Scotsman digital archive

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 20 Feb 2005, 13:15

The Scotsman digital archive allows you to search online from every issue of the Scotsman from 1817 to 1930. Subscriptions vary from Ã‚Â£7:95 for a 24 hour pass to Ã‚Â£159:95 for a year.

Yesterday I took out a 24 hour pass. There are far too many references to Portobello to tackle in such a short time frame, so I restricted myself to searches on the area where I live and Rosefield and Brighton Parks.

I found lots of interesting clippings, which will help with the local history project I work on sporadically. I reproduce below, for your amusement, one of the court reports I found from 1899:

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 20 Feb 2005, 13:22

And here's another story from 1909:

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 20 Feb 2005, 13:29

The drains were obviously badly maintained even then! Brighton Place still amasses huge puddles when it rains, as all the drains are broken and can't cope with any volume of water at all.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 20 Feb 2005, 18:02

interesting reading Bob.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 20 Feb 2005, 18:26

Well just remember that if bearcub tries to back out of the wedding at the last minute you can take him to court and cite the 1899 Portobello Breach of Promise case. You could have a nice night out with Ã‚Â£150.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 20 Feb 2005, 18:35

Bob I would need more money for lots of champagne to console myself with along with a nice pampering spa day!

He had better not......

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 01 Mar 2005, 16:01

Took out a 24hr pass and used up all my printer ink

Some of the info is really entertaining especially the reports about the disgraceful drunken and immoral scenes on Brighton Place on Sunday nights, as the drinkers made their way back to the train station to return home to Edinburgh

And did you know that (according to an article from 22 April 1869) Portobello had one pub to every 156 residents (much to the lamentation of a handful of local gentlemen and many more local ladies!) but only one butcher to every 1000 residents?

There's also a couple of crackers on a page from 24 July 1877, about gambling on the beach and "An Unpleasant Bathing Incident" when a man was attacked by a 'large fish' in 4 feet of water off Joppa

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 01 Mar 2005, 16:09

Im afraid that's the last day pass you are allowed.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 01 Mar 2005, 17:42

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 01 Mar 2005, 18:36

Marya, we must together to compare clippings, with my impending engagement in mind. What words/phrases did you use to search on? My 48 hr pass runs out at 10 am tomorrow. Didn't you copy and paste the digital images?

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 01 Mar 2005, 19:45

Bob Jefferson wrote:Marya, we must together to compare clippings, with my impending engagement in mind. What words/phrases did you use to search on? My 48 hr pass runs out at 10 am tomorrow. Didn't you copy and paste the digital images?

Thought you were married Bob

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 01 Mar 2005, 20:02

I am, but I got a 48 hr pass.