Something should be said about the major reason so many destitute Scottish people were crowding into cities during this period. It was largely the result of the so-called “Highland Clearances” (ejecting tenant farmers) and the “enclosures” (privatization of communal agricultural land). These actions resulted in the eviction of poor farmers from large areas of Scotland in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In other words, their suffering was a result of policy decisions by the rich and the powerful, not of some kind of natural disaster or of their own choices. These mass evictions and dispossessions were also the main reason so many Scottish people emigrated to the United States and Canada during the same era.
Shameful on the part of the aristocraticy and ruling classes, they should have all their lands seized today and the families who were moved should get compensation.
Also to add at the same time there was a mass influx of people coming over from Ireland due to the Famine. Edinburgh I believe had the largest population of migrants outside of Glasgow.
indeed.... a touching reading of a sanitary report, one of many which in those periods started to bbeing written by peoplle who wanted to unburden the lives of poor people and eventually led to social housing and public health and safety infrastructures....reading those reports you get spine chills and they defy even the most gruesome horror movies today....make no mistake, those situatons still occur, and propbably nearer to us then we would hope to think.......
I live in a flat directly across from the well in Canongate which she describes. Looking out my window picturing the people that would have amassed there 160 years ago.
I love the Georgian houses and how the old town of Edinburgh has barely changed in hundreds of years, there's just something about it that makes it stand out from other cities
I'm ashamed to admit I've only ever been to Edinburgh once (in the pitch black) But I'm chuffed it was night time because we were invited to that "Carbuncle" building called Holyrood. and Tourism ain't doing Edinburgh many favours.
I really appreciate these Victorian learning videos... It often wakes you up and makes you realise just how well to do and how truly lucky we are. Even the simple pleasure of a simple meal, hot shower, clean clothes and a warm bed to sleep... we are lucky indeed!
I really hope that you didnae think I was being negative about you vidio I really wasnae I love your vids that's why I subscribed but people have this romantic idea that Edinburgh is lovely but they only see the tourist areas and don't realise that there are modern day slums in Edinburgh because the local government wants tourist money but locals don't see any of it. So keep bringing your excellent content my friend and will always watch👍
@@FactFeast great research would be to watch the brian cox episode of 'who do you think you are?" One of his relatives actually had the number of one of the stairs, in the tenement, listed as his address!
Margaret I have read quite a bit about Glasgow and heard about the extreme poverty what existed. I have heard it is now heard a great, interesting city to visit. I really want to get around to it soon. I have been to Edinburgh a couple of times and really enjoyed it. I am from Manchester and vaguely remember the conditions of houses before the slum clearance in the early seventies. It wasn't nice but people got by and the community spirit was so strong. My parents grew up in that type of housing.
I have traveled extensively in my life. I have been to many of those cities including Edinburgh, London, NYC, Quebec, Paris, Rome etc! I can only imagine how bad it was! 😮😮😮😮 God Bless our ancestors! It is an amazing story of struggle, perseverance , and in very rare cases breaking the cycle of poverty 🙏🙏🙏🕊️🕊️🕊️
I'm new to your channel and I love the way you can tell these stories in such a way as to make the listener feel like they are there. It reminds me of old radio shows. Very well done.
Mrs/Miss Ferguson if u like storytelling on YT. you may like "Mr Ballen" he tells strange but true, accidents/criminal & unsolved mysteries. I've been a subscriber since he only had ½ a-mill sub's, but now he's probably got over 10mn. I only suggested coz of your message about this channel. God bless & hope u enjoy him.
Last week I was for the first time in my life in Edinburgh. I loved it. The history of the Old and New Town is so visible. Yes I know, just like my hometown Amsterdam, the city is flooded with tourists and tourist shops that have nothing to do with the real city. Looking through that, you see a very beautiful city. I advise everyone who want to visit it, to stay at least five days.
My great grandma lived on St Mary’s Street in a flat , it was nice to find it where my nana brought my mom home after she was born .. I touched the big blue door and it felt awesome knowing my family once lived there, every time I fly over to Edinburgh where I was born I feel like I am home ❤️
We are fortunate to visit Edinburgh on a number of times and the streets and closes were recognisable, I think that it is a fantastic city, one of the best there is, I live in Nottingham, which has the dubious honour of once having the worst slums this side of Calcutta we were told, many of the poorest lived in caves, some of which can be visited today.
"No rain had fallen for several weeks..." Seriously, hen??? We're talking Scotland here! Several hours, maybe...here we go out on a summer day in shorts and t shirts...and a brolly just in case! :)
mostly emigration is a matter of life and death if you are poor, a matter of finding a way out or seek opportunity if your middle class and a luxury if you are rich, and everything in between
That was very enjoyable so thank you. And thank you again for all the time & effort you put in to making these videos, researching for them must be so interesting. I think if it was me, I'd be off on numerous tangents if something caught my eye, the video would never get finished lol. Keep up the fantastic work can't wait to go on another adventure with you soon 👏👏
Actually there is a counter explanation for the nickname Auld Reekie. The town was very smokey and "reek" does not just mean stink it also.means smoke.
