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Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-15 · 09:00 UTC
The Tallest Skyscraper in American Cities, Listed by Year of Completion
The buildings shown above do necessarily match the list below. – Source: reddit.com
The following list identifies American cities by the year of completion of their tallest building. The list starts with the newest and extends back to the oldest. Included are both completed buildings and those actively under construction. Long Island City and Brooklyn were incorporated as separate cities from New York City itself for comparison purposes.
Some very interesting findings from this data set:
- There were two significant building clusters of tallest skyscraper built during the 20th century – one took place between 1968 and 1975, while the other took place from 1982 to 1992.
- Approaching the numbers from those previous two eras, there is a boom in new tallest towers taking place in the 2020s.
- As would be expected, three cities with the most rapidly expanding skylines in the country are represented near the top of the list: Austin, Miami, and Nashville.
- The principal differences between the 2020s and the 1970s and 1980s are that the new tallest towers are more often being built in midtown and edge city locations, such as: Newark, Beverly Hills, Reston, Santa Clara, West Palm Beach, Long Island City, Bellevue, Fort Lauderdale, Brooklyn, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Long Beach, Cambridge; and Jersey City. Causes for this trend may include increasing land costs, availability of land, financial incentives, zoning, a limited number of pre-existing skyscrapers, or other considerations.
- Despite a lot of skyscraper construction in downtown areas that is not necessarily the tallest, a significant proportion of American cities have aging tallest skyscrapers…often 30-40-50 years old. These include major cities like Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indy, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Tampa.
- A comparison of completion years by decade yields the following results:
- 2020s = 24 to date
- 2010s = 12
- 2000s = 11
- 1990s = 25
- 1980s = 37
- 1970s = 29
- 1960s = 6
- 1950s = 1
- pre-1950 = 15
As new data becomes available, this list will be updated. As always, any additions, corrections, or suggestions are most welcome. Peace!
——-
Nashville, TN: Paramount Tower and Newark, NJ: Summit Tower (2028)
Miami, FL: Waldorf Astoria (2027)
Austin, TX: Waterline; Beverly Hills, CA: One Beverly Hills Tower; and Omaha, NE: Mutual of Omaha Tower (2026)
Reston, VA: Skymark Town Center; Santa Clara, CA: Tasman East Tower; St. Petersburg, FL: 400 Central; and West Palm Beach, FL: One Flagler (2025)
Long Island City, NY: The Orchard and Salt Lake City, UT: Astra Tower (2024)
Bellevue, WA: Sonic; Fort Lauderdale, FL: Veneto Las Olas; Portland, ME: The Casco; and San Jose, CA: 200 Park Avenue (2023)
Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Tower and Silver Spring, MD: Solaire 8200 (2022)
Bethesda, MD: The Wilson; El Paso, TX: WestStar Tower; Honolulu, HI: The Central Ala Moana; and Long Beach, CA: Shoreline Gateway East (2021)
Cambridge, MA: Graduate Tower at Site 4 and Jersey City, NJ: 99 Hudson Street (2020)
Clayton, MO: Centene Centre (2019)
Philadelphia, PA: Comcast Technology Center; San Francisco, CA: Salesforce Tower; and Tysons, VA: Capital One Tower (2018)
Arlington, VA: Central Place Tower and Los Angeles, CA: Wilshire Grand Center (2017)
Irvine, CA: 200 Spectrum Center Drive (2016)
New York City, NY: One World Trade Center (2014)
Boise, ID: Eighth & Main (2013)
Oklahoma City: Devon Energy Center (2012)
Cincinnati, OH: Great American Tower and Tempe, AZ: West Sixth II (2011)
Champaign, IL: 309 Green and Stamford, CT: Park Tower (2009)
Atlanta/Buckhead, GA: 3344 Peachtree; Grand Rapids, MI: River House; Raleigh, NC: PNC Plaza; Virginia Beach, VA: Westin Town Center; and White Plains, NY: The Residences at Ritz Carlton (2008)
Mobile, AL: RSA Towering and San Juan, PR: Coliseum Tower Residences (2007)
Rochester, MN: Broadway Plaza (2004)
The Woodlands, TX: Allison Tower (2002)
Biloxi, MS: Beau Rivage Casino Hotel and Glendale, CA: Glendale Plaza (1999)
Las Vegas, NV: The Strat and Montgomery, AL: RSA Tower (1996)
Reno, NV: Silver Legacy Resort & Casino and Winston-Salem, NC: 100 North Main (1995)
Louisville, KY: 400 West Market (1993)
Atlanta, GA: Bank of America Plaza; Charlotte, NC: Bank of America Center; Manchester, NH: City Hall Plaza; Sacramento, CA: Wells Fargo Center; and Tampa, FL: 100 North Tampa (1992)
Cleveland, OH: Key Tower; Des Moines, IA: 801 Grand; Overland Park, KS: Lighton Plaza I; San Diego, CA: One American Plaza; and Worcester, MA: The 6Hundred (1991)
Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Plaza Tower; Colorado Springs, CO: Wells Fargo Tower; Covington, KY: River Center 1; Greensboro, NC: Lincoln Financial Building; Indianapolis, IN: Salesforce Tower; Jacksonville, FL: Bank of America Tower; New Haven, CT: Financial Center; and Roanoke, VA: Wells Fargo Tower (1990)
Burbank, CA: Tower Burbank; Corpus Christi, TX: One Shoreline Plaza; Kansas City, MO: One Kansas City Place; Orlando, FL: 200 South Orange; Sandy Springs, GA: Concourse Corporate Center V; and Wilmington, DE: 1201 North Market (1988)
Columbia, SC: Capitol Center; Lexington, KY: Financial Center; Metairie, LA: Three Lakeway Center; Norfolk, VA: Dominion Tower; Springfield, MA: Monarch Place; Springfield, MO: Hammons Tower; St. Paul, MN: Wells Fargo Place; and Wichita, KS: Epic Center (1987)
Birmingham, AL: Shipt Tower; Durham, NC: University Tower; Little Rock, AR: Simmons Tower; Shreveport, LA: Regions Tower; and Tucson, AZ: One South Church (1986)
Alexandria, VA: Hilton Mark Center; Billings, MT: First Interstate Center; and Dallas, TX: Bank of America Plaza (1985)
Abilene, TX: Enterprise Tower; Denver, CO: Republic Plaza; El Segundo, CA: Pacific Corporate Towers III; Hartford, CT: City Place I; Peoria, IL: Twin Towers; and Seattle, WA: Columbia Center (1984)
Anchorage, AK: Conoco-Phillips Building; Fort Worth, TX: Burnett Plaza; and Portsmouth, VA: Harbor Tower Apartments (1983)
Fort Wayne, IN: Indiana Michigan Power Center; Houston, TX: JPMorgan Chase Tower; and Toledo, OH: Fifth Third Center (1982)
Richmond, VA: James Monroe Building and Spokane, WA: Bank of America Center (1981)
McAllen, TX: Chase Neuhaus Tower (1980)
Harrisburg, PA: 333 Market Street and Knoxville, TN: First Tennessee Plaza (1979)
Detroit, MI: Marriott Renaissance Center (1977)
Chattanooga, TN: Republic Centre; Jackson, MS: Regions Plaza; Los Angeles/Century City, CA: Century City Towers; Southfield, MI: 3000 Town Center; Troy, MI: PNC Building; Tulsa, OK: BOK Tower; and Yonkers, NY: Seven Pines Tower (1975)
Boston, MA: John Hancock Tower and Chicago, IL: Willis Tower (1974)
Albany, NY: Erastus Corning Tower Baltimore, MD: Transamerica Tower; Columbus, OH: Rhodes State Office Tower; Milwaukee, WI: U.S. Bank Center; and Minneapolis, MN: IDS Center (1973)
Buffalo, NY: Seneca One Tower; Cedar Rapids, IA: Alliant Tower; New Orleans, LA: Hancock Whitney Center; Phoenix, AZ: Chase Tower; and Portland, OR: Wells Fargo Tower (1972)
Amarillo, TX: FirstBank Southwest Tower and Santa Monica, CA: 100 Wilshire Building (1971)
Dayton, OH: Stratacache Tower; Oakland, CA: Ordway Building; Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Steel Tower; South Bend, IN: Liberty Tower; and Tacoma, WA: 1201 Pacific (1970)
Evanston, IL: Orrington Plaza (1969)
San Antonio, TX: Tower of the Americas and Rochester, NY: Innovation Square (1968)
St. Louis, MO: The Gateway Arch (1967)
Greenville, SC: Landmark Building (1966)
Memphis, TN: 100 North Main (1965)
Lubbock, TX: Metro Tower (1955)
Bismarck, ND: State Capitol (1934)
Baton Rouge, LA: State Capitol; Charleston, WV: State Capitol; Lincoln, NE: State Capitol; and Reading, PA: Berks County Courthouse (1932)
Akron, OH: Huntington Tower and Lansing, MI: Boji Tower (1931)
Allentown, PA: PPL Building; Providence, RI: Industrial National Bank and Syracuse, NY: State Tower Building (1928)
Davenport, IA: Davenport Bank and Trust (1927)
Fresno, CA: Pacific Southwest Building (1925)
Augusta, GA: Lamar Building (1918)
Madison, WI: State Capitol (1917)
Berkeley, CA: Sather Tower (1915)
Waco, TX: ALICO Building (1911)
Topeka, KS: State Capitol (1903)
Springfield, IL: State Capitol (1888)
Charleston, SC: St. Matthew’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church (1872)
SOURCES:
- en.wikipedia.org
- skydb.net
- skyscraperpage.com
#buildings #cities #downtown #edgeCities #edgecities #geography #history #landUse #Midtown #planning #skylines #skyscrapers #towers
#towers #skyscrapers #skylines #planning #midtown #landuse
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-15 · 09:00 UTC
The Tallest Skyscraper in American Cities, Listed by Year of Completion
The buildings shown above do necessarily match the list below. – Source: reddit.com
The following list identifies American cities by the year of completion of their tallest building. The list starts with the newest and extends back to the oldest. Included are both completed buildings and those actively under construction. Long Island City and Brooklyn were incorporated as separate cities from New York City itself for comparison purposes.
Some very interesting findings from this data set:
- There were two significant building clusters of tallest skyscraper built during the 20th century – one took place between 1968 and 1975, while the other took place from 1982 to 1992.
- Approaching the numbers from those previous two eras, there is a boom in new tallest towers taking place in the 2020s.
- As would be expected, three cities with the most rapidly expanding skylines in the country are represented near the top of the list: Austin, Miami, and Nashville.
- The principal differences between the 2020s and the 1970s and 1980s are that the new tallest towers are more often being built in midtown and edge city locations, such as: Newark, Beverly Hills, Reston, Santa Clara, West Palm Beach, Long Island City, Bellevue, Fort Lauderdale, Brooklyn, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Long Beach, Cambridge; and Jersey City. Causes for this trend may include increasing land costs, availability of land, financial incentives, zoning, a limited number of pre-existing skyscrapers, or other considerations.
- Despite a lot of skyscraper construction in downtown areas that is not necessarily the tallest, a significant proportion of American cities have aging tallest skyscrapers…often 30-40-50 years old. These include major cities like Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indy, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Tampa.
- A comparison of completion years by decade yields the following results:
- 2020s = 24 to date
- 2010s = 12
- 2000s = 11
- 1990s = 25
- 1980s = 37
- 1970s = 29
- 1960s = 6
- 1950s = 1
- pre-1950 = 15
As new data becomes available, this list will be updated. As always, any additions, corrections, or suggestions are most welcome. Peace!
——-
Nashville, TN: Paramount Tower and Newark, NJ: Summit Tower (2028)
Miami, FL: Waldorf Astoria (2027)
Austin, TX: Waterline; Beverly Hills, CA: One Beverly Hills Tower; and Omaha, NE: Mutual of Omaha Tower (2026)
Reston, VA: Skymark Town Center; Santa Clara, CA: Tasman East Tower; St. Petersburg, FL: 400 Central; and West Palm Beach, FL: One Flagler (2025)
Long Island City, NY: The Orchard and Salt Lake City, UT: Astra Tower (2024)
Bellevue, WA: Sonic; Fort Lauderdale, FL: Veneto Las Olas; Portland, ME: The Casco; and San Jose, CA: 200 Park Avenue (2023)
Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Tower and Silver Spring, MD: Solaire 8200 (2022)
Bethesda, MD: The Wilson; El Paso, TX: WestStar Tower; Honolulu, HI: The Central Ala Moana; and Long Beach, CA: Shoreline Gateway East (2021)
Cambridge, MA: Graduate Tower at Site 4 and Jersey City, NJ: 99 Hudson Street (2020)
Clayton, MO: Centene Centre (2019)
Philadelphia, PA: Comcast Technology Center; San Francisco, CA: Salesforce Tower; and Tysons, VA: Capital One Tower (2018)
Arlington, VA: Central Place Tower and Los Angeles, CA: Wilshire Grand Center (2017)
Irvine, CA: 200 Spectrum Center Drive (2016)
New York City, NY: One World Trade Center (2014)
Boise, ID: Eighth & Main (2013)
Oklahoma City: Devon Energy Center (2012)
Cincinnati, OH: Great American Tower and Tempe, AZ: West Sixth II (2011)
Champaign, IL: 309 Green and Stamford, CT: Park Tower (2009)
Atlanta/Buckhead, GA: 3344 Peachtree; Grand Rapids, MI: River House; Raleigh, NC: PNC Plaza; Virginia Beach, VA: Westin Town Center; and White Plains, NY: The Residences at Ritz Carlton (2008)
Mobile, AL: RSA Towering and San Juan, PR: Coliseum Tower Residences (2007)
Rochester, MN: Broadway Plaza (2004)
The Woodlands, TX: Allison Tower (2002)
Biloxi, MS: Beau Rivage Casino Hotel and Glendale, CA: Glendale Plaza (1999)
Las Vegas, NV: The Strat and Montgomery, AL: RSA Tower (1996)
Reno, NV: Silver Legacy Resort & Casino and Winston-Salem, NC: 100 North Main (1995)
Louisville, KY: 400 West Market (1993)
Atlanta, GA: Bank of America Plaza; Charlotte, NC: Bank of America Center; Manchester, NH: City Hall Plaza; Sacramento, CA: Wells Fargo Center; and Tampa, FL: 100 North Tampa (1992)
Cleveland, OH: Key Tower; Des Moines, IA: 801 Grand; Overland Park, KS: Lighton Plaza I; San Diego, CA: One American Plaza; and Worcester, MA: The 6Hundred (1991)
Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Plaza Tower; Colorado Springs, CO: Wells Fargo Tower; Covington, KY: River Center 1; Greensboro, NC: Lincoln Financial Building; Indianapolis, IN: Salesforce Tower; Jacksonville, FL: Bank of America Tower; New Haven, CT: Financial Center; and Roanoke, VA: Wells Fargo Tower (1990)
Burbank, CA: Tower Burbank; Corpus Christi, TX: One Shoreline Plaza; Kansas City, MO: One Kansas City Place; Orlando, FL: 200 South Orange; Sandy Springs, GA: Concourse Corporate Center V; and Wilmington, DE: 1201 North Market (1988)
Columbia, SC: Capitol Center; Lexington, KY: Financial Center; Metairie, LA: Three Lakeway Center; Norfolk, VA: Dominion Tower; Springfield, MA: Monarch Place; Springfield, MO: Hammons Tower; St. Paul, MN: Wells Fargo Place; and Wichita, KS: Epic Center (1987)
Birmingham, AL: Shipt Tower; Durham, NC: University Tower; Little Rock, AR: Simmons Tower; Shreveport, LA: Regions Tower; and Tucson, AZ: One South Church (1986)
Alexandria, VA: Hilton Mark Center; Billings, MT: First Interstate Center; and Dallas, TX: Bank of America Plaza (1985)
Abilene, TX: Enterprise Tower; Denver, CO: Republic Plaza; El Segundo, CA: Pacific Corporate Towers III; Hartford, CT: City Place I; Peoria, IL: Twin Towers; and Seattle, WA: Columbia Center (1984)
Anchorage, AK: Conoco-Phillips Building; Fort Worth, TX: Burnett Plaza; and Portsmouth, VA: Harbor Tower Apartments (1983)
Fort Wayne, IN: Indiana Michigan Power Center; Houston, TX: JPMorgan Chase Tower; and Toledo, OH: Fifth Third Center (1982)
Richmond, VA: James Monroe Building and Spokane, WA: Bank of America Center (1981)
McAllen, TX: Chase Neuhaus Tower (1980)
Harrisburg, PA: 333 Market Street and Knoxville, TN: First Tennessee Plaza (1979)
Detroit, MI: Marriott Renaissance Center (1977)
Chattanooga, TN: Republic Centre; Jackson, MS: Regions Plaza; Los Angeles/Century City, CA: Century City Towers; Southfield, MI: 3000 Town Center; Troy, MI: PNC Building; Tulsa, OK: BOK Tower; and Yonkers, NY: Seven Pines Tower (1975)
Boston, MA: John Hancock Tower and Chicago, IL: Willis Tower (1974)
Albany, NY: Erastus Corning Tower Baltimore, MD: Transamerica Tower; Columbus, OH: Rhodes State Office Tower; Milwaukee, WI: U.S. Bank Center; and Minneapolis, MN: IDS Center (1973)
Buffalo, NY: Seneca One Tower; Cedar Rapids, IA: Alliant Tower; New Orleans, LA: Hancock Whitney Center; Phoenix, AZ: Chase Tower; and Portland, OR: Wells Fargo Tower (1972)
Amarillo, TX: FirstBank Southwest Tower and Santa Monica, CA: 100 Wilshire Building (1971)
Dayton, OH: Stratacache Tower; Oakland, CA: Ordway Building; Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Steel Tower; South Bend, IN: Liberty Tower; and Tacoma, WA: 1201 Pacific (1970)
Evanston, IL: Orrington Plaza (1969)
San Antonio, TX: Tower of the Americas and Rochester, NY: Innovation Square (1968)
St. Louis, MO: The Gateway Arch (1967)
Greenville, SC: Landmark Building (1966)
Memphis, TN: 100 North Main (1965)
Lubbock, TX: Metro Tower (1955)
Bismarck, ND: State Capitol (1934)
Baton Rouge, LA: State Capitol; Charleston, WV: State Capitol; Lincoln, NE: State Capitol; and Reading, PA: Berks County Courthouse (1932)
Akron, OH: Huntington Tower and Lansing, MI: Boji Tower (1931)
Allentown, PA: PPL Building; Providence, RI: Industrial National Bank and Syracuse, NY: State Tower Building (1928)
Davenport, IA: Davenport Bank and Trust (1927)
Fresno, CA: Pacific Southwest Building (1925)
Augusta, GA: Lamar Building (1918)
Madison, WI: State Capitol (1917)
Berkeley, CA: Sather Tower (1915)
Waco, TX: ALICO Building (1911)
Topeka, KS: State Capitol (1903)
Springfield, IL: State Capitol (1888)
Charleston, SC: St. Matthew’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church (1872)
SOURCES:
- en.wikipedia.org
- skydb.net
- skyscraperpage.com
#buildings #cities #downtown #edgeCities #edgecities #geography #history #landUse #Midtown #planning #skylines #skyscrapers #towers
#buildings #cities #downtown #edgecities #geography #history
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-11 · 15:28 UTC
Lodging to Affordable Living 🏡: Motel Conversions in the Four Corners Region
The following working list identifies those motels and hotels that have been converted into dwellings for the unhoused, those with special needs, and/or to provide affordable housing options in cities across the Four Corners Region of the southwestern United States (the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). These housing options may include, but not be limited to:
- Income-based housing;
- Section 8 housing;
- Housing for those with special needs
- Housing for needy seniors;
- Housing for young adults and/or women;
- Housing for those returning to society from recovery programs or incarceration;
- Inexpensive housing/studios for artists;
- Veterans housing; as well as
- Transitional/interim housing for unhoused individuals or families.
Motel conversions provide another tool for municipalities for combating homelessness, gentrification, and rising housing costs. It also helps revitalize and reinvigorate older highway commercial districts such as Historic U.S. 66 in New Mexico and Arizona or Old U.S. 40 in Colorado. In some cases, such a conversion from lodging to affordable living quarters may require amendments to local zoning codes to allow such housing options in commercial zoning districts.
Peace!
——-
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Adobe Manor Motel to Adobe Manor (2023) = 16 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: SureStay by Best Western (1999) to Los Altos Lofts (2024) = 90 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Luna Lodge (1949) to Luna Lodge Apartments (2013) = 14 units + 16 new units
Luna Lodge Apartments in Albuquerque, NM – Source:route66news.com
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sundowner Motel (1960) to Sundowner Apartments (2014) = 71 units
Colorado Springs, Colorado: 4U Court/Motel (1955) to The Studios (2024) = 12 units
The Studios in Colorado Springs, CO – Source: springsrescuemission.org
Denver, Colorado: Quality Inn & Suites to Fusion Studios (2020) = 139 units
Denver Colorado: Best Western Hotel to New Directions = ?
Denver, Colorado: 7 Star Motel to Night Windows (2020) = 25 units
Denver, Colorado: Best Western to Stone Creek (2023) = 194 units
Denver, Colorado: DoubleTree Hotel to The Aspen (2023) = 289 units
Denver, Colorado: La Quinta Inn to Park Avenue Inn = 103 units
Denver, Colorado: Clarion Hotel (mid-late 1980s) to Renewal Village (2024) = 215 units
Denver, Colorado: Embassy Suites (1985) to Tamarac Family Shelter (2023) = 205 units
Durango, Colorado: Best Western to The Residences (2025) = 72 units + 48 new units
Flagstaff, Arizona: Crown Motel (1966)/Howard Johnson’s (1991) to The Crown (2022) = 58 units
Source: flagshelter.org
Flagstaff, Arizona: Motel 6 (1962) to The Lantern (2025) = 103 units
Kingman, Arizona: Pony Soldier (1963)/Route 66 Motel to Joshua Tree Apartments (2025) = 20 units
Joshua Tree in Kingman, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Page, Arizona: Antelope Canyon Motel (1960s) to Pinyon Pointe Apartments (2024) = 20 units
Pinyon Pointe in Page, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Phoenix, Arizona: Days Inn (?) to 2900 E. Van Buren (2025) = 50 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Super 8 Motel (?) to not yet named (2026) = 126 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Phoenix Inn (1983) to The Haven (2025) = 130 units
Phoenix (Mesa): Arizona: Grand Hotel (1973) to Sunaire (2026) = 70 units
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona: Windermere Motel (1950s) partially converted for the Off the Streets Program (2023) = 85 units, but will be moving to the Sunaire site.
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Howard Johnsons (1970)/Motel 6 (1994) to not yet named (under development) = 60 units
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Rodeway Inn to Sue’s Espacio = 40 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: Airport Inn (?) to The Point = 100 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: ? to The Point Fairpark = 94 units
Salt Lake City (Sandy), Utah: EconoLodge to Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) Shelter (2024) ~ 97 units
Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake), Utah: Motel 6 to FINCH – Families In Need Congregate Housing (2025) = 85 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Lamplighter Inn (1962) to Lamplighter Apartments (in progress) = 58 units
Lamplighter Apartments in Santa Fe, NM – Source: s3santafe.org
