Day 66
The following is an excerpt from the cover story in Issue 138 of the Leither, provided by the Author Sandy Campbell. A link to the full article below.
“We want no interference from Edinburgh in Leith’s municipal government. Nor will we be bribed into an entanglement with it”
Intro in the Leither to the below letter reads: Sandy Campbell trawls the family archives to tell the story of his Uncle Alec, whose 21st Birthday fell on the 11th of November 1920, in Alec’s own voice.
Pictured paper from November 1920.
Sunday 25th November 1920
I was 21 this week; Wednesday 21st November 1920. My father suggested that I mark this moment for myself by writing down what it feels like to be 21 in this year. Something to pass on to my own children when the time comes. So here goes…
Two years to the day since the guns stopped. Birthdays are supposed to be happy occasions but mine is tainted by association and the thin smiles of my family as we hand round pieces of cake can’t conceal the grief etched so deeply on their faces. Events have made mourners of us all.
This year has been a welcome relief though. Winning the Leith Independence plebiscite in January – what a start. That feeling of elation outside the Town Hall when Provost John Lindsay announced the result – 6 to 1 in favour of independence. His victory speech had us cheering and singing into the night. Our hopes were high that Edinburgh’s takeover bid would now be defeated.
All to no avail. The Edinburgh Expansion Act of Parliament was passed in July and we officially became part of Greater Edinburgh on 3rd November 1920. On the same day we went to the polls yet again in the first ever ‘Greater Edinburgh Municipal Elections’. At least we got some revenge this time. Leith Citizens candidates swept the board winning all 10 of Leith’s municipal seats from Labour who, as we all know, have been the mouthpiece for our new Edinburgh masters. Maybe our new Leith Citizen councillors will make a difference, but they are only 10 Leithers up against 50 for the Edinburgh side. Maybe Leith will regain our independence again; maybe not and we will all be speaking in their ever-so-nice accents in 100 years’ time. But I doubt it. A stolen election victory won’t beat those with the motto of ‘Persevere’.
Leith is in my blood, but I’m determined to grab the opportunities of my adulthood with both hands. I’m getting ready to head off to pastures new after the bells have seen us into 1921. Industry is struggling up here and too many of my former squaddie pals are still unemployed. So, it’s London for me. I’m getting my new motor-cycle next week – a second-hand Triumph Model H in pristine condition. I’ll say my goodbyes to my pals at the New Year Derby match at Easter Road. The Hearts beat us soundly back in August. I feel it in my guts that we will get our revenge this time and the sun will shine once again on Leith before I take to the highway.
Postscript: Hibs did beat Hearts 3-0 at Easter Road on 1st January 1920