Edinburgh shop

[Manick]

Hi all
as part of a group of family photos, I was given this picture of a shop called James T Mearns. I wonder if anyone can help me identify it or its location?

Manick

[Little Nell]

Jmaes T Mearns was a drpaer who lived at 13 East Restalrig Terrace in Leith in 1901.  That address no longer seems to exist so whether it was the shop or just his home address I can't say.  The road does look as if it was residential properties only.

A street directory for Leith around that date would probably help you find the shop - I don't have one, but the Edinburgh Library almost certainly does.

Nell

[tidybooks]

Hi ,

East Restalrig Terrace looks residential to me, here is a link to a photo in 2004,
http://www.rootschat.com/links/080d/

The photo looks like Leith, maybe Gt Junction St or Leith Walk.

Tom

[jessden]

Per the 1904 edition of the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory, James T Mearns was a Fancy Draper & Milliner at 18 North Bridge, Edinburgh.  His home was at 13 East Restalrig Terrace as already mentioned.

Jessie

[Manick]

Thanks, you're probably right as the cousin who gave me the photo grew up in East Restalrig Terrace in the 50s. I'll need to find out if her relations were involved in any enterprises like that.

[ADP]

As far as I can see, 18 North Bridge should be the last shop below the Balmoral Hotel (the North British Hotel until relatively recent times) as you head southwards from Princes Street, immediately before the bridge itself. I have looked at Google images and a few similar sites to try and find a picture showing the shop in more recent times. Sadly the easiest views and probably best views of the hotel are of the other façades, so these are the ones found on the net. Google maps street view seems to have no coverage of North Bridge.

ADP

[Manick]

Interestingly, as soon as i showed the picture to my cousin, she said exactly the same!

[still_looking]

SCRAN http://www.scran.ac.uk/

Has a photo from February 1955 looking south from register house, can't spot your shop because of the angle though.

[KirstyG]

It's not a great angle, but you can see the shops.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/081x/

By the look of the post at the edge of the original picture it is the one closest to the bridge (which used to be an Edinburgh Crystal Shop a few years back).

Kirsty