Pottery Kiln Collapse

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 11:25

According to my sources, has collapsed.

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 24 Aug 2006, 11:37

Yeh my Mum just foned. She heard scaffolding had collapsed? Kilns have bn neglected so it wldnt suprise me!

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 11:38

I have a pic on my mobile, whole kiln is gone with scaffolding still standing

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 11:42

Picture taken by my Granny - Elizabeth Harley who lives right over the road, no doubt she ******* herself

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Aug 2006, 11:56

Is that the one that was rebuilt, or the one that looked much older, that has collapsed?

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 12:41

Went past yesterday, two men were lightly brushing it. Maybe all that brushing made it fall down? Think of all the poor dead pigeons (and the alive cannibal ones) who were squashed!

Maybe this will make some room for a supermarket?

Post by **wangi** » 24 Aug 2006, 13:20

Cycled past this morning and one guy was working on it... How's he?

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 13:38

My Dad tells me 1 man is injured, not sure how bad.

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 13:41

Some photos from Dad, Eddie Henderson, well done on the photos.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 24 Aug 2006, 15:09

From the Evening News

sicker · Post by **sicker** » 24 Aug 2006, 15:58

nobody gets in, nobody gets out.

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Aug 2006, 16:29

Its all good closing the road but there is no other way round for folk with cars, Bridge Street was the only entrance/exit.

Post by **wangi** » 24 Aug 2006, 16:48

Ed wrote:Its all good closing the road but there is no other way round for folk with cars, Bridge Street was the only entrance/exit.

Shame, they'll have to walk. Don't you think it's a rather wise idea to keep the road closed off while they check over the remaining kiln to ensure it's not been damaged and it is actually safe?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Aug 2006, 17:10

Great photo journalism guys. I was filming the kilns just a week or so ago for a Portobelly Telly project. That footage could now be of greater significance than I had thought.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Aug 2006, 17:13

From Lawrence Marshall today at 14:34:

Dear All

I've just heard about 20 minutes ago of the partial collapse of one of the pottery kilns this morning in Portobello.

I've also just noticed an e-mailed picture in my Inbox from Archie Foley showing the extent of the collapse.

I was glad that the the Council had managed to find the money this financial year to begin work on repairing the kilns - Margaret Munro had alerted me to the possibility of this money not being available on 27th April this year and you may recally that this matter was discussed at the Portobello Amenity Society AGM on 31st May when Paul McAuley, CEC Monuments Conservation Officer, was the guest speaker.

I don't have many details to hand at the moment other than that Edinburgh Building Services are currently securing the site and that Historic Scotland are to go down to Portobello as well.

I understand that one workman - under contract to the Council - was hurt, the other was not. Obviously, I very much hope that his injuries are not serious.

I'm just about to head down to the kilns and will keep you updated.

Lawrence

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Aug 2006, 17:15

Also from Lawrence:

The kilns are listed monuments. I'll work very hard indeed to see that this kiln is repaired to its original state - it's an important part of the industrial archaeology of Portobello and, in fact, I didn't know it was in need of attention until Margaret Munro raised this with me in April this year. But this collapse certainly vindicates the need for the action PAS, etc. were so keen to see happen - it's a real shame that, during the course of this necessary work, this collapse has occurred.

Jackson Priest · Post by **Jackson Priest** » 24 Aug 2006, 17:17

Laurence Marshall wrote:I'm just about to head down to the kilns and will keep you updated.

Lawrence

kiln

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 24 Aug 2006, 18:46

Jackson Priest wrote:
Laurence Marshall wrote:I'm just about to head down to the kilns and will keep you updated.

Lawrence
kiln

glad you're keeping up!

Jackson Priest · Post by **Jackson Priest** » 24 Aug 2006, 19:11

mr magnolia wrote:
Jackson Priest wrote:
Laurence Marshall wrote:I'm just about to head down to the kilns and will keep you updated.

Lawrence
kiln
glad you're keeping up!

I'm doing my best, but I'd be lost without the pictures.

PortyConvert · Post by **PortyConvert** » 25 Aug 2006, 00:29

Can't believe this has happened...... was speaking to a chap who is sitting on the site late on tonight & he was telling me that the council had started this work before they should have and thought they might be sued (by historic scotland?). Also said that a couple of young boys were reported to have been INSIDE the kilns the night before messing about...... if it had collapsed with them in it i wouldn't have thought they would survive. Police were called my neighbours he said... he also seemed certain that the kiln would be rebuilt.....

FYI road is now open for access only so cars can get in and out.

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 25 Aug 2006, 07:10

Anything on the guy who was hurt??

Ed · Post by Ed » 25 Aug 2006, 09:11

wangi wrote:
Ed wrote:Its all good closing the road but there is no other way round for folk with cars, Bridge Street was the only entrance/exit.
Shame, they'll have to walk. Don't you think it's a rather wise idea to keep the road closed off while they check over the remaining kiln to ensure it's not been damaged and it is actually safe?

