now had 24 properties on their books which they could not sell or let. A further 6 properties were being regularly advertised in the
for sale columns by private individuals.

The entire contents of the shop at 218 High Street was on offer for £308, including stock and fittings.

The manager of the Central Picture House was advertising for a handyman to work between 10 and 12 each day.

Henry Calder and Sons were looking for a lad between 15 and 17 years of age capable of driving a grocer’s pony van.

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Francis McKenna of Maryfield Portobello was injured while working at the Niddrie pit. He had placed two dynamite charges, had set off one and was returning to set off the second when it went off accidentally and injured him. He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. In a statement he said that he did not know how the second charge became ignited, but it might be explained by a spark from the first dropping on to the fuse of the second, or by dislodged material exerting pressure on the cap of the second shot. The Niddrie and Benhar Coal Company stated that they had no responsibility for his injuries. These were clearly the result of risk undertaken by him which was not incidental to his employment. In their view McKenna had gone back after a mis-fire which was contrary to regulations. His injuries had not resulted in permanent disablement and were the result of wilful misconduct. (At a subsequent hearing in the Sheriff Court McKenna lost his claim for compensation.)

A funeral party, driving along Seafield Road had an alarming experience through the running away of a pair of horses yoked to a carriage in which were three gentlemen mourners. Startled by a passing locomotive, the horses bolted. The front part of the carriage struck a post with such violence that the vehicle fell over on its side. A man seated on the box with the driver was thrown on to the roadway, but the driver retained the reins. For about forty yards the carriage was dragged before the horses could be stopped. The three mourners escaped with a severe shaking and injury to clothing.

A concert by the No. 16 Portobello Voluntary Aid Detachment, commanded by Dr. Spiganoviez, raised £33 in aid of the Red Cross Fund. Fifteen ladies from the detachment took part in tableaux vivants, of which there were three, and a sketch “Our Aunt from California.”

Portobello Thistle drew 1 - 1 with Wemyss Athletic in the Simpson Shield

163 men and 15 ladies played on Portobello Golf Course the previous week.

Samuel Carmichael put his licensed grocery business at 188 High Street up for sale.

[rathbone]

A concert give by the pupils of Abercorn Lodge School raised £52 for the Red Cross fund. The pupils, aged between four and twelve years, gave a clever and delightful performance, characterised by tuneful singing, clear speech and effective touches of colour.

James Blyth, 11, was ordered by Portobello Police Court to be detained in an industrial school until he attained the age of 16 for having placed a plank nine feet long across the North British railway line. Companions of the boy had advised him to remove the plank, but he had refused, remarking:” It will help kill some of the Germans.”

The East of Scotland Co-operative Association held its annual conference in Portobello Town Hall. Mr. Innes of the Portobello Society welcomed the delegates. In his keynote address Councillor Archbold said that in such difficult times and depressing circumstances, it behoved the Co-op movement to be loyal to its ideals. He urged all societies to keep prices as low as possible. Living was difficult and hard to get and ,for once, they should forget there was a dividend and see that folks got goods at the cheapest rate possible.

John Evans of 1 Straiton Place was walking along Tower Bank when the door to No. 1 Tower Bank opened suddenly and he was struck violently on the head.

The total number of electors eligible to vote in the Portobello constituency was 1,890

On the golf course 191 men and 24 ladies played a round of golf the previous week.

In their rematch with Wemyss Athletic for the Simpson Shield, Portobello Thistle again drew, this time 2-2

[rathbone]

Private John Murdoch of Portobello was reported as having been killed in action.

Laurence McMahon, a dentist, was fined £1 for driving his car through Portobello with both headlights on when there was supposed to be a blackout.

The Portobello Amateur Rowing Association voted against holding the annual Scottish Jolly Boat Championships this year because of the war.

Edinburgh Town Council decided to widen both Portobello High Street and Kings Road, the former to 70 feet and the latter to 63 feet. It was noted the widening both would require the building of a retaining wall rendered necessary owing to the fall of the ground from the existing street level. The cost would be £1,800

8 East Brighton Crescent was still not selling. The asking price was lowered to £450.
Both 22 Brunstane Road and 5 Eastfield were up for rent, as was 8 Stanford Gardens which you could rent, complete with views over Brighton Park, for £42 per year.

The contents of 34 Bath Street would be sold by public auction

Goodall’s garage were selling a De Dion motor lorry, newly painted and with new tyres for £65.

McMichael’s the licensed grocer, was advertising for a young grocer’s assistant.

137 men and 12 ladies played golf on the Portobello course over the previous week.

[rathbone]

On 10 March the British Expeditionary Force attacked the German army at Neuve Chapelle

The Scottish Amateur Rowing Association decided to abandon all of the various championships for the year because of the difficulty of getting up representative crew, so many of the members of the clubs having joined the armed forces. In Portobello alone over 60% of the members had now left for the war.

John Evans, who had been struck by the opening door in Tower Bank took the owner of 1 Tower Bank, Thomas Binnie to court, suing for compensation. Lord Anderson found that in common law there was a case to answer as Mr. Binnie should have foreseen the likelihood of such and accident and taken steps to prevent it by making the door swing inwards.

At the Scottish Horse Trials, Mr. Robert Park of Portobello won in the Yearling Colt category.

Mount Charles came on the market for rent. It was a 19 bedroom property, with 3 large public rooms,, all for £60 per year.

[rathbone]

On 18 March the Allied attack on the Dardanelles began.

The Edinburgh Police Pipe Band marched through Portobello. Arrangements were made by the Central Recruiting Committee to hold a recruiting meeting at the conclusion of the march. Presiding at a recruiting concert in the Town Hall Mr. G.W. Currie M.P. said that he did not really believe that many men were left in Portobello to recruit. The country had called on its youth and it had not been disappointed. However, there were still men out there. Given a man with a gun or a rifle loaded with ammunition and a German within range, a little fellow could shoot him just as well as a big fellow.

Portobello High School was holding special evening classes for soldiers and women engaged on relief work. The clay modeling class was particularly well supported and it was hoped that through it some effort would be made to regain the pottery industry which had previously been a feature of the portobello scene. However there was some concern that young people between the ages of 14 and 18 had not been enrolling in sufficient numbers.

A fire broke out in the paper mills belonging to Alfred Nichol & Co. in Bridge Street Portobello. Two fire engines from Lauriston fire station and one each from London Road and Portobello were early on the scene and the firemen succeeded in confining the outbreak to a room on the first floor and, after about an hour’s work, extinguished the fire. Bales of paper were destroyed and the damage by fire and water was said to be considerable.

