A-Z of Leith (Places-People-History)

The port of Leith has hundreds of years of independent history before it became part of Edinburgh in 1920, and it still retains its own very distinct identity separate from Edinburgh. As the major port serving Scotland’s capital city, it has been the stage on which many significant events in Scottish history have taken place. From housing the Scottish Court under Mary of Guise in 1560 to seeing civil war, being the port of call for royal arrivals and becoming its own burgh, Leith has witnessed many changes of fortune over the centuries. Although the area went into decline in the latter part of the 20th century following the loss of business in Leith docks after World War II, today Leith is again thriving, represented by the permanent mooring of the Royal Yacht Britannia in the docks, and recent regeneration has helped improve its poorer areas. A-Z of Leith is a readable yet alternative history that reveals the stories behind the port of Leith, its streets, buildings, and people. All aspects of Leith’s history through the centuries are included and it brings to life the story of how its residents and visitors have shaped the Leith of the 21st century, from tales of adventurers and expeditions abroad, royal visitors and settlers from abroad, local industries on which the area depended, entertainers, the poor, how it had to defend itself against attack, and much more. This fascinating A-Z tour of Leith’s history is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this distinctive part of Edinburgh.