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Suites (1999) to Santa Fe Suites Apartments (2022) = 120 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Stage Coach Motor Inn (1940s) to Stage Coach Apartments (2013) = 66 units + 44 new units
Tucson, Arizona: Amazon Motel (1950s) to Amazon Flats (2025) = 30 units + 59 new units under development
Tucson, Arizona: De Anza Motel (1940) to Milagro on Oracle (2025) = 63 units
SOURCES:
#affordableHousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwayDistricts #history #homelessness #hotels #housing #landUse #lodging #motels #planning #studios #travel
#affordablehousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwaydistricts
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-11 · 15:28 UTC
Lodging to Affordable Living 🏡: Motel Conversions in the Four Corners Region
The following working list identifies those motels and hotels that have been converted into dwellings for the unhoused, those with special needs, and/or to provide affordable housing options in cities across the Four Corners Region of the southwestern United States (the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). These housing options may include, but not be limited to:
- Income-based housing;
- Section 8 housing;
- Housing for those with special needs
- Housing for needy seniors;
- Housing for young adults and/or women;
- Housing for those returning to society from recovery programs or incarceration;
- Inexpensive housing/studios for artists;
- Veterans housing; as well as
- Transitional/interim housing for unhoused individuals or families.
Motel conversions provide another tool for municipalities for combating homelessness, gentrification, and rising housing costs. It also helps revitalize and reinvigorate older highway commercial districts such as Historic U.S. 66 in New Mexico and Arizona or Old U.S. 40 in Colorado. In some cases, such a conversion from lodging to affordable living quarters may require amendments to local zoning codes to allow such housing options in commercial zoning districts.
Peace!
——-
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Adobe Manor Motel to Adobe Manor (2023) = 16 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: SureStay by Best Western (1999) to Los Altos Lofts (2024) = 90 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Luna Lodge (1949) to Luna Lodge Apartments (2013) = 14 units + 16 new units
Luna Lodge Apartments in Albuquerque, NM – Source:route66news.com
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sundowner Motel (1960) to Sundowner Apartments (2014) = 71 units
Colorado Springs, Colorado: 4U Court/Motel (1955) to The Studios (2024) = 12 units
The Studios in Colorado Springs, CO – Source: springsrescuemission.org
Denver, Colorado: Quality Inn & Suites to Fusion Studios (2020) = 139 units
Denver Colorado: Best Western Hotel to New Directions = ?
Denver, Colorado: 7 Star Motel to Night Windows (2020) = 25 units
Denver, Colorado: Best Western to Stone Creek (2023) = 194 units
Denver, Colorado: DoubleTree Hotel to The Aspen (2023) = 289 units
Denver, Colorado: La Quinta Inn to Park Avenue Inn = 103 units
Denver, Colorado: Clarion Hotel (mid-late 1980s) to Renewal Village (2024) = 215 units
Denver, Colorado: Embassy Suites (1985) to Tamarac Family Shelter (2023) = 205 units
Durango, Colorado: Best Western to The Residences (2025) = 72 units + 48 new units
Flagstaff, Arizona: Crown Motel (1966)/Howard Johnson’s (1991) to The Crown (2022) = 58 units
Source: flagshelter.org
Flagstaff, Arizona: Motel 6 (1962) to The Lantern (2025) = 103 units
Kingman, Arizona: Pony Soldier (1963)/Route 66 Motel to Joshua Tree Apartments (2025) = 20 units
Joshua Tree in Kingman, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Page, Arizona: Antelope Canyon Motel (1960s) to Pinyon Pointe Apartments (2024) = 20 units
Pinyon Pointe in Page, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Phoenix, Arizona: Days Inn (?) to 2900 E. Van Buren (2025) = 50 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Super 8 Motel (?) to not yet named (2026) = 126 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Phoenix Inn (1983) to The Haven (2025) = 130 units
Phoenix (Mesa): Arizona: Grand Hotel (1973) to Sunaire (2026) = 70 units
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona: Windermere Motel (1950s) partially converted for the Off the Streets Program (2023) = 85 units, but will be moving to the Sunaire site.
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Howard Johnsons (1970)/Motel 6 (1994) to not yet named (under development) = 60 units
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Rodeway Inn to Sue’s Espacio = 40 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: Airport Inn (?) to The Point = 100 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: ? to The Point Fairpark = 94 units
Salt Lake City (Sandy), Utah: EconoLodge to Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) Shelter (2024) ~ 97 units
Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake), Utah: Motel 6 to FINCH – Families In Need Congregate Housing (2025) = 85 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Lamplighter Inn (1962) to Lamplighter Apartments (in progress) = 58 units
Lamplighter Apartments in Santa Fe, NM – Source: s3santafe.org
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Suites (1999) to Santa Fe Suites Apartments (2022) = 120 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Stage Coach Motor Inn (1940s) to Stage Coach Apartments (2013) = 66 units + 44 new units
Tucson, Arizona: Amazon Motel (1950s) to Amazon Flats (2025) = 30 units + 59 new units under development
Tucson, Arizona: De Anza Motel (1940) to Milagro on Oracle (2025) = 63 units
SOURCES:
#affordableHousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwayDistricts #history #homelessness #hotels #housing #landUse #lodging #motels #planning #studios #travel
#affordablehousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwaydistricts
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-11 · 15:28 UTC
Lodging to Affordable Living 🏡: Motel Conversions in the Four Corners Region
The following working list identifies those motels and hotels that have been converted into dwellings for the unhoused, those with special needs, and/or to provide affordable housing options in cities across the Four Corners Region of the southwestern United States (the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). These housing options may include, but not be limited to:
- Income-based housing;
- Section 8 housing;
- Housing for those with special needs
- Housing for needy seniors;
- Housing for young adults and/or women;
- Housing for those returning to society from recovery programs or incarceration;
- Inexpensive housing/studios for artists;
- Veterans housing; as well as
- Transitional/interim housing for unhoused individuals or families.
Motel conversions provide another tool for municipalities for combating homelessness, gentrification, and rising housing costs. It also helps revitalize and reinvigorate older highway commercial districts such as Historic U.S. 66 in New Mexico and Arizona or Old U.S. 40 in Colorado. In some cases, such a conversion from lodging to affordable living quarters may require amendments to local zoning codes to allow such housing options in commercial zoning districts.
Peace!
——-
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Adobe Manor Motel to Adobe Manor (2023) = 16 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: SureStay by Best Western (1999) to Los Altos Lofts (2024) = 90 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Luna Lodge (1949) to Luna Lodge Apartments (2013) = 14 units + 16 new units
Luna Lodge Apartments in Albuquerque, NM – Source:route66news.com
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sundowner Motel (1960) to Sundowner Apartments (2014) = 71 units
Colorado Springs, Colorado: 4U Court/Motel (1955) to The Studios (2024) = 12 units
The Studios in Colorado Springs, CO – Source: springsrescuemission.org
Denver, Colorado: Quality Inn & Suites to Fusion Studios (2020) = 139 units
Denver Colorado: Best Western Hotel to New Directions = ?
Denver, Colorado: 7 Star Motel to Night Windows (2020) = 25 units
Denver, Colorado: Best Western to Stone Creek (2023) = 194 units
Denver, Colorado: DoubleTree Hotel to The Aspen (2023) = 289 units
Denver, Colorado: La Quinta Inn to Park Avenue Inn = 103 units
Denver, Colorado: Clarion Hotel (mid-late 1980s) to Renewal Village (2024) = 215 units
Denver, Colorado: Embassy Suites (1985) to Tamarac Family Shelter (2023) = 205 units
Durango, Colorado: Best Western to The Residences (2025) = 72 units + 48 new units
Flagstaff, Arizona: Crown Motel (1966)/Howard Johnson’s (1991) to The Crown (2022) = 58 units
Source: flagshelter.org
Flagstaff, Arizona: Motel 6 (1962) to The Lantern (2025) = 103 units
Kingman, Arizona: Pony Soldier (1963)/Route 66 Motel to Joshua Tree Apartments (2025) = 20 units
Joshua Tree in Kingman, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Page, Arizona: Antelope Canyon Motel (1960s) to Pinyon Pointe Apartments (2024) = 20 units
Pinyon Pointe in Page, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Phoenix, Arizona: Days Inn (?) to 2900 E. Van Buren (2025) = 50 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Super 8 Motel (?) to not yet named (2026) = 126 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Phoenix Inn (1983) to The Haven (2025) = 130 units
Phoenix (Mesa): Arizona: Grand Hotel (1973) to Sunaire (2026) = 70 units
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona: Windermere Motel (1950s) partially converted for the Off the Streets Program (2023) = 85 units, but will be moving to the Sunaire site.
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Howard Johnsons (1970)/Motel 6 (1994) to not yet named (under development) = 60 units
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Rodeway Inn to Sue’s Espacio = 40 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: Airport Inn (?) to The Point = 100 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: ? to The Point Fairpark = 94 units
Salt Lake City (Sandy), Utah: EconoLodge to Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) Shelter (2024) ~ 97 units
Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake), Utah: Motel 6 to FINCH – Families In Need Congregate Housing (2025) = 85 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Lamplighter Inn (1962) to Lamplighter Apartments (in progress) = 58 units
Lamplighter Apartments in Santa Fe, NM – Source: s3santafe.org
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Suites (1999) to Santa Fe Suites Apartments (2022) = 120 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Stage Coach Motor Inn (1940s) to Stage Coach Apartments (2013) = 66 units + 44 new units
Tucson, Arizona: Amazon Motel (1950s) to Amazon Flats (2025) = 30 units + 59 new units under development
Tucson, Arizona: De Anza Motel (1940) to Milagro on Oracle (2025) = 63 units
SOURCES:
#affordableHousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwayDistricts #history #homelessness #hotels #housing #landUse #lodging #motels #planning #studios #travel
#affordablehousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwaydistricts
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-11 · 15:28 UTC
Lodging to Affordable Living 🏡: Motel Conversions in the Four Corners Region
The following working list identifies those motels and hotels that have been converted into dwellings for the unhoused, those with special needs, and/or to provide affordable housing options in cities across the Four Corners Region of the southwestern United States (the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). These housing options may include, but not be limited to:
- Income-based housing;
- Section 8 housing;
- Housing for those with special needs
- Housing for needy seniors;
- Housing for young adults and/or women;
- Housing for those returning to society from recovery programs or incarceration;
- Inexpensive housing/studios for artists;
- Veterans housing; as well as
- Transitional/interim housing for unhoused individuals or families.
Motel conversions provide another tool for municipalities for combating homelessness, gentrification, and rising housing costs. It also helps revitalize and reinvigorate older highway commercial districts such as Historic U.S. 66 in New Mexico and Arizona or Old U.S. 40 in Colorado. In some cases, such a conversion from lodging to affordable living quarters may require amendments to local zoning codes to allow such housing options in commercial zoning districts.
Peace!
——-
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Adobe Manor Motel to Adobe Manor (2023) = 16 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: SureStay by Best Western (1999) to Los Altos Lofts (2024) = 90 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Luna Lodge (1949) to Luna Lodge Apartments (2013) = 14 units + 16 new units
Luna Lodge Apartments in Albuquerque, NM – Source:route66news.com
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sundowner Motel (1960) to Sundowner Apartments (2014) = 71 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Comfort Inn to not yet named (2026) = 82 units- added 11/17/25
Colorado Springs, Colorado: 4U Court/Motel (1955) to The Studios (2024) = 12 units
The Studios in Colorado Springs, CO – Source: springsrescuemission.org
Denver, Colorado: Quality Inn & Suites to Fusion Studios (2020) = 139 units
Denver Colorado: Best Western Hotel to New Directions = ?
Denver, Colorado: 7 Star Motel to Night Windows (2020) = 25 units
Denver, Colorado: Best Western to Stone Creek (2023) = 194 units
Denver, Colorado: DoubleTree Hotel to The Aspen (2023) = 289 units
Denver, Colorado: La Quinta Inn to Park Avenue Inn = 103 units
Denver, Colorado: Clarion Hotel (mid-late 1980s) to Renewal Village (2024) = 215 units
Denver, Colorado: Embassy Suites (1985) to Tamarac Family Shelter (2023) = 205 units
Durango, Colorado: Best Western to The Residences (2025) = 72 units + 48 new units
Flagstaff, Arizona: Crown Motel (1966)/Howard Johnson’s (1991) to The Crown (2022) = 58 units
Source: flagshelter.org
Flagstaff, Arizona: Motel 6 (1962) to The Lantern (2025) = 103 units
Kingman, Arizona: Pony Soldier (1963)/Route 66 Motel to Joshua Tree Apartments (2025) = 20 units
Joshua Tree in Kingman, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Page, Arizona: Antelope Canyon Motel (1960s) to Pinyon Pointe Apartments (2024) = 20 units
Pinyon Pointe in Page, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Phoenix, Arizona: Days Inn (?) to 2900 E. Van Buren (2025) = 50 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Super 8 Motel (?) to not yet named (2026) = 126 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Phoenix Inn (1983) to The Haven (2025) = 130 units
Phoenix (Mesa): Arizona: Grand Hotel (1973) to Sunaire (2026) = 70 units
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona: Windermere Motel (1950s) partially converted for the Off the Streets Program (2023) = 85 units, but will be moving to the Sunaire site.
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Howard Johnsons (1970)/Motel 6 (1994) to not yet named (under development) = 60 units
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Rodeway Inn to Sue’s Espacio = 40 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: Airport Inn (?) to The Point = 100 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: ? to The Point Fairpark = 94 units
Salt Lake City (Sandy), Utah: EconoLodge to Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) Shelter (2024) ~ 97 units
Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake), Utah: Motel 6 to FINCH – Families In Need Congregate Housing (2025) = 85 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Lamplighter Inn (1962) to Lamplighter Apartments (in progress) = 58 units
Lamplighter Apartments in Santa Fe, NM – Source: s3santafe.org
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Suites (1999) to Santa Fe Suites Apartments (2022) = 120 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Stage Coach Motor Inn (1940s) to Stage Coach Apartments (2013) = 66 units + 44 new units
Tucson, Arizona: Amazon Motel (1950s) to Amazon Flats (2025) = 30 units + 59 new units under development
Tucson, Arizona: De Anza Motel (1940) to Milagro on Oracle (2025) = 63 units
SOURCES:
#affordableHousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwayDistricts #history #homelessness #hotels #housing #landUse #lodging #motels #planning #studios #travel
#travel #studios #planning #motels #lodging #landuse
Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-10-11 · 15:28 UTC
Lodging to Affordable Living 🏡: Motel Conversions in the Four Corners Region
The following working list identifies those motels and hotels that have been converted into dwellings for the unhoused, those with special needs, and/or to provide affordable housing options in cities across the Four Corners Region of the southwestern United States (the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). These housing options may include, but not be limited to:
- Income-based housing;
- Section 8 housing;
- Housing for those with special needs
- Housing for needy seniors;
- Housing for young adults and/or women;
- Housing for those returning to society from recovery programs or incarceration;
- Inexpensive housing/studios for artists;
- Veterans housing; as well as
- Transitional/interim housing for unhoused individuals or families.
Motel conversions provide another tool for municipalities for combating homelessness, gentrification, and rising housing costs. It also helps revitalize and reinvigorate older highway commercial districts such as Historic U.S. 66 in New Mexico and Arizona or Old U.S. 40 in Colorado. In some cases, such a conversion from lodging to affordable living quarters may require amendments to local zoning codes to allow such housing options in commercial zoning districts.
Peace!
——-
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Adobe Manor Motel to Adobe Manor (2023) = 16 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: SureStay by Best Western (1999) to Los Altos Lofts (2024) = 90 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Luna Lodge (1949) to Luna Lodge Apartments (2013) = 14 units + 16 new units
Luna Lodge Apartments in Albuquerque, NM – Source:route66news.com
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sundowner Motel (1960) to Sundowner Apartments (2014) = 71 units
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Comfort Inn to not yet named (2026) = 82 units- added 11/17/25
Colorado Springs, Colorado: 4U Court/Motel (1955) to The Studios (2024) = 12 units
The Studios in Colorado Springs, CO – Source: springsrescuemission.org
Denver, Colorado: Quality Inn & Suites to Fusion Studios (2020) = 139 units
Denver Colorado: Best Western Hotel to New Directions = ?
Denver, Colorado: 7 Star Motel to Night Windows (2020) = 25 units
Denver, Colorado: Best Western to Stone Creek (2023) = 194 units
Denver, Colorado: DoubleTree Hotel to The Aspen (2023) = 289 units
Denver, Colorado: La Quinta Inn to Park Avenue Inn = 103 units
Denver, Colorado: Clarion Hotel (mid-late 1980s) to Renewal Village (2024) = 215 units
Denver, Colorado: Embassy Suites (1985) to Tamarac Family Shelter (2023) = 205 units
Durango, Colorado: Best Western to The Residences (2025) = 72 units + 48 new units
Flagstaff, Arizona: Crown Motel (1966)/Howard Johnson’s (1991) to The Crown (2022) = 58 units
Source: flagshelter.org
Flagstaff, Arizona: Motel 6 (1962) to The Lantern (2025) = 103 units
Kingman, Arizona: Pony Soldier (1963)/Route 66 Motel to Joshua Tree Apartments (2025) = 20 units
Joshua Tree in Kingman, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Page, Arizona: Antelope Canyon Motel (1960s) to Pinyon Pointe Apartments (2024) = 20 units
Pinyon Pointe in Page, AZ – Source: housingforhopeaz.org
Phoenix, Arizona: Days Inn (?) to 2900 E. Van Buren (2025) = 50 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Super 8 Motel (?) to not yet named (2026) = 126 units
Phoenix, Arizona: Phoenix Inn (1983) to The Haven (2025) = 130 units
Phoenix (Mesa): Arizona: Grand Hotel (1973) to Sunaire (2026) = 70 units
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona: Windermere Motel (1950s) partially converted for the Off the Streets Program (2023) = 85 units, but will be moving to the Sunaire site.
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Howard Johnsons (1970)/Motel 6 (1994) to not yet named (under development) = 60 units
Phoenix (Tempe), Arizona: Rodeway Inn to Sue’s Espacio = 40 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: Airport Inn (?) to The Point = 100 units
Salt Lake City, Utah: ? to The Point Fairpark = 94 units
Salt Lake City (Sandy), Utah: EconoLodge to Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) Shelter (2024) ~ 97 units
Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake), Utah: Motel 6 to FINCH – Families In Need Congregate Housing (2025) = 85 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Lamplighter Inn (1962) to Lamplighter Apartments (in progress) = 58 units
Lamplighter Apartments in Santa Fe, NM – Source: s3santafe.org
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Suites (1999) to Santa Fe Suites Apartments (2022) = 120 units
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Stage Coach Motor Inn (1940s) to Stage Coach Apartments (2013) = 66 units + 44 new units
Tucson, Arizona: Amazon Motel (1950s) to Amazon Flats (2025) = 30 units + 59 new units under development
Tucson, Arizona: De Anza Motel (1940) to Milagro on Oracle (2025) = 63 units
SOURCES:
#affordableHousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwayDistricts #history #homelessness #hotels #housing #landUse #lodging #motels #planning #studios #travel
#affordablehousing #cities #conversions #gentrification #geography #highwaydistricts
Shortwave Listening @[email protected] · 2025-09-25 · 08:34 UTC

