Edinburgh curiosities - James U. Thomson

When did thousands of people last crowd into Edinburgh's High Street to witness an execution? Three brass bricks on the pavement markthe spot, but how many people notice them or know what they mean? As a fire engine roars along the road sirens blaring and lights flashing,what has that got to do with a fire of 1824? Why was Leith in mourning one bleak day in 1915 and where can you find a monument whichcommemorates the tragic event?The answers are all in an expanded and revised edition of Edinburgh Curiosities. Thomson and Coghill have trawled through the city'scharacters to bring together a collection of the men and women who scandalised and inspired the city over the years. But in addition to thenotorious, like the Porteous Riot, Deacon William Brodie - the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde - or Madeleine Smith,they look at other lesser known, but nevertheless fascinating, people and events. Stories you've maybe heard something about but don't knowthe detail. They also float intriguing speculation like the possibility of members of Ned Kelly's gang carrying out armed robberies in Leith afterthe bushranger was hanged in Australia. The result is a fascinating dip into Edinburgh's rich and varied past, which will appeal to natives andvisitors alike.