Leith Civic Trust
HELP TO KEEP LEITH SPECIAL
About the Trust
An Introduction to Leith Civic Trust
Job Creation
We believe that tourism should be a significant contributor to income and job creation within Leith as well as Leith's expertise in the creative industries.
Planning Considerations
The community councils in Leith now undertake the detailed consideration of planning applications in their areas. We still look at major projects and consider their implications for Leith.
- Leith Civic Trust exists to stimulate public interest in, and care for, the beauty, history and character of the area of the Leith area and its surroundings;
- To encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general public amenity and historic interest in the Leith area;
- To encourage high standards of architecture and town planning in the Leith area.
Job Creation
We believe that tourism should be a significant contributor to income and job creation within Leith as well as Leith's expertise in the creative industries.
Planning Considerations
The community councils in Leith now undertake the detailed consideration of planning applications in their areas. We still look at major projects and consider their implications for Leith.
Steam Turbine Ship Lorena
The 'Lorena' was built in Leith in 1902 for a Mr A. L. Barber from New York (known as the Ashfelt King). She was named after his Daughter, was 300ft long and weighed 1,650 tons. The 'Lorena' undertook her steam trials in August 1903 down the East coast and as her Captain came from Brightlingsea, it was arranged for her to stop in Brightlingsea for coal, before continuing down to Southampton and then to New York. On Monday 10th August 1903 on arrival in Brightlingsea, nine stokers requested shore leave and were told to return by 21.30. At the due time a local Ferryman agreed to take the crewmen back to their vessel, a small and unseaworthy boat was taken from the hard and when within 400yds of the 'Lorena' the overladen vessel foundered. Apart from the Ferryman and a stoker called Jamieson, all the rest were lost. Of all the nine men lost, eight were from Leith. They are buried in an unmarked mass grave in All Saints churchyard in Brightlingsea. Mr Barber paid for the funeral and the cost of bringing Families down to Brightlingsea for the service. The It was undertaken by the Rev: Arthur Pertwee. It was not until 2013 that a commemorative service was held for these victims, and another was held in 2023. The 'Tiles' project have undertaken to install a fitting memorial at the grave site, and the names of those lost will appear in a new tile within the church. They would like to use a sandstone plinth from Leith for the memorial, depicting the Leith coat of arms and a brief outline of the 'Lorena' disaster. We would like to contact the descendants of those Leith victims, who were John Currie, James Douglas, Alexander Smith, John Johnson, John McGregor Andrew Wilson, D. Wilson and F. McLaren. If anyone has any information please get in touch via the attached form.
Present Projects
Leith Custom House
Leith Civic Trust, together with several other Leith Community organisations, negotiated with the City of Edinburgh Council to save the building for the community. They purchased the building and leased it to SHBT to manage its regeneration and restoration. Since then it has become a thriving hub for creative arts. The longer-term vision is to include a museum, a tourism hub, and more public areas. We are represented on the Custom House Heritage Advisory Committee.
String of Pearls
We are now working with other Leith groups and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to develop walks around Leith’s String of Pearls. It is hoped that these would be well signposted and open to the public where possible. It is hoped that the routes will be shown on a Leith app as well as in tourist paper maps replacing those which we have produced for the last few years.
SS Explorer
SS Explorer is one of the last surviving sea-going steam trawlers and is registered to Leith. She has been placed on the National Historic Ships Register and the SS Explorer Preservation Society is currently restoring her in the Edinburgh Dock, Leith. The Society have a vision for the ship to become a permanent member of the String of Pearls as a museum ship. We fully support this.
Trams
It appears that the Trams project will be extended through Leith to Newhaven. It is essential that we are provided with sufficient funds to make Leith and Newhaven worth coming to before the trams are operational.
Leith Civic Trust, together with several other Leith Community organisations, negotiated with the City of Edinburgh Council to save the building for the community. They purchased the building and leased it to SHBT to manage its regeneration and restoration. Since then it has become a thriving hub for creative arts. The longer-term vision is to include a museum, a tourism hub, and more public areas. We are represented on the Custom House Heritage Advisory Committee.