Immense numbers of gulls congregated on Portobello beach, all the way from Kings Road to Joppa. They were feeding on various kinds of shell fish which had been case up on the beach following a fierce gale. There were also a number of starfish, some as large aas 10 inches across, cast up on the high water line.

William Paterson, who had been a Portobello solicitor for 50 years, died at his residence at 2 Bath Street at the age of 81.

George Paterson of Portobello qualified as a Dentist at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Portobello Thistle lost 1-0 to Loanhead Mayflower in the Musselburgh cup tie.

[rathbone]

On 28 March James Simpson of Portobello heard of the fate of three of his sons. James, his eldest, a sergeant in the Gordon Highlanders, had been killed by a sniper’s bullet. Fred, also in the Gordon Highlanders, had been wounded and William had been captured and was now a prisoner of war in Germany. There was no news of his fourth son, John, who was with Kitchener’s Army.

Roland Garros, the french aviator worked out a way of using deflector plates on the propellors of his aircraft, enabling him to fire a machine gun from his plane. This was the start of airborne conflict.

A flag day was held in Portobello to raise money to send comforts to the troops. The flags had a representation of a Highlander on one side and on the other the rallying motto of “Victory or Death” in gaelic. The vendors were boys from the local Boys’ Brigade troop.

An auction was held for the Royal Scots War Emergency Fund. Among the items up for sale were 200 dozen eggs, 200 tons of potatoes, 25 bullocks, 6 dairy cows and 30 tons of manure. George Wilson of Portobello bid for a brougham. Having secured it for £5 he immediately re-entered it into the auction, where this time it realised £37 for the fund.
2 Argyle Place were offering pea trainers for training sweet and table peas for 10s a dozen.

Mrs. Stewart Smith of Portobello held an exhibition of her water colours of the old closes of Edinburgh to raise funds for the Red Cross. In total she raised £25 2shillings

Despite being on active service with the Royal Scots, Albert Mure, 50 Argyle Crescent still managed to apply for a licence to sell intoxicating liquor in Portobello.

The General Post Office announced that it would continue to charge 4/- extra to deliver telegrams to Portobello and Joppa, arguing that it was not practicable to deliver to such places free of charge outside normal working hours.

Mr. Simpson of Portobello was selling his four year old mare. She was very quiet and suitable for a lady.

The household at 6 Durham Road needed a good plain cook and a trusted table maid.

[rathbone]

On the 22 April the Germans first used gas as a weapon in an attack at Ypres

Mr. Andrew Purdie of Portobello lost out to Councillor Archbold in the ballot to become Director of the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society. Cllr. Archbold secured 560 votes and Mr. Purdie 190. The Directorship brought with it an annual salary of £250.

Robert Park was displaying his filly Prudence at the Kilmarnock Horse Show. She was sired by Dunure Footprint on Muircleugh Meg and was a nice type of Clydesdale, with good legs, back and ribs.

The corner shop at 2 Wellington Street, complete with the flat above, came on the market for rent at £28 per year. It was subsequently taken on by Valvona’s who opened it as a tearoom.

Goodall’s of 21 Straiton Place were selling a 4-seater Bosch , with speedometer and Stepney lamps for £40. For the same price they also had a Panhard 15 horse-power in good running order

If you wanted an 8-day grandfather clock there was one for sale at Ivy Cottage, Rosebank Lane.

[rathbone]

On 25 April the Allied landings began at Gallipolli.

The Rev. Jamieson of Portobello objected strongly when the General Synod debated a motion that the Government should take action to improve the speed of manufacture of munitions. He did not think it a becoming thing that the Church should be eager for war and complain that the munitions were not being produced in sufficient quantity. He thought the Church ought to leave the management of the war to the military and civilian authorities.

Baxendine Brothers, the ironmongers at 182 High Street, and H.G. Good, the ironmongers at 242 High Street banded together to fundraise for the Relief Fund.

Edinburgh Town Council announced that it was proposing to reduce its capital debt by £80,000 in the coming year. It was noted that the bulk of the proposed expenditure was on the new power station at Portobello. The boilers for the new power station would cost £32,285 alone.

With the death of its last surviving partner, John Hay, steps were taken to wind up the business of Rosebank Potteries. The pottery had been in existence for close upon a century and was noted for the excellence of its flower pots and earthenware. It was hoped that someone with a knowledge of the trade and possessed with a little capital, might acquire what was a steady going business.

Despite the anticipation that the number of books being borrowed would fall over the coming year because of the war, Portobello library decided to increase its annual budget by £10 per year. There was no decrease on bookbinding because it was felt that as the stock of books got more and more worn, the cost of rebinding was apt to increase rather than diminish.

Robert Park was displaying Prudence again, this time at the Ayrshire Show.

The household at 58 Regent Street decided to sell their wire haired fox terrier.

[rathbone]

On 7 May a german submarine torpedoed and sank the passenger liner the Lusitania in the Atlantic. Of the 1,959 passengers and crew on board, 1,195 died.

On board was William Muirhead of Portobello, one of the 764 who survived, as was Mr. J.P. Gray of The Tower. Mr. Gray’s daughter and grandson, however, were among the missing.

It was reported that Private R.L. Fraser of 7 Mentone Avenue, W. Weighand of 39 Pipe Street and E. Lamb of 60 Bath Street had all been wounded in action with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Following a recruitment rally in Portobello Town Hall in response to Lord Kitchener’s call for a further 300,000 men, six members of the Portobello Constabulary decided to enlist, causing immediate problems for the police force.

Lord and Lady Aberdeen visited the The Church of Scotland Young Mens’ Guild service mens’ facility at the Marine Gardens. A guard of honour of the Royal Scots stood in front of the entrance to the Gardens and gave the salute as His Grace drove through the archway, while just inside the gates a company of the battalion and the band were drawn up. On behalf of himself and Lady Aberdeen, his Lordship expressed the warmest good wishes for the continued success of the initiative.The Church of Scotland were extremely anxious to secure the services of as many voluntary workers as possible, ladies or gentlemen, who could spare their leisure time to help out in the recreational facility for troops at the Marine Gardens.

In Edinburgh Sheriff Court James Cormack of 173 Portobello High Street, a member of the Army Services Corps was charged with having molested George Norton by striking him a violent blow to the left eye, smashing his spectacles. Mr. Norton was an employee to Customs and Excise and had approached Cormack for driving his car without a licence. Cormack was fined 3 guineas.

Fitzroy Lee of 6 John Street was selling his Ford touring car for £95.

Councillor Inman opened the new Portobello public bowling green at Jessfield.

