Leith
Scottish Gaelic: Lìte
Leith shown within the City of Edinburgh
Council area	City of Edinburgh
Lieutenancy area	Edinburgh
Constituent country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	EDINBURGH
Postcode district	EH6
Dialling code	0131
Police	Lothian and Borders
Fire	Lothian and Borders
Ambulance	Scottish
European Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Edinburgh North and Leith
Scottish Parliament	Edinburgh North and Leith
List of places: UK • Scotland • Edinburgh

Coordinates: 55°59′N 3°10′W / 55.98, -3.17

Formerly a municipal burgh,^[1] Leith (Scottish Gaelic: Lìte) is a district in the north of the city of Edinburgh at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants, the monarch 's representatives in Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Edinburgh Postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Balerno, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Bonnyrigg The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Lothian and Borders Police is the Police service for the Scottish Council areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service covering a total area and serving a total population of 890000 SASDivmap copyjpg|right|200px]] Helimed5jpg|thumb|right|EC-135 G-SASA "Helimed 5" based at Glasgow City Heliport]] The Scottish Ambulance Service ( Scottish Scotland constitutes a single Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Edinburgh North and Leith is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) first used in The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Edinburgh North and Leith is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates This List of places in Scotland is a complete collection of lists of places in Scotland. Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is divided into areas that generally encompass a park (sometimes known as " links " a main local street (i A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. This article is about the river in Scotland For the river in Dunedin New Zealand see Water of Leith New Zealand The Water of Leith is the main ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It lies on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, in the unitary local authority of City of Edinburgh. The Firth of Forth ( Scottish Gaelic: Linne Foirthe) is the Estuary or Firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow.

History

Historically Leith and Edinburgh were separate burghs, but growth over the centuries means that Leith and Edinburgh now form a contiguous urban area. A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Leith was merged with Edinburgh in 1920 following an unofficial referendum in which the people of Leith voted five to one against the merger. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita

Leith has a long and prominent role in Scottish history. As the major port access to Edinburgh, Leith has served as the staging point for many of Scottish history's significant events. Mary Queen of Scots' mother - Mary of Guise - ruled Scotland from Leith, as Regent for her daughter in 1560. Mary of Guise (Marie de Guise November 22, 1515 &ndash June 11 1560) was the Queen Consort of James V of Scotland A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor At that time the Scottish Court was situated in Leith. The Regency ended in disaster with French Catholic troops being ousted by Scottish forces aided by English Protestant troops. The following year Mary Queen of Scots arrived in Leith to begin her ill-fated six year reign.

About a century later, Leith was both a battleground and ultimately headquarters for Oliver Cromwell forces. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known An archway of the old Leith Citadel stands as the only remnant of extensive Cromwellian fortifications forced upon Leith following the move north of a roundhead army. " Roundheads " was the Nickname given to the Puritan supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War.

The remains of the battlefield are now a park called the Leith Links and the grassy mounds mark former cannon emplacement earthworks. This was also where the earliest record of golf was found; it was the subject of a ban by King James II in 1457 as it interfered with the more useful sport of archery. James II of Scotland ( October 16 1430, at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh &ndash August 3 1460) reigned as King of Scots The links are the site of an early five hole golf course built in the 18th century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Leith bolsters its claim to being "the home of golf" because the official rules of golf, initially formulated at Leith in 1744 by the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, were later adopted by St Andrews. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious Golf clubs in the world with the oldest being the Honourable Company of Edinburgh

The Water of Leith looking upriver from the docks, with the old buildings along Leith Shore including The King's Wark and The Old Ship Hotel and King's Landing. This article is about the river in Scotland For the river in Dunedin New Zealand see Water of Leith New Zealand The Water of Leith is the main

During the American war of independence John Paul Jones, a Scotsman who is credited as founder of the US Navy, led a flotilla of three former French vessels against Leith. John Paul Jones ( &ndash) was America's first well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. The heavily armed warships were, reputedly, repulsed by appalling weather. Leith built fortifications after this event to prevent any repeat threat to the port and to Edinburgh. Part of Leith is still known as "The Fort" to this day, although all of the 18th century buildings, save a gatehouse, are long since gone.

In June 1811 a statistical population census was carried out, which gave the population of South Leith as 15,938; North Leith 4875. With a procession and ceremony, the foundation stone of the new church for the parish of North Leith was laid on April 11, 1814. Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[2]

Leith was the port of entry for the visit of King George IV to Scotland, and The Old Ship Hotel and King's Landing was then given its new name to mark the King's arrival by ship's boat at Leith Shore for this event which popularised symbols of Scottish national identity. The 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland was the first visit of a reigning monarch to Scotland since 1650. Scottish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity and common culture of Scottish people and is shared by a considerable majority

Leith Docks became known as the port for Edinburgh and modest ship-building and repair facilities grew. On May 20, 1806, there was a procession of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Magistrates (Baillies), and Council, along with a numerous company of ladies and gentleman, for the opening of the first new Wet Dock, the first of its kind in North Britain. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Fife packet called The Buccleuch was the first to enter the dock, with the civic dignitaries on board, amid discharges of artillery from the Fort and His Majesty's warships in the Roads. Fife ( Gaelic: Fìobha) is a Council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland The foundation stone for the second (middle) wet dock was laid on March 14, 1811, which was completed and opened with due ceremony in 1817 by Lord Provost Arbuthnot. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The same year the Trinity House in Kirkgate was erected in Grecian architectural style at an expense of £2500. ^[3]

The docks at Leith underwent severe decline in the post-Second World War period, with the area gaining a reputation for roughness and prostitution, with an official 'tolerance zone' until 2001. A dock (from Dutch 'dok' is a man-made feature involved in the handling of boats or ships World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In recent years Leith has undergone significant regeneration and is now a busy port with visits from cruise liners and the home of the Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Terminal, and administrative headquarters of the Scottish Executive. History HMY Britannia was built at the shipyard of John Brown & Co Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland is a Shopping centre, designed by Sir Terence Conran. The Scottish Government (SG ( Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba) is the executive arm of the government of Scotland. The council and government's 'Leith Project' provided a further economic boost. The shore area of Leith, once seedy, is now a centre for a range of new pubs and restaurants in charming surroundings.

The famous Leith 'Banana Flats'

The new face of Leith

After decades of industrial decline, slum clearance and resultant depopulation in the post-war era, Leith gradually began to enjoy an upturn in fortunes in the late 1980s. Cables Wynd House, better known as the Leith Banana Flats or as the banana block because of its curved shape is a 9-storey local authority housing A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security Several old industrial sites were developed with modest, affordable housing, while small industrial business units were constructed at Swanfield, Bonnington, Seafield and off Lindsay Road. The Shore developed a clutch of upmarket restaurants, including the first of the groundbreaking chain of Malmaison hotels in a conversion of the former Seamans Mission, while the once industrially-polluted and desolate banks of the Water of Leith were cleaned up and a public walkway opened. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in This article is about the river in Scotland For the river in Dunedin New Zealand see Water of Leith New Zealand The Water of Leith is the main

Leith's gradual revival was greatly accelerated, however, by the decision of the Scottish Office (now the Scottish Government) to purchase the disused Old East and Old West Docks, which were filled-in as a low-cost site for one of its civil service offices in the mid 1990s. The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999 exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland The Scottish Government (SG ( Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba) is the executive arm of the government of Scotland. See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis The influx of well-paid civil service jobs boosted local commerce and fostered Leith's growing reputation as a white-collar, small business location. White-collar worker refers to a salaried professional or an educated Worker who performs semi-professional office administrative and sales coordination tasks as opposed to Further large-scale service and tourist development followed, including the Ocean Terminal complex and the permanently moored Royal Yacht Britannia. Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland is a Shopping centre, designed by Sir Terence Conran. History HMY Britannia was built at the shipyard of John Brown & Co From 2011 Ocean Terminal and the Scottish Executive building area will be connected to the new Edinburgh tram network. Edinburgh Trams is a project to build a new Tramway in Edinburgh, where local public transport has been limited to buses since the closing of the city’s original

Western Harbour

In 2004 the owner of the Docks, Forth Ports, announced plans to eventually close the port and carry out a major redevelopment of the area. Forth Ports plc ( is one of the largest Port operators in the United Kingdom. ^[4] The planned development, which was given supplementary planning guidance by the City of Edinburgh Council in 2004, will be the size of a small town with up to 17,000 new homes. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. ^[5] It will include developments on the infilled Western Harbour as well as residential, leisure, retail and commercial development across the rest of the old docks. Western Harbour is a mainly Residential development in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. The urban design of the project will keep it in context with the older developments in Leith and provide a wealth of public and private open space, including two large parks and a number of pedestrian linkages across the docks. The whole project is expected to be completed by about 2020. The plans have not been entirely well received, with concerns being expressed that the scheme does not give enough importance to affordable housing, and that it will only exacerbate the income disparity that already exists in Leith. Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed " affordable " to a group of people within a specified Income disparity or wage gap is a term used to describe inequities and asymmetry in the distribution of wealth and income between Socio-economic groups within society

