Day 85
Arthur Williams
In todays’ post we honour Arthur Williams, a true Leith Legend and a much loved individual. For many years Arthur slept homeless on the streets of Leith, at 83 years old he is now being well looked after in a residential care home. Leith for Ever would like to thank the family of Arthur Williams for their assistance with this post and images.
Until a few years ago Arthur Williams’ was a familiar face on the streets of Leith commonly seen along the length of Leith walk, but particularly sitting outside the Sea Breeze Cafe during the day, or outside Majestic Wines at night, where he often slept.
Earlier this year Arthur was celebrated in a fabulous new work on the Arthur Street wall of Casa Amiga by artist Shona Hardie . The mural was commissioned by Arthur’s family as a legacy of his time on the streets and as a tribute to the many Leither’s whose lives he touched. It prompted an outpouring of memories on local social media sites.
Arthur and his family have also dedicated a bench to the people of Leith who helped him over his many years of homelessness. It is located on Leith Walk next to Miller’s Linoleum Warehouse. Just by the junction with Smith’s Place where Arthur lived for many years before he took to the streets of Leith in the late 80’s for his own reasons. He slept rough for over 20 years before finally agreeing to move into a care home in 2013.
Arthur originally came from Seychelles arriving in Leith in the mid 60’s where he worked for several local businesses over the years including Henry Robbs shipyard, Sunblest and the whisky bonds, even after becoming homeless. Quiet and reserved, Arthur is fondly remembered from his time living homeless as a true gentleman. A kind and gentle soul, occasionally accepting food, but only very rarely accepting money.
In 2013 when a mental welfare guardianship was granted to take Arthur into care at age 75, concerned Leithers worried at his disappearance, wrongly assumed he had passed away and started to leave hundreds of floral tributes at his sleeping spot outside Majestic Wines. Social Services and Police Scotland also received so many calls about his whereabouts and wellbeing that it prompted Police Scotland to issue a statement confirming that Arthur was alive and well and being looked after.
It took many years of support and interventions to help Arthur move off the streets and into a permanent home. Those experiencing homelessness face a multitude of challenges every day, and life expectancy for men is only 47, and for women only 43. It is in large part due to the kindness of local businesses and individuals that Arthur stayed safe and relatively healthy living on the streets for such a long time.
A Just Giving fundraiser in Arthur’s name has been set up to donate to Streetwork - a charity supporting those with mental health issues who are sleeping rough on the streets of Edinburgh. If you are able to, please consider a donation to help others like Arthur to find their way to a permanent home.