I love Edinburgh. I'm from Dublin and I've been 3 times. The history is fascinating, cruel and foul yet curious. The city steps and architecture are a creepy girls dream. My ugly Disneyland. Adore the place. Hope I'm not insulting anyone. Great video. I'll share with my brother.
spikeycat81 .....i think youre mixed up ......Disneyland is ugly and fake (its not a place of perfection unless you enjoy a stepford wives lifestyle).........Edinburgh is gorgeous with real history and style thats so classic...........i like disneyland but id rather have Edinburgh anyday.
I need to see if I can show you some of the pictures of Aberdeen slums throughout the Victorian period, they have a very interesting design including the sharp rising roofs to stop snow building up and rounded corners to stop dangerous crime (didn't work), the various illicit distilleries that you can still see, and the fact that one of the buildings (I believe now gone) used to be a gambling house between one slum lord and Lord Byron who was reported to flee from the police on the beach and tripped on the sand. A few lochs that no longer exist as well that were really just massive sewage pits that certainly didn't help with our outbreak of both plague and cholera.
My grandma was born in Edinburgh we tried to trace her and her parents but we got so far and couldn't get any ferther.maybe she her parents died from colera and my grandmother ended up in the workhouse .it must have been a bad life for her as a child.
Thank you for your comment! It’s great to know that you enjoyed the presentation. There is an episode 2 for the Old Town slums on my channel should you be interested.
(Sir) Patrick Geddes (1854 - 1932) did excellent work to rejuvenate the Old Town and improve living standards there. He chose to live there when well off ppl moved to the new Town. We benefit greatly from his efforts. He used the Outlook Tower as an education aid.
How are you doing sir thank you for your wonderful cultural documentary channel we appreciate your great efforts as foreigners subscribers as overseas students want to increase our cultural level improve our English language as well so that I looked up for meaning of high rise means multiple equipment stories with elevators hovels means open shed or shelter and old town is name popularly given to oldest part in Scotland capital city of Edinburgh has preserved much of medieval street plan and many reformation era building it’s focused attention on Edinburgh slums was even that calling for renewal had been waiting for in year 1959 Edinburgh councilors. Made tour of inspection of slums in st Leonard ward to view problem first hand slum clearance programs originated with section 3 of housing repairs and rents Scotland act 1954 however in 1959 before demolition work was carried out the tenement collapsed giving tenants and neighbors fright of their lives causing uproar in community and old and new town of Edinburgh become UNESCO world heritage site stay safe blessed good luck to you your dearest ones
Well my friend while I agree with the sentiment of your comment the fact that the council just moved the poor and filthy oot of the toon it was only so they could maximise tourist money NOTHING to do with the welfare of the poor populace oot of sight oot of mind comes to though
Just came back from Edinburgh, spent 3 nights in a 3rd story AirBnB flat about 50 yards down from the castle gate in the old town. Took a tour called the "city of death" where the guide talked about all this and even took us to some vaults under the bridge. It is so sad to hear about the greed of some people that caused so much suffering. Interrsting to note is that the decends of those poor people have moved on, had they been black or a different race they probly would be complaining about a racist history... but the fact is that history shows human beings did NOT discriminate based on race, they just discriminated because they could. Humans have been and can be totally cruel to anyone.
I am from New York City, and your documentary on the other side of England is quite sobering and moving. Back in the early 2000s, I came across the “People of the Abyss” by American author Jack London. Thanks for posting. I subscribed to your channel!
Once again American shows the lack of any understanding or education out with their own country,,,its Scotland,, where we have bars older than your constitution in some cases even underwear.
Train Spotting is a modern day take on this description of Edinburgh. I'm sure the residents of Edinburgh love their beautiful city. If you scratch deep enough into any big town or city only about 60 years ago, you're sure to find scenes like these.
I heard stories about my great grandpa, living in the Gorbals (Glasgow) having no front door, and this seemed to be common amongst the slums, Makes me wonder why the UK residents never really revolted like the civilians of France with the state of things
Dun Edin, please! NZ got it right by keeping the original Gaelic name 'Aidan's Fort'. Germanic Queen Victoria changed everything to suit her origins. It's not only cream that rises to the top!
Good to see you exploring other cities, I know some of the places mention. The Grassmarket is now trendy pubs, cafes and shops and I have a few good times there. Hollyrood is still a hive of scum and villainy in my opinion as it’s the site of the Scottish ‘parliament’. XD
what in the end did they do about the housing conditions of those poor people?I heard the rich got splendid new grand houses, but the poor? Was there social housing?
Conditions were gradually improved but mainly without actual destruction of the old town, unlike Glasgow where the old slums were demolished to make way for motorways and modern high rise slums. That fact alone makes Edinburgh a city worth visiting.
it goes to show how bad niddrie was that Georgian homes are still standing but a whole scheme that was build around the 60s got pulled down and rebuilt
Daughter of a priest? Priests are catholic and aren’t allowed to marry, do you mean a vicar, rector maybe? I’m thinking he’s not doing to be a rogue one since you said she came from a wealthy family. Very interesting video though, I do enjoy a good history channel 😀
Get the facts right; Miss Bird was the daughter of a country parson. She was funded by the Royal Society for her travels and did not marry til quite late to a man with poor health who died not long after!