Li Qiang, Revolutionary Engineer, born September 26, 1905
Li Qiang – not the current Chinese "premier", but Li Qiang, the revolutionary – has been described as one of the great pre-1949 achievers of the CPC. Friday (September 26) will mark the 120th anniversary of his birth in Changshu, Jiangsu Province.
Additions, updates and corrections to this post are very welcome.
History books (and articles, narrations, etc.) aren’t always reliable. This is even more true for China. No matter how much the CPC is banging on about science, cooking histor books has been a Chinese tradition since ancient times – for the benefit of those in power, and at the expense of previous (defeated) dynasties, parties, and individuals. It is a living tradition.
So when the talk is about an exemplary revolutionary, take all the glorious deeds ascribed to him with a bit of salt.
One of Li Qiang’s first feats was to break with many of China’s traditions and to become a nationalist activist first and then a communist. All that even though his father and grandfather seem to have been rather well-off in "old China" as the country is known in contemporary history books, and deeply rooted in imperial Chinese tradition.
Li Qiang is said to have been kicked out of traditional school for being disrespectful to tradition himself. Therefore, as a teenager, he became a student at something like a technical or vocational school, the now defunct "Nanyang Railroad and Mining School" in Shanghai. The practical orientation of his lessons would prove useful in his life as a revolutionary cadre – as would the use of English language at Nanyang School, as language of instruction.
One of Li’s teachers there was a KMT cadre, and Li became a KMT member, too. But he was expelled from the nationalist KMT in 1924, and joined the communists in 1925. In 1927, KMT military leader Chiang Kai-shek &quotpurged" the KMT of whoever he believed to be communists and other internal opponents, opening the years of "White Terror"
Until then, it had been quite conceivable to be both a communist and a KMT member. The Soviet Union, frequently skeptical of the CPC’s true red color, had cultivated close links with the KMT until 1927.
The mid-1920s saw Li busy with developing handgrenades and other kinds of useful explosives. This certainly hadn’t been part of his father’s or grandfather’s aesthetic school curricula, not even remotely.
At the time, even after the beginning of the White Terror, messenging among CPC cadres and operatives continued to depend on couriers, and wireless communication was an obvious answer to this problem, and it would also provide the chance of realtime communication. Li Qiang was transferred from building bombs to studying wireless technology, although he had never worked on radio issues before. Of course, "studying" wasn’t a campus assignment, but practical work to modernise communications among communists in China. He put his English language skills to use as he read American tech magazines and literature. Under his direction – or with his own hands (the narration isn’t explicit here), the probably first-ever CPC-made receiver saw the light of day in late spring, 1929.
As he became dangerously exposed by the arrest and defection of a close co-worker, Li Qiang was sent to Moscow, out of reach of the Chiang regime, and continued his studies. He had been supposed to study at Moscow Oriental University, aka the Cominterns "Communist University of the Toilers of the East" where both KMT and communist cadres had been trained, at least until 1927. However, be it for real fear of treason, or be it to sideline a competitive comrade, Li Qiang, for his proximity to a defector, was badmouthed to a degree that he started his studies at a particularly radio-focused Russian school instead. He also changed his name, from Zeng Peihong to Li Qiang, as he has been known since.
Here for something completely different: Li Qiang working on photography in Russia
Here, we have the choice between two stories about how the rhombic antenna was invented. Wikipedia, via patents, suggests that it was Bell Telephone Laboratories as an organisation, and Harald T Friis as an inventor, in 1931.
The other story, quoted from Shanghai’s "Pengpai" news portal, goes like this:
"Li Qiang is no stranger to people working in the field of antenna research and development," a domestic engineer of communications systems told this paper. "I still remember clearly how, during our third year of antenna theory studies, our lecturer, while explaining the rhombic antenna, proudly told us that this antenna had been invented by Li Qiang, our country’s minister of foreign trade, during his young years in the Soviet Union. We also visited the rhombic antenna invented by Li Qiang, on the ground in Qian County, Shaanxi Province.
Obviously, Li Qiang may have "invented" the rhombic antenna without filing a patent, but chances are that a desire to flatter a party elder, and the nation, was the main driver of this little story. Irreverence towards tradition, as practiced by young Li, had long become a thing of the past: revolutionary history was something to be cherished at all costs.
For sure, Li Qiang rose to the position of deputy foreign trade minister in 1952, and to Minister of Foreign Trade in 1973. So 1952 marked the third time that he had to learn the ropes of a new trade. He retired in 1981, and died on September 29, 1996.
When Li Qiang is mentioned in the context of radio, one should not think of broadcasting, but rather of high-frequency telecommunications. Communist broadcasting in China is another story, and it most probably begins on December 30, 1940, from the village of Wangpiwan, about 19 kilometers northwest of the revolutionary Yan’an base.
But both telecoms and broadcasting, and frequencies as resources, are significant in China. Propaganda keeps the public aware of their importance, not least for current technological developments. Obvsiously, communication, besides guns and grenades, matters as a means of persuasion.

