History of Leith, Edinburgh

This crime account begins: ‘Just Published, a strange account of the proceedings of Captain Smith, the notorious Gentleman Swindler, who has taken in a great number of Noblemen and Gentleman residing in Moray Place, George Street, Charlotte Square . . . also his examination by the Sheriff.’ This sheet was published by Forbes of Edinburgh. for more click here

This execution notice begins: ‘THE LAST / SPEECH AND DYING WORDS, / Of John Stewart, who was executed within the Flood-Mark at Leith, upon the 4th January 1721, for the Crime of Piracy and Robbery.’ This sheet was published in Edinburgh, in 1727, by Robert Brown of Forrester’s Wynd. for more click here

British Genealogy and History of The British Isles. for more click here

What is truly shocking about this story is once again it shows in what contempt Leith is held and it is a attitude that has existed since the time of Robert the Bruce from whom Edinburgh got the Shore. Even Cromwell’s General Monck said “he had never seen a town so enslaved to another”. The only interest Edinburgh has had in Leith over the centuries was trade and making money and that attitude has never changed over several hundred years.

When the High Street was refurbished a few years ago over three million pounds was spent modernising the insides of the buildings while keeping the historical frontage. Leith got a bulldozer first of all in the 1880′s (under the Leith Council) and again in the late 1960′s and early 1970′s a large part of leith was demolished along with many ancient streets and historic buildings. Today the Kirkgate once full of shops and people is dead, Tourists in search of history in Leith (apart from Trinity House and South Leith Church) will be disappointed. Historic building once removed are gone for good, they cannot be recreated.

With Leith losing or lost many industries over the past few years our future now lies in Tourism. So where is the forward planning for this, where is the investment, Leith Links is the home of Golf (not Saint Andrews) what has Edinburgh done about this, nothing!! . However as far as Edinburgh is concerned Tourism is the High St and Princes Street. The lack of imagination in the Edinburgh Council in respect of Leith is a utter disgrace and shameful because they have never learnt the lessons of the past. They don’t even know that the Fort Area is a prime archaeological site which they wish to destroy for houses that will be demolished in thirty years time. Short sighted and mad. When will they ever learn? for more click here

In 1822 it was decided to demolish the old Leith Tolbooth. Historians protested including Sir Walter Scott. However the Edinburgh Council said as the plans had been drawn up and paid for nothing could be done, The tolbooth was demolished and the building replacing it was worse then the old tolbooth. As I said nothing changes. for more click here

http://www.scoop.it/t/british-genealogy

In the ” Myrvyian, or Cambrian Archasology,” a
work replete with ancient lore, mention is made of
Caer-Eiddyn, or the fort of Edin, wherein dwelt
a famous chief, Mynydoc, leader of the Celtic
Britons in the fatal battle with the Saxons under
Ida, the flame-bearer, at Catraeth, in Lothian, where
the flower of the Ottadeni fell, {1^510; and this is
believed to be the burgh subsequently said to be
named after Edwin.
In the list of those who went to the battle of
Catraeth there is record of 300 warriors arrayed in
fine armour, three loricated bands (i.e., plated for
defence), with their commanders, wearing torques
of gold, ” three adventurous knights,” with 300 of
equal quality, rushing forth from the summits of
the mighty Caer-Eiddyn, to join their brother
chiefs of the Ottadeni and Gadeni.
In the ” British Triads” both Caer-Eiddyn
(which some have supposed to be Carriden), and
also Dinas-Eiddyn, the city of Eiddyn, are repeatedly
named. But whether this be the city of
Edinburgh it is exceedingly difficult to say; for,
after all, the alleged Saxon denominative from
Edwin is merely conjectural, and unauthenticated
by remote facts.
From Sharon Turner’s “Vindication of Ancient
British Poems,” we learn that Aneurin, whose work
contains 920 lines, was taken prisoner at the battle
of Catraeth,* and was afterwards treacherously slain
by one named Eiddyn; another account says he
died an exile among the Silures in 570, and that the
battle was lost because the Ottadeni ” had drunk
of their mead too profusely.”
The memory of Mynydoc Eiddyn is preserved
in a beautiful Welsh poem entitled ” The Drinking
Horn,” by Owain, Prince of Powis. The poets
is full of energy.
” When the mighty bards of yore
Awoke the tales of ancient lore,
What time resplendent to behold,
Flashed the bright mead in vase of gold!
The royal minstrel proudly sung
Of Cambria’s chiefs when time was young;
How, with the drink of heroes flushed,
Brave Catraeth’s lord to battle rushed,
The lion leader of the strong,
And marshal of Galwyiada’s throng ;
The sun that rose o’er Itun’s bay
Ne’er closed on such disastrous day;
There fell Mynydoc, mighty lord,
Beneath stern Osway’s baneful sword;
Yet shall thy praise, thy deathless name,
Be woke on harps of bardic fame,
Sung by the Cymri’s tuneful train,
Aneurin of celestial strain.”

source-Old and New Edinburgh

You may already have heard about this – but to ask you to consider supporting
the counter petition to press for the continuance of religious observance.

This was passed on to me: You may have heard there is a petition on the
Edinburgh council site sponsored by the secular society to have a debate in
the council to remove any religious observance from schools. This had a
lot of press coverage and is gaining support. If it did get debated it
would create some major changes in our schools which would have a
city-wide impact. Someone has put in a counter petition and it would be
very poor showing if it looked like no one wanted to support any religious
observance at all. We realise it’s not a straight forward argument, there
are some Christians who might think bad assemblies are worse than none!

At the time of sending this the secularist motion has 960 signatures and
the counter proposal has 642. You may wish to sign and/or circulate. The
petition is here:

for more click here

Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist (1090 – August 20, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order. for more click here

Hugues de Payens or Payns (c.1070 – 24 May 1136) was the co-founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar. With Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, he created the Latin Rule, the code of behavior for the Order. for more click here