Yet more looking through the telescope from the wrong end.. all cities have rich and poor! In 18thC Edinburgh they all lived together until the New Town was built in the 19th C. Social integration was in reality much greater in Edinburgh than in many other cities. The reason that much of the old town survived into the 19th C was that the city was basically rebuilt on a different site. Unlike many other cities where old buildings were demolished to make way for new, they were abandoned by the better off. The wealthy simply moved out, leaving the old town to the less well off. The reason it was never upgraded or even maintained was that the population had no money. The city was also not subject to much damage during war, even though it was bombed by Zeppelin in WW1 and had one of the first raids of WW2. The old town lay virtually untouched until the 1950s when there was a couple of decades of redevelopment. Some of this was done well and looked very much like the structures they replaced, but some 1960s development was awful, mostly at the hand of the regional council who built some horrible concrete monstrosities. We still suffer from moronic town councils, with most of the good work done by private concerns. I really do not like the "oh it was awful" tone of these commentary, and particularly the focus of the "do gooder" sticking her nose into other folk's business. Some people do good stuff, some people do nothing but like criticising others and spending their money. Many people love to blame anyone but themselves for their misfortunes. The conditions in Edinburgh were no worse than other places, and a lot better than some!
Now its full of English settlers , holiday homes and AIR BnB. A city that voted 70% in favour of being ruled by England , more of an English enclave than a Scottish capital. Sad times.
Stand. In the. Street. Edinborough. Imagine. What. Is was. Like in. Victorian. Times. All. Hustle. And. Bustle. Street venders. And. Horses. Lots. Of. Noise
I Am Native Of Edinburgh, You Missed A Part Of The City That Was Behind Leith St, It Was Called GREENSIDE, It Was A Real Hovel Of Slums,They Were Very High, I Was Very Young Then, Just A Child In My Post Infant Days So Can't Really Recall The Hights Of Them, But I Think They Were About Six To Eight Levels, But I Was Unfortunate That We Had To Move From Them Like Many Other Families, Due To A Large Fire That Went Through Them, That Area Is Now A Large Car Park, Just Down From Where The Playhous Is, So My Mother I Were Alloted To Residential Area Just Up The Road From The Burnt Out Slums, In The Same St, They Were Built Right On The Side Of What You Know As The Calton Hill,, They Were About Four Stories Not A Very Large Block Built Up Of The Road That Runs From Leith Walk Down Past Our Block Commenly Known As Nottingham Terrace, All The Way Down To London Road, That Ajoins Leith Walk, As We Were Built On The Cliffside Of Calton Hill We Had No Sare Area For Playing, They Built These Landings From The Flats To The Side Of The Hill For The Top Three Floors, They Were Terrible Things To Live In, One Large Room As The Living Ares Which Was Used As A Kitchen Dining And NO Where to Bath, Just Big Ceramic Sink That We Had Do Everything With Washing, And Little Area In One Of The Corners We Had To Use As A Coal Cellar For Our Little Fire Place We Had, And Used For Cooking, And One Bedroom For A Large Bed, Mentioning Beds I Had To Sleep In The Coal Cellar Sometimes, I Won't Go Into The Reason Why, The Other Problem Was A The Worst As We Had No Toilet In Our Little Living Area's, WE Had One Toilet On Each Level That We Had To Share, And We All Had To Take Turns Cleaning It, And Toilet Paper Was News Papers Cut Up Into Little Sheets, And You Had Hell Of A Time If Sombody Forgot To Ressuply, I Have Never Been Back To That Part Of The City For Many Years That Was Away Back In The Early 40s I Was Born 1941,AND CAN TELL YOU WE HAD MY SLUMS THEN, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS ALWAYS THE NEWS, IT WAS CALLED THE PENNY TENNAMENT, I Don't Know Why, But It Was Very Old And As The Guy Telling Story Said, There Are Still Many Left, And Still Standing, Some As High As Eight Stories And Still There, Remember This Edinburgh Was The First Original Highest Building In The World There Were Buildings As High As Sixteen Floors Long Before Skyscrapers Were Ever Thought Off, If You Do Visit Edinburgh Just Check How High Some Of These Buildings Are, And Still Standing And Beautiful,🏴🙏🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻I AM AN EDINBURGH BORN SCOTT AND PROUD OF IT, 🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻,
The slums have been tarted up. The Edinburgh residents have been moved out to housing estates to make way for tourists and students. I am Edinburgh born (88 years ago ) and bred.I have no wish to return and visit this alien City. Birthplace ( Blackfriars Street )
@@matildamartin2811 thank you I felt like people thought I was just being negative for the sake of it but I love my city and spent ten years in the military to defend it but only the tourist areas are of any interest to non natives we know the real truth and it will never change if the local government aren't called oot.
And which Scottish accent would that be then.......... Glaswegian, Edinburgh, Fife, Borders, Wick, the islands etc, they're as all different as any Norwegian accents I'm sure!
I lived in 2 different flats we had to share a toilet with neighbours with no baths we went to the swimming pool where they had baths and showers only once you showered could you get a swim in the pool .🛁🚿🧻 used newspaper not toilet roll .
