SOME GOOD SPORTS IN THE FRAME

From the Hibs supporters waiting to board a bus to the league cup final at Hampden in December 1972, to the Edwardian bather – in a knee-length costume – eager to take a dip in the chilly waters at Portobello, these photographs are bound to entertain as much as fascinate.

And that is exactly what their owner hopes they will do when they go on display in their thousands on Saturday as part of the city’s annual Doors Open Day.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) in Bernard Terrace is one of 80 bodies to have signed up to the event, which this year celebrates the city’s sporting culture and heritage as the Commonwealth and Olympic games loom on the horizon.

Thousands of photographs from the RCAHMS collection will go on display to the public, most of which will have never been seen before, including those from donated, anonymous family albums.

“There is such a wealth of images in the exhibition that there should be something for everyone,” explains Philip Graham, public engagement officer at RCAHMS.

“For some people it will be about finding out about Edinburgh’s past by seeing images they have never seen before.

“Others will be able to reminisce about places that no longer exist, while parents can tell their children about what the city used to be like when they were younger.

“A lot of the images contain people and that’s what adds personality, often humour, and a personal touch to the exhibition.”

The aim of the RCAHMS display is to primarily to entertain, but experts will also be on hand to talk about the collection, why they record information about sporting venues and which of them are on the Buildings at Risk Register.

n RCAHMS, at John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, is open to the public as part of Doors Open Day on Saturday 10am-5pm. For more information, call 0131-662 1456.