Edina, THE NEW WORLD

 

Edina Lochenbooths high st

THE NEW WORLD - Life in Edinburgh 1700s 

A city of taverns, turnpike, steps, towering apartment blocks, theatre, dancing assemblies, city chambers and strong gusts of wind. The row of towers rising from the palace to a castle on the rock- some 12 storeys high were crowded. Seen from the wide views out along the shores of the Firth of Forth there were garlands of wood and peat smoke round the town which gave rise to the name Auld Reekie. And the wynds and closes ran down to the waters of the north loch or to the Canongate. From the lawn market, the Royal mile opens out near St Giles to be wide enough for five carriages, and then narrowed down to the Canongate, down towards Holyrood palace and Arthurs seats.

 

There was the Jacobite/ Whig divide. There were 2 thrice weekly newspapers – one Whig, one Jacobite; and The Scots Magazine – full of trails, poetry, world affairs, narrative of Scots; 4 printing works, brewers, insurance, 9 Presbyterian churches. Musselburgh fish wives, sweeps, coal porters, barefoot housemaids. Women wore scarlet plaid or tartan over their heads down to their waist. There were 600 taverns, where work took place and people drank ale, claret and whisky.  There was archery for Jacobites, at Musselburgh. Golf for the Whigs at Leith links.

There was a weekly concert at St Marys chapel Cowgate. The women sang old songs and held tea parties. A well-dressed duchess appeared from a dirty close. it was the Duchess of Gordon, the leader of Edinburgh society, was once seen riding up the high street on a sow, which her sister drove with a stick!

Georgian New Town built late 1700s

The heart of Edinburgh was at St Giles cathedral since the abolition of the bishops during the Reformation – there was the new church choir, old church nave, Haddow Holes northwest corner, Tolbooth west. The General Assembly met here once a year.  

At the Luckenbooths near St Giles were shops – on the East side was the flat of poet Allan Ramsay senior who established the first library 1725 and in the ground floor flat was the printer, William Creech. And on the west side were the dark turrets of the Old Tolbooth prison. At the back of St Giles, there was the Parliament house where the Scottish Parliament sat from 1639. The Edinburgh town council sat at Parliament Close.

From Edinburgh there were 3 mail coaches to London each week. A stagecoach ran monthly to London and took 10 days on the road. There were ships to London – from the Port of Leith. Edinburgh did not have the colonial trade with the Americas or a merchant class, that Glasgow had - but the town had lawyers, Court of Session, clergymen, General Assembly. 

 

There was intellectual infrastructure, reading societies, libraries, periodicals, museums and masonic lodges. The Edinburgh College (university) – William Castares, who’d been in Dutch exile before 1688 revolution. In 1708 introduced a system of professors – new chairs in Arts, Law. The Edinburgh Faculty of Medicine, founded in 1726 was the first in Britain. Jacobite printers Thomas and Walter Ruddima produced editions of Scots Renaissance writers such as George Buchannan and Gavin Douglas. They also expanded the Advocates library at Parliament House 1680 to over 2 thousand volumes. The Academy of Painting opened in 1729. The High school was one of the largest grammar schools with 400 pupils – plus 4 hospitals or boarding schools for orphans – George Heriots for boys and George Watson for girls in 1659.The Royal Infirmary was founded in 1741. 

Scottish Writers museum

Baxters Close

 

Edinburgh book festival images

 

I recall the excitement of my first times at Edinburgh book festival in Charlotte square back in 2009 – and the many famous faces I have encountered on my walk over the wooded walkways, as they left the Press yurt; it was always a surprise and the trying to act nonchalant! I met here Seamus Heaney, Brian Cox, Alex Salomnd, George RR Martin, Liz Lochhead, John Byrne, Val McDermid, Elif Shakfak, Ian Rankin, Alexander McCalll Smith, Allan Cummings, and many more!

 

The challenging light – at lunchtime, with any overhead sunshine causing far too many shadows, or the perfect late light, hitting the townhouses of the square and on Bute house. I remember George RR Martin waiting at the side gate.Or Seamus Heaney walking into the cafe.  

 

The many fun photographers I have met here – from Wales, Italy, Spain and elsewhere. The banter,

 

George RR Martin arrives

Seamus Heaney & Andrew O'Hagan

Unbound

Edna OBrien

Art has always been a big part of my life – poetry, songs, images, books. I enjoyed sketching, singing, playing piano, reading and writing in my small notebooks. I was constantly drawing; I went to visit art galleries, took art at school, wondered what makes artists great – the brilliant composer, the inspired painter, or the great poet. 

 

Art is how I imagine and visualise my references. 

Music is my main point of wonder, escape and emotional release. 

Poetry is how I make sense of the turmoil, confusion and troubles. 

And the stories we tell ourselves. 

Photographers set up Charlotte Sq

Cultural History Disconnects

I had a big disconnect between my primary school and secondary school. At primary we had Scottish dancing, Scots poetry and song. We had a headteacher from Skye, who often wore a kilt.

Then at secondary we had no Scottish history, culture or music at all. Only English literature, history and music. Quite  a strange disconnect. 

 

Then I attended college down the cobbled royal mile Edinburgh, and I wondered about all the history here – the Canongate Kirkyard, John Knox house, St Giles, Holyrood, the Grassmarket – and the castle. We used to go to the military tattoo there every year. 

 

Going to secondary school Edina, I travelled across the town by bus via Princes Street. On the top deck there were many teenagers in brightly coloured blazers who spoke with posh English accents. I wondered where they were from. In Edina around 25% of children attend private schools. 

 

No it wasn’t and isn’t an integrated melting pot at all. But a stiff social hierarchy. Back in the 60s and 70s though, young people had more options to go to study. Houses were built to offer greater social mixing – but that doesn’t always succeed. When people feel without things in common, many put up defensive barriers. 

 

Visiting Holyrood Palace I picked up a small book on the Stuart kings of Scotland. I was fascinated by the Scots history and stories. I  visited the Scottish national galleries, with their many portraits of Scottish royalty. My parents were from Northern Ireland, so I was very confused, as no doubt they were too. 

MY SONGS

 Back in the 70s I was involved with the folk revival happening in Edinburgh and around Scotland’s folk festivals. Many happy days and nights spent at Sandy Bells folk bar. Although in my youthful twenties I wasn’t aware it was a folk revival! Or of the iconic figures who were often on its benches there - Hamish Henderson or fiddler Aly Bain.

 

Now many decades later, I realise its significance, after twenty years attending and reviewing at Celtic Connections music festival in Glasgow, Europe’s major winter music festival, and from my researching and studying Scottish cultural heritage. 

 

I’ve read of the song collector and folklorist Margaret Bennet (mother of the renowned and innovative composer Martyn Bennet) and of the Scots legend Dick Gaughan, the Scottish studies school and of course the composer Hamish Henderson, who went to Sandy Bells back then. 

 

I was introduced to the Shetland fiddler Aly Bain, (Silly Wizard and Boys of the Lough) and who has been a musical director of Transatlantic Sessions since 2005, plus a founder of Celtic Connections. I was also acquainted with the highly respected songwriter Rab Noakes. We used to sing and harmonise his songs – Clear day, Branch. 

 

As a teenager I enjoyed Soul music, the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, then the Stones, Mozart, Robert Burns, Van Morrison, Fleetwood Mac and many others.