String of Pearls
We are now working with other Leith groups and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to develop walks around Leith’s String of Pearls. It is hoped that these would be well signposted and open to the public where possible. It is hoped that the routes will be shown on a Leith app as well as in tourist paper maps replacing those which we have produced for the last few years.
SS Explorer
SS Explorer is one of the last surviving sea-going steam trawlers and is registered to Leith. She has been placed on the National Historic Ships Register and the SS Explorer Preservation Society is currently restoring her in the Edinburgh Dock, Leith. The Society have a vision for the ship to become a permanent member of the String of Pearls as a museum ship. We fully support this.
Trams
It appears that the Trams project will be extended through Leith to Newhaven. It is essential that we are provided with sufficient funds to make Leith and Newhaven worth coming to before the trams are operational.
100 Days of Leith
The amalgamation was highly contentious and opposed by Leith Town Council who ran a lightning 'plebiscite' (a public referendum) with the Leith Observer newspaper returning a clear 'No' vote to the proposal. The people's vote was not however enough to prevent the Act coming into force and Leith was duly amalgamated, generating strong feelings of resentment amongst Leithers which are detectable to this day!
The Boundaries Extension and Tramways Act 1920 was passed in August 1920 and the first meeting of all eight areas amalgamated into the enlarged Edinburgh Town Council took place on 5th November 1920. In 100 Days of Leith we will be counting down to the fateful centenary by publishing the people's choices about what makes Leith special.
Take part in our version of a plebiscite 100 years on by nominating the people, places and objects that YOU believe make Leith special....(click the Nominate Now link below)
NOMINATE NOW!
The steering group for 100 Days of Leith is a sub-group of Leith Culture and Heritage Group, chaired by Leith Trust and includes the following Leith organisations: Leith Civic Trust, Leith Trust, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, Yard Heads Theatre and Film co, Cinetopia, SS Explorer Preservation Society, LeithLate, Leith Walks (walking tours), South Leith Parish Church, Citizen Curator, Leith Festival.
Visit and like our page on facebook at facebook.com/LeithForEver where the exhibition and posts about other activity relating to the centenary will take place.
Contact us
If we can help in any way, please let us know. We shall get back to you as soon as possible
Join the Trust
- Leith, Scotland, United Kingdom
Background to the Trust
Before the trust was founded in 1968, Leith had suffered some really hard times. Shipbuilding had been badly damaged by an ill-conceived partnership between Henry Robb and the Dundee shipyard Caledon forced upon them by British Shipbuilders. Other traditional industries were removed from Leith by Development Area legislation in late 1960’s when all Scotland except Edinburgh and Leith achieved Development Area status. Many old Leith businesses left the area and the local authorities considered that any development must be good for the area. This resulted in the demolition of fine medieval streets including The Kirkgate and the Tollbooth Wynd, and replacing them with monstrosities.
The Rotary Club of Leith objected to the development, but finally relented when Edinburgh Council agreed to include a Community and Sports Centre. Afterwards Rotary realised that their Constitution did not permit them to undertake such semi-political ventures, and after some public meetings, Leith Civic Trust was established with a Rotarian, Alastair Donald elected as the first chairman.
The Leith Project in 1981–6 started a revival in fortunes. Margaret Street MBE, our hard-working secretary and later Chairman managed to save The King's Wark and Pilrig House. As the active members of the trust grew older the trust gradually became dormant in the early 1990’s.
In 1995 the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race was started in Leith and many Leith organisations combined to support it. The event was a great success. Despite poor weather, huge numbers of visitors came to Leith and all had a wonderful time. After the race the local police superintendent, Alan Naylor, suggested that this co-operation must be continued and that an organisation must be formed to act as the catalyst. Stewart Valentine, a member of the original committee, led the revival of Leith Civic Trust to be that organisation.