Common thing in many of the more working class tenements, including the one I live in, as it was originally designed, back in the late 1800s. Nowadays, most are totally renovated and modernised. Proper bathrooms/showers, good kitchens, central heating, double glazing and fibre broadband. I'd rather be here than in a shoebox new build, with low ceilings for the same money.
I lived in Edinburgh when it was still as you described. I was born in Blackfriars Street 89 years ago. We watched with sadness when we were all moved to housing estates on the edge of the City while our flats were modernised for the better off to move into.
Something should be said about the major reason so many destitute Scottish people were crowding into cities during this period. It was largely the result of the so-called “Highland Clearances” (ejecting tenant farmers) and the “enclosures” (privatization of communal agricultural land). These actions resulted in the eviction of poor farmers from large areas of Scotland in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In other words, their suffering was a result of policy decisions by the rich and the powerful, not of some kind of natural disaster or of their own choices.
These mass evictions and dispossessions were also the main reason so many Scottish people emigrated to the United States and Canada during the same era.
The reason they built up was it was safer to be within the walls of the city .
Shameful on the part of the aristocraticy and ruling classes, they should have all their lands seized today and the families who were moved should get compensation.
@@kevinadamson5768 we would all be rich 😆, but there are too many descendants now ,we would just get pennies.
Also to add at the same time there was a mass influx of people coming over from Ireland due to the Famine. Edinburgh I believe had the largest population of migrants outside of Glasgow.
....to the land where they shall thirst no more... Very touching, reminds me to be grateful for what I have. Great video!
I’m glad this was interesting viewing for you! Thank you for your comment.
indeed.... a touching reading of a sanitary report, one of many which in those periods started to bbeing written by peoplle who wanted to unburden the lives of poor people and eventually led to social housing and public health and safety infrastructures....reading those reports you get spine chills and they defy even the most gruesome horror movies today....make no mistake, those situatons still occur, and propbably nearer to us then we would hope to think.......
I live in a flat directly across from the well in Canongate which she describes. Looking out my window picturing the people that would have amassed there 160 years ago.
That’s interesting and it’s good that the well is preserved today. More videos to come about the slums of Edinburgh.
Only money stays in the old toon, just saying not calling out
I love the Georgian houses and how the old town of Edinburgh has barely changed in hundreds of years, there's just something about it that makes it stand out from other cities
It's a place that's never appealed to me.
@@misst.e.a.187 good
Its sad that we take itfor granted
I'm ashamed to admit I've only ever been to Edinburgh once (in the pitch black) But I'm chuffed it was night time because we were invited to that "Carbuncle" building called Holyrood.
and Tourism ain't doing Edinburgh many favours.
Lovely city
I really appreciate these Victorian learning videos...
It often wakes you up and makes you realise just how well to do and how truly lucky we are.
Even the simple pleasure of a simple meal, hot shower, clean clothes and a warm bed to sleep... we are lucky indeed!
You're very welcome! I'm glad you enjoy the Victorian documentaries on my channel. Thank you.
✅ Watch Episode 2 of Edinburgh Old Town Slums (Slum Kids) link here:
ua-cam.com/video/jYfrRqvzU4o/v-deo.html
I really hope that you didnae think I was being negative about you vidio I really wasnae I love your vids that's why I subscribed but people have this romantic idea that Edinburgh is lovely but they only see the tourist areas and don't realise that there are modern day slums in Edinburgh because the local government wants tourist money but locals don't see any of it. So keep bringing your excellent content my friend and will always watch👍
Loved this video. I'm from Glasgow. The poverty was terrible!
Yes, Glasgow also had its slums. I hope to do some content on them in future. Thank you for your comment.
@@FactFeast great research would be to watch the brian cox episode of 'who do you think you are?" One of his relatives actually had the number of one of the stairs, in the tenement, listed as his address!
Margaret I have read quite a bit about Glasgow and heard about the extreme poverty what existed. I have heard it is now heard a great, interesting city to visit. I really want to get around to it soon. I have been to Edinburgh a couple of times and really enjoyed it. I am from Manchester and vaguely remember the conditions of houses before the slum clearance in the early seventies. It wasn't nice but people got by and the community spirit was so strong. My parents grew up in that type of housing.
Still is in certain areas
Slums owned by landlords in parliament
My family are from Edinburgh I just love it there going up those long steps and side streets so interesting
I think they must have been very long according to the description of the difficulty of carrying water. Thank you for your comment.
Truly great as always. I appreciate the stories from Scotland today. I look forward to anything from Ireland. Happy Easter, Fact Feast and everyone.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video and a Happy Easter.
Me too
Flipping heck
12 years of torydom and we are rapidly reaching this level again. Rejoice and doff your caps
Charles Darwin is turning in his grave
I have traveled extensively in my life. I have been to many of those cities including Edinburgh, London, NYC, Quebec, Paris, Rome etc! I can only imagine how bad it was! 😮😮😮😮 God Bless our ancestors! It is an amazing story of struggle, perseverance , and in very rare cases breaking the cycle of poverty 🙏🙏🙏🕊️🕊️🕊️
I'm new to your channel and I love the way you can tell these stories in such a way as to make the listener feel like they are there. It reminds me of old radio shows. Very well done.
