Not Potable

Public drinking fountains were popular in Victorian times, now we have bottled water instead. This one isn't Victorian. It was presented to the grateful population of Edinburgh in 1966 by Lindsay D Gumley JP, who was Deacon Convener of Trades at the time - a modern day form of euergetism presumably. The whole thing is a piece of sculpture by David Cohen with plumbing by the 'Corporation'. For as long as I've been working in Edinburgh - and that's quite a long time - I have never seen it do what it is supposed to do. It's only use now seems to be that of Edinburgh's largest ashtray.