Edinburgh Retro: 31 amazing pictures of people at work in the early 1970s, from miners to night watchmen

Published 8th Sep 2024, 04:45 GMT

Changing times, new technology and a shifting economy mean many jobs which were a key part of life in the 1970s no longer exist in the same way.

This selection of photographs from the Evening News archives offers a fascinating insight into the world of employment 50 years ago - from Newhaven fishwives to Monktonhall miners and night watchmen to newspaper librarians.

There’s a glimpse of the old fruitmarket at Chesser, boat building at Cockenzie, and a workman preparing Portobello’s open-air pool, not to mention sorting the mail before mechanisation and learning to cope with decimal money.

Scroll through these pictures and get a flavour of what working life was like in Edinburgh back then.

An Edinburgh Corporation street cleaner - affectionately known as scaffies - with his cart and besom broom in Ferniehill Road, Edinburgh, in October 1970.

1. Cleaning the streets

An Edinburgh Corporation street cleaner - affectionately known as scaffies - with his cart and besom broom in Ferniehill Road, Edinburgh, in October 1970. | TSPL Photo: Albert Jordan

Miners at Monktonhall colliery collect their lamps from the lamphouse on one of the first shifts after the miners' strike in February 1972.

2. Miners get their lamps

Miners at Monktonhall colliery collect their lamps from the lamphouse on one of the first shifts after the miners' strike in February 1972. | TSPL Photo: Bill Stout

Behind the counter at Brattisani's fish and chip shop in Newington Road Edinburgh in January 1971 - a gleaming deep fat fryer and typical cash register.

3. Fish and chips

Behind the counter at Brattisani's fish and chip shop in Newington Road Edinburgh in January 1971 - a gleaming deep fat fryer and typical cash register. | TSPL Photo: N Wilson

SSPCA officers at Seafield Cat & Dog home cleaning up ducks affected by an oil spill in February 1972.

4. Victims of oil spill

SSPCA officers at Seafield Cat & Dog home cleaning up ducks affected by an oil spill in February 1972. | TSPL Photo: Ian Porteous

Edinburgh Memories

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