You may be able to have a bit of fun playing "Where's Wally" over the next few days, trying to spot someone you recognise in the crowd, in the next batch of photos coming up from the 80's.
Starting with the top one of the Cowgate, taken on 4th Feb 1984.
All that congestion at the Wellgate doorway is just how I remember it. Sometimes it seemed to take forever making your way in & out the entrance, with the less patient always attempting to barge their way past!
Must have been a bit chilly when the picture was taken mind you, judging by the attire on show.
Not so on the photo of the Murraygate underneath where everyone is in their summer togs. Not surprising, as this image was captured on 30th July 1984.
A couple of wee observations - the blue shop front at the top end near the Amusement arcade, is the fashion boutique called "Jean Jeanie".
Down the opposite end, the shop with the green & yellow sign is Richard Shops. Above it however, top right of the same building, there is a large chunk of concrete missing. Did this not come crashing down onto the pavement one night in a storm? I have a hazy memory of something like that happening back then.
Anyway, if you fancy having a go at identifying any of the faces in the crowd, click the images to enlarge, zoom in and have fun!
Photos by Neale Elder.
I'm pretty sure this was the era when the Wellgate used to have a sign next to the elevators at the front door, stating "No football colours". Don't think that would happen now!
ReplyDeleteAlso (and I may be wrong again), didn't the Wellgate have revolving doors at the time? Given the crowds in the photo, the health and safety officer must have had a coronary when he saw them!
ReplyDeleteDundee's answer the Shibuya crossing on a smaller scale lol! Where have all the people gone? Deserted these days. The Richard Shops in the second photo, didn't a young girl get murdered in the doorway around this era?
ReplyDeleteStrange! That's the first thing I thought when I saw this photo too.
ReplyDeleteA girl called Linda Batchelor was killed in 1977 by Brian Mearns, in Peter Street, which is the wee pend next door to Richards. Its one of the chapters in the Law Killers book by Alexander McGregor.
ReplyDeleteWhat brilliant photos.
ReplyDeleteWeird thing is though, they look so old but my gran died in Jan 1984 and that just seems like yesterday.
Great photos - particularly love seeing the vehicles as well as the main focus of the pictures. Looking at those, you can't fail to think mid 80's even before reading the captions.
ReplyDeleteWasn't all that orange / brown effect the Wellgate Centre (and lots of other places) had at the time really dowdy ?