A large flock of wild geese, composed of two gaggles was observed on Portobello golf course. Despite the geese,Golf was beginning to pick up again, with 661 men and 94 ladies playing on Portobello Golf Course the previous week.

[rathbone]

On 23 May Italy declared war on Austria - Hungary

Sergeant William Eadie of Portobello was killed in action. Before the war he had been a professional footballer, playing for Queens Park and as goalkeeper for Dunblane.

Harold Walmsley, 18, of 5 Windsor Terrace had died on service of enteric fever.

Sergeant William Hunter of 31 Brighton Place was wounded in the Dardanelles and taken to hospital in Alexandria. William Inglis of 40 Kings Road, who had fractured a leg and a hand, and Private D. Hunter of 11 Pipe Street were also injured.

Two boys aged 13 were charged with stealing bicycles in Portobello High Street. The boys informed their parents that they had found some money in the street and had bought the bicycles with it. The were both placed on probation for twelve months.

A patriotic concert by a choir of 150 schoolboys from Portobello High School was held in the Town Hall in aid of the Polish Relief Fund, raising money for stores for the hospital in Warsaw.

25 Park Avenue were advertising for a strong girl for general housework.

[rathbone]

On 31 May the first zeppelin raids on London began.

The Church of Scotland Young Men’s Guild announced that it was to build a second recreational facility for service men in Portobello. The new accommodation would be built on the land adjacent to the Portobello Chocolate Factory and would cater for 500 men.

The main deck buildings at the seaward end of Portobello Pier were set on fire and required the attention of the fire brigade for about an hour and a quarter. Apart from the Portobello motor tender, three engines from London Road were also in attendance. Two lines of hose were run along the pier which was exactly a quarter of a mile long. Weatherproofed with tar, the wooden parts of the pier burned furiously, but the blaze was mastered in good time.The damage included the broad wooden stairway leading from the main to the upper deck. The stability of the structure was in no way affected.

In Rosefield Lane the dead body of an apparently new born infant was found in a box.

J. Melrose of 29 Tower Street was selling both his horses together with his carraige and harness.

£1,218s 8d was paid in fines for overdue books at Portobello Library in the previous quarter.

[rathbone]

Cllr. James Clark having been killed in action, three candidates stood for election to fill his place. W.L. Sleigh, J.D. Crichton and Robert Gillespie. Mr. Gillespie was a member of the Socialist Labour Party and said he was standing in order to keep the cause of Socialism before the electors. Crichton won with 784 votes to Gillespie’s 13. There were 5 spoilt papers. Sleigh poled nil.

At the stretch of Portobello High Street opposite the site of the new power station, it was necessary for tram cars to change from one haulage cable to another. An accident resulted in which one of the trams was brought to a sudden stop. Some of the passengers were jolted against the windows. Four panes of glass were smashed. Passengers were taken into shops close at hand and some of them in passing motor cars to the local doctors. Alexander Patterson had cuts in his face which had to be stitched in Dr. Bianchi’s surgery. Mrs Paterson complained of injury to her back. Bessie Bryson sustained a cut on the nose. Margaret Ferguson was injured on the forehead. Mrs. Edward, of 56 Promenade, suffered from shock and fainted while receiving attention. Neither the driver nor the conductor sustained injury.

In the Court of Session R&J Scott, joiners, lost their suit against the congregation of St. James’ Church for payment of £288 7s 9d and loss of £60 profit when the church cancelled a contract for new seats.

In a separate hearing John Evans, who had been hit by the opening door in Tower Bank, lost his case for damages against the owners and was ordered to pay their costs.

[rathbone]

On 23 June Italy joined the war, attacking the Austro-Hungarian army at Isonzo in the eastern Alps.

Private T. Lamb of Ramsay Place Portobello was killed in fighting in the Dardanelles. Before the war he had been a tram conductor and had previously fought in the Boer War in South Africa. He left a widow and a family of four.

Reg Wilkes of 18 Bath Street was killed in action in France.

In the Marine Gardens Troops facility the Rev. Miller, Chaplain to the Coast Defence Forces addressed the troops. He said that man for man they might be equal to the Germans, but gun for gun they were not. The men at the front were having a baad time simply because they were not supported as the ought to be. Did everybody realise that the sternest and heaviest bit of the fighting was yet to come? . Everything in the nature of a luxury should be knocked out just now, for by next winter they would need every penny it was possible to save. There was an unusually stiff job, a tough bit of business in front of them and every one would have to put a lot of serious thinking into it. It was not the game, especially for civilians, to get drunk. Every civilian a soldier met, even just a little bit ‘on’, should be stopped and asked: “Is this what I put on the uniform for?”

The Rev. Buchanan was appointed officiating clergyman to the Episcopalian troops stationed at the Marine Gardens.

There was now a vacancy at Windsor Place Church and the congregation agreed to ask the Rev. James Jardine, who was currently the assistant minister at Broughton Place Church, to fill the vacancy.

At Edinburgh University Adolphine Dallas graduated with a second class honours degree in Mathematics and Dorothy Wilkie with second class honours in French. Both women came from Portobello.

Ellen Caskey of 58 Promenade Portobello won a bursary of £20 per annum from the George Heriot Trust towards the cost of her education.

Harry Rawson of Eyre Lodge, Portobello was appointed by the King to be Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Town Council issued the tender for the new Power Station at Portobello. A deposit of £ Guineas was payable by all who wished to tender.

W. A. Gray and Sons of Portobello Potteries urgently needed a 15 cwt. crane in good working order.

[rathbone]

Lieutenant Colonel Dunn, of 15 Durham Road, was killed in action in the Dardanelles. Private Robert Barclay of Portobello was also wounded in the same action.

Private T. Scott of 1 Bath Street was wounded in the shoulder while digging trenches at night.

Despite the war, many Glasgow trippers travelled through to Portobello for the Glasgow Fair holiday, and particularly on Saturday night Portobello had an aspect of unwonted activity. Special trains were run by the railway companies to accommodate the travellers and most had their full complement of carriages. Despite the showery weather, the number of people waiting at the tram terminus at Waterloo Place was so great that the police had to attend to keep order.

The whole tram network in Portobello ground to a halt when one of the cables snapped. It took six and a half hours before the section was again opened for traffic.

The end of year concert by the pupils of Portobello High School in the Town Hall was crowded. Mr. John Wishart conducted and Mr. Robert McLeod was at the piano. Rev. Strang presented the prizes and took the occasion to congratulate the Headmaster, Mr. W. Mackay on his staff and the excellent results obtained in the school. Portobello High School was such that it ensured to its pupils, whatever course of education they might take up, a good place.

