The Marine Gardens

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The main attraction through June wasMr. Douglas Archer’s Portobello Amateur Opera Company who gave t a series of performances of The Pirates Of Penzance.

There was nothing lacking in the mounting of the opera and a tuneful chorus, admirably drilled, infused the requisite spirit into the singing. Miss May Scott Hastie, who had a sweet and effective soprano voice, was pleasing as Mabel. Miss Jeannie Gulland (contralto) was happy in the part of Ruth and Miss Ina Hill as Edith. The male characters, notably the Major General and Frederick, sung by Mr. John A. Moir and Mr. R.C. Gray were in safe hands.

The band and pipers of the Black Watch began an engagement in the Band Court.

The skating rink was in full swing and the numerous attractions at the Gardens included the balloon ascents and the parachute descents, Watson’s somersaulting motor car, and an exhibition billiard match between Melbourne Inman and Tom Aiken, the Scottish champion.

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Following the example set at such holiday resorts as Blackpool and Douglas, the Directors of the Edinburgh Marine Gardens arranged to add a ballroom to the attractions they held out to visitors.

The ballroom occupied the building formerly known as the Marine Cafe situated on the beach side of the hall which accommodated the offices, refreshment room and skating rink.



The principal entrance was on the north, facing the sea, and admittance could also be had through the main building from the south side.

The room was capable of accommodating between sixty and eighty couples. There was a sitting out room adjoining, while the covered terrace on the north and west sides was reserved for the dancers. Cloakrooms were provided at the main entrance to the ball room and by the side of the sitting room there was a refreshment buffet. The formal opening took place on 14 July 1910

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On 29 July, the wife of Guerri Adour, the chief of the Khadaboursi tribe, from Djbuti, East Africa, gave birth to a son in the Somali village in the Marine Gardens. They decided to call the child Portobello.

The following day the wife of another of the tribesmen, Mehad Hairi, also gave birth to a son, whom they called Marina.

Being of the Mohammedan faith, the children were not christened, but a formal naming ceremony was held on 6 August. On the platform at the compound Miss Stella Gastelle, one of the artistes performing in the concert hall, fastened round the neck of each child a gold pendant and lucky charm. Councillor Brydon Hogg, who presided, moved a vote of thanks, which the Somalis and the public, of whom there was a fair attendance, gave heartily. After listening to the Mullah reading extracts from the Koran, the Somalis received from him a present of fruit. Dancing and music were then engaged in.

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An accident occurred on 8 September on what was known as the Mountain Slide, one of the attractions in the Amusement Court at the Marine Gardens.

It appears that a lady had gone up the incline in one of the small seats used in the ascent. At the top she ought to have come out of the chair, but failed to do so, with the result that the chair started to descend on the under side and she became wedged in the slot at the top. The machinery still being in motion, she was severely crushed about the lower part of the body and also sustained a cut behind the right ear and bruises about the neck.

The jamming of the machinery fortunately caused the revolving belt to slip off position and the chairs came to a stop. It took some time to extricate the lady from her position but that was accomplished as speedily as possible by the attendants, who applied restoratives.

The lady was thereafter carefully brought down the slide on mats and carried to a waiting taxi cab which conveyed her to the Royal Infirmary where her condition was considered serious.

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The 1910 season ended on the Glasgow holiday, when thousands of visitors from the western metropolis crowded into the Gardens.

The final event was a hockey match between the Marine Gardens team and Glasgow Summertown.



It was time for the Directors to take stock of the second season.

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The Shareholders met on 28 October. The proceedings lasted for two hours and at the close the Press were told that the meeting had adjourned until Thursday 10th November when the scheme which Mr. Campbell had put forward on behalf of the committee of creditors would be further discussed.

It was also stated that the shareholders unanimously approved of the scheme, which was that the lesser creditors accept 5s in the £1 and took the balance in preferred shares, while the larger shareholders subscribed about £2,000 as capital to carry on the Gardens in which case these larger shareholders were guaranteed payment of 6 per cent before the ordinary shareholders received any dividend.

The syndicate would, under the scheme, obtain voting power in the proportion of two to one as against the shareholders and would have the power of nominating two directors to a fresh board of directors.

At the reconvened meeting it was proposed proposed that the company should create and issue additional capital to the amount of £6,000 in the form of first cumulative preference shares of £1 each and that the creditors should be paid 5s in the £1 in cash and accept the balance of 15s in first cumulative preference shares. It was also proposed to allow ten votes for every first preference share.

Once that had been voted through, the shareholders than passed a resolution that at the Annual General Meeting, the current Board should step down and a new Board of Directors appointed. On that new Board there would be two Directors nominated by the debenture holders.

A committee, consisting of the Creditors’ committee and a number of shareholders were appointed to confer with the directors with a view to putting the scheme into working order.

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At a boisterous meeting on 3 February 1911 the Finance Committee of Edinburgh Town Council considered the claim for gas and electricity used at the Marine Gardens during the past season.

The Town Clerk wrote that it had been suggested on behalf of the Marine Gardens that the Corporation should accept a settlement of 10s per £1 of their account for their supply of electricity and the electric lighting committee desired to consult the Gas Commission as to what action they should take.

Councillor Bryson reported that their treasurer had accepted a payment of 5s in the £1 and the committee asked the Commissioners to agree that action.

The chairman said he hoped that it was only a recommendation of the committee as from a letter he held in his hand he thought that it would only be courteous to meet with Councillor Stevenson on behalf of the electric lighting committee to discuss the matter.

Councillor Bryson confirmed that it was only a recommendation for a proposed settlement.

Bailie Pennell, from Leith, said that discussion of the matter was largely excluded because through their treasurer they had agreed to the proposal which was submitted by the committee of creditors. He thought it was right, however, that the result was probably the best the Commissioners could have got. There was no discourtesy meant to the electric lighting committee.

The report was adopted.

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On 13 May it was announced that the Marine Gardens buildings were being handsomely redecorated within and without and the walls, roofs, towers and cupolas had taken on a new bright and attractive appearance. The booths had been transformed into century old cottages, mills, workshops and the like. The Exhibition Hall had been entirely redesigned and now contained retail outlets. The Skating Rink had been converted into a Carnival Hall for various forms of amusement besides skating.

Nearly 200 beasts and birds had arrived for the zoological collection which was housed in the compound where the previous year there was the Somali village. The Zoo would be in the charge of Captain Sadler, who the previous year had a narrow escape from death through being mauled by a lioness at Liverpool. He had eight months detention in hospital and bore a hideous scar on his left shoulder and arm.

The various aids to outdoor amusement such as the scenic railway and the figure eight railway were being redecorated and furbished up. Work on the sports enclosure had been begun and it was expected that many successful meetings and matches would be held there during the summer.

Adverts were placed for Waitresses for the Japanese Tearoom and girls were also wanted to assist in an illusionist’s side show.

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