#China #Russia #shortwave #technology #telecommunication #USSR

#china #russia #shortwave #technology #telecommunication #ussr
DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2025-06-15 · 19:15 UTC

#Maine - #EasternTrail
"The Eastern Trail is a 62 mile multi-use, non-motorized greenway, that connects Bug Light in Casco Bay, South Portland to Kittery, Maine. Approximately thirty percent of the trail is off-road, and the trail is a part of the #EastCoastGreenway which will eventually connect #CalaisMaine to #KeyWestFlorida, approximately 3000 miles. The Eastern Trail is currently composed of 21 miles of off-road trails on the former Eastern Railroad bed with the remainder 41 miles on public roads.
"The entirety of the Eastern Trail is built to ADA standards. The trail surface varies between pavement and stone dust/gravel. Most of the trail is 10-12 feet wide, with some sections with an 8-foot width. There is a 30-inch opening between the bollards at entrances to keep out motorized vehicles, but wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs.
"The off-road section connecting Scarbrough to Saco privdes access to the 2200-acre Scarborough Marsh, which is Maine's largest salt marsh. Heading north on the trail from Pine Point (ME-9) or south from Eastern Road in Scarborough provides access to this 2.5 mile stretch of trail.
"Heading south from Pine Point Road, the trail crosses the York County and Cumberland County boundaries and users can walk/bike from Scarborough, through Old Orchard Beach to Saco, where the current-off-road trail ends at Thornton Academy in Saco, approximately 6 miles from the Pine Point kiosk.
"There are kiosks at 3 parking areas, that give some history and points of interest along the trail. For example, the Eastern Trail is built on the old Eastern #Railroad line that was built in 1840 and abandoned in 1945. Also, Charles Lindberg flew into the now abandoned Scarborough airport several times. And, a trestle once carried open air trolleys from the rail line to Old Orchard Beach for summer tourists."
Source and FMI:
https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/eastern-trail-saco-to-scarborough
Eastern Trail Guide (downloadable PDF and booklets): https://www.easterntrail.org/eastern-trail-maps/
#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #MaineByFoot #MaineByBicycle #Nature #SouthernMaine #AccessibleTrails #BikePaths #EasternTrail #AbandonedRailroads #RailsToTrails

#maine #easterntrail #eastcoastgreenway #calaismaine #keywestflorida #railroad
DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2025-06-15 · 19:15 UTC

#Maine - #EasternTrail
"The Eastern Trail is a 62 mile multi-use, non-motorized greenway, that connects Bug Light in Casco Bay, South Portland to Kittery, Maine. Approximately thirty percent of the trail is off-road, and the trail is a part of the #EastCoastGreenway which will eventually connect #CalaisMaine to #KeyWestFlorida, approximately 3000 miles. The Eastern Trail is currently composed of 21 miles of off-road trails on the former Eastern Railroad bed with the remainder 41 miles on public roads.
"The entirety of the Eastern Trail is built to ADA standards. The trail surface varies between pavement and stone dust/gravel. Most of the trail is 10-12 feet wide, with some sections with an 8-foot width. There is a 30-inch opening between the bollards at entrances to keep out motorized vehicles, but wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs.
"The off-road section connecting Scarbrough to Saco privdes access to the 2200-acre Scarborough Marsh, which is Maine's largest salt marsh. Heading north on the trail from Pine Point (ME-9) or south from Eastern Road in Scarborough provides access to this 2.5 mile stretch of trail.
"Heading south from Pine Point Road, the trail crosses the York County and Cumberland County boundaries and users can walk/bike from Scarborough, through Old Orchard Beach to Saco, where the current-off-road trail ends at Thornton Academy in Saco, approximately 6 miles from the Pine Point kiosk.
"There are kiosks at 3 parking areas, that give some history and points of interest along the trail. For example, the Eastern Trail is built on the old Eastern #Railroad line that was built in 1840 and abandoned in 1945. Also, Charles Lindberg flew into the now abandoned Scarborough airport several times. And, a trestle once carried open air trolleys from the rail line to Old Orchard Beach for summer tourists."
Source and FMI:
https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/eastern-trail-saco-to-scarborough
Eastern Trail Guide (downloadable PDF and booklets): https://www.easterntrail.org/eastern-trail-maps/
#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #MaineByFoot #MaineByBicycle #Nature #SouthernMaine #AccessibleTrails #BikePaths #EasternTrail #AbandonedRailroads #RailsToTrails

#maine #easterntrail #eastcoastgreenway #calaismaine #keywestflorida #railroad
DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2025-06-15 · 19:15 UTC

#Maine - #EasternTrail
"The Eastern Trail is a 62 mile multi-use, non-motorized greenway, that connects Bug Light in Casco Bay, South Portland to Kittery, Maine. Approximately thirty percent of the trail is off-road, and the trail is a part of the #EastCoastGreenway which will eventually connect #CalaisMaine to #KeyWestFlorida, approximately 3000 miles. The Eastern Trail is currently composed of 21 miles of off-road trails on the former Eastern Railroad bed with the remainder 41 miles on public roads.
"The entirety of the Eastern Trail is built to ADA standards. The trail surface varies between pavement and stone dust/gravel. Most of the trail is 10-12 feet wide, with some sections with an 8-foot width. There is a 30-inch opening between the bollards at entrances to keep out motorized vehicles, but wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs.
"The off-road section connecting Scarbrough to Saco privdes access to the 2200-acre Scarborough Marsh, which is Maine's largest salt marsh. Heading north on the trail from Pine Point (ME-9) or south from Eastern Road in Scarborough provides access to this 2.5 mile stretch of trail.
"Heading south from Pine Point Road, the trail crosses the York County and Cumberland County boundaries and users can walk/bike from Scarborough, through Old Orchard Beach to Saco, where the current-off-road trail ends at Thornton Academy in Saco, approximately 6 miles from the Pine Point kiosk.
"There are kiosks at 3 parking areas, that give some history and points of interest along the trail. For example, the Eastern Trail is built on the old Eastern #Railroad line that was built in 1840 and abandoned in 1945. Also, Charles Lindberg flew into the now abandoned Scarborough airport several times. And, a trestle once carried open air trolleys from the rail line to Old Orchard Beach for summer tourists."
Source and FMI:
https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/eastern-trail-saco-to-scarborough
Eastern Trail Guide (downloadable PDF and booklets): https://www.easterntrail.org/eastern-trail-maps/
#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #MaineByFoot #MaineByBicycle #Nature #SouthernMaine #AccessibleTrails #BikePaths #EasternTrail #AbandonedRailroads #RailsToTrails

#maine #easterntrail #eastcoastgreenway #calaismaine #keywestflorida #railroad
DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2025-06-15 · 19:15 UTC

#Maine - #EasternTrail
"The Eastern Trail is a 62 mile multi-use, non-motorized greenway, that connects Bug Light in Casco Bay, South Portland to Kittery, Maine. Approximately thirty percent of the trail is off-road, and the trail is a part of the #EastCoastGreenway which will eventually connect #CalaisMaine to #KeyWestFlorida, approximately 3000 miles. The Eastern Trail is currently composed of 21 miles of off-road trails on the former Eastern Railroad bed with the remainder 41 miles on public roads.
"The entirety of the Eastern Trail is built to ADA standards. The trail surface varies between pavement and stone dust/gravel. Most of the trail is 10-12 feet wide, with some sections with an 8-foot width. There is a 30-inch opening between the bollards at entrances to keep out motorized vehicles, but wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs.
"The off-road section connecting Scarbrough to Saco privdes access to the 2200-acre Scarborough Marsh, which is Maine's largest salt marsh. Heading north on the trail from Pine Point (ME-9) or south from Eastern Road in Scarborough provides access to this 2.5 mile stretch of trail.
"Heading south from Pine Point Road, the trail crosses the York County and Cumberland County boundaries and users can walk/bike from Scarborough, through Old Orchard Beach to Saco, where the current-off-road trail ends at Thornton Academy in Saco, approximately 6 miles from the Pine Point kiosk.
"There are kiosks at 3 parking areas, that give some history and points of interest along the trail. For example, the Eastern Trail is built on the old Eastern #Railroad line that was built in 1840 and abandoned in 1945. Also, Charles Lindberg flew into the now abandoned Scarborough airport several times. And, a trestle once carried open air trolleys from the rail line to Old Orchard Beach for summer tourists."
Source and FMI:
https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/eastern-trail-saco-to-scarborough
Eastern Trail Guide (downloadable PDF and booklets): https://www.easterntrail.org/eastern-trail-maps/
#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #MaineByFoot #MaineByBicycle #Nature #SouthernMaine #AccessibleTrails #BikePaths #EasternTrail #AbandonedRailroads #RailsToTrails

#railstotrails #abandonedrailroads #bikepaths #accessibletrails #southernmaine #nature
DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2025-06-15 · 19:15 UTC

#Maine - #EasternTrail
"The Eastern Trail is a 62 mile multi-use, non-motorized greenway, that connects Bug Light in Casco Bay, South Portland to Kittery, Maine. Approximately thirty percent of the trail is off-road, and the trail is a part of the #EastCoastGreenway which will eventually connect #CalaisMaine to #KeyWestFlorida, approximately 3000 miles. The Eastern Trail is currently composed of 21 miles of off-road trails on the former Eastern Railroad bed with the remainder 41 miles on public roads.
"The entirety of the Eastern Trail is built to ADA standards. The trail surface varies between pavement and stone dust/gravel. Most of the trail is 10-12 feet wide, with some sections with an 8-foot width. There is a 30-inch opening between the bollards at entrances to keep out motorized vehicles, but wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs.
"The off-road section connecting Scarbrough to Saco privdes access to the 2200-acre Scarborough Marsh, which is Maine's largest salt marsh. Heading north on the trail from Pine Point (ME-9) or south from Eastern Road in Scarborough provides access to this 2.5 mile stretch of trail.
"Heading south from Pine Point Road, the trail crosses the York County and Cumberland County boundaries and users can walk/bike from Scarborough, through Old Orchard Beach to Saco, where the current-off-road trail ends at Thornton Academy in Saco, approximately 6 miles from the Pine Point kiosk.
"There are kiosks at 3 parking areas, that give some history and points of interest along the trail. For example, the Eastern Trail is built on the old Eastern #Railroad line that was built in 1840 and abandoned in 1945. Also, Charles Lindberg flew into the now abandoned Scarborough airport several times. And, a trestle once carried open air trolleys from the rail line to Old Orchard Beach for summer tourists."
Source and FMI:
https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/eastern-trail-saco-to-scarborough
Eastern Trail Guide (downloadable PDF and booklets): https://www.easterntrail.org/eastern-trail-maps/
#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #MaineByFoot #MaineByBicycle #Nature #SouthernMaine #AccessibleTrails #BikePaths #EasternTrail #AbandonedRailroads #RailsToTrails