Yes, I do think its a wise idea.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Aug 2006, 10:05

Copy of correspondence between Margaret Munro, Chair of Portobello History Society, and Lawrence Marshall:

Dear Lawrence

I have had Graeme Cruickshank from the Scottish Pottery Society on the phone this evening. He visited the kilns this evening and on walking round the fence discovered it didn't go right round the collapsed kiln and that he could access the kiln at the back. The bricks have been taken down and laid around the base of the kiln and can easily be lifted. There was a security man there, but if the fence doesn't surround the kiln completely, I don't consider that the site has been secured properly.

I would like to know how the site is going to be secured over the next few weeks until decisions about the next steps are taken. I can't imagine the council being keen to pay for security every night. I consider the council wholly culpable for the collapse of the kiln as warnings over its condition have been given for years, but more particularly over the last year. Our worst fears have been realised. I hope the council does not make this an excuse for demolition on the grounds of health and safety.

There is much anger in the community about this, not only from me, and the council will be expected to come up with a positive resolution of the situation.

Considering our contact over this issue, I expect to be kept informed of developments please. I anticipate an update tomorrow.

Margaret

Lawrence's reply:

Margaret

I visited the site myself this morning before coming up to the City Chambers. The security guy was there but it didn't appear to me that any bricks had been taken down last night as I had thought might have happened.

I'm copying this e-mail to Bill Ness, Colin Gillespie, Herbert Coutts and Councillor Ricky Henderson for their information and comment and, as I mentioned in my e-mails to folk, yesterday, I'll press very hard for this kiln to be re-built. As you're aware from our conversations with officials from the Council and the Health & Safety Executive on-site yesterday aternoon, we'll need to await a report on why exactly the kiln collapsed at this time of work being carried out to restore it.

I'll keep folk informed as I get news of developments myself.

Lawrence

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Aug 2006, 12:27

An update from today's EN:

All fired up to restore Porty kiln

Expect a Portobelly Telly special news report later today.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 25 Aug 2006, 12:37

Some very strong words from Margaret to Lawrence there.

She came down on him like a ton of bricks.

Post by **wangi** » 25 Aug 2006, 13:38

The kilns are both grade B listed (see listing) and Scheduled Ancient Monuments (listed in 1973 (PDF)).

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Aug 2006, 21:25

Portobelly Telly's special report on the kiln collapse is now available to view.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:39

An interview with Lawrence Marshall

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 29 Aug 2006, 00:51

Kiln collapse Portobelly Telly update 28/6

PortyConvert · Post by **PortyConvert** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:34

Thanks for that Bob - any names & addresses of people i can write to, to plead with them to rebuild? I'm a bit lazy to find out who to write to.... but not so lazy not to air my views!!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 29 Aug 2006, 21:37

Well I would start with the following dist list:

lawrence.marshall@edinburgh.gov.uk; maureen.child@edinburgh.gov.uk; herbert.coutts@edinburgh.gov.uk; susan.deacon.msp@scottish.parliament.uk; r.gatliff@bgs.ac.uk; colin.gillespie@edinburgh.gov.uk; bill.ness@edinburgh.gov.uk

Just copy and paste the whole thing into your 'To' box. Same goes for anyone else who feels strongly on this issue. As Margaret Munro suggests, the more people who make a fuss about this, the more likely we are to have a satisfactory outcome.

It has been alleged that the Council did not consult with Historic Scotland before going ahead with these repairs, nor call upon their expertise on how to carry out such a repair on an ancient monument of unusual design. It is further alleged that the sub-contractors who carried out the work were 'general builders' with little or no experience in this specialist field.

Someone, somewhere clearly has a lot of explaining to do.

Ed · Post by Ed » 30 Aug 2006, 14:38

We went past a couple of times and saw what I can only describe as a youth sittiing bored on scaffolding with a normal sweeping brush, sweeping away with no real direction or interest. While I am not implying this caused the collapse, it certainly backs up the previous suggestion.

Dave Connelly · Post by **Dave Connelly** » 30 Aug 2006, 18:05

If someone can come up with suitable wording, I can facilitate an online petition, if that will help.

I for one think that the kiln should be rebuilt.

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 30 Aug 2006, 21:19

How about ..

"Give us back our bleeding kiln ... or we'll do the same to YOUR Parliament Building!"

It's kindo to the point, isn't it?

Ed · Post by Ed » 31 Aug 2006, 08:34

Cleopas wrote:How about ..

"Give us back our bleeding kiln ... or we'll do the same to YOUR Parliament Building!"

It's kindo to the point, isn't it?

Wait almost a hundred years and then hire some shoddy workmen (allegedly) to renovate it and hope it collapses

I dont think we can wait that long!