the East End

Bit of an unimaginative blip today.

Spent this morning recovering from yesterday, tidying, filing, enjoying the peace and quiet (#3 son at work and no banging and crashing). I read the instructions and discovered The Programmer does do in the holiday setting what the French one does, although the electrician said it didn't - as someone who used to be close to me always said - RTFM.

The lawyer in Leith was off sick so it was mid afternoon before I had to venture out. Looking down from the #5 bus the town seems calmer too. The Royal Mile is no longer frenetically 'Fringe Central' and although what we used the call the 'Official' Festival, more accurately the 'International' Festival, continues until Sunday it still looks like it's all over. I do have another couple of tickets though - 'Triptych' on Friday and the Fireworks on Sunday.

This blip is from the #5 on North Bridge, three historic buildings of the East End. It wasn't until I was walking home that I realised I have a connection with all three.

On the left is the 'N.B.' 1 Princes Street. It used to be the North British Hotel, the railway hotel, with the clock still set 2 minutes fast so you won't miss your train. It was opened in 1902. Now it is 'The Balmoral', not nearly as atmospheric a name and it's nowhere near Balmoral Castle! The connection, my mum used to work in the office here, many years ago. She can tell some tales! I've only been in it 3 times. First time, a few years ago, when I accompanied, Jurgen, our wonderful Education Convenor to lobby Jack McConnell about funding one of our innovative projects. We arrived early on the train from Aberdeen so went for morning coffee. Unfortunately, for all of us, it was the day Jack's affair was revealed so we only met him very briefly, as he, and his wife, had the press to face. The second and third times were earlier this year and then last week for tea/coffee with L.

In the middle is General Register House, 2 Princes Street, where I pursue that other obsession of mine, family history. General Register House, designed by the Adam brothers, was the first purpose built public records repository in the British Isles and is one of the oldest custom built archive buildings still in continuous use in the world. The cost spiralled from an initial £12,000 to £29,000 by the time the building was completed, then opened to the public, in 1789, so some things never change in Edinburgh. When I first went in the early 70's you could handle the actual records including the Kirk Session books. Now they are all digitised, feels a bit less immediate but it does make it easier.

The building on the right is the former General Post Office, 2 - 4 Waterloo Place. The foundation stone of the building was laid on October 23, 1861, by Prince Albert. The building opened on May 7, 1866. It was subsequently extended twice but closed as the GPO in 1995. It extends downwards to the Waverley Station where the mail trains arrived and left. I remember going in to buy the odd stamp but also to get first day covers at the Philatelic Bureau based there. Now it's 'Waverley Gate' and only the facade remains. Everything else was stripped out to be rebuilt as offices, and I don't think it's fully let yet. Its refurbishment also went over budget. My connection is my grandfather who returned from the First World War, where as a regular in the Royal Scots he'd ended up as a senior NCO, to be appointed a postman there in 1919. That was a good, steady and pensionable job in the 20's and 30's. My dad also worked for the Post Office after he left school until he was called up for the Second World War. The Post Office records were recently made available on Ancestry.com so it was fascinating to see the records of both my grandfather's and my dad's employment.

Now it's another quiet evening in, and I have 'The Wasp Factory' to finish.

The tram saga continues and continues. You couldn't make it up. Although I haven't felt a great connection to the project up till now, not having been around much in Edinburgh since it started, last week's was such a naff decision that even I have e-mailed my Councillors. Wonder if they will pay any attention? What made them think that running trams only as far as Haymarket made any sense at all??