Ian & Janette Lawrie remember
Interviewed by Christine McBean on 14th February 2007.
My parents were married in Juniper Green Village Hall in 1923 and lived at Number 537 Lanark Road (where Al Borgo Restaurant now stands). It was a one-roomed accommodation above the shop which my mother ran. My father John Lawrie was a joiner and worked in Edinburgh.
© Nutsend Productions
A view of Woodhall Drive looking north in 2007
Just before I was born in 1934 they left the shop and moved to Woodhall Drive because the property above the shop was unsuitable for raising a family. I was born in Woodhall Drive, delivered by the local midwife Mrs Downie, whose son George was a well known character in Balerno. Many of my family lived nearby.
Lawrie's sweetie shop
The shop sold sweeties and tobacco. When Mother gave up the shop, Macnabs the Cleaners & Dyers occupied the premises before it was converted into a Fruiters business, run by Mrs Ruby Bush.
The wild west on Lanark road
Mrs Lawrie and Jen Haston (in hat) outside the shop which occupied the site of the present Al Borgo restaurant on Lanark Road
I often remember cattle and sheep being herded along Lanark Road from the Pentlands en route to the slaughterhouse at Chesser. My Mother told me the story that one day a bullock panicked and ran straight into her sweetie shop causing havoc. She quickly escaped upstairs and waited until it was persuaded back into the herd.
The store provided employment for many local residents
© Nutsend Productions
A view of the Store lane in 2007
At the west end of the village there was the Store where everyone in the village shopped for groceries, butcher meat, haberdashery, household goods, clothes etc. If the local Store did not have what was required, Bread Street Store was contacted and the goods were sent out to Juniper Green. Near the exit from Iceland were allotments for the residents of the Store Stable Lane. You can guess by the name that the Store horses were stabled down this lane.
Will Tweedie worked for the Store and was in charge of a horse (called Basher) and cart. He sold groceries throughout the village. My Grandfather (Peter Russell) also lived here. He was a butcher and slaughterman (as was my uncle Douglas) and worked in the local Store. One of my Uncles (Scott Russell) also lived in one of the houses in the Lane. He worked for the Store too and he had a covered milk barrow which he pushed round the village delivering milk to many residents. I remember sometimes one of my cousins and me helping him pushing it as far as Curriemuirend. It was heavy going! Another Uncle (Jack) worked in the Store too as a grocer so it provided employment for the many local residents.
I also remember the days when the Store 'divi' was paid out in the Village Hall. Housewives came from Currie and Balerno as well as Juniper Green. The queues were huge but everyone was in great humour and didn't mind waiting for the long expected 'nest-egg'.
A local economy
Almost everything could be bought (or ordered) in the local shops. There were no large supermarkets or cash and carry depots in these days. Janette remembers being sent regularly from Currie to Juniper Green to do the shopping for her family. Reps would come round the shops to take orders from the shopkeepers. In Belmont Road, just east of the Belmont Garage today there was a Barber. He was German and his name was Neeman (I'm not sure of the spelling) but I remember going there to get my hair cut.
Then, there was Mrs Bryce's Antique shop (now Byers the Electrician's) and Bryce's coal yard was directly opposite this.
I went on to Boroughmuir Senior School and travelled in the school bus every morning which was driven by Willie Reid, Hilda McNeill's Dad. I left school and started a joiner apprenticeship under the guidance of Miss Irene Thomson's father.
The village hall was well used by the residents for various activities. Because so many of the houses did not have baths, the upstairs part of the hall (now the Committee Room) was made available for those who wanted a bath for 3 pence (old money).
The Germans are on their way
During the War the Home Guard and Air Raid Precautions (ARP) were very active in the village. Shelters were erected in gardens and the siren was sounded from the local police box near the Post Office. I remember on one occasion an ARP officer ran through the village shouting "They are on their way!" Perhaps the siren was out of order but that was the signal for everyone to quickly take cover in the air-raid shelters. I think the bomb that dropped nearest to Juniper Green was in the Dalmahoy area in one of my uncle's fields.
Activities for young folk
We swam in the Water of Leith; Rudlands Hole (near Veitch's) was a popular spot. If we were 'mucking about' in the river, we would sometimes be chased by Will Law the water bailiff. The children of the village played in Bloomiehall Park and sometimes the Pipe Band practised there.
Like almost all other children of the village I was sent along to one of the Church Sunday Schools every week. My family were members of St Andrew's. Miss Watson, who lived in Juniper Cottage next to the Post Office with her twin sisters was in charge of the little ones. Miss Betty Nisbet, took the junior section for over forty years. The annual Sunday School picnics were held at Hannahfield, Balerno (I think that was during the war years), Carberry Towers or further afield. We sometimes travelled by train. Later when I was in the Fellowship we were taken to Wiston Lodge near Biggar for weekend breaks.
Colinton and Currie Pipe Band 1947,
front row from left Ian Lawrie, Bill Blair, John Neill
I was a member of the 31st Midlothian Cub Scouts. Miss Duncan was the leader and we often went to the Muirwood to play. I also enjoyed playing football, playing in the Pipe Band and the Boys' Club.
This was a Club under the auspices of the YMCA which was started by Mr Tom Holton. It met once a week in the School and then later in the Scout Hall in Lanark Road. The great attraction for me was the under 15 football team. Three of our members went on to play in Senior Clubs: Willie Duff was Goalkeeper for Hearts, Harry Melrose signed for Dunfermline and David Walker played for Airdrie. David also won the New Year Powderhall Sprint.
I remember often watching the popular and keenly fought tennis matches in the local courts, the players all immaculately dressed in their 'whites'. I also remember watching professional golfers - Bobby Locke, John Panton, Flory van Donc and Fred Daly playing at Baberton Golf Club.
Baberton Golf Course was also a popular spot for sledging in the winter using sledges made by one of the local joiners, Mr Howitt in Baberton Avenue.
Since marrying my wife Janette, a Currie lass, we have lived in Currie for over 44 years.