53 to 55 Giles Street

Category

Library Item

Item no

6351

Title

53 to 55 Giles Street

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1924

Size

20.3 x 15.5 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This photograph is labelled 'Area A. ref. nos. 8 & 9' and is taken from a bound volume titled 'Edinburgh (Leith) improvement scheme (1924) photographs'

The Edinburgh (Leith) Improvement Scheme, 1924, was a plan for the regeneration of an area of Leith surrounding Constitution Street and to the north of Great Junction Street. The Town Council Minutes of 3rd April 1924 propose the demolition or reconstruction of "certain houses, courts, and alleys&unfit for human habitation". The concerns of William Robertson, Medical Officer of Health for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh, were that the "narrowness, closeness, and bad arrangement, or the bad condition of the streets and houses∨ the want of light, air, ventilation or proper conveniences or other sanitary defects&are dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants of the buildings in the said Areas, or of the neighbouring buildings&". The scheme involved large-scale demolition in this area of Leith, and the re-housing of most displaced residents outwith the areas covered by the scheme.

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