#maine #easterntrail #eastcoastgreenway #calaismaine #keywestflorida #railroad
Baltimore @[email protected] · 2025-03-27 · 21:08 UTC

Si la vida fuese materializable en su conjunto y la sajásemos, ¿qué tipo de sección quedaría? ¿Qué hallaríamos al estudiar sus capas y el modo en que interactúan?
Si abro los ojos no es real parece una respuesta temática y sonora a esa pregunta. Aunque el interrogante me brotó tras escucharlo un par de veces con los textos delante y no como pregunta filosófica surgida de la nada, las mejores.
Uno de mis tracks favoritos de Charli XCX es Visions. Romero inicia 'Si abro' con Visión, una intro preciosa que nos transporta a bandas sonoras animadas. En parte, este disco es muy visual. Visión es pertinente en todos los sentidos.
También hay algo de De niña a mujer. Tocotó recrea a una niña despreocupada, como debe ser. Y así lo transmite con el audio de cascos de caballos, la trotona base onírica y el final hablado de ella siendo niña en este corte radiante.
Y casi sin ganchos. Pocos vamos a encontrar en el disco. Daniel 2000 y Drummie, que son quienes se llevan el gato al agua (junto a un gran número de autores -hasta nueve aparecen en algún corte-), se preocupan, con Amaia, de melodías y letras antes que de petarlo en TikTok. Los temas se benefician de lo mejor de épocas pasadas y de hoy. Esto es arte, no mercadeo.
'La bienque' sale en dos cortes, uno el inesperado éxito old school Tengo un pensamiento. LBQ flojea, quizá Ana debiera mirar hacia Amaia para reencontrarse. Y ojalá Leire Martínez. Teo Planell también sale. Algo de Abraxas vive en el fondo de C'est la vie.
Nanai puede ser la mejor producción del álbum pero no encuentra su corazón. Al contrario que M.A.P.S., donde Romero da un salto de madurez respecto a Tocotó... con menos chispa técnica.
Fantasma y Ya está son los doppelgängers de Tocotó y Visión. Cierres de exquisitos arreglos e instrumentalización, de nuevo de BSO soñada, a la altura de la obertura, en uno de los largos del año.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzZSBIObHI
#popazo #music #musica #pop #nowplaying #amaia #nanai #siabrolosojosnoesreal #disco #album #lp

#popazo #music #musica #pop #nowplaying #amaia
David Tuller @[email protected] · 2025-02-20 · 19:01 UTC

A Letter to Cochrane’s Editor-in-Chief
By David Tuller, DrPH
This morning, I e-mailed the following letter to Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, Cochrane’s editor-in-chief, about the decision to abandon a planned update of a review of exercise therapy for ME/CFS. (I cc’d Toby Lasserson, Cochrane’s deputy editor-in-chief.) That decision was made public in an abrupt announcement dumped on the patient community right before the Christmas holidays. Cochrane appears to be oblivious to how its actions have harmed not only patients but its own reputation.
The subject line of the e-mail: “Request for withdrawal of review of exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome”
**********
Dear Dr Soares-Weiser—
In 2019, Cochrane published amendments to a previously conducted systematic review that recommended exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. [1] Given that post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a core symptom of what is now generally called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), recommendations to increase exercise can lead to serious relapses. [2]
When these amendments were published, you acknowledged some of the review’s shortcomings, noting in a statement that it was “based on a research question and a set of methods from 2002, and reflects evidence from studies that applied definitions of ME/CFS from the 1990s.” [3] The earlier ME/CFS definitions used in those trials did not require the presence of PEM, raising uncertainty about whether the study samples truly represent the patient population. To address these issues, Cochrane proposed a comprehensive process to produce an updated review.
In December, five years into this process, Cochrane blindsided the ME/CFS community with an abrupt announcement that it was abandoning the update project, citing “insufficient new research.” [4] The same month, Cochrane republished the old, amended version with a 2024 date, creating the false impression that the review itself had, in fact, been updated. [5]
The argument about “insufficient new research” cannot be taken at face value. The promise to update the amended review had nothing to do with the presence or absence of new research. Cochrane committed to the update project because the organization’s leadership understood that the published review was inadequate for multiple reasons, among them that it contained limited information about potential harms. Despite having articulated such concerns in the past, Cochrane has now reaffirmed its support for this flawed document while revising nothing but the date of publication.
The amended exercise therapy review continues to pose a risk to people with ME/CFS, including those with Long COVID who meet diagnostic criteria. [6] It should be withdrawn. Failing that, the review should be prominently tagged with an editorial note making clear that it is out-of-date and should not be used for clinical decision-making.
Sincerely,
Nicola Baker
Physios for ME
School of Allied Health Professions and Nursing
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, England, UK
Lucinda Bateman
Bateman Horne Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Jonas Bergquist
ME/CFS Collaborative Research Centre
Biomedical Centre
Uppsala University
Uppsala, Sweden
Hector Bonilla
Post COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) Clinic
Division of Infectious Diseases
Stanford Medicine
Stanford, California, U.S.
Robin Callender Smith
Centre for Commercial Law Studies
Queen Mary University of London
London, England, UK
Mario R. Capecchi
Department of Human Genetics
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Joan Crawford
Chronic Pain Management Service
St Helens Hospital
St Helens, England, U.K.
Jennifer Curtin
Real Time Health Monitoring
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Janet L. Dafoe
Child Psychologist (private practice)
Palo Alto, California, U.S.
David Davies-Payne
Department of Radiology
Starship Children’s Hospital
Auckland, New Zealand
Ronald Davis
Departments of Biochemistry and Genetics
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California, U,S.
Rae Duncan
Department of Cardiology
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, U.K.
Jonathan Edwards
Division of Medicine (emeritus)
University College London
London, England, U.K.
Valerie Eliot Smith
Centre for Commercial Law Studies
Queen Mary University of London
London, England, U.K.
Andrew Ewing
Department of Chemistry & Molecular Biology
University of Gothenburg
Gothenburg, Sweden
Mark Faghy
Biomedical and Clinical Exercise Science Research Theme
University of Derby
Derby, England, U.K.
Keith Geraghty
Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research
University of Manchester
Manchester, England, U.K.
Paul Guyre
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Geisel School of Medicine
Dartmouth
Hanover, New Hampshire, U.S/
Mady Hornig
CORe Community, Inc.
New York, NY, U.S.
Brian Hughes
Department of Psychology
University of Galway
Galway, Ireland
Leonard Jason
Center for Community Research
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

David Joffe
Respiratory and Sleep Medicine
Royal North Shore Hospital
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Binita Kane
Biomedical and Clinical Exercise Science Research Theme
University of Derby
Derby, England, U.K.
David Kaufman
Center for Complex Diseases
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Douglas Kell
Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, England, U.K.
Asad Khan
Consultant in Respiratory & General Medicine (medically retired)
Manchester, England, U.K.
Steven Lubet
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Ben Marsh
Consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability (medically retired)
Exeter, England, U.K.
Robert Naviaux
Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pathology
UC San Diego School of Medicine
San Diego, California, U.S.
Chris Ponting
Institute of Genetics and Cancer
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
Etheresia Pretorius
Department of Physiological Sciences
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, England, U.K.
David Putrino
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, U.S.
Peter Rowe
John Hopkins Children’s Center
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Spela Salamon
Long Covid Expert Advisory Group
World Health Network
Leoben, Austria

Charles Shepherd
ME Association
Buckingham, England, U.K.
Kristian Sommerfelt
Department of Clinical Science (emeritus)
University of Bergen
Bergen, Norway
Nigel Speight
Consultant Paediatrician (semi-retired)
Durham, England, UK
Michael Stingl
Neurology Department
Votivpark Specialist Medical Center
Vienna, Austria
John Swartzberg
Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology (emeritus)
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, U.S.
Susan Taylor-Brown
Department of Pediatrics
University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, New York, USA
Karl Johan Tronstad
Department of Biomedicine
University of Bergen
Bergen, Norway
Mark Vink, MD
Family and Insurance Physician
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
William Weir
Consultant in Infectious Diseases (private practice)
London, England, UK
Rob Wust
Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences
Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wenzhong Xiao
Ronald G. Tompkins ME/CFS Collaboration
Harvard Medical School Affiliates
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
David Tuller (corresponding author)
Center for Global Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, U.S.
**********
References
1. Larun L, Brurberg KG, Odgaard-Jensen J, Price JR. Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD003200. Accessed February 18, 2025, at: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub8/full
2. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021 Oct 29. Accessed February 18, 2025, at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206/resources
3. Cochrane. Publication of Cochrane Review: ‘Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.’ Cochrane website. October 3, 2019. Accessed on February 18, 2025, at: https://www.cochrane.org/news/cfs
4. Cochrane. Update on ‘Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.’ Cochrane website. December 16, 2024. Accessed on February 18, 2025, at: https://www.cochrane.org/news/update-exercise-therapy-chronic-fatigue-syndrome
5. Larun L, Brurberg KG, Odgaard-Jensen J, Price JR. Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2024, Issue 12. Art. No.: CD003200. Accessed on February 18, 2025, at: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub9/full
6. Vernon SD, Zheng T, Do H, et al. Incidence and Prevalence of Post-COVID-19 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Report from the Observational RECOVER-Adult Study. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2025. Accessed on February 18, 2025, at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-024-09290-9
**********
Disclosure: My academic position at the University of California, Berkeley, is largely supported by donations to the university via the campus crowdfunding platform from people with ME/CFS, Long Covid, and related disorders.
(View the original post at virology.ws)
#cochrane

#cochrane
Pagan Essentials @[email protected] · 2025-01-16 · 10:21 UTC
Imbolc 2025
Celebrating Imbolc 2025: A Festival of Light and Renewal
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Imbolc is a cherished festival with deep roots in ancient traditions. It marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Celebrated on February 1st or 2nd, Imbolc heralds the arrival of spring and symbolizes the return of light after the long, dark winter months. In 2025, Imbolc will be celebrated on February 1st.
Historical Significance
Imbolc comes from the Old Irish word “imbolg,” meaning “in the belly.” This signifies when ewes start to lactate and heralds the start of the agricultural year. This festival is often linked to Brigid. She is the goddess of fertility, healing, and poetry. Brigid embodies the themes of fire and light. As the days grow longer, Imbolc reminds us of the impending renewal of life. It also signals the awakening of the earth.
Rituals and Traditions
Imbolc is rich with rituals and activities that honor the returning light and the goddess Brigid. Here are some common practices:
- **Lighting Candles**: To symbolize the increasing light, it’s customary to light candles or a bonfire. This act serves as a way to invite warmth and illumination into your home.
- **Brigid’s Cross**: Crafting a Brigid’s Cross from rushes or straw is a traditional practice. This cross is hung in the home for protection and blessings.
- **Purification Rituals**: Many celebrate Imbolc by performing purification rituals, such as cleansing their homes with sage or water, symbolizing the removal of negativity and welcoming new energy.
- **Feasting**: Preparing and sharing a special feast with seasonal foods, such as dairy products, grains, and root vegetables, is a way to honor the earth and its gifts.
- **Brigid’s Bed**: Some create a special place for Brigid, often a bed adorned with white cloth and flowers, symbolizing her presence and blessings in the household.
- **Nature Walks**: As the first signs of spring begin to appear, a nature walk can be a beautiful way to connect with the earth and observe the emerging life.
Correspondences
Understanding the correspondences associated with Imbolc can enhance your celebration. Here are some key elements to consider:
- **Elements**: Fire and Water. Fire symbolizes inspiration and purification, while water represents the renewal of life.
- **Colors**: White, red, and green. These colors represent purity, fertility, and the budding earth.
- **Herbs and Plants**: Snowdrops, crocuses, and other early-blooming flowers are associated with Imbolc. Herbs like rosemary, mint, and thyme can also be used in rituals.
- **Stones**: Clear quartz, amethyst, and garnet are stones that resonate with the energy of Imbolc, promoting clarity and protection.
Conclusion
Imbolc is a beautiful celebration of light, renewal, and the promise of spring. As we gather to honor traditions, perform rituals, and connect with nature, we invite the warmth and growth of the coming season into our lives. Whether you choose to light candles, craft a Brigid’s Cross, or simply enjoy a feast with loved ones, Imbolc is a time to reflect on the light within and the potential that lies ahead in the year to come. Embrace this magical festival, and let the spirit of Imbolc inspire you!
🌛⭐️🌜
Imbolc Ritual for 2025
**Preparation:**
1. **Set the Space:** Choose a quiet space where you can perform the ritual. Cleanse the area by burning sage or sprinkling salt water.
2. **Gather Supplies:**
- A candle (preferably white or yellow)
- A small bowl of water
- A representation of Brigid (such as a statue, picture, or a handmade Brigid’s cross)
- Flowers or greenery (like snowdrops or willow branches)
- Incense (optional)
- A journal and pen
🌟
**Ritual Steps:**
1. **Create an Altar:**
- Place the candle in the center of your altar.
- Surround it with the flowers or greenery.
- Position the representation of Brigid and the bowl of water nearby.
2. **Light the Candle:**
- As you light the candle, say a few words of intention, such as:
“As the light returns, so does hope and renewal. I honor Brigid and invite her blessings into my life.”
3. **Invoke Brigid:**
- Take a moment to meditate on Brigid’s qualities: healing, poetry, and the forge. You may choose to recite a prayer or poem dedicated to her.
4. **Water Blessing:**
- Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and sprinkle a few drops around your space, symbolizing purification and new beginnings. You can say:
“With this water, I welcome renewal and clarity into my life.”
5. **Set Intentions:**
- Write down your intentions or goals for the upcoming season in your journal. Focus on what you want to nurture and bring to fruition.
– Once you’ve written them down, hold the paper over the candle flame (safely) to symbolize releasing your intentions into the universe.
6. **Closing:**
- Thank Brigid for her presence and guidance. Extinguish the candle, knowing that the light continues to grow as the days lengthen.
- If you like, you can keep the candle as a focus for your intentions throughout the season.
7. **Feasting:**
- Celebrate with a small meal or snack that includes dairy (symbolizing the lactating ewes), bread, and seasonal vegetables.
This ritual can be adjusted to fit your personal beliefs and practices. Enjoy the warmth and renewal that Imbolc brings!
#Bonfires #BookOfShadows #CandleMagick #Celebrations #Correspondence #Elements #Imbolc #Magic #Magick #Pagan #Ritual #Sabbats
#bonfires #bookofshadows #candlemagick #celebrations #correspondence #elements
Andy Arthur - Threadinburgh @[email protected] · 2025-01-15 · 10:00 UTC

