SAR029111 SCOTLAND (1957). Musselburgh Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland. An oblique aerial photograph taken facing South. This image was marked by AeroPictorial Ltd for photo editing.

3 or 4 older (pre- Victorian?) buildings which, at the time this photograph was taken, housed Bissett (Haberdasher and Wool), a Bootmaker and Penman's (Grocer). All were demolished and replaced by flats around the mid 1970s. Penman's may have been Number 219 north High Street.

Pye family, circa 1960, and Austin 16

Older properties (ie pre-Victorian), one of which was Penman's the grocer in the 1950s. Subsequently demolished and redeveloped as flats. Penman's might have been Number 219 North High Street and adjoining properties included Bissett's (Haberdasher and Wool shop), a shoe maker/repairer and a "General Dealer"?

This site, now a Filling Station, was at one time - mid 19th century - a railway and/or tram depot. It is marked "Fisherrow Depot" on the 1:1056 large scale town plan of Musselburgh surveyed in 1853. It was be the site of a depot originally operated by the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway, which had run a branch line to the harbour in or around 1831. The light-toned curved path? appears to mark the line of a former rail or tram track. I believe that the site was originally called "Fisherrow Station" and may have carried both passenger and freight traffic until it closed in or around 1847, when the North British Railway built a new branch line and a new station next to the "Roman Bridge".

Approximate location of former "Belfield" (sometimes shown on maps with one "l", sometimes with two) opposite the row of houses forming the aptly-named "Bellfield Avenue". Like "Olive Bank", the house is still shown on the 1938 O.S. revision.

The approximate location of the former house named "Olive Bank", which still appears on the 1938 revision of the relevant six inch O.S.sheet. Demolished in the 1940s?

The approximate location of the former Olive Bank Colliery operated in or around the first decade of the 20th Century by the Niddrie and Benhar Coal Company. The colliery was abandoned due to problems with flooding of the workings. The chimney may have been that of the colliery.

Former "(East)Bush House" - Fisherrow Yacht Club premises from around 1957 to date.

I think that this is (the rear of) the original "Campie House" which still stood in the 1950s (in what is now "Campie Gardens")and was use as emergency? housing. It is marked as a "Convalescent Home" on the 1893 Ordnance Survey town plan. It was subsequently demolished and replaced by modern housing. Campie School was built in what had been part of its grounds. For a 19th? century photograph of the frontage of the house, see: canmore.rcahms.gov.uk

This looks like a flatbed railway wagon on the short section of spur track which left the Musselburgh branch line and originally ran to the Harbour. if I remember correctly, there were some signs e.g.rails? still visible in the early 1950s, where this spur had crossed the main road to reach the Harbour. The ine was originally a branch (opened 1831 to carry coal) of the (horse-drawn) Edinburgh & Dalkeith Railway.

Musselburgh branch railway line, opened by the North British Railway company in 1847.

Musselburgh Railway Station which closed in the early 1960s.

Area of open, undeveloped ground (used as an informal playground) between Mitchell Street, West Holmes Gardens and Belfield Avenue. The last-mentioned street was effectively a short cul-de-sac, as can be seen here. Like "Campie House", "Belfield" and "Olive Bank" had been the names of older houses in the vicinity, whose substantial open garden grounds were subsequently developed.

Crudens office and site. The firm appears to have started in the mid-1940s as a timber merchant then building firm. Harry Cruden seems to have had an interesting life, having lived in Kenya and China! in the inter-war years.

Site of "Castle Gordon", onetime private lunatic asylum. Some ruined remains still stood in the 1950s. The site was subsequently redeveloped as flats

Onetime "Pit Cottage" - demolished and now the site of an architecturally adventurous villa. Art Deco comes to the Promenade?

Lock-up garages which were entered from Market Street via two large green gates.

Salvation Army Church Hall

Part of early 'Fifties housing redevelopment of Watts Close by Musselburgh Town Council.

Redeveopment( flats- circa 1950-53 by Musselburgh Town Council) of site of former tenement called "Scrap Castle" (possibly built from re-claimed stonework?) part of the redevelopment of the south side of Market Street.

Further to my earlier post, I think that this is Hall Brothers new (ie in 1957) car showroom. They were BMC dealers, selling Austin and Morris cars and I first saw a Mini in this showroom in or around 1959. The showroom itself is long gone.

Wilson's Market Garden before it was developed for housing in the very late 'Fifties or early 'Sixties. At one time,the family also had a fruiterer/florist's shop at the corner of North High Street and Fishers Wynd.

Public Lavatory - since replaced by a less basic one.

Fishing nets drying on the sunny Promenade

Hall Brothers garage before the new showroom was built, circa 1958/59?, to the west of Harbour Road

Bogle Hole

I think this was originally named "Mollendo House", a onetime lunatic asylum and possibly later called "The Elms"

"Spring Gardens" demolished in or around the early 1960s and a storage shed (now itself gone) built on the site

The garden of "Spring Bank", which is now the M&F Welfare Club

Mitchell Street tenements

Site of onetime M&F Co-op Creamery until early 'Fifties, then subsequently C0-op garage

Fisherrow Primary School before it closed, as a school, in 1958.

Fishing boats - the harbour used to be full of them

Stoneyhill Institute/Community Centre

Olive Bank football pitch

Campie Primary School

Inveresk Copper Cable mill

Fisherrow Harbour