Between them the congregations of Windsor Place United Free Church and St. Philips donated £5 to the Red Cross.

Stanley Hoban, a theatrical artist, had abandoned his family in Cambuslang in 1909 and began co-habiting with Florence Glynn at 72 Promenade, with whom he stayed until his death in 1915. In his will he left his estate of £6,500 to Mrs. Glynn, but this was immediately challenged by his daughter Ruth.

The Maypole Dairy at 230 Portobello High Street was put on the market, together with the house next door at 232. Total asking price £1,500.

[rathbone]

Both George Ford and Charles Ford of 11 Duddingston Crescent were killed in the Dardanelles within minutes of each other. George had been President of Portobello Tennis Club before the war. He had gone out to rescue a wounded comrade, but was himself shot in the act of carrying his mate back to safety.

Lance Corporal John O’Brien, 22, of Portobello was also killed in action.

The North British Railway announced plans for new lines between Monktonhall, Portobello and Leith, specifically designed for the transportation of coal to the docks. The total cost of the new lines was estimated at £220,000.

Andrew Graham, 17, of 4 Southfield Place, who was a student and strong, advertised for any work outdoors during the summer period.

The resident of 57 Argyle Terrace decided to sell his Cart and double set of harness, all in good order.

On the promenade, the lady of the house at 58 Joppa Road lost her gold watch with a leather strap.

[rathbone]

On 6 August the Anzac forces began the Suvla Bay offensive at Gallipolli

Robert Wilson of 50 Pipe Street was reported as missing in action.

It was announced that the Government required all persons, male and female between the ages of 15 and 65 to be formally registered as British citizens. Registration forms had to be filled in and returned to the Town Hall no later than 18 August. Everyone who had been registered would ten be issued with an identity card which would have to be kept safe and produced on demand. Those not registering by the due date would be fined £5 and £1 per day for each day thereafter. If non-registration persists the person would be liable to imprisonment with hard labour for a term not exceeding three months. Mr. C. Nightingale, solicitor, was in charge of the registration in Portobello. 10,705 people registered at Portobello Town Hall out of a total population of 16,762.

Rev. J. Merrick Walker was appointed chaplain to the Baptist troops in Portobello.

Mr. J. Cormack closed down his horse-drawn cab business in Bath Street Lane, selling all four of his horses, three landaus and a 28 seater coach.

Mr. A Roberts of the Baileyfield Road Stables also decided to sell his coaching horses.

Codona’s of 70 Tower Street was advertising for men attendants to work at their Fun Fair and Carnival.

Aitken Cairns, 16, a butchers boy of 35 Ramsay Lane managed to stop a runaway horse in the High Street and was given a reward of £1.

Someone lost their purse on the golf course.

[rathbone]

Sergeant John Forrest of 37 Wellington Street was killed in action in France.
Lance Corporal Donald Moodie of Lee Crescent was wounded with a rifle bullet injury to his shoulder, whilst fighting in the Dardanelles.

The new Seafield Road between Leith Links and Kings Road was opened to the public, replacing the old, dusty and disagreeable road which used to run along the side of the Marine Gardens. What used to be called Ruxton’s Crossing after the old crossing keeper, was replaced by a new bridge across the railway. A new esplanade along the edge of the beach was also opened. The new road was 20 feet wider than the old one and was raised 50 feet above the level of the beach. On the other side of the new road were the open fields of Craigentinny Meadow with the woods of Restalrig beyond. It was proposed that a further new road be built along the line of the path through the meadow known as the Loaning, to connect Seafield Road to Restalrig.

A memorial to Dr. Hugh Dewar was unveiled in Abercorn park. It took the form of a drinking fountain of grey granite with a bronze medallion portrait of Dr. Dewar. The cost of £310 had been raised by public subscription, mostly from people who had been patients of the late doctor.

The band of the Scots Guard played on Portobello beach. The pier, the promenade and the sands were thronged and the bandsmen were given a gratifying reception. A recruiting meeting was held on the sands at which Major Robertson V.C. said that more men were needed to help accelerate the overthrow of the Potsdam Butcher.

[rathbone]

On 11 September the first tank was demonstrated to British military leaders

Sergeant James Lang from 31 Argyll Crescent, who was fighting with the Machine Gun section, was wounded by shrapnel in the Dardanelles.

In a letter back from the front he wrote:
“ I do not tell you many definite facts about our doings and the actual fighting. To tell the truth, we find it best to fill our minds with commonplace thoughts, to concentrate on petty little jobs, digging, cleaning up and on grave speculations asa to what rations the mules will bring up, or when the next mail will arrive. In this way we forget the shrapnel, the bullets, and even the hand sticking out of the parapet, and these things merge into and become part of our natural cosmos and environment and are of the same interest to us as a passing shower or a clap of thunder would be to those at home.

I shall try to give you a brief summary of our doings since landing. Since I started writing,three shrapnel shells have burst within twenty yards of the nullah in which I am sitting, but we are well dug in and the cook goes on cooking, the signalers akk akk and esses emmaing. One man is washing socks and another shaving and none have paid the least attention.

We affected a safe landing and at once marched to the ground that was apportioned to us as a rest camp and were fairly well dug in when the fun began. Asiatic Alice had spotted us and sent over high explosives at minute intervals, luckily doing very little damage. I think there about three killed and as many injured in the brigade, but it was far from pleasant huddling up together in the half dug trenches, the wait between each shell being worse than the actual shell. This shelling continued at irregular intervals for several days, then she got fed up or found a better target.

Our next experience was night entrenching behind our firing line, another rotten job, with unaimed Turkish bullets singing all around us. Once again there were not many casualties.
Just before we moved up to the trenches for the first time I was detailed as brigade orderly and ordered to shift my stuff to headquarters, then about 150 yards away. Then the bombardment began and the brigade Major sent me up with instructions to find the Colonel or Adjutant and find out what was happening. I pushed on through the troops crowding the trenches to the firing line. It was undergoing severe bombardment and the parapet was being blown in. The Colonel and Adjutant were not there. A machine gunner volunteered the information that he thought they had advanced with the men.

I looked over the parapet and saw a scene I shall never forget, but cannot describe. The bursting shells, the gorse on fire, the lines of men running and the dense smoke. The noise was past hearing. By this time A and B Companies were going over, so I went with them. I remember jumping down into one trench and then into another. I saw Turks, but they were all dead. I started back and on the way came on a frightful trench with scarcely a whole man in it. Here I found Colonel Dunn very badly wounded and helpless, but with some men attending to him. Then on till I came to a sandbag partition where I found G. Young, an old friend from Portobello Rowing Club, and another man hauling down the bags to make a passage for the wounded. I then returned to brigade headquarters and told the Major what was happening.

