The History of Leith

Gerard DeGroot

CIVIL WAR: THE WARS OF THE THREE KINGDOMS, 1638-1660
Trevor Royle
Little, Brown, £20

IN APRIL 1639, James Turner, a Scottish mercenary who had been fighting in Germany, was preparing to join an English force gathering to do battle against the Covenanters in Scotland. Unfortunately, his baggage did not arrive in time for him to board an English ship which was supposed to take him to Hull. The next available transport was a Danish ship, bound for Leith.
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RECENTLY you had an article on an exhibition about the paper mills on the Water of Leith (News, March 18).

I was born in Leith 100 years ago. I started working in 1917 with Macniven & Cameron in Blair Street. I worked there for 56 years. The firm then were printers and lithographers. (more…)

IN December 1851, the Singapore Straits Times reported the death of Robert Burns. It was not an overdue obituary of the celebrated poet, whose memory millions of Scots around the world will be toasting this weekend, but the dramatic story of the young man reputed to be his grandson.
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For most of the 18th century Scottish shipbuilding was located mainly on the east coast, supplying the needs of a flourishing trade with Scandinavia, the Baltic and the German states. (more…)

Perth Amboy. In 1685, George Scot, Baird of Pitlochie, was given his liberty in Scotland provided he transported to East Jersey many of the Covenanters who had refused to take the oath of allegiance to a tyrannical and profligate ruler. Thus authorized, he proceeded to gather his company from those confined in the tolbooth of Leith.

for more go to the link on the rhs

TAKE a walk to Granton Harbour these days and it’ll be a peaceful affair.

Small yachts tied to the marina bob on the Forth, a man walks his dog on the pavement by the shore. There’s no discernible buzz about the place, no sign of the fast trade that kept the port afloat for three generations. (more…)

In 1709 Andrew Thomson inherited the business of his father-in-law, Mr Brown, who was a brewer and vintner in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. About 20 years later the business was moved to “The Vaults”, Leith, Scotland, which were bought by the company on 29 July 1782.
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Up until the mid twentieth century the Water of Leith was an important industrial centre for Edinburgh, particularly in paper-making. (more…)

The Scottish language has changed over the years, being influenced by other languages and cultures. This section provides you with a definition of those words and phrases commonly found in documents and records throughout Scotland’s archives.

for more go the link on the rhs

The role of naval force in Scotland’s history has yet to be written, however for a brief overview the introduction given in James Grant’s The Old Scots Navy is probably, currently, the most useful.

for more go to the link on the rhs