John Smith spent his entire life in Edinburgh and dedicated most of his leisure time to the research of his home city. He was a carpenter's son and started in his father's business, but later pursued a career with the Royal Bank of Scotland where he remained until retirement.
However, it is for his pastime that he is most remembered. He wrote the publications 'Hammerman in Edinburgh' and 'Old Scottish Clockmakers' and researched and wrote on several Edinburgh topics including the Watson's of Saughton, a history of the Lambs of Tollcross and produced a pictorial record of the tombstones in St Cuthbert's Churchyard. Smith died in January 1938 aged 82 years old.
The photographs in this wonderful volume date between 1920 and 1935, presumably taken by Smith himself, and show the varying styles of building and types of residence in Edinburgh, including notable buildings no longer in existence. You can see the volume in its entirety with the images alongside Smith's research and painstaking handwritten notes.
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries