Ice skating on Inverleith Pond in December 1961.placeholder image
Ice skating on Inverleith Pond in December 1961. | TSPL

Inverleith Heritage in Pictures: Here are 32 fascinating photos of the Edinburgh neighbourhood from the 1950s and 1960s

The in-demand residential area of Edinburgh looked a little different over 55 years ago.

The name Inverleith comes from the Scottish Gaelic phrase ‘Inbhir Lìte’ - meaning ‘Mouth of Leith’ - and the area was originally an estate owned by the Rocheid family.

It passed into the hands of Alexander Rocheid of Inverleith in the 18th century, whose descendents built Inverleith House in 1774.

At the start of the 19th century Inverleith Mains, as it was then known, was leased by City of Edinburgh Comptroller George Lauder (the great-grandfather of Sir Harry Lauder).

In 1823 he agreed to part with an area of land to be used for the new Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, which opened a year later.

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Inverleith Park was added to the area’s plentiful green spaces in 1889, when the city acquired South Inverleith Mains Farm from the Rocheid family - it remains a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.

Residential properties scattered around the park and sports pitches are mainly detached Victorian and Edwardian villas - often fetching seven figures when they come up for sale.

Here are 32 pictures to take you back to how Inverleith looked back in the 1950s and 1960s.

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