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Memories of a childhood in wartime Leith. The trials and tribulations of the period, allied to the camaraderie of the community in facing up to an uncertain future made a lasting impression on John Stewart.
Where did we get our money to finance our regular cinema attendances and other expenditures? Our pocket money didn't stretch far. I can honestly say it was not ill gotten. The truth was we sold chopped kindling firewood.
We would visit various shops, mainly fruiterers in Great Junction Street and ask for old fruit boxes. These were not required for the war effort. With an old axe we would rest the wood against the roadside kerb and break it into kindling.
This was then stacked into loose bundles that nestled in our arms. We then hawked them around the doors of the Corporation Buildings in Leith. Priced at 3d per bundle, there was never a failure in the sales drive. Often enough it were the old widows who were our regular customers.
This was a joint effort involving several boys and it was usually the younger boys that had to enquire as to the availability of empty boxes. Because of this the older members, 8 to 9 years old, would sometimes encourage the youngsters to seek out the raw material from 'unusual' sources.
'Try Stoddarts, they are bound to have some spare wood,' we would suggest and off they would go. The Stoddart brothers, Alex and Russell, ran the local undertaking business in the area!
Entering through the front door, you would be confronted with rows of upstanding coffins arranged along each wall of the shop. The back room was hidden by draped bead curtain. As well as the office, it was where their mother manufactured the shrouds.
Both brothers were the epitome of their profession, tall, gaunt and dressed in black. Standing amidst the wares, the youngsters would be confronted by one of them. 'Well?' would be the growl of the emerging figure from behind the screen. 'Any old boxes, Mr Stoddart?'
Anticipating the answer, the questioner would be making a hasty retreat to the door as the proprietor waved his arms in sheer annoyance at the impertinence of it. I knew the scenario, for I had been there before.
John Stewart, 2001
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