Amongst the early projects were:
Open Spaces Review – This had twin aims – to calculate the numbers and extent of open spaces in Leith, and to maximise their uses for recreation. We intend to return to this project taking into consideration the building developments since that time.
String of Pearls – This was to encourage tourism to Leith. It was wholly accepted by the City of Edinburgh Council. The hub of the project was to be Lamb’s House. Leith Civic Trust created a Friends of Lamb’s House organisation with the enthusiastic support of the owners, The National Trust for Scotland. Unfortunately, there was a change in the situation at the National Trust and they were forced to pull out from the project and sell the building. The new owners have shown just how the building should have been treated. It has been wonderfully transformed. The String of Pearls principle is still valid and we continue to pursue the aims with Leith Custom House as the hub.
Clean Up Leith – We undertook several clean-up operations around Leith. We are delighted that this is now being continued by the Friends of the Water of Leith Basin and others. The road renewal programme is helping in many places, but the Water of Leith is still a complete disgrace, It is extremely silted and there are great concerns that, with the flood prevention measures upstream having removed flood plains, there is a considerably increased danger of flooding in the Shore area.
Wall Plaques – We also discussed the plaques originally placed on buildings by the Leith Development Trust. We are keen to continue the practice and made a list of potential sites. However, insurance costs are prohibitive for any organisation apart from the local authority, and we were unable to persuade the City of Edinburgh Council to undertake the actual erection of the plaques. We are working on a new integrated tourism project which will see more plaques erected.
The Rotary Club of Leith objected to the development, but finally relented when Edinburgh Council agreed to include a Community and Sports Centre. Afterwards Rotary realised that their Constitution did not permit them to undertake such semi-political ventures, and after some public meetings, Leith Civic Trust was established with a Rotarian, Alastair Donald elected as the first chairman.
The Leith Project in 1981–6 started a revival in fortunes. Margaret Street MBE, our hard-working secretary and later Chairman managed to save The King's Wark and Pilrig House. As the active members of the trust grew older the trust gradually became dormant in the early 1990’s.
In 1995 the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race was started in Leith and many Leith organisations combined to support it. The event was a great success. Despite poor weather, huge numbers of visitors came to Leith and all had a wonderful time. After the race the local police superintendent, Alan Naylor, suggested that this co-operation must be continued and that an organisation must be formed to act as the catalyst. Stewart Valentine, a member of the original committee, led the revival of Leith Civic Trust to be that organisation.
Amongst the early projects were:
Open Spaces Review – This had twin aims – to calculate the numbers and extent of open spaces in Leith, and to maximise their uses for recreation. We intend to return to this project taking into consideration the building developments since that time.
String of Pearls – This was to encourage tourism to Leith. It was wholly accepted by the City of Edinburgh Council. The hub of the project was to be Lamb’s House. Leith Civic Trust created a Friends of Lamb’s House organisation with the enthusiastic support of the owners, The National Trust for Scotland. Unfortunately, there was a change in the situation at the National Trust and they were forced to pull out from the project and sell the building. The new owners have shown just how the building should have been treated. It has been wonderfully transformed. The String of Pearls principle is still valid and we continue to pursue the aims with Leith Custom House as the hub.
Clean Up Leith – We undertook several clean-up operations around Leith. We are delighted that this is now being continued by the Friends of the Water of Leith Basin and others. The road renewal programme is helping in many places, but the Water of Leith is still a complete disgrace, It is extremely silted and there are great concerns that, with the flood prevention measures upstream having removed flood plains, there is a considerably increased danger of flooding in the Shore area.
Wall Plaques – We also discussed the plaques originally placed on buildings by the Leith Development Trust. We are keen to continue the practice and made a list of potential sites. However, insurance costs are prohibitive for any organisation apart from the local authority, and we were unable to persuade the City of Edinburgh Council to undertake the actual erection of the plaques. We are working on a new integrated tourism project which will see more plaques erected.