That’s nice of you to say. I’m glad you enjoy the narration and the atmosphere it brings to the subject. Thank you for your comment.
Mrs/Miss Ferguson if u like storytelling on YT. you may like "Mr Ballen" he tells strange but true, accidents/criminal & unsolved mysteries. I've been a subscriber since he only had ½ a-mill sub's, but now he's probably got over 10mn.
I only suggested coz of your message about this channel.
God bless & hope u enjoy him.
Mr Ballen's stories varies massively.
But he can deliver like nobody I know
Thank you my friend. I love this. The way you tell it makes me feel like I am there.
I’m glad you enjoyed the presentation and atmosphere. Thank you for your comment.
who wants to be there at that time period??!!! But yes, it really gives you a good idea
Considering the improvements we have seen in the last hundred years, I imagine people a hundred years from now will be shocked at how we lived.
Your channel is amazing. Thank you so much.
That’s very kind of you to say! I’m happy to know you enjoy the history content. Thank you.
I adore this channel! I adore your narration voice. I adore the subjects you talk about, I adore it through and through!
That’s great! I’m really glad you enjoy the history on the channel. Thank you for your comment.
Voice and presentation of the narrator is AMAZING.
I’m glad you enjoyed! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Thanks for the vid!
Always appreciate your support!
Thank u very much 🥰 .ove ur stories
It was the same in Ireland up to the 50s when the council started to change thing a little bit
The old town looks so nice these days too. Another great vid 👍
It's nice to know you enjoyed the video. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Aye it's true the old toon looks nice for the tourists but forget how hundreds were bricked into there homes to die of plague.
Last week I was for the first time in my life in Edinburgh. I loved it. The history of the Old and New Town is so visible. Yes I know, just like my hometown Amsterdam, the city is flooded with tourists and tourist shops that have nothing to do with the real city. Looking through that, you see a very beautiful city. I advise everyone who want to visit it, to stay at least five days.
My great grandma lived on St Mary’s Street in a flat , it was nice to find it where my nana brought my mom home after she was born .. I touched the big blue door and it felt awesome knowing my family once lived there, every time I fly over to Edinburgh where I was born I feel like I am home ❤️
The Scot in you never leaves,,,
Wonderful 😊
I ve been in Edinburgh 3 times 2017-2019 Now is very nice and clean city
I've been in Edinburgh my entire life and sorry, but no, it isn't 😩
We are fortunate to visit Edinburgh on a number of times and the streets and closes were recognisable, I think that it is a fantastic city, one of the best there is, I live in Nottingham, which has the dubious honour of once having the worst slums this side of Calcutta we were told, many of the poorest lived in caves, some of which can be visited today.
I live in Edinburgh and I'm still amazed at the old part of the city. It never stops being interesting.
Your narration always paints such a real picture. Bravo 👏
I’m pleased the narration helps recreate a picture of Victorian life. Thank you for your comment.
Love these stories, look forward to each & every one, thanks
It’s really nice to know you enjoy the videos. Thank you for being a regular viewer and supporting my channel.
You have a wonderful voice .you need your own radio show
I’m glad you enjoy the presentation. Thank you for your support!
Fantastic video as always, thanks so much, I hope you are doing very well 😀👍
Much appreciated! Thank you for your comment.
This was wonderful thank you so much
Thank you! You can find episode 2 on the channel about children of the Edinburgh slums.
"No rain had fallen for several weeks..." Seriously, hen??? We're talking Scotland here! Several hours, maybe...here we go out on a summer day in shorts and t shirts...and a brolly just in case! :)
Brolly is a raincoat ?
Umbrella
Helps me understand why my ancestors spent 3 months on a dirty old tub emigrating to the other side of the world.
mostly emigration is a matter of life and death if you are poor, a matter of finding a way out or seek opportunity if your middle class and a luxury if you are rich, and everything in between
Love the narration! Very Dickensian.
Much appreciated!
That was very enjoyable so thank you. And thank you again for all the time & effort you put in to making these videos, researching for them must be so interesting. I think if it was me, I'd be off on numerous tangents if something caught my eye, the video would never get finished lol. Keep up the fantastic work can't wait to go on another adventure with you soon 👏👏
Thank you for your comment! There will be more from Edinburgh to come.
We're heading back in that direction now.
Yes history repeats itself
Edinburgh wasn't alone,the whole world was a hovel.
Actually there is a counter explanation for the nickname Auld Reekie. The town was very smokey and "reek" does not just mean stink it also.means smoke.
I love Edinburgh. I'm from Dublin and I've been 3 times. The history is fascinating, cruel and foul yet curious. The city steps and architecture are a creepy girls dream. My ugly Disneyland. Adore the place. Hope I'm not insulting anyone. Great video. I'll share with my brother.
Thanks for watching and sharing! I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
Now I wanna go!
spikeycat81 .....i think youre mixed up ......Disneyland is ugly and fake (its not a place of perfection unless you enjoy a stepford wives lifestyle).........Edinburgh is gorgeous with real history and style thats so classic...........i like disneyland but id rather have Edinburgh anyday.