Famous people from Leith

• Eduardo Paolozzi - Pop Artist and sculptor. Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi KBE, FRA ( March 7 1924 &ndash April 22 2005) was a Scottish sculptor Pop Art is a visual Art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in parallel in the late 1950s in the United States.
• Chris Small - professional snooker player. Christopher Small (born 26 September 1973) is a Scottish professional Snooker player Snooker is a Cue sport that is played on a large Baize -covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long
• John Hunter - Second Governor of New South Wales
• Robert Jameson (1774-1854) - Scottish naturalist and mineralogist. Vice-Admiral John Hunter, RN ( 29 August 1737 &ndash 13 March 1821) was a British naval officer and colonial The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, Professor Robert Jameson (1774-1854 was a Scottish naturalist and Mineralogist, born in Leith, near Edinburgh, in July
• John Gladstone - MP and father of William Ewart Gladstone. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.
• Irvine Welsh - author of Trainspotting and other novels. Irvine Welsh (born 27 September 1958 Leith, Edinburgh) is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting Trainspotting is the first novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh.
• Ross Ollerhead - star of the video for Elton John's hit "Tiny Dancer". Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer "Tiny Dancer" is a 1971 song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin.
• Dick Gaughan - prominent folk singer from Leith
• Adam Archibald - World War I recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Clarice Shaw (1883–1946), pioneering woman Labour Party politician and MP
• John Hall - the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1601 which asked King James IV of Scotland to commission a revised Authorised Version of the Bible was Parish Minister of Leith for a time. Richard Peter Gaughan (born 17 May 1948 is a Scottish Musician, Singer, and Songwriter. Adam Archibald (14 January 1879 - 10 March 1957 was a Scottish First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Clarice Marion McNab Shaw ( 22 October 1883 &ndash 27 October 1946) was a Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament John Hall (c1559 - August 1627 was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, meeting in Burntisland in 1601 The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is an honorary role held for 12 months James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin
• The Proclaimers - Birthplace of popular Folk/Pop duo of twins Charlie and Craig Reid

Notable streets in Leith

Constitution Street | Great Junction Street | Leith Walk | Timber Bush | The Shore | Bernard Street | Easter Road

Other points of interest

Mark Lazarowicz is the MP for Edinburgh North & Leith. The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twins Charlie and Craig Reid (born March 5, 1962) Great Junction Street follows the line of the old city walls in Leith, Scotland. Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland. Timber Bush, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Etymology "Bush" is the corrupt form of Bourse, meaning a Easter Road is the home ground of Scottish Premier League football club Hibernian. Mark Lazarowicz, (born Marek Jerzy Lazarowicz Dagenham, August 8, 1953) is a Scottish politician and Labour and Co-operative

Leith was home to the shipbuilder Henry Robb, which closed in 1983. Henry Robb Limited, known colloquially as Robbs, was a British shipbuilding company based in Leith Docks on the east coast of Scotland

Leith commonly takes as its home football team Hibernian, who play at Easter Road Stadium: Easter Road actually straddles the old council boundary between Edinburgh and Leith, the north end being in Leith, the south and the postal address for the club being in Edinburgh. Hibernian Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. Easter Road is the home ground of Scottish Premier League football club Hibernian.

The Proclaimers had a hit with "Sunshine on Leith". The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twins Charlie and Craig Reid (born March 5, 1962) They are supporters of Hibernian Football Club and the song is regularly played before home matches. Hibernian Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh.

Irvine Welsh was born in Leith and several of his books, including his debut novel Trainspotting and its sequel Porno, are mostly set there. Irvine Welsh (born 27 September 1958 Leith, Edinburgh) is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting Trainspotting is the first novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. Porno is a Novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh, and is the Sequel to Trainspotting.

Grand Theft Auto computer game developers Rockstar North are based on Leith Street, the road (continued as Leith Walk) to Leith from central Edinburgh. Rockstar North Ltd (formerly DMA Design Ltd) are developers of computer and video games based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Prior to this, the company was based within Leith itself - in an office building situated next to Leith Links park. The park itself is honoured in the fourth Grand Theft Auto game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, where the local country club is called Leaf Links. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is a sandbox-style action-adventure computer and Video game designed by Rockstar North (formerly

In June 2007 a sign appeared on Leith Walk saying that Leith was twinned with Rio De Janeiro; this is not an official twinning but was done to promote the Leith Festival, a local rival to The Edinburgh Fringe^[6]. Rio de Janeiro ("River of January" ˈhiw dʒi ʒʌˈnejɾu in Brazilian Portuguese, /ˈriːoʊ di ʒəˈnɛroʊ/ in English is the second largest city of Brazil The Edinburgh Fringe (officially the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, commonly just The Fringe) is the world’s largest Arts festival.

References

External links

• http://www.edinburgh-forthside.co.uk/forthside/
• http://www.leithhistory.co.uk/
• http://www.leithchurches.co.uk/
• http://www.leithfestival.com/
• http://www.oldleither.com/
• http://www.greenerleith.org/
• http://www.leithrugby.co.uk/