I learnt that another shell had blown in the parapet, burying the rations. We dug up the rations and formed a fatigue party to cart them to the men. I took two hours of persuasion to get the poor chaps to move from where they lay, but eventually we got started, each carrying a small sack of tea, sugar or bacon. The supply was a point running out into the sea called Shrapnel Point, which could not be passed except at night, unless by a long steep climb up the cliffs and round by a trench. We were there for four days with only one casualty. I don’t think there will be any advance.”

Sergeant Robert White of 23 Bath Street was wounded for the third time whilst fighting in France. Sergeant White had seen 14 years service with the Gordon Highlanders and was promoted on the field for bravery. He was in a trench on the front line with three comrades when a bomb exploded in their midst. His three comrades were killed. Sergeant White, who had previously been shot in the leg, received further serious injuries to the limb which necessitated amputation.

Annie Franchi of 4 Seafield Road and Peter Murray of 17 Portobello High Street were each fined 5s for failing to obscure lights in their houses so as to be visible from the outside.

A pin cushion tea, supported by the Dowager Duchess of Abercorn was held in Portobello which raised £18 1s 9d for the red Cross Work Party.

[rathbone]

On 25 September the Anglo French offensive at Artois Loos began.

Private James Thomson, one of the Portobello Policemen who had enlisted and was working as a stretcher bearer, wrote home from the Dardanelles that:
“After about a fortnight on board ship we landed at what is a new landing place. Our boys got a how time of it shortly after we landed, as the Turks started firing shrapnel shells in among us. There were eight chaps in our company wounded and several among the troopers. There was one sergeant killed and a captain died from his wounds.

Sharp, another policeman from Portobello, was wounded just at my side, as we were always together. He got a bullet through his thigh. He was well looked after and was sent away in a hospital ship.

I had a narrow escape shortly after we got all the wounded attended to. Four of us made a dug out and put our kits round the edge of it. We had just got into it when a shrapnel burst just over us. A piece came into the dug out. It just skiffed my head and went into the water bottle that I was carrying.

The Colonel gave us all great praise for doing our work so well on the first day under fire. Our company shifted in the afternoon and we are beside the clearing hospital where all the wounded are brought. It is safe here as the Turks don’t fire on the Red Cross.

Of course we see all the firing that is going on. We never think about it and go about our work as if nothing was taking place.”

A concert at the Tower Pavilion raised £2 18s 3d for the National Relief Fund
Mr. Codona gave a further £8, which represented 10% of the takings from his funfair.
The employees of the Portobello Brick and Tile works donated £26 8s 6d

Rev. James Jardine was inducted as the new minister at Windsor Place United Free Church, succeeding Rev. William Paterson, who had been minister for the preceding 39 years.

A ladies 9 carat gold bracelet was lost on Portobello Promenade.

Mr. Hope of 4 Wilson’s Park decided to sell his donkeys.

[rathbone]

On 5 October Allied troops landed at Salonika

Thomas Murray of Samiston Lodge,Portobello died in hospital in Alexandria from wounds he received in the action.

Edinburgh Town Council placed an order with Vickers for the turbines, alternators and condensers for the new Portobello Power Station, though the earliest these could be delivered was the summer of 1917. In the Council’s opinion the cost of steel would be dearer after the was so they were saving money by placing the order now.

The Essanay Film Company, of which Charlie Chaplin was a leading player, announced that in future, if any exhibitor wished to hire Charlie Chaplin films they must also contract for a specified number of other films produced by the company. Mr. W. Harlan, who ran the Central Picture House in Portobello said that he was of the opinion that the Essanay proposals were inimical to the interests of exhibitors and an attempt to dictate to the trade and close the open market and he would decline to screen any of that firm’s productions until they abandoned their present policy.

Tenders were sought for the supply of fish, groceries, coal and coke to Portobello hospital.

Miss Margaret Baikie resumed teaching pianoforte and music theory at 44 Duddingston Park.

The Edinburgh Harriers held a cross country run starting at Portobello Baths, up through Duddingston to Craigmillar Castle and back.

[rathbone]

On 12 October Edith Cavell was executed

George Hutchins of Portobello was killed in the Dardanelles.
A. Dodds of the 10th Highland Light Infantry was wounded and missing in France.

A social gathering was held in the Pipe Street Soldiers’ Institute, which was attended by over 600 soldiers form all the battalions which had been quartered in and around Portobello in the previous year. A deputation from the Young Men’s Guild institute at the Chocolate Factory were also present. A programme of vocal and instrumental music was gone through.

A performance of “A Kiss I The Dark”, starring Frances Durham and H.W. Brierley was given in Portobello Town Hall in aid of permanently injured soldiers and sailors who had been injured in the war.

Andre Letta, the Scottish Conjuror, Ventriloquist and Humorist would be touring from Portobello with his Red Cross Caravan Concert Company. To date they had raised £156 10s for the Red Cross Fund.

Bertram Miller died in his home at Joppa. He was a much respected Portobello business man, who had worked for Cowan & Sons, the papermakers, for over fifty years. However, it was as a well known and entertaining lecturer in his leisure hours that he would be most remembered. He went far afield in various European countries for his holidays and afterwards gave magic lantern lectures which were vivid and tinged with humour on what he had seen and experienced.

At the 30th annual Lanark Horse Show the highest price (£175) was paid for a filly sold by Robert Park of Portobello. Later in the month, at the Ayr show he again won first prize with another filly called Patience.

A report to the Public Health Committee stated that the death rate in Portobello, at 19.7 per 1000 was the highest in Edinburgh, where the average mortality rate was 12.9. Most of the deaths were due to tuberculosis.

The Rev James Oliver resigned as minister of the St. James Mission, Portobello. The congregation said that though they regretted having to part with the Rev. Oliver, at his advanced age, he was entitled to do as he was doing.

[rathbone]

Samuel Hart, 24, of 9 Pipe Street died of wounds received in action.

A two day sale of work was held in Portobello Baptist church and raised £77. The Portobello Red Cross work party stated that since it was formed in August 1914, immediately after the declaration of war, 327 garments had been made by the members and forwarded to the Red Cross depot. Children, on a plan organised by the work party, had collected 100 handkerchiefs, which had been sent to hospitals.

In early December the Clydesdale Bank took the Schultze brothers to court to try to recover approximately £1,000 owed in overdrafts from their Portobello bank account. This was money which had been drawn from the Chocolate Factory operating account just prior to the business being sequestrated and taken over by the military. The court held that notwithstanding the involuntary closure of their business, the partners were still liable for their debt to the bank.