I need to see if I can show you some of the pictures of Aberdeen slums throughout the Victorian period, they have a very interesting design including the sharp rising roofs to stop snow building up and rounded corners to stop dangerous crime (didn't work), the various illicit distilleries that you can still see, and the fact that one of the buildings (I believe now gone) used to be a gambling house between one slum lord and Lord Byron who was reported to flee from the police on the beach and tripped on the sand. A few lochs that no longer exist as well that were really just massive sewage pits that certainly didn't help with our outbreak of both plague and cholera.
This sounds really interesting! Thank you.
That’s hilarious…. 😂 I love your Scottish old woman accent, sounds half Farsi half Welsh.
very very good thankyou
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. It’s great to know you enjoyed the video.
Makes me think of Burke and Hare....😜
My grandma was born in Edinburgh we tried to trace her and her parents but we got so far and couldn't get any ferther.maybe she her parents died from colera and my grandmother ended up in the workhouse .it must have been a bad life for her as a child.
As bad as things may seem right now....at least we aren't in a Victorian slum.
It's just a different year. People still live like this.
The past was the worst.
Well said Axel.
Yes poeple do still live like this we may have water but usually it's running Doon oor walls
@@WeRNthisToGetHer Everyone has running water and plumbing now.
I love the narration. Also, “real” history fascinates me ❤
That’s fantastic! I’m glad you enjoy the history for you here and thanks for writing 🙂
This is just the video i needed to set the scene for my ancestor's story. Have you done a video of life in an Industrial town in Northern England?
Not so much life in a town, but I have a video of a stay in a lodging house in Manchester.
I live in Edinburgh. And am glad it's not still this way to this day 😂
Happy Easter All!!!🐰🌷💗
Same to you! Thank you.
@@FactFeast Thank you!😊
This was incredible! Fantastic narration, and equally impressive (and relevant) images. Well done!
Thank you for your comment! It’s great to know that you enjoyed the presentation. There is an episode 2 for the Old Town slums on my channel should you be interested.
(Sir) Patrick Geddes (1854 - 1932) did excellent work to rejuvenate the Old Town and improve living standards there. He chose to live there when well off ppl moved to the new Town. We benefit greatly from his efforts. He used the Outlook Tower as an education aid.
Great to know, thank you 👍
How are you doing sir thank you for your wonderful cultural documentary channel we appreciate your great efforts as foreigners subscribers as overseas students want to increase our cultural level improve our English language as well so that I looked up for meaning of high rise means multiple equipment stories with elevators hovels means open shed or shelter and old town is name popularly given to oldest part in Scotland capital city of Edinburgh has preserved much of medieval street plan and many reformation era building it’s focused attention on Edinburgh slums was even that calling for renewal had been waiting for in year 1959 Edinburgh councilors. Made tour of inspection of slums in st Leonard ward to view problem first hand slum clearance programs originated with section 3 of housing repairs and rents Scotland act 1954 however in 1959 before demolition work was carried out the tenement collapsed giving tenants and neighbors fright of their lives causing uproar in community and old and new town of Edinburgh become UNESCO world heritage site stay safe blessed good luck to you your dearest ones
Well my friend while I agree with the sentiment of your comment the fact that the council just moved the poor and filthy oot of the toon it was only so they could maximise tourist money NOTHING to do with the welfare of the poor populace oot of sight oot of mind comes to though
great again!!!
I’m really glad you found this documentary about Edinburgh’s past interesting. Thank you!
@@FactFeast im watching allll your Videos, just great work! And the speaker is fantastic
Just came back from Edinburgh, spent 3 nights in a 3rd story AirBnB flat about 50 yards down from the castle gate in the old town. Took a tour called the "city of death" where the guide talked about all this and even took us to some vaults under the bridge.
It is so sad to hear about the greed of some people that caused so much suffering.
Interrsting to note is that the decends of those poor people have moved on, had they been black or a different race they probly would be complaining about a racist history... but the fact is that history shows human beings did NOT discriminate based on race, they just discriminated because they could.
Humans have been and can be totally cruel to anyone.
I love your style, Keep it up. Could you do one on underground cities buried
Thank you! If there were people living underground that would be interesting.
Thank you 😊 💓
I’m glad you enjoyed the documentary. Thank you for your comment.
The body snatchers or "resureccionist " were very numerous and the less well-off were horrified by their deceased loves one
Those tenements weren't torn down til the 60s and many didn't want to leave. They built new council houses that are now ghettos.
I am from New York City, and your documentary on the other side of England is quite sobering and moving. Back in the early 2000s, I came across the “People of the Abyss” by American author Jack London.
Thanks for posting. I subscribed to your channel!
Welcome to the channel! Thank you. You can find Jack London content here. I hope you enjoy.
It’s Scotland…not England….
@@lizmacrae4970 Yeah, drives me nuts when people call Scotland, England. Scotland is NOT a part of England people!
Once again American shows the lack of any understanding or education out with their own country,,,its Scotland,, where we have bars older than your constitution in some cases even underwear.
When you said they were evicted from their farm my blood boiled. Absentee landlords of the time were vile.
We're heading back to similar times. Heartless conservatives want this for us again.
Still are sadly
It was horrific back then
@@garyhyndman1105 yes I agree
It was hell on earth in thous day,where ever...
