Corner of Great Junction Street and Leith Walk

Category

Library Item

Item no

5560

Title

Corner of Great Junction Street and Leith Walk

Description

A busy day at the corner of Leith Walk and Great Junction Street, Leith. A horse-drawn tram full of passengers is about to pass a cart laden with sacks. Crowds of people standing by some rubble watch the vehicles pass.

Artist / maker

Pettigrew, John

Date

1891

Size

25.9 x 31.7 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Item is dated June 1891

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.

Discover the history of Edinburgh's trams in Our Town Stories .

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Related images

Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Tenements

People > Transportation > Passengers

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith Walk

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Tramlines

Transport > Land > Carts and wagons

Transport > Land > Horse-drawn trams

(55°58′13″N, 3°10′18″W)

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