The Edinburgh Town Council accepted the tender from Messrs. Brand for the shafts and tunnel for obtaining seawater for the new Power Station. The cost was £24,515 and work would be completed by May 1917. It had to be accepted that the nature of the work meant that there could be unexpected delays by unforeseen difficulties such as water breaking through faults in the clay or stormy weather.

Two motor vehicles crashed in Portobello involving injury to twenty six soldiers. A squad of 44 members of a Home Defence Battalion were returning to their billet in Musselburgh in a motor waggon after a day spent setting up huts near Duddingston when they collided with a motor car conveying four officers. Both drivers did what they could to avoid the collision, but the sudden swerve of the transport waggon caused it to upset completely. The occupants of the car escaped unhurt, but the soldiers were pinned under the waggon.

The body of James Gray, 23, of 176 Portobello High Street was washed up on the beach. He worked at Douglas’s Market Garden in Joppa and had left work as normal the day before. Judging from the time on his watch, which had been stopped by the water, he had drowned a little more than half an hour after leaving work.

Shares in the Central Picture House, Portobello were floated on the market at £1 per share.

A theatrical entertainment in the Town Hall on behalf of Portobello’s aged poor rasied over £32.

A tram car traveling from Joppa was changing rails when , it was assumed, the back gripper caught the cable. For an instant the car was jolted up into the air and one lady passenger, who fell on the floor of the car, had to be treated for shock. The car righted itself, but the cable was cut clean in two.

It was announced that the Rev. Robert Whyte had been unanimously elected to the vacant charge of St. Andrew’s, Cape Town, South Africa.

[rathbone]

On 19 December Douglas Haig was appointed Commander of the British Expeditionary Forces

William Eaton, of Portobello, who had been reported missing the month before, was now reported as having been killed in Flanders. He was 47 years of age and had volunteered for service on the outbreak of hostilities. Before the war he had been a miner and left a widow and eight children, including two sons who had enlisted with him.

Charles Drummond, 11 Portobello High Street, was killed by a sniper in France. He was 21 years of age.

Robert Vass, of Bellfield Lane was killed in Egypt. He was 18.

A reunion tea and concert took place at the Marine Gardens for 250 officers and men of the Royal Scots who had been fighting in the Dardanelles and invalided home.

At a Carnival and sale organised by the Portobello branch of the Women’s Patriotic Service League, Lord Provost inches said that while they were certainly under a very dark cloud, all believed that in a silver lining. One great good the was had done was to help them to bear one another’s burdens. They knew that it was owing to the exertions of the men at the front that they were able to live quietly, comfortably and, in a sense, happily. Many hundreds, many thousands who had left those shores would never return. Places were to be filled. They might fill their places in the stores and warehouses, but there wwere many whose places in their hearts they would never be able to fill.

Tenders were invited for the purchase of dripping from the 3rd Battalion the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, stationed at Portobello.

While driving a cart laden with bottles from Craigentinny to Portobello, Robert Lawson was seriously injured with a fractured skull when something went wrong with the pin attaching the shafts to the vehicle and the horse took the cart against the kerb. Lawson and a quantity of the bottles were thrown on to the footpath , while the horse, with the now detached shaft, ran towards Portobello, where it was pluckily secured by Private William Sibbald. Lawson was removed to the Infirmary in an unconscious condition.

St James church was advertising for an organist, salary £15 per year.

[rathbone]

T.G. Scott of 1 Bath Street Lane, killed in France, was the first recorded casualty of the new year.

Daniel Allison of 36 Bath Street was struck by a shell and died soon afterwards. He was 33 and left a widow and four children.

W. Cartledge of 5 Adelphi Place was wounded in Egypt and his brother R. Carltedge wounded in France.

The Rev. Jardine of Windsor Place church was called up for active service. The Edinburgh United Free Presbytery immediately appealed against this decision, arguing that for him to leave so soon after his ordination would be a serious blow to his congregation.

The house at 6 Bridge Street, occupied by Mrs. Brown whose husband was a seaman on active service, was completely destroyed by fire. Three detachments of the Edinburgh Fire Brigade prevented the fire from spreading to other dwellings, though at one time it seemed as if a four storey tenement adjoining, as well as the two flatted block in which the house was situated, would become alight.

A concert by the pupils of Tower Bank primary school raised £5 for the Red Cross fund.

Use of Portobello Golf Course had fallen to 50 people playing a round the previous week.

Over 140 dogs were entered in the Powderhall 190 Yards handicap. Owing to the high number of entrants the race was run off in 22 heats, 5 ties and a final. Duncan’s Schoolboy, representing Portobello, won his heat, but failed to make it through the ties.

[rathbone]

On 2 February Britain introduced conscription
Allister Ferguson of 36 Tower Street was killed in action at Gallipoli.

W.R. Henderson of 12 Hamilton Terrace was wounded whilst on service with the Seaforth Highlanders.

Captain Stanley Large, of Westness, Joppa, was awarded the Military Cross.

A recruiting meeting was held at the bandstand on the Promenade where the Portobello Boys Brigade band played selections. In the Town Hall the Highland Light Infantry revue company gave a performance of their musical entertainment “What Ho Leith!” A notable feature was the highland dancing by members of the Battalion.

George Cunningham, a traction engine steersman, was run over and killed by a trolley carrying fourteen tons of machinery. He had alighted to apply the brake to the trolley on Brustane Brae when he slipped and fell under the wheels.

Thomas Bruce, 21, who worked as a shunter in Portobello goods yard was knocked down and run over by a locomotive. He died later in the Royal Infirmary.

Over the previous week the tramway system had been seriously dislocated and much inconvenience caused to the public. The Portobello route suffered severely. On Sunday the service was suspended. After three efforts had been made to restart it, the attempt was abandoned on Monday night. On Tuesday the cars ran until shortly after nine in the morning when they broke down again. On Wednesday they only ran for an hour and a half. There was no service at all until the following Sunday, by which time the under road had been thoroughly cleansed and a new cable installed. Even then the trams were creeping along at a pedestrian pace, causing the loss of trains, failure of appointments, incalculable waste of time and a condition of fretfulness that may be imagined. It was claimed by the Company that the problems were the result of the war. Of their usual 1,100 strong maintenance team, 514 men had now enlisted and the remainder just couldn’t cope with the work load.

James Wilkie of 52 Bath Street and his cousin Rosina Henry were both fined £3 for fraud. Wilkie was a railway ticket collector and the couple were charged with stealing and reselling 25 return tickets.