Train Spotting is a modern day take on this description of Edinburgh. I'm sure the residents of Edinburgh love their beautiful city. If you scratch deep enough into any big town or city only about 60 years ago, you're sure to find scenes like these.
You Tube video yesterday. They are knocking down the last slum pub
I heard stories about my great grandpa, living in the Gorbals (Glasgow) having no front door, and this seemed to be common amongst the slums,
Makes me wonder why the UK residents never really revolted like the civilians of France with the state of things
They did,,,as late as the 1920s where Churchill sent tanks and military to fire on the red clyde,,,,goggle it
@@james6901
Communism is a bit different from the French Revolution.......... Google Russia.
Those poor crofters, dying from the filthy water, so tragic. :(
The picture at .07. When did they build these buildings? They already look very old. Love your videos.
St. Ninian's Row, Leith Walk - the buildings are still there today! Thank you for your comment and support for my channel.
They are very old and were rediscovered, not built to be Hovels to stack and pack the masses of undesirables.
Thank you
I really appreciate your support!
@@FactFeast I really appreciate your work and videos. Truly I do. I haven't come across another channel as good.
All of my roots on my mother's side are from Edinburgh ❤
Wow your Scottish accent had me in stitches 😂 that might be the funniest but worst attempt I've ever heard, thanks for making me laugh this much ❤
Can you do the 5 point slums in NYC?
It’s a good idea. I hope to in future.
Dun Edin, please! NZ got it right by keeping the original Gaelic name 'Aidan's Fort'. Germanic Queen Victoria changed everything to suit her origins. It's not only cream that rises to the top!
Does anyone know what now stands on where Binnie's Row was in Morningside?
Misery is w/out end then & now in many places ... it doesn't take much to create chaos ... it's a sad old world unless we chose to ignore some of it 😑
That's the problem my friend less people should ignore and speak oot only then will things change for the better
Some parts of Europe were the same .
This is the most depressing interesting channel.
Still better than modern day Glasgow.
Good to see you exploring other cities, I know some of the places mention. The Grassmarket is now trendy pubs, cafes and shops and I have a few good times there. Hollyrood is still a hive of scum and villainy in my opinion as it’s the site of the Scottish ‘parliament’. XD
WOW!! Say it as it is bro lol
We liked it. True by Southsiders.
what in the end did they do about the housing conditions of those poor people?I heard the rich got splendid new grand houses, but the poor? Was there social housing?
Conditions were gradually improved but mainly without actual destruction of the old town, unlike Glasgow where the old slums were demolished to make way for motorways and modern high rise slums.
That fact alone makes Edinburgh a city worth visiting.
It's a shame they didn't have TV to watch Hoarders.
it goes to show how bad niddrie was that Georgian homes are still standing but a whole scheme that was build around the 60s got pulled down and rebuilt
Most of the Georgian slums were replaced in Victorian times. Go look at the building of Cockburn st 1856
Daughter of a priest? Priests are catholic and aren’t allowed to marry, do you mean a vicar, rector maybe? I’m thinking he’s not doing to be a rogue one since you said she came from a wealthy family.
Very interesting video though, I do enjoy a good history channel 😀
Anglican priests are allowed to marry.
Since when did you need to be married to have children? Lots of catholic priests had kids 😂😂
Get the facts right; Miss Bird was the daughter of a country parson. She was funded by the Royal Society for her travels and did not marry til quite late to a man with poor health who died not long after!
@@elbenni8786 👀
@Kerrie Wilson the pope had children! Well one did. The Borgia dude
Yet more looking through the telescope from the wrong end.. all cities have rich and poor! In 18thC Edinburgh they all lived together until the New Town was built in the 19th C. Social integration was in reality much greater in Edinburgh than in many other cities.
The reason that much of the old town survived into the 19th C was that the city was basically rebuilt on a different site. Unlike many other cities where old buildings were demolished to make way for new, they were abandoned by the better off. The wealthy simply moved out, leaving the old town to the less well off. The reason it was never upgraded or even maintained was that the population had no money. The city was also not subject to much damage during war, even though it was bombed by Zeppelin in WW1 and had one of the first raids of WW2.
The old town lay virtually untouched until the 1950s when there was a couple of decades of redevelopment. Some of this was done well and looked very much like the structures they replaced, but some 1960s development was awful, mostly at the hand of the regional council who built some horrible concrete monstrosities. We still suffer from moronic town councils, with most of the good work done by private concerns.
I really do not like the "oh it was awful" tone of these commentary, and particularly the focus of the "do gooder" sticking her nose into other folk's business. Some people do good stuff, some people do nothing but like criticising others and spending their money. Many people love to blame anyone but themselves for their misfortunes. The conditions in Edinburgh were no worse than other places, and a lot better than some!
Edinburgh Old Town Slums replaced by the snp to the New Edinburgh Town Slums.
Now its full of English settlers , holiday homes and AIR BnB.
A city that voted 70% in favour of being ruled by England , more of an English enclave than a Scottish capital. Sad times.
Yep.....and overseas students..... Locals are pushed out thanks to the influx of English settlers and tourists being put first....
Away and bile yer heid man. Ye dinnae ken whit yir talkin' aboot.
