Tag: Edinburgh Life Magazine

Historical, Old Edinburgh, Scotland, Stenlake Books, Uncategorized5 Comments

Old EDINBURGH views from above

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

THE BACKSTORY TO My book – Featured in the Edinburgh Life magazine September/October 2024 Old EDINBURGH: Views from above – Published in 2002 by Stenlake Publishing – http://www.stenlake.co.uk. – Whose editor said that, “Of all the books we have published this one is one of my favourites.” THE 1930 BLACK AND WHITE OBLIQUES In the late 1980’s a quantity of glass plate negatives were found in a Lothian Regional Council building that had formerly housed the offices of the City of Edinburgh Corporation. It was evident that they were fairly old. The images were clearly recognizable as being views of … Continue reading Old EDINBURGH views from above

General, Historical, Scotland5 Comments

Magazine contributions

Change Therapy

Over the last few years, I have contributed a number of articles to Edinburgh’s most prestigious magazine, The Edinburgh Life. 1 The subjects of my articles in this bi-monthly magazine are of a historical nature, specifically areas that I have a keen interest in; old Edinburgh and Leith and Aerial Photography. My first published book was called Old Edinburgh; Views from above – A series of oblique air photos of Edinburgh taken in 1930. Then I went on to publish 3 fictional paperbacks about Sailing in the West of Scotland. These days, as I approach my 90th birthday, in October … Continue reading Magazine contributions

General, Historical8 Comments

Photography rises to new heights!

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The Edinburgh Life Magazine is currently publishing a series of  black and white Aerial Photographs taken in 1930  and comparing them to a series of my colour photos taken, from the same view point, in 1993 .With this in mind  I offer the following post as a snapshot introduction to the history of Aerial Photography. – Johnny Jones. MAN’S FIRST FLIGHT It was in October 1783 that human beings took the first manned flight. This was done in a tethered hot air balloon i.e. anchored to the ground by ropes. However it was not until, a month later, 21st November … Continue reading Photography rises to new heights!

General, Golf, Historical3 Comments

Dispatch Trophy 1890

Change Therapy

THE BIRTH OF ‘THE BRAIDS’ AND THE DISPATCH TROPHY **Johnny Jones discovers some photographic golfing treasures** A few years ago, while leafing through some old photograph albums piled up on a battered chair in an antique shop, three pages of sepia photographs, showing crowds of people watching golfers, caught the author’s eye. The photographs were all quarter-plate size and apart from the pencilled date of 1890 there were no other identifying marks. However, I did recognise the distinctive clubhouse at the Braid Hills Golf Course, Edinburgh, Scotland and given the number of spectators, it was obvious these photos had been … Continue reading Dispatch Trophy 1890

A Storm in Any Port, Golf, Historical3 Comments

Update

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

No rest for me in this part of the world! The plan was to take things a wee bit easier and enjoy watching the seasons go by from our balcony, while enjoying the simple things in life, like daytime TV and trying to complete the newspaper crossword. Over the past few years, I have been encouraged by my wife, Ann, to tidy out the cupboard which houses hundreds of old photographs, which have been passed to me over the last 80 odd years, and some of these photos have been shared with Peter Bourhill, who owns Edinburgh’s premier magazine, the … Continue reading Update

Historical, Scotland, Uncategorized15 Comments

The Bridge of Sighs – Edinburgh

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

[*Supporting information on my article EDINBURGH’S BRIDGE OF SIGHS in the November/December2022 edition of the Edinburgh Life magazine* by Johnny Jones/ Jack Jones/John A Jones] Hidden and Enigmatic Statue I was born in 1934 and as a child every time my family walked over the Dean Bridge, my father would lift me up to let me see ‘The Little Sailor Boy’. He would tell me that the statue had been put there in memory of a sailor who had committed suicide by jumping off the bridge and that it had been put there to act as a warning to others … Continue reading The Bridge of Sighs – Edinburgh