History of Leith, Edinburgh

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(c) John Arthur

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(c) John Arthur

People across Scotland have marked Armistice Day by paying silent tribute to those who have died during war. for more click here

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Millions of people are expected to observe a two-minute silence at 1100GMT to mark Armistice Day. for more click here

(c) John Arthur

On Christmas Eve 1663 Scotland’s first newspaper, the Kingdom’s Intelligencer—also produced at the Citadel—carried an advertisement:

“A Remarkable Advertisement to the Country and Strangers. That there is a Glass-house erected on the Citadel of Leith, where all sorts and quantities are made and sold at the prices following, to wit, the wine glass at three shillings two boddels, the beer glass at two shillings six pence; the quart bottel at eighteen shillings, the pynt bottel at nine shillings, the chopin bottel at four shillings six pence, the muskin (mutchkin) bottel at two shillings sixpence, all Scots money, and so forth of all sorts, conform to the proportion of the glass; better stuff and stronger than is imported.”
Pape (the owner) expected the business to pay handsomely in a country where all glass had to be imported. In fact the trade was very slow. Every kind of glass was produced at the Citadel, except window glass, but the maker soon had enough stock in hand to supply the needs of the whole country—or so he claimed.

source-Old Leith at Work,James Scott Marshall

Henry Thomas Cockburn (October 26, 1779 – April 26, 1854) was a Scottish judge and biographer, with the style of Lord Cockburn (pronounced /?ko?b?rn/ “Co-burn”).

His father, a keen Tory, was a baron of the Court of Exchequer, and his mother was connected by marriage with Lord Melville. He was educated at the Royal High School and the University of Edinburgh. for more click here

Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time. for more click here