Queen of the High Street: the thread about the life and times of Esta Henry

On this day (January 15th) in 1963, a small silver airliner with 45 people on board took off from Sao Paulo in Brazil en route for Rio de Janeiro. Moments later it plunged into the ground in the city’s suburbs, taking with it 13 lives. The last victim to be identified was that of Esta Henry, a renowned and somewhat eccentric Edinburgh antiques dealer; her husband Paul was at her side and perished too. Thus ended the final chapter in the colourful life of the lady the papers called the Queen of the High Street. Her surprising story now follows.
Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Convair 340 aircraft, registration PP-CDW, the plane that crashed in January 1963. CC-by Smithsonian Institution
She was born Esther Louis on July 3rd 1882 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Louie Louis and his wife Eveline (née Jackson). Her parents were Jewish, her father a 1st generation Prussian immigrant and her mother 2nd generation to Dutch and German parents. Like many Jews in Britain at this time, to integrate and protect themselves somewhat from anti-Semitism, they altered their names; Louie and Evelina were thus better known as John and Eva. He worked variously as a cobbler, a clothier and an auctioneer and the family moved frequently with his work between Sunderland and Scotland. The family moved to 2 Jane Street in Leith in 1884 where Louie opened an auction room in the Kirkgate. Alas tragedy was to strike the following year. When Esta was just 2 her father died from fever and pneumonia leaving his wife with 7 hungry mouths to feed and another on the way.
Esta’s immediate family tree.
Evelina and her entourage of children gravitated back to Wearside where she remarried in 1889 to Charles Goldman, a pawnbroker. Four half-siblings to Esta would follow and at the time of the 1891 census the enlarged family stayed in a small but prim end-terraced house at 4 Sorley Street in Sunderland. In her own telling of her story at this age the 9 year old Esta ran off to variously Edinburgh or Leith and sold door-to-door by barrow or bicycle to eke out a living, but we should take this with a very large pinch of salt as the records contradict the story and she made a habit of tweaking and embellishing tales of her life to suit circumstances. In 1901 they were at 12 Rutland Street in Sunderland, living above the family pawnbrokers. The 18 year old Esta was described as a General Dealer in the census; she was running a corner shop.
Rutland Street, Sunderland, 1929. Number 12, the Goldman shop and house is at the end of the row with the canopy, if you look very closely the pawnbroker’s sign is in the Goldman name. via Sunderland Antiquarian Society
But Esta did not stay put for much longer, by the next year we find her living at 156 Canongate in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter she married a 25 year old jeweller, Jack H. Henry of 30 Milton Street. But like her Father, Esta’s new husband was using an alias; he was actually born Joseph Henry Abrovich in Łódź, Poland. It suited him to keep details of his past deliberately obscure; he spent his life giving different dates (between 1869-79) and places of birth in official documents and was most frequently recorded as John but sometimes also Jacob. But he married Esta as Jack. His mysteriousness was necessary as he was leading a double life; he was actually a talented concert violinist, a member of the touring orchestra of Polish piano impresario Ignacy Paderewski (who would rise to become Prime Minister of his country). Jack had skipped town in Dublin when on tour in the 1890s in order to avoid returning home to compulsory military service for the Russian Empire. It was also a difficult time for the Polish Jews in general as they faced the Russian Pogroms and waves were emigrating west. Thus he ended up in Scotland; possibly via Glasgow where there were already Abrovichs resident.
“Jack H. Henry.” picture shared by his grandson, used with permission
Esta and Jack settled at the tenement at 170 Canongate and soon opened a jewellery shop at number 168. They moved into the back of the shop and began to raise a family together. Louis (Lou) was born in 1903, Philip (Philly) in 1904, Herbert (Bertie) in 1906 and Rosa (Rose) in 1908. While the Canongate was a down at heel neighbourhood at the time, one with much slum housing and a largely itinerant population that included many of the city’s poor and immigrants, they were doing well for themselves and advertised for a servant – “apply Mrs Henry” – in the newspapers.
Canongate in the late 19th century. On the left is the tower and clock of the Tolbooth, on the right the distinctive obelisk-topped gate piers of Moray House. The Henry shop and home is the lighter coloured tenement on the right hand side of the street. Beyond is the projecting gable of Huntly House; it is a neighbourhood steeped in Scottish history. Postcard, unknown artist. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
After 1910, the shop moved over the road to 183 Canongate, where a photo shows Jack standing proudly in the doorway amongst his door.
Jack Henry at 183 Canongate, photo from “Edinburgh Shops: Past and Present”, by Malcolm Cant, 2005
As they prospered, raising 3 children in the back of a shop ceased to be a necessity and they moved to a smart new, end-of-terrace, middle class villa at 1 Lismore Avenue in Willowbrae. It was here in 1918 that their ranks were joined by the birth of Henrietta (Bunty). By 1915 the shop had relocated up the Royal Mile to number 51 High Street, next to the well know building known as John Knox’s House. This was the ground floor of Moubray House, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the city, where Daniel Defoe had once lodged. It had recently been restored by the Cockburn Association and placed in the hands of a trust. Despite raising 4 children, Esta was clearly becoming more involved in the affairs of business as classified adverts are in the name of both her and Jack. By 1920 she is styling herself “Mrs Henry, Antique Dealer” in these.
“Unidentified Man and Children”, Alexander Wilson Hill, c. 1933. This the shop at 51 High Street and it is Jack Henry standing outside. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
The Henrys began to put money into property as shown in the 1915 and 1920 valuation rolls; a shop at 54 Hanover Street that would later be run by their son Louis, and the entire frontage of the High Street from 83 to 95. Two of these shop units they would use for themselves to hold more stock and others were let out. The 1921 census finds the family have moved on and up in the housing world again, now at a very large villa at 15 Mayfield Terrace in Newington. Louis Henry was following his father into the jewellery trade and Philip was training to become a dentist. Life was good but it was about to get better. In 1923 the Scottish newspapers reported the surprise visit of Queen Mary to the Henrys’ shop, where she spent an hour and bought many items, particularly Chinese curios. She was “greatly interested with both the collection and the premises” and shook hands with Esta and Jack as she left, promising to return. Her Majesty was true to her word and returned exactly one year later, buying “a score of articles” including a Louis XIV fan that had once belonged to Queen Victoria. She signed the visitors’ book and said that her purchases the previous year had been gifted to the West Kensington Museum.
Queen Mary leaving Henry’s on one of her many visits. Postcard, unknown artist. Via Canmore, SC 2649474 © Courtesy HES
The Queen was back again a year later, with over a dozen items bought, including a portrait believed to have been the property of Napoleon. The Henrys were invited to deliver the items in person to Holyroodhouse that afternoon and join the Queen for tea. They learned that some of the purchases were to stay there at the palace as part of its collection. The Queen thereafter returned almost every year on her visits to Holyrood, the newspapers reporting the purchase of items in 1927 and 1930 for Buckingham Palace and her personal collection. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princes Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Queen Margaret would carry on this royal tradition in later years and a whole section of wall in the shop was reserved for the display of their proudly framed cheques.
As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, Esta’s public profile was ascendant but Jack seems to have begun to step back somewhat from the limelight and into the shadows of the shop. In 1928 she stood for election to the Parish Council in the Canongate ward. Although she came second, there were two seats up for grabs and she was duly returned. Her election notices are the first time in print I could find where she is referring to herself as Esta, rather than just Mrs Henry. Her election was notable as she was the first Jewish woman to be elected to a public office in Scotland and also the press referred to her as Councillor Mrs Esta Henry, other married female councillors were referred to by their husband’s name, e.g Councillor Mrs Adam Millar. This is a public demonstration that she was very much her own woman.
Candidate picture of Esta Henry, Evening News, 7th November 1928
The following year civic Parish Councils in Scotland – which existed largely for the purposes of poor relief – were abolished and merged into the Town Councils. Esta stood as an independent for this latter body in 1929 but came 4th behind two Socialists and a Moderate candidate. She would stand again for the Town Council in 1931, 1933 and 1935. She made very clear in her election speeches, which were reported in the press, that her priorities were housing, housewives, child welfare and the treatment of the sick and poor. Women and children were always central to her campaigns and she was known to mobilise squads of them in the Canongate to carry her election materials and to parade around the polling stations. But despite her strenuous campaign efforts on a sensible platform, her public profile and her local popularity, as an independent female candidate she stood little realistic chance of election. Edinburgh was run by the very pale, male and stale Moderates who largely owned the Council’s seats – many of which they didn’t even need to contest – and it was only in a handful of wards where the Socialists could challenge them (to find out more about the political groupings of 20th century Edinburgh and how the election system worked, you can bookmark this thread to read later).
In between election campaigns and royal visits, in 1933 the Henrys commissioned a magnificent L-plan house in a Dutch Cape Colonial style that also incorporated the latest in Moderne tastes. This was Marchdyke at 50 Pentland Terrace on the outskirts of the city’s growing suburbs and it totally eclipsed the monotonous rows of middle class bungalows that were much in favour all around it. Completed in 1935 this 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom residence featured a Tudorbethan dining room, copious lounge and parlour, a terrazzo bathroom in a Roman style and in the basement a large garage for Jack’s cars, a wine cellar and antiques store. While many of the windows were in an ultra-fashionable fish scale style, the stained glass of the master staircase incorporated original 16th century Swiss and German panes from their collection.
Marchdyke, now known as Huntersmoon. Wilson Property Group, 2022 Property Listing – click here to see an archived copy with the full album of photos.
In the 1935 Town Council election, Esta had come third behind the Socialist Party candidate and another from the Protestant Action Society (PA). This party were extreme anti-Catholics who stood on a platform of “No Popery”. Their leader was the rabble-rouser John Cormack and his political stock was rising at the time. In 1934 his party got just 6% of the popular vote in the Edinburgh municipal elections and 1 seat; in 1935 they got 21% and 3 seats. The exact order of following events are not clear but at the 1936 election Esta was already intending to stand once again on her usual independent platform. John Cormack made it be known in the press that he was inclined to lend his support to her in the Canongate (where many Catholic Irish and Italians lived). Perhaps it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them“, but with just a week to go before polling, Esta Henry made the shock announcement that she was now standing as a Protestant Action candidate – “the Only Party who do Not Want R. C. Votes“. So late was this change that even on the eve of election some of the papers still reported her as an independent. She topped the ballot, beating PA’s primary candidate, and was duly elected as a Town Councillor at the 5th attempt. It was a good year for PA, they got 31% of the popular vote and won 6 seats. Indeed it was their apogee and they soon slumped into bitter infighting and electoral obscurity, leaving just John Cormack to solider on for decades as their only councillor.
Election adverts, Evening News, 31st October 1936
It’s never been clear just how committed Esta was to her new found political home – she certainly threw herself into public meetings on its behalf for a while, it being reported that she would stroll up and down the aisle, brandishing her umbrella at the audience. Realistically she may just have been desperate to get elected and chose the only other party than the Progressives (as the Moderates had re-branded) or Socialists with any chance of winning a seat. John Cormack was strongly criticised from within his own ranks for allowing a Jewish woman to stand on his platform – indeed much later in 1952 he organised pickets against her for suggesting public entertainments on Sundays at public meetings. She did not linger too long under his party whip and had resigned before the 1938 elections. She may have been made very uneasy with the association after a tumultuous public meeting in October 1937 in the Canongate Tolbooth. At this, her male PA colleague refused to answer questions directly and instead railed against Catholics to the boos and heckles of the crowd. Esta tried to make clear that she was there to fight the Socialists in politics but the audience deemed her guilty by association and turned on her too. Thereafter, she dedicated herself thereafter to public service for the Canongate in her own name. She would rise to become Convenor of the Baths and Washhouses Committee, a member of the Cleansing and Lighting Committee, the Streets and Buildings Committee and in 1941 was made JP (a Justice of the Peace, a lay magistrate in the lowest level of municipal courts).
Esta Henry commands the floor at a political meeting. Evening News, 8th February 1940
Esta found that her official role as a councillor fitted well alongside her personal philanthropic activities and she long described herself publicly as a Social Worker in the Canongate (although she frequently embellished the timescales somewhat). In 1931 she had formed the Edinburgh United Independent Association in the Canongate to run youth projects and raise money for the city’s Royal Infirmary hospital. Her attitudes were quite progressive and she recognised the need and value for activities and exercise for her district’s youth to keep them from being led astray and getting into trouble and for their general health. She was heavily involved in the Canon Club for Boys and Girls and formed an amateur dramatic society there.
The youth of the Canongate ward is my special care… I want to mother the young people – I have done it all my days – and to impress them with the same spirit that I have myself… Never to let go, to hold on to the good things of life, because they will be rewarded in the end, the same as I have been.
Esta Henry, 1936
She also put her money where her mouth was and provided trophies for local clubs. In 1936 she presented the first of many Esta Henry Cups to the men of the Trinity College and Moray Knox Club on Cranston Street, an organisation formed for unemployed men. It was for the man who scored highest in their games league of dominoes, billiards, draughts and other pastimes with which they occupied their enforced idleness. Another such cup was presented to the local Caledonian Football Club. In November 1937, the Lord Provost gave her a leave of absence from her duties to travel officially to South Africa, where she was to spend two and a half months investigating working class housing and town planning on behalf of the city. He provided her with letters of introduction but they probably weren’t necessary, she apparently owned a fruit farm in the country and her son Phillie had settled there as a dentist! On her return she reported back that she had “travelled many hundreds of miles by air” but that it turned out things in Scotland were far more advanced and better organised for the poor than they were in South Africa! At this time she was also becoming increasingly involved with the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, becoming a local committee member, and in 1939 she and the Lady Provost threw a Christmas dinner for its members in the Canongate Tolbooth.
Esta Henry (2nd left, in the beret) and the Lady Provost give a Christmas Dinner to the elderly of the Canongate in the Tolbooth. Evening News, December 22nd 1939
The year 1939 also brought the clouds of war to the High Street and municipal elections were suspended for the duration. As an incumbent councillor at the end of her 3 year term, Esta would have faced re-election in November that year. She now found herself with an extra six uncontested years added to her term of office and intended to make the most of this chance. She applied her single-minded determination, boundless energy and never-ending appetite for meetings and committees to the task at hand. And so it was that Councillor Esta Henry went to war. Interviewed shortly after the outbreak, she told the People’s Journal that there was no need to conscript women to the war effort as she had not met a woman in Edinburgh “who is not prepared to do whatsoever she is called upon to do“.
People’s Journal, 16th September 1939
One of her first acts, on behalf of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, was to campaign for government allowances for women dependent on the wages of their sons where these men had now been called up. In the Canongate she joined the local ARP (Air Raid Precautions civil defence force), turned her shop basement into an air raid shelter (her name is against it in the Valuation Rolls) and established a corps of 40 local women to act as fire pickets. Later, the Esta Henry Ambulance Section first aiders were also formed. She was soon putting on social events to help finance these activities and found herself placed in charge of the Entertainments Committee of the Lady Provost’s Comforts Fund. This latter organisation started out with the simple of aim of knitting kilt socks for soldiers of the Highland Regiments, as had been done in the 1914-18 conflict. Esta organised bridge parties to raise funds for buying the wool and offered up her house of Marchdyke as a suitable venue. In the Canongate she formed the local women in to work parties in the Tolbooth meeting hall, and arranged free entertainments to keep them amused as they knitted the socks. Soon she was organising mass balls; in February 1940 some 600 dancers packed out the Plaza dancehall in Morningside in a charity gala. At the Eldorado dancehall in Leith though it wasn’t dancing that she put on but boxing, a sport new to her but one that she had fallen in love with. There was nothing that she would not turn her attention to in the name of raising funds; charity auctions, raising pigs and Warship Week where she matched every £1 bond bought at a public rally with £1 of her own.