Since its opening in 1897, a total of 1,231,377 books had been borrowed from Portobello library.
It was decided by the Corporation of Edinburgh that a number of open spaces in the city should be used for sheep grazing, among them Portobello golf course.


Robert Park of Portobello was elected a director of the Highland and Agricultural Society
Lyndoch House, Elcho Terrace came on the market, together with its land, stables and coach house for the asking price of £1,250.

The Foresters’ Arms was looking for a lad of 16 or 17 with some experience in the spirit trade.

[rathbone]

On 21 February the Verdun offensive began.

Second Lieutenant William Bryce of 25 Park Avenue was killed by a grenade during an attack on the trenches. He was 27.

James Wright, of the Royal Scots, who lived at 2 Viewforth Buildings, Portobello, was killed. John Kilgour, of Portobello was also killed.

Richard Fraser of 10 Bath Street died in the Dardanelles. He was 18.

Private Robert Carmichael was killed after being knocked down by a taxi cab in Portobello. He was walking in the middle of the road. Hearing a warning shout from some other soldiers, he stepped the wrong way, into the path of the vehicle.

The tenders for building the new Portobello Power Station were issued.

Edinburgh Town Council resolved to reduce the opening hours at the Baths to enable the work to be done by one shift, hence reducing costs. There had been a loss of over £1,200 in the previous year.

The photographic studio known as the Elsmere Studio,run by Mr. Home Crawford at 223 Portobello High Street, came on the market for the reduced price of £700.

[rathbone]

On 9 March Germany declared war on Portugal

Lance Corporal C.T. Bold of Portobello was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He had displayed great bravery in taking rations through the lines. When a wheel on the waggon on which he was seated collapsed, under heavy shell firer hew took a wheel from an abandoned waggon, fixed it to his own and got through safely.

James Niven of 70 Tower Street was arrested and appeared before the High Court charged with failing to appear at the Recruiting Office when served with conscription papers.

A meeting was held of gentlemen interested in the development of food production in Portobello during war time. Cllr. Rose stated that there were 229 acres of vacant ground which could be used for allotments. The North British Railway Company indicated that there was ground belonging to it in Joppa which would be available for the development of the scheme.

A meeting of the Town Planning Committee of Edinburgh Town Council discussed how the sea front at Portobello could be developed after the conclusion of the war.

The Town Council parks committee decided to lay out two tennis courts next to the bowling green at Brighton Park for the use of the Royal Fusiliers at present quartered in Portobello

66 Argyle Crescent decided to sell their very handsome oak hatstand. It was 9 ft. high and 5 ft wide with bevelled mirrors.

Miss Moir of 10 Hope Street announced herself as a trained Corsetiere capable of producing unbreakable, rustless, hygienic, ventilative, stylish and comfortable corsets.

Mary Nisbet of Portobello gained her certificate to practice as a Health Visitor from the Royal Sanitary Institute.

Rev. J. Eadie was elected the new minister at St. James church to replace the retiring Rev. Oliver.

The Portobello Picture Palace went into liquidation.

The Portobello Paper Mill in Bridge Street went on the market. It could be acquired as a going business with capital of £40,000.


Suddenly there were lots of properties in Portobello up for sale: 14, 25, 31 and 44 Brighton Place, 24 Park Avenue, 8, 9, 10, 23 and 41 Bath Street, 201 High Street, Mount Charles, 2 Milton Terrace, 2 and 12 Duddingston Crescent, 14 Duddingston Park, 1 Lee Crescent, 7 Sandford Gardens. Even the Old Town Hall was on the market.

[rathbone]

John Booth of 9 Stanley Place was killed in action. He left a widow and eight children.

Private T. Gunner of Portobello was reported ad suffering from Shell Shock.

William Baillie of 50 Portobello High Street was fined £2 or seven days imprisonment for failing to turn up for military service after having been served conscription papers. After the trial Baillie was marched to the recruitment office in Cockburn Street and forced to enlist.

Douglas Thomson, the landlord of the public house at 227 Portobello High Street was fined for supplying a pint of beer each to two privates of the Scottish Rifles while they were in a state of intoxication. Evidently out of comradeship towards these soldiers the man had supplied them with the liquor. In view of the mitigating circumstances of the case Bailie Archbold restricted the fine to £3.

Two schoolboys, Nicol Fyfe, from 5 Ramsay Place and Robert Lambert from 44 Tower Street were both ordered to receive 5 stripes of the birch for stealing 2 shillings from the Windsor Place post office. A lady had laid the 2 shillings on the counter and the boys had snatched it and ran out on to the High Street where they were apprehended.

The Central Picture House were fined £1 for failing to keep their staircases free from obstruction. A number of persons had been allowed to stand in the aisles to watch the films.

Work began on the allotments on the railway land at the top of the embankment at Brunstane Road. The land was being rented to the Portobello Allotment group for 5 shillings per annum. The group were growing potatoes, onions and cabbages. Edinburgh Corporation were prepared to supply manure at the rate of 2 shillings per cart load.

Mr. Lee, 15 John Street was offering his garage for rent and the occupiers of 68 Tower Street were selling two handsome brass bedsteads complete with mattresses.

The Portobello OK Cycle Depot was advertising a lady’s Humber motorcycle in good running order for £20.

[rathbone]

The Battle of Jutland began on 31 May and on 5 June Lord Kitchener was killed at sea.

A large gathering attended a memorial service in Portobello Town Hall for those who had given their lives in the Jutland conflict. Military buglers sounded the First Post and the Last Post. The service was addressed by Admiral Sir David Beatty. The Dead March from Saul was played in memory of Lord Kitchener. Admiral Beatty said:” I am indebted to you for this kind expression of your feelings. It helps me and especially so in my being able to show to my officers and men that the people are with us, and that their appreciation of what wee are doing is unquestionable and their confidence in the navy greater than ever. There are those who are slow to acknowledge the wisdom and necessity of what we attempted and to admit that which was achieved. But we know and are happy in that knowledge. Though some newspapers are nervy and depressed and timid, we are persuaded the people are not, and for this we are grateful.”

Second Lieutenant Charles Brown (21) of Adephi Place and Sergeant M. McFarlane (34) also of Portobello, were both killed in action.

Robert Hunter, 26, of 27 Rosefield Lane died following an accident at the Portobello Goods Yard.

The death was announced of Bailie Hanlon who, for nearly 20 years, had been both secretary and president of the Scottish Association of Master Bakers. He had been a member of the former Portobello Town Council and of the Parish Council.

Alex. McLauchlan, publican of 2 Bath Street was fined £15 for having sold a half pint of beer to a soldier, the price being paid by another man.

