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Laying tram lines, Leith Walk
Unknown, 1904, Photograph
Laying tram lines, Leith Walk
Laying tram lines, Leith Walk
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Category
Library Item
Item no
4729
Title
Laying tram lines, Leith Walk
Description
Labourers work at laying tramlines in the cobblestone road down Leith Walk, Edinburgh. Many of the men's tools can be seen, these include wheelbarrows, pickaxes and shovels. Some of the workers are sitting amongst piles of loose stones which have yet to be replaced around the tramlines. In the background are tenement buildings, a hotel, and some shops, above one there is a clock tower.
Artist / maker
Unknown
Date
1904
Size
19.6 x 25.5 cm
Type
Photograph
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
Leith Walk in Edinburgh is a notably wide street running from the west side of Calton Hill down to Great Junction Street in Leith. It follows the line of a raised pedestrian walkway which ran along the top of an earthen rampart constructed to defend the city against Cromwell's army in 1650. In 1776 this walkway and the road immediately to its west were combined as a single, modern road. This road, along with North Bridge and Leith Street, provided greatly improved access to Leith from Edinburgh.
Leith is situated in the north of Edinburgh where the Water of Leith joins the Firth of Forth. It has acted as Edinburgh's maritime connection for many centuries, and continues to be one of the UK's busiest ports. It was incorporated into Edinburgh in 1920 having previously been a separate burgh. It is now home to the Scottish Executive's main offices, Edinburgh's Sikh temple, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Ocean Terminal, a large shopping and entertainment complex.
Exhibitions with this item
Edinburgh Street Scenes
Leith Lives: A Photographic Portrait 1880-1930
Leith in images
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Related subjects
Architecture
>
Architectural features
>
Clocks and clock towers
Manufacturing Industry
>
Manufacturing facilities
>
Construction sites
People
>
Industry
>
Labourers
Places
>
Edinburgh areas
>
Leith
Places
>
Edinburgh areas
>
Leith Walk
Places
>
Scotland
>
Edinburgh
Transport
>
Infrastructure
>
Tramlines
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