Esta Henry feeding pigs she was raising for charity sale. Evening News, 26th April 1940
Increasingly in the city centre on her ceaseless war work, getting to and from Marchdyke must have been proving an inconvenience as in 1941 she took possession of the flat in Moubray House above the shop and fitted it out as her own residence. She was also keen to demonstrate that old houses in the High Street could be rehabilitated for use without demolishing them. At the end of that year she paid for 800 local children to go to the cinema as a Hogmanay treat, a special programme being put on for them at the New Palace on the High Street. At the end of this screening she had new years resolutions projected onto the screen and had her audience promise en masse to be good children while their fathers were away and to help contribute to the war effort. 1942 saw the institution of the city Corporation’s Holidays at Home programme; municipal entertainments to keep people and children occupied over the summer holidays and try and reduce the temptation to travel. Esta organised outdoor public dances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens which were put on for 2 hours every Monday to Friday afternoon, admission 6d on the gate. She herself led off the first dance with the Lord Provost and was a regular attendee, encouraging and cajoling shy young men to get themselves a partner and join in.
Wartime dancing at the Ross Bandstand in 1945. Evening News photo, from “Living Memories” by Jennifer Veitch
There was more dancing organised by Esta Henry in 1943, as well as cycle racing at Meadowbank, mass picnics for mothers and children and – as Baths & Washhouses Committee Convenor – she arranged for Portobello outdoor swimming pool to be re-opened (some of its machinery had been removed for war use and the rest had fallen into disrepair) so that charity swimming and water polo galas could be held (the awards being more Esta Henry Cups). This also meant children and youths could go swimming in the holidays again – she was well aware that with many fathers away on service and mothers occupied with war work at home, juvenile delinquency as a result of bored children being left to their own devices was a real problem. At the end of that year she spoke at a meeting to form the East Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Committe when it was announced that British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Moseley had been released from jail.
In 1944 she instituted a scheme whereby service personnel in the city and groups of school children were invited to the City Chambers to attend meetings of the Town Councils as her guest. They watched the proceedings and afterwards could question her and other members about the mechanics of local government; she wanted to show how the Home Front was functioning, to connect people with the municipal authorities and to raise awareness of the acute difficulties faced by it at this time. That summer she pressed the Corporation to make the city’s now unnecessary civil defence resources available to house evacuee children from London in the face of the new V1 and later V2 terror bombing. Although the idea garnered wide support it ultimately came to nothing and she would latter press the city to instead give away its accumulated surplus of bunk beds, mattresses and blankets for free to those in need.
With the end of the war finally coming into sight she now turned her attention to the post war prospects. With the Rev. Selby Weight of Canongate Kirk she held public meetings for the Canongate Welcome Home Service Fund to plan for the reintegration of demobbed service personnel and provide comforts and necessities for them and their families. She joined the local Women for Westminster branch to try and get a woman MP elected for the city and repeatedly went on the record that providing for youths and children had to be central to the city’s postwar planning and foresaw the coming housing crisis in the Old Town (it had of course always been there to an extent, but it was about to get very acute). “My slogan is houses and more houses – housing priority!” she said, but she was also clear that it had to be done by reconstruction of existing communities, not by swinging the wrecking ball and scattering them to all the corners of the city. She also took a great interest in Portobello and joined a local campaign to improve the district after the war. Always one to put her money where her mouth was, at her own expense she commissioned plans and artists’ impressions for a scheme to turn “Edinburgh’s ugly sister” into a fashionable new sea-side resort and Garden City. This wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking, she successfully proposed it to the city authorities who had it approved by the Lord Provost’s Committee and included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1949 “Plan for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh” (you will find it on page 69 in glorious technicolour but with little additional detail). The realities of postwar economics and political priorities meant however that it would never get beyond the pages of that work.
Artist’s impression of Esta Henry’s scheme for post-war Portobello. Evening News, September 18th 1945
As the war drew to its close Esta found time to join yet one more committee, that of the League of Angry Wives. These were Scottish women who had married American servicemen and as “G.I. brides” wanted the right to join their husbands in that country. A resolution was passed and representations were sent directly to President Truman – by letter – and the First Lady – by telegram. A week later, Esta henry defended her seat, which she had now held for 9 years, at the ballot box but the winds of political change blew hard and she was comprehensively defeated by Labour candidates. This was despite her being presented with a pair of boxing gloves by her supporters and urged to “go on fighting“. After further defeats at the 1946 and 1947 elections she stepped back finally from politics, but not from life!
Esta Henry addresses the League of Angry Wives, Daily Record, October 29th 1945
In 1946 and 1947 she was a key organiser with the Scottish Housewives Association in an Edinburgh and Fife-based campaign against bread rationing. This culminated in her and Janet Neish of Kirkcaldy chasing the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade out of the North British Hotel and across the street to his car as he sought to avoid the combined fury of their sharp tongues! Never one to turn down a committee, she was also elected as the President of the Edinburgh branch of that organisation. 1947 had however started on a sad note for her as Jack Henry finally succumbed to long-term heart disease, leaving her a widow. It was around this time that the house at Marchdyke was sold. But Esta showed no signs of retiring from life to mourn and threw herself instead to yet another new activity; women’s football. She became the director of the Edinburgh Lady Dynamos, a team formed from core members of successful pre-war teams when the women’s game had enjoyed a brief spell of public popularity. Donating another Esta Henry Trophy to the cause it was likely that she paid for their kits too and she could be relied upon to turn her formidable oratory power at the authorities when they refused to allow the women to play in public grounds.
Edinburgh Lady Dynamos football team, late 1940s. CC-by-SA-NC 0084-003, via Edinburgh Collected.
Back row L-R is Esta Henry, Kitty Russell, Betty Rae, Agnes Whitelaw, Theresa Mulvie, goalkeeper Jessie Baillie, Nan Laurie, Babs McWhinney and Walter Caesar. Front row L-R is Eleanor Wilson, Betty Davidson (?), Linda Clements, Mary Leslie, Bet Adamson.
She had long been a local celebrity but in the year 1953, Esta Henry’s reputation went national on two accounts. Around the 27th of December 1952, a well dressed man entered her shop on the High Street and introduced himself as a Belgian art dealer, Paul Eugene Dillin. The pair quickly struck up a rapport and he soon confided in her that his identity was a front; he was actually a stateless Romanian Jew by the name of Pinchas Haimovici and had spent two and a half years in hiding in the Netherlands during the war. As he refused to sign a national oath pledging himself to Communism he was exiled from his country of birth and had no papers. It was at the recommendation of the renowned sculptor Benno Schotz, a prominent member of the Scottish Jewish community and whose wife came from the same village as him, that he had come to Edinburgh seeking art. Esta fell in love with the man then and there, despite an age gap of 21 years between them, and proposed to him on the condition that he took the name Henry. When he accepted she threw his fake passport on the fire and urged him to turn himself in and seek asylum so that they could be legally wed.
Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
Esta perhaps imagined naïvely that her reputation and connections would make it a mere formality and booked the couple a honeymoon trip to Madeira. However when the police were invited to the shop they instead charged Pinchas with offences for landing illegally in the country on false papers under the Aliens Act 1920 and he was sent to Saughton Prison. On December 31st he pled guilty at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh and was remanded for sentencing, which was deferred to give his solicitor a chance to arrange an application for Israeli papers and asylum so that he could travel there instead of being deported. After the hearing, Esta told the waiting reporters that she still intended to marry her “Prince Paul” (Paul Haemovitz was another alias he had used) but that she was going to go on the Honeymoon trip to Maderia anyway by herself as the stress of events would otherwise give her a stroke; the reporter noted that she was smoking at the time and confided she had smoked 100 already that day. The case rumbled on and on, the Israelis were being slow with the papers as apparently there was another Pinchas Haimovici on an Interpol watch-list, despite this being a common name in Romania, and he had to prove it was not him. The Sheriff in Edinburgh grew tired of the repeated delays and on March 13th 1953 he ordered Pinchas’ release. But no sooner had he left the courtroom than he found himself re-arrested; the Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe had finally signed a deportation order for him and he was sent straight back to Saughton. Esta told a waiting reporter from the Daily Mirror that if he was to be deported to Romania then she would join him there; “I’m only seventy, and fit enough to crash any of Stalin’s curtains”.
Pinchas petitioned the High Court in Edinburgh to avoid deportation and his case was heard on April 10th. As a declared anti-communist he told the court that he faced “torture and death” if returned to Romania. He also asked leave from court to marry Esta (who waved the papers she had ready to the court), but this request and his protests over his captivity fell on deaf ears and the case was adjourned. Back to Saughton Prison he went were Esta, with her lawyer Lionel Daiches, continued to visit him and made a habit of finding her way uninvited into the Governor’s office to protest more directly. The case was now being reported across the national and regional British newspapers and had become quite embarrassing for the Government. And so it was that the Home Secretary cancelled his previous order and on Friday 24th April 1953 Pinchas Haimovici was released and met by Esta with a pony and trap to drive him home and a brass band she had hired to serenade his freedom. The couple announced that they were to be married on the Monday morning and after a brief registry office ceremony, so they were. Esta insisted that they returned immediately to the shop to re-open for business but outside they were met by an immense crowd of well-wishers who lifted her into the air as they cheered for her and her husband. She lost her shoes in the process and the police had to attend to find the couple a path through the throng.
Esta and Pinchas are met by jubilant crowds of well-wishers in Hunter Square after their marriage. Daily Mirror, April 28th 1953
The crowd followed them all the way back to the shop where they posed for the press and thanked their well-wishers while Esta fumbled through the 20 different keys she kept for the various locks on the premises. They were back behind the counter and at work within an hour of their ceremony starting. The next day they took a taxi out to Saughton Prison and thanked the warders with wedding cake and champagne, Pinchas let the press know that they had treated him very kindly. A few days later he formally changed his name to Paul Henry in line with Esta’s prenuptial wishes.
Pinchas and Esta re-open the shop after wedding, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
To celebrate their union and to thank Benno Schotz for helping bring them together they commissioned him to produce a brass bust of them. Schotz insisted that Pinchas should be holding something in his hand and, knowing that Esta was immensely fond of rings, designed an Adam & Eve ring for the purpose. The finished work was unveiled to mark their first wedding anniversary as the centrepiece of an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street.
Unveiling the bust with Benno Schotz, 23rd April 1954. Paul is holding the ring in his hand.
Returning to the events of 1953, it was while her Prince Paul was still incarcerated that the other event took place that garnered national reporting for Esta; she was robbed! Perhaps she had been distracted by the events surrounding Paul’s case, but she allowed herself to be taken in by a group of well-organised confidence tricksters posing as American buyers. Having taken the time and effort to establish her routines and build up a rapport with her, they arranged a distraction and took their chance to steal jewellery that she valued at £20,000 from a lock box, £320 and $600 in cash and the pass books for her life savings. Esta told the press that amongst the items stolen was an amethyst fob which had once been part of the Hungarian crown jewels. Bits and pieces of the loot turned up in sale rooms afterwards and she was forced to buy them back at half of what the other dealer had paid for them; she was not impressed. The police eventually caught up with her trio of robbers due to their amateurish attempts to pass her stolen valuables off to on an antique dealer for far less than their actual worth. Roy Fontaine got 4 years for theft, Arthur Wooton 3 years for reset and George Ross-Wham had already been jailed on a separate offence by the time his sentencing came up. Fontaine was a career jewel thief, confidence trickster and blackmailer but Esta had found him charming and visited him in jail. She left money for him to try and start up a better life after he was released. This he tried, but it was not to be. It turned out that she may have gotten off lightly from Fontaine’s gang; he was actually the Glaswegian Archibald Hall who gained notoriety some 20 years later as a serial killer who the press dubbed the Monster Butler. His modus operandi was robbing and killing wealthy elderly and high-profile clients that he had worked his charm on to gain work as a butler. He was sentenced to life without parole in 1978.
Archibald Hall being taken to Jail, Daily Record, May 1978
Esta Henry would have one last high-profile adventure before settling down to a quieter married life keeping shop with Paul. In 1954 the Egyptian Junta let it be known that they were auctioning off part of the personal collection of art and objets accumulated by the now deposed King Farouk at the state’s expense. She told the press she was determined to bag herself a bargain and flew to Cairo to the auction at the Koubbeh Palace; they were there at Turnhouse Airport to wave her off. In Egypt, when the Sotheby’s auctioneer initially announced the lots only in French and Arabic she interrupted to protest – “English was good enough for Shakespeare, it should be good enough for these people”. He yielded to her request and began to also announce the lots in English. She next stopped proceedings to ask an Egyptian army major to bring her some tea; tea was brought. When asked not to smoke she refused and instead asked for one of King Farouk’s diamond-studded, gold ashtrays – an auction lot – be brought to her.
Esta Henry, glasses in hand, berates the auctioneer yet again. The other bidders seem much amused. Sphere, 20th March 1954
She eventually brought the proceedings into complete farce by repeatedly protesting when, at the behest of the Egyptian organisers, multiple auction lots were withdrawn, joint lots were split up and opening bids were significantly above the catalogue reserve price. The other bidders, and indeed the Sotheby’s auctioneers, were actually on her side – they too were less than impressed with how the sale was being conducted. When she eventually walked out, labelling the Egyptians “a bunch of twisters”, a number of fellow dealers followed her out. She was chased into the car park by the auctioneer and a senior Egyptian officer who begged her to return. Realising she had made her point, she acquiesced, and went back into the sale room where she publicly hugged and kissed the astonished auctioneer. She now stopped making a nuisance of herself and got down to the business of buying, eventually spending some £15,000 (c. £360,000 in 2025). She allowed herself one last moment of pantomime when, outbid on a 16th century Scottish clock, did jump up, grab the item from the auctioneer’s desk and announce to all that it was Scottish, she was Scottish and “I am going to have it!”. Her delighted fellow buyers let her have it. When she returned home, the gossip columnists and society magazines were waiting and she told them she was left with only the 2/6d in her pocket having spent the rest in Egypt. Her treasures arrived at the end of the following month, and she was met by both the press and by Customs to assess the haul.
Esta and Paul Henry demonstrate one of the Egyptian auction items to a customs officer and the press. Sunday Post, 2nd May 1954
Esta and Paul Henry spent a happy decade together behind the counter at 51 High Street surrounded by the antiques and art that had brought them together. Esta through numerous exhibitions at Moubray House and contributed rare pieces to others. She began to form plans to perhaps leave the house and the best parts of her collection to the nation. In 1960 a fellow Edinburgh antique dealer told the press that they probably had the best collection in the country inside their shop. For their 10th wedding anniversary the couple decided to take a long overdue honeymoon and booked a round the world trip, perhaps to acquire yet more pieces or perhaps with a view to scouting out somewhere warm to retire to.
Copy of Esta Henry’s entry card into Brazil, issued by the Consul General in London on 10th December 1962
It was for this reason that they were in Sao Paulo, en route to Rio de Janiero on January 15th when Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144 came down shortly after takeoff, killing them both. The long reign of the Queen of the High Street was over and the Brazilian authorities had her buried together with her Prince in Sao Paulo. Back home her vast collection of treasure that formed the bulk of her estate was split up and sold off. Her shop became home to a succession of trinket and tourist businesses but her flat above fared better, remaining in the care of the Cockburn association before being restored by a wealthy American benefactor and in 2012 gifted to the nation under the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
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Andy Arthur - Threadinburgh @[email protected] · 2025-01-15 · 10:00 UTC