Edinburgh Town Council considered the erection of bathing shelters on Portobello beach, one for men and one for women. It was decided to defer any consideration until the ending of hostilities.

There was a shortage of plumbers in Portobello. Owing to the war there was not a single apprentice plumber of eligible age left. Out of 685 men in the plumbing trade before the war there were now only 127 left. That number constituted an absolute minimum from the point of view of public health alone.

Alex. Ferguson of 9 Stanley Street was looking for a position as an organist.

Scott’s Grocery and Wine business at 98 Portobello High Street came on the market.

[rathbone]

The 1 July saw the start of the Somme offensive

Robert Mabon, 23, of 33 Brighton Place was killed in action, as was Corporal J. Kinghorn, also of Portobello. Second Lieutenant John Glennie of 22 Wellington Street also died.

Private Owen Lynch died in the Infectious Hospital, Cairo. Before the war Mr. Owen ran the dental practice in Portobello High Street.

Second Lieutenant J. Thorburn of 32 Henderson Row was wounded.

Following days of persistent rain the Figgate Burn overflowed its banks and filled the disused clay holes near the railway line. The Craigentinny meadows were inundated. A youth with a considerable amount of enterprise conveyed persons wishing to cross in a barrow, charging a penny apiece. He was making as many as ninety journeys an hour.

The Grassmarket Silver Band gave a selection of popular music at the Band stand on the promenade.

A small amethyst brooch encircled in pearls was lost in Melville Street.

Mr A.D. Richardson of 19 Joppa Road was awarded the prestigious Neil Prize for Botany by the Royal Horticultural Society for his work on the disposition of the leaves on the lateral shoots of the flat leaved spruce.

Mr. Ross of Pitt Street was selling his pointer bitch. She was staunch on all game and extra good on birds.

[rathbone]

Alexander MacDonald of Argyle Crescent was killed in action aged 21 years.Privates O. Lynch and R. Wood of Portobello both died in action.

Second Lieutenant L. Buchan of 38 Brighton Place, and one of the directors of Buchan’s Portobello Potteries also died.

Corporal Frank Ford of 11 Duddingston Crescent was seriously wounded in France, losing a leg. Both of his elder brothers had been killed the previous year and a third brother was now a prisoner of war. Second Leiutenant G. Bryce of 25 Park Avenue. Corporal H. Dickson and Private P. Reilly, both of Portobello were also wounded.

A special service to commemorate the second anniversary of the start of the war was held at the Bandstand on Portobello Promenade. The band of the Stock Exchange and Bankers Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers played.

Private Northcott of the Royal Fusiliers stationed at the Marine Gardens was advertising for pianoforte scores of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, presumably so that performances could be held at the gardens for the troops.

The Government introduced petrol rationing. This limited supply to 6 gallons every three months, or half a gallon a week. For a twin cylinder machine this meant a limit of about 24 miles a week, not sufficient to travel back and forwards to Edinburgh from Portobello.
The Rev. G.T. Jamieson celebrated 50 years as the minister at Portobello Parish Church.

A gold brooch with a diamond in the centre was lost between Joppa Road and the Baths.

[rathbone]

On 9 August the Gorizia offensive in Italy began.

Private John White (Jackie to his mates) was killed in action aged 18 while serving as a machine gunner with the Royal Scots.

Second Lieutenant G. Slaughter of Hamilton Terrace was declared missing in action.

A concert in aid of the Red Cross was held in the Town Hall, attended by Lord and Lady Crofton. A long and varied programme was sustained by members of the Royal Fusiliers. The Brothers Junnix, a comedy duo and expert dancers, presented an entertaining turn on approved music hall lines.Mrs. Christie and Miss Logan rendered several songs in excellent manner and Lieutenant Corporal Victor’s ingenious hand silhouettes, which were of a humorous character, were greatly appreciated.

James Main, the manager of Wood’s Bottleworks in Bailetfield Road pleaded guilty to the charge of not extinguishing all lights on the bottleworks premises because he allowed light to come from the three furnaces after dark. The Sheriff thought that this was a very serious and gross violation of the regulations and imposed a fine of £15.

In the dark 55 year old Evan Erskine of John Street fell over the sea wall and was drowned. His cries were heard and an attempt was made to rescue him, but without success. The accident was attributed to the darkness of the night and the lighting restrictions, coupled with the fact that the deceased was very short sighted and wore glasses.

William Anderson, a tram car driver, was fined 10 shillings after pleading guilty of driving his tram car recklessly in Portobello High Street, as a consequence of which it came into collision with another vehicle, causing the conductor an a passenger to fall down the stairs of the tram car.

Smith’s the Builder in Bath Street decided to sell their horse.

Dr. Inglis of 8 Brighton Place was looking for a medical assistant.

A tournament at Portobello Bowls Club raised £15 for the Red Cross Fund.

Thomas Ryder, who ran the bakery business at 77 Portobello High Street, put the business up for sale. He had been advertising for staff for months without avail.

[rathbone]

On 29 August Hindenburg became German chief of staff

The first use of British tanks took place at Flers Courcelette

Private William Gunn, 24, of 34 Park Avenue died of wounds and James Turnbull,38, of Portobello also died.
Sergeant A Douglas of Portobello was suffering from shell shock.
Lieutenant Corporal J. McHendry and Private P. Bartholomew were both wounded.
Private J. May was missing.

Private Robert Johnson, who was billeted in the Marine Gardens was found on the railway line, having been run over by a train which had severed both his legs. He subsequently died in the Royal Infirmary. William Colthard, a boy of 14, who lived at 101 Portobello High Street, was knocked down and instantaneously killed by a passing goods train.

A well attended patriotic meeting was held at the Promenade bandstand to commemorate the first anniversary of the battle of Loos. A resolution of gratitude to those who fought and fell at Loos and to those still fighting and of confidence in the Government in the prosecution of the war was proposed by the Rev. Strang. The National Anthem played by Portobello Boys’ Brigade Band closed proceedings.

Bessie Reddington, 52 Bath Street was fined £2 for having a light visible from her premises after dark.

George Thompson and Edward Bartlett, both 13, pleaded guilty to having stolen 4 shillings 6 pence from the pockets of clothing in the changing room of Portobello Baths. Their movements had aroused suspicion and they had been challenged and induced to admit the theft. Bartlett had hidden the money in his stocking. In the course of the trial it came to light that both boys were from London and had travelled up to Scotland hidden under the seat of a railway carriage. Thompson had made a similar trip three weeks previously. They had stolen the money because they were hungry. The Magistrate ordered that the Police return them to London.