A Leith man who refused to call off his four greyhounds which were savaging a young collie dog on Portobello beach was fined £5 with the option of 30 days imprisonment at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 12 May 1948.
The man was Wilson Thomson, butcher, 40 Madeira Street, Leith.
It was stated that Thomson, accompanied by another man, took four greyhounds to Portobello beach. While on the stretch between Kings Road and Seafield the greyhounds started to attack a collie dog which was in the charge of a boy. The boy appealed to Thomson to call off the greyhounds, but he took no action. A crowd which gathered became hostile and in response to their shouts Thomson eventually got his dogs off the collie.
The collie recovered after veterinary treatment.
On The Beach
On the afternoon of 7 August 1948 high seas battered Portobello beach.
Parts of the Promenade were swept by the heavy seas which ran high for over three hours.The railings in front of the Fun City were carried away. Seaweed and rubbish was strewn about many of the streets.
People who risked running along the Promenade were almost washed away. A dog was caught by the sea and drowned. A small boy who was standing on the incline at the foot of Bath Street was pulled into the water by the backwash and narrowly escaped death, the succeeding wave fortunately carrying him in again.
Many premises along the water front were flooded. A shopkeeper locked his door to keep the water out, but the sea burst the door open, flooding the shop. By eight o’clock the rough seas had abated and the worst was over.
Although the seas had calmed a lot by the Sunday afternoon they were running just as high. Many parts of the Promenade were covered with sand and sea coal.
Parts of the Promenade were swept by the heavy seas which ran high for over three hours.The railings in front of the Fun City were carried away. Seaweed and rubbish was strewn about many of the streets.
People who risked running along the Promenade were almost washed away. A dog was caught by the sea and drowned. A small boy who was standing on the incline at the foot of Bath Street was pulled into the water by the backwash and narrowly escaped death, the succeeding wave fortunately carrying him in again.
Many premises along the water front were flooded. A shopkeeper locked his door to keep the water out, but the sea burst the door open, flooding the shop. By eight o’clock the rough seas had abated and the worst was over.
Although the seas had calmed a lot by the Sunday afternoon they were running just as high. Many parts of the Promenade were covered with sand and sea coal.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
After a tenatative first year, Edinburgh went festive for the Festival. Except, that is, in Portobello where a proposal to deck out the Promenade with coloured lights was turned down.
The following poem appeared in the Scotsman:
They are penting Granton Gasworks in a natty colour scheme.
The islands at the West End are a dry stane dyker’s dream.
The Castle’s tae be floodlit for the veesitors tae see
and Auld Reeki’e trig and tidy for a fortnight on the spree.
But wha ca’d this a Festival that canna give a felly
A string or twa of fairy lights for the prom at Portybelly?
The following poem appeared in the Scotsman:
They are penting Granton Gasworks in a natty colour scheme.
The islands at the West End are a dry stane dyker’s dream.
The Castle’s tae be floodlit for the veesitors tae see
and Auld Reeki’e trig and tidy for a fortnight on the spree.
But wha ca’d this a Festival that canna give a felly
A string or twa of fairy lights for the prom at Portybelly?
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
September 1949 saw a debate in the letters pages between a Mr. John Slater and someone who simply signed themselves CB. The subject .... Sand.
CB held that the loss of sand from the beach dated rom the removal of the pier.
Mr. Slater contended that while the removal of the pier provided a convenient date, before which the sand was within six inches or thereby of the top of the promenade, the presence of the pier had nothing to do with the preservation of the sand as it was a skeleton structure supported on widely spaced iron piles.
He favoured groynes. He conceded that they were certainly of little use if neglected, but if the height was made up by horizontal planks as the sand rose, they had been found to be of use elsewhere.
It was his view that Portobello had been suffering for years of carting sand from the beach for industrial purposes.
CB begged to differ with him regarding the old pier pointing out that it extended for about a quarter of a mile and broadened out at the end and had innumerable piles which held the sand and formed an effective groyne. If that was not so how was it that the erosion coincided with the removal of the pier?
CB thought that many years ago sand was removed in carts in large quantities and it was noted then that the effect was nil. By 1949 only about a tenth of the quantity was being removed as compared with the old days. As regards the groynes all they were doing was to form a sandbank about fifty yards out from the promenade, leaving a wet hollow near the promenade.
CB's solution was to do away with the groynes and go ahead with a breakwater at Joppa. If a new pier was not to be proceeded with, the breakwater might be made suitable for steamers calling there.
CB held that the loss of sand from the beach dated rom the removal of the pier.
Mr. Slater contended that while the removal of the pier provided a convenient date, before which the sand was within six inches or thereby of the top of the promenade, the presence of the pier had nothing to do with the preservation of the sand as it was a skeleton structure supported on widely spaced iron piles.
He favoured groynes. He conceded that they were certainly of little use if neglected, but if the height was made up by horizontal planks as the sand rose, they had been found to be of use elsewhere.
It was his view that Portobello had been suffering for years of carting sand from the beach for industrial purposes.
CB begged to differ with him regarding the old pier pointing out that it extended for about a quarter of a mile and broadened out at the end and had innumerable piles which held the sand and formed an effective groyne. If that was not so how was it that the erosion coincided with the removal of the pier?
CB thought that many years ago sand was removed in carts in large quantities and it was noted then that the effect was nil. By 1949 only about a tenth of the quantity was being removed as compared with the old days. As regards the groynes all they were doing was to form a sandbank about fifty yards out from the promenade, leaving a wet hollow near the promenade.
CB's solution was to do away with the groynes and go ahead with a breakwater at Joppa. If a new pier was not to be proceeded with, the breakwater might be made suitable for steamers calling there.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
The last entry for Portobello Beach in the Scotsman Digital Archive was on 11 January 1950.
A young grey seal was found washed up on Portobello foreshore by a policeman.
The seal was taken to Corstorphine zoo where it was housed with an older seal and was feeding quite well.
A young grey seal was found washed up on Portobello foreshore by a policeman.
The seal was taken to Corstorphine zoo where it was housed with an older seal and was feeding quite well.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.