Edinburgh retro: 12 pictures looking back at Leith Walk in the 1800s and 1900s
Take a look back on the history of Edinburgh’s Leith Walk.
Today, Leith Walk is one of Edinburgh’s busiest streets, but what was it like a hundred years ago? A lot has changed on Leith Walk in recent history. However, current issues like traffic and tram-works also plagued the Edinburgh street back in the day. Go back in time and enjoy these 12 pictures of Leith Walk in the 1800s and 1900s.
1. Horse-drawn trams
Leith Walk was a bustling street in 1898, with horse-drawn trams taking people to and fro and shoppers peering at George Marr's fruit and sweet shop's window displays. Photo: Unknown
2. Laying tram lines
Long before the Trams to Newhaven project, construction workers installed the original tram lines on Leith Walk in 1904. Photo: Edinburgh City Libraries
3. Rubbish piles
Edinburgh locals were faced with rubbish piling up on Leith Walk during the binmen's strike in November 1987. Photo: Denis Straughan
4. A parade passing by
Decorated floats and lorries drove down Leith Walk to celebrate the Leith Pageant in June 1986. Photo: Albert Jordan