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Memories of growing up in Leith. The trials and tribulations of the period, allied to the camaraderie of the community in facing up to an uncertain future made a lasting impression on John Stewart.
I left school in the summer of 1949 and found my first job within two weeks. I was taken on as a junior clerk, by the investment company Baillie, Gifford and Co, Glenfinlas Street in Edinburgh. They managed various investment trusts and it was reckoned I would get on if I 'stuck in'.
Although living in Leith, there were many modes of transport to choose from for commuting. The No 5 bus would take me via Stockbridge. The No 2 and No 16 tramcars via Leith Walk, George Street and Princes Street and of course the train from the Leith Caledonian Station to the Edinburgh Caledonian at the west end of Princes Street.
The benefit of the train was that I had a seat in the same compartment that I shared with the same regular passengers. We got to know each other as time went by.
However to catch the train I had to walk about a mile in each direction, morning and night. This meant an early rise at the same time each day in order to do so. With the bus running at 5-minute intervals, I later opted for it.
Baillie, Gifford and Co was situated in two large town houses of four storeys each. These were adjacent to each other and had connecting doorways on each level.
I was set to work in the company cash room along with three other persons. Mr Samuels was the head of the department with his depute Mr Tom Robertson.
I sat opposite a young clerk, Diane Fraser. She was eighteen years old and we became very close, not in the romantic sense, but rather as a brother/sister relationship. This did not stop me from being in love with her, but she was unaware of this side of the relationship.
Our office was at the rear of the building and was very dark. We had to have our fluorescent lights on all day. The working conditions reminded me of the Dickensian clerks as depicted in some of his novels.
My first job each morning and last thing at night was fetching and returning ledgers from the large safe in the basement. These were loaded into a 'dummy waiter' and hauled aloft by means of rope and pulleys.
My main task was filling out cheques and writing up ledgers. No computers at this time. I then had to have the cheques signed by one of the company partners.
Later I would take them out and about Edinburgh to various offices for second signatures by directors of the company. Each day I had to do this. Not that I complained, for it took me out and about.
I was a fervent football fan of Hibs (Hibernian) and attended their games almost every week without fail. I was very lucky for Mr Gifford of the company I worked for was also a Hib's fan.
He had purchased a season ticket for the centre stand for Easter Road that he used occasionally, especially for first team games. He made it available to staff members when he didn't require it himself. I was given it on occasions and every second week for second team games.
The company dance was a highlight of the year. It was held in the Paulena's Ballroom in Slateford Road. I was advised I should take dancing lessons before attending.
This I did at the Central School of Ballroom Dancing in the South Bridges. I only got the rudiments of this form of dancing, but to this day I still pride myself of being able to get around the floor performing the waltz or quickstep.
Each employee was entitled to take a partner, but as I did not have a girl friend I elected to take a mate. We were both still too young to partake of alcohol, so the evening became a bit of a bore for us.
The annual golf trip to Kilspindie was another outing open to us all. I borrowed a set of golf clubs for the day but am afraid I stopped counting strokes after 100. I have never played golf again!
John Stewart, 2001
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