🫣 good Scottish accent 😳 lol
What accent is telling the story? Is it British?
Slum because English colonialism under the brutal Victoria
The old town was in existence 300 years before Victoria was born,,,,dear oh dear,,,
Stand. In the. Street. Edinborough. Imagine. What. Is was. Like in. Victorian. Times. All. Hustle. And. Bustle. Street venders. And. Horses. Lots. Of. Noise
AULD REEKIE!
Auld reekie
I Am Native Of Edinburgh, You Missed A Part Of The City That Was Behind Leith St, It Was Called GREENSIDE, It Was A Real Hovel Of Slums,They Were Very High, I Was Very Young Then, Just A Child In My Post Infant Days So Can't Really Recall The Hights Of Them, But I Think They Were About Six To Eight Levels, But I Was Unfortunate That We Had To Move From Them Like Many Other Families, Due To A Large Fire That Went Through Them, That Area Is Now A Large Car Park, Just Down From Where The Playhous Is, So My Mother I Were Alloted To Residential Area Just Up The Road From The Burnt Out Slums, In The Same St, They Were Built Right On The Side Of What You Know As The Calton Hill,, They Were About Four Stories Not A Very Large Block Built Up Of The Road That Runs From Leith Walk Down Past Our Block Commenly Known As Nottingham Terrace, All The Way Down To London Road, That Ajoins Leith Walk, As We Were Built On The Cliffside Of Calton Hill We Had No Sare Area For Playing, They Built These Landings From The Flats To The Side Of The Hill For The Top Three Floors, They Were Terrible Things To Live In, One Large Room As The Living Ares Which Was Used As A Kitchen Dining And NO Where to Bath, Just Big Ceramic Sink That We Had Do Everything With Washing, And Little Area In One Of The Corners We Had To Use As A Coal Cellar For Our Little Fire Place We Had, And Used For Cooking, And One Bedroom For A Large Bed, Mentioning Beds I Had To Sleep In The Coal Cellar Sometimes, I Won't Go Into The Reason Why, The Other Problem Was A The Worst As We Had No Toilet In Our Little Living Area's, WE Had One Toilet On Each Level That We Had To Share, And We All Had To Take Turns Cleaning It, And Toilet Paper Was News Papers Cut Up Into Little Sheets, And You Had Hell Of A Time If Sombody Forgot To Ressuply, I Have Never Been Back To That Part Of The City For Many Years That Was Away Back In The Early 40s I Was Born 1941,AND CAN TELL YOU WE HAD MY SLUMS THEN, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS ALWAYS THE NEWS, IT WAS CALLED THE PENNY TENNAMENT, I Don't Know Why, But It Was Very Old And As The Guy Telling Story Said, There Are Still Many Left, And Still Standing, Some As High As Eight Stories And Still There, Remember This Edinburgh Was The First Original Highest Building In The World There Were Buildings As High As Sixteen Floors Long Before Skyscrapers Were Ever Thought Off, If You Do Visit Edinburgh Just Check How High Some Of These Buildings Are, And Still Standing And Beautiful,🏴🙏🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻I AM AN EDINBURGH BORN SCOTT AND PROUD OF IT, 🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻🏴👍🏻,
It's no much better now, I Ken I'm Edinburgh born and bred
The slums have been tarted up. The Edinburgh residents have been moved out to housing estates to make way for tourists and students. I am Edinburgh born (88 years ago ) and bred.I have no wish to return and visit this alien City. Birthplace ( Blackfriars Street )
@@matildamartin2811 thank you I felt like people thought I was just being negative for the sake of it but I love my city and spent ten years in the military to defend it but only the tourist areas are of any interest to non natives we know the real truth and it will never change if the local government aren't called oot.
@@matildamartin2811 Leith is one big housing scheme is it? Or Dalry? Gorgie? Restalrig, etc.? You're out of touch hen.
Anyone teacher send u this
Auld reekie.. not old
Slums are/were pretty much the same the world round.
Scottish accent reminds me of Norwegian
And which Scottish accent would that be then..........
Glaswegian, Edinburgh, Fife, Borders, Wick, the islands etc, they're as all different as any Norwegian accents I'm sure!
so harsh.
We're going backwards
... and you wonder what these rich 'tourists' actually did to help the people they met, as the could have done easily. It seems like a zoo to them.
looks no different looks a little cleaner back then if anything
Omg his voice is HORRIBLE imagine having to listen to him soooooooo soooooo my head is splitting two minutes in bye
I lived in 2 different flats we had to share a toilet with neighbours with no baths we went to the swimming pool where they had baths and showers only once you showered could you get a swim in the pool .🛁🚿🧻 used newspaper not toilet roll .
Common thing in many of the more working class tenements, including the one I live in, as it was originally designed, back in the late 1800s. Nowadays, most are totally renovated and modernised. Proper bathrooms/showers, good kitchens, central heating, double glazing and fibre broadband. I'd rather be here than in a shoebox new build, with low ceilings for the same money.
I lived in Edinburgh when it was still as you described. I was born in Blackfriars Street 89 years ago. We watched with sadness when we were all moved to housing estates on the edge of the City while our flats were modernised for the better off to move into.