The thread about Esta Henry; the life and times of the Queen of the High Street
On this day (January 15th) in 1963, a small silver airliner with 45 people on board took off from Sao Paulo in Brazil en route for Rio de Janeiro. Moments later it plunged into the ground in the city’s suburbs, taking with it 13 lives. The last victim to be identified was that of Esta Henry, a renowned and somewhat eccentric Edinburgh antiques dealer; her husband Paul was at her side and perished too. Thus ended the final chapter in the colourful life of the lady the papers called the Queen of the High Street. Her surprising story now follows.
Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Convair 340 aircraft, registration PP-CDW, the plane that crashed in January 1963. CC-by Smithsonian Institution
She was born Esther Louis on July 3rd 1882 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Louie Louis and his wife Eveline (née Jackson). Her parents were Jewish, her father a 1st generation Prussian immigrant and her mother 2nd generation to Dutch and German parents. Like many Jews in Britain at this time, to integrate and protect themselves somewhat from anti-Semitism, they altered their names; Louie and Evelina were thus better known as John and Eva. He worked variously as a cobbler, a clothier and an auctioneer and the family moved frequently with his work between Sunderland and Scotland. The family moved to 2 Jane Street in Leith in 1884 where Louie opened an auction room in the Kirkgate. Alas tragedy was to strike the following year. When Esta was just 2 her father died from fever and pneumonia leaving his wife with 7 hungry mouths to feed and another on the way.
Esta’s immediate family tree.
Evelina and her entourage of children gravitated back to Wearside where she remarried in 1889 to Charles Goldman, a pawnbroker. Four half-siblings to Esta would follow and at the time of the 1891 census the enlarged family stayed in a small but prim end-terraced house at 4 Sorley Street in Sunderland. In her own telling of her story at this age the 9 year old Esta ran off to variously Edinburgh or Leith and sold door-to-door by barrow or bicycle to eke out a living, but we should take this with a very large pinch of salt as the records contradict the story and she made a habit of tweaking and embellishing tales of her life to suit circumstances. In 1901 they were at 12 Rutland Street in Sunderland, living above the family pawnbrokers. The 18 year old Esta was described as a General Dealer in the census; she was running a corner shop.
Rutland Street, Sunderland, 1929. Number 12, the Goldman shop and house is at the end of the row with the canopy, if you look very closes the pawnbroker’s sign is in the Goldman name. via Sunderland Antiquarian Society
But Esta did not stay put for much longer, by the next year we find her living at 156 Canongate in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter she married a 25 year old jeweller, Jack H. Henry of 30 Milton Street. But like her Father, Esta’s new husband was using an alias; he was actually born Joseph Henry Abrovich in Łódź, Poland. It suited him to keep details of his past deliberately obscure; he spent his life giving different dates (between 1869-79) and places of birth in official documents and was most frequently recorded as John but sometimes also Jacob. But he married Esta as Jack. His mysteriousness was necessary as he was leading a double life; he was actually a talented concert violinist, a member of the touring orchestra of Polish piano impresario Ignacy Paderewski (who would rise to become Prime Minister of his country). Jack had skipped town in Dublin when on tour in the 1890s in order to avoid returning home to compulsory military service for the Russian Empire. It was also a difficult time for the Polish Jews in general as they faced the Russian Pogroms and waves were emigrating west. Thus he ended up in Scotland; possibly via Glasgow where there were already Abrovichs resident.
“Jack H. Henry.” Juliette Bird, via Ancestry
Esta and Jack settled at the tenement at 170 Canongate and soon opened a jewellery shop below at number 168. They moved into the back of the shop and began to raise a family together. Louis (Lou) was born in 1903, Philip (Philly) in 1904, Herbert (Bertie) in 1906 and Rosa (Rose) in 1908. While the Canongate was a down at heel neighbourhood at the time, one with much slum housing and a largely itinerant population that included many of the city’s poor and immigrants, they were doing well for themselves and advertised for a servant – “apply Mrs Henry” – in the newspapers.
Canongate in the late 19th century. On the left is the tower and clock of the Tolbooth, on the right the distinctive obelisk-topped gate piers of Moray House. The Henry shop and home is the lighter coloured tenement on the right hand side of the street. Beyond is the projecting gable of Huntly House; it is a neighbourhood steeped in Scottish history. Postcard, unknown artist. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
As they prospered, raising 3 children in the back of a shop ceased to be a necessity and they moved to a smart new, end-of-terrace, middle class villa at 1 Lismore Avenue in Willowbrae. It was here in 1918 that their ranks were joined by the birth of Henrietta (Bunty). 1914 saw them relocate the shope up the Royal Mile to number 51 High Street, next to the well know building known as John Knox’s House. This was the ground floor of Moubray House, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the city, where Daniel Defoe had once lodged. It had recently been restored by the Cockburn Association and placed in the hands of a trust. Despite raising 4 children, Esta was clearly becoming more involved in the affairs of business as classified adverts are in the name of both her and Jack. By 1920 she is styling herself “Mrs Henry, Antique Dealer” in these.
“Unidentified Man and Children”, Alexander Wilson Hill, c. 1933. This the shop at 51 High Street and it is probably Jack Henry standing outside. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
The 1921 census finds the family have moved on and up in the housing world again, now at a very large villa at 15 Mayfield Terrace in Newington. Louis Henry was following his father into the jewellery trade and Philip was training to become a dentist. Life was good but it was about to get better. In 1923 the Scottish newspapers reported the surprise visit of Queen Mary to the Henrys’ shop, where she spent an hour and bought many items, particularly Chinese curios. She was “greatly interested with both the collection and the premises” and shook hands with Esta and Jack as she left, promising to return. Her Majesty was true to her word and returned exactly one year later, buying “a score of articles” including a Louis XIV fan that had once belonged to Queen Victoria. She signed the visitors’ book and said that her purchases the previous year had been gifted to the West Kensington Museum.
Queen Mary leaving Henry’s on one of her many visits. Postcard, unknown artist. Via Canmore, SC 2649474 © Courtesy HES
The Queen was back again a year later, with over a dozen items bought, including a portrait believed to have been the property of Napoleon. The Henrys were invited to deliver the items in person to Holyroodhouse that afternoon and join the Queen for tea. They learned that some of the purchases were to stay there at the palace as part of its collection. The Queen thereafter returned almost every year on her visits to Holyrood, the newspapers reporting the purchase of items in 1927 and 1930 for Buckingham Palace and her personal collection. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princes Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Queen Margaret would carry on this royal tradition in later years and a whole section of wall in the shop was reserved for the display of their proudly framed cheques.
As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, Esta’s public profile was ascendant but Jack seems to have begun to step back somewhat from the limelight and into the shadows of the shop. In 1928 she stood for election to the Parish Council in the Canongate ward. Although she came second, there were two seats up for grabs and she was duly returned. Her election notices are the first time in print I could find where she is referring to herself as Esta, rather than just Mrs Henry. Her election was notable as she was the first Jewish woman to be elected to a public office in Scotland and also the press referred to her as Councillor Mrs Esta Henry, other married female councillors were referred to by their husband’s name, e.g Councillor Mrs Adam Millar. This is a public demonstration that she was very much her own woman.
Candidate picture of Esta Henry, Evening News, 7th November 1928
The following year civic Parish Councils in Scotland – which existed largely for the purposes of poor relief – were abolished and merged into the Town Councils. Esta stood as an independent for this latter body in 1929 but came 4th behind two Socialists and a Moderate candidate. She would stand again for the Town Council in 1931, 1933 and 1935. She made very clear in her election speeches, which were reported in the press, that her priorities were housing, housewives, child welfare and the treatment of the sick and poor. Women and children were always central to her campaigns and she was known to mobilise squads of them in the Canongate to carry her election materials and to parade around the polling stations. But despite her strenuous campaign efforts on a sensible platform, her public profile and her local popularity, as an independent female candidate she stood little realistic chance of election. Edinburgh was run by the very pale, male and stale Moderates who largely owned the Council’s seats – many of which they didn’t even need to contest – and it was only in a handful of wards where the Socialists could challenge them (to find out more about the political groupings of 20th century Edinburgh and how the election system worked, you can bookmark this thread to read later).
In between election campaigns and royal visits, in 1933 the Henrys commissioned a magnificent L-plan house in a Dutch Cape Colonial style that also incorporated the latest in Moderne tastes. This was Marchdyke at 50 Pentland Terrace on the outskirts of the city’s growing suburbs and it totally eclipsed the monotonous rows of middle class bungalows that were much in favour all around it. Completed in 1935 this 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom residence featured a Tudorbethan dining room, copious lounge and parlour, a terrazzo bathroom in a Roman style and in the basement a large garage for Jack’s cars, a wine cellar and antiques store. While many of the windows were in an ultra-fashionable fish scale style, the stained glass of the master staircase incorporated original 16th century Swiss and German panes from their collection.
Marchdyke, now known as Huntersmoon. Wilson Property Group, 2022 Property Listing – click here to see an archived copy with the full album of photos.
In the 1935 Town Council election, Esta had come third behind the Socialist Party candidate and another from the Protestant Action Society (PA). This party were extreme anti-Catholics who stood on a platform of “No Popery”. Their leader was the rabble-rouser John Cormack and his political stock was rising at the time. In 1934 his party got just 6% of the popular vote in the Edinburgh municipal elections and 1 seat; in 1935 they got 21% and 3 seats. The exact order of following events are not clear but at the 1936 election Esta was already intending to stand once again on her usual independent platform. John Cormack made it be known in the press that he was inclined to lend his support to her in the Canongate (where many Catholic Irish and Italians lived). Perhaps it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them“, but with just a week to go before polling, Esta Henry made the shock announcement that she was now standing as a Protestant Action candidate – “the Only Party who do Not Want R. C. Votes“. So late was this change that even on the eve of election some of the papers still reported her as an independent. She topped the ballot, beating PA’s primary candidate, and was duly elected as a Town Councillor at the 5th attempt. It was a good year for PA, they got 31% of the popular vote and won 6 seats. Indeed it was their apogee and they soon slumped into bitter infighting and electoral obscurity, leaving just John Cormack to solider on for decades as their only councillor.
Election adverts, Evening News, 31st October 1936
It’s never been clear just how committed Esta was to her new found political home – she certainly threw herself into public meetings on its behalf for a while, it being reported that she would stroll up and down the aisle, brandishing her umbrella at the audience. Realistically she may just have been desperate to get elected and chose the only other party than the Progressives (as the Moderates had re-branded) or Socialists with any chance of winning a seat. John Cormack was strongly criticised from within his own ranks for allowing a Jewish woman to stand on his platform – indeed much later in 1952 he organised pickets against her for suggesting public entertainments on Sundays at public meetings. She did not linger too long under his party whip and had resigned before the 1938 elections. She may have been made very uneasy with the association after a tumultuous public meeting in October 1937 in the Canongate Tolbooth. At this, her male PA colleague refused to answer questions directly and instead railed against Catholics to the boos and heckles of the crowd. Esta tried to make clear that she was there to fight the Socialists in politics but the audience deemed her guilty by association and turned on her too. Thereafter, she dedicated herself thereafter to public service for the Canongate in her own name. She would rise to become Convenor of the Baths and Washhouses Committee, a member of the Cleansing and Lighting Committee, the Streets and Buildings Committee and in 1941 was made JP (a Justice of the Peace, a lay magistrate in the lowest level of municipal courts).
Esta Henry commands the floor at a political meeting. Evening News, 8th February 1940
Esta found that her official role as a councillor fitted well alongside her personal philanthropic activities and she long described herself publicly as a Social Worker in the Canongate (although she frequently embellished the timescales somewhat). In 1931 she had formed the Edinburgh United Independent Association in the Canongate to run youth projects and raise money for the city’s Royal Infirmary hospital. Her attitudes were quite progressive and she recognised the need and value for activities and exercise for her district’s youth to keep them from being led astray and getting into trouble and for their general health. She was heavily involved in the Canon Club for Boys and Girls and formed an amateur dramatic society there.
The youth of the Canongate ward is my special care… I want to mother the young people – I have done it all my days – and to impress them with the same spirit that I have myself… Never to let go, to hold on to the good things of life, because they will be rewarded in the end, the same as I have been.
Esta Henry, 1936
She also put her money where her mouth was and provided trophies for local clubs. In 1936 she presented the first of many Esta Henry Cups to the men of the Trinity College and Moray Knox Club on Cranston Street, an organisation formed for unemployed men. It was for the man who scored highest in their games league of dominoes, billiards, draughts and other pastimes with which they occupied their enforced idleness. Another such cup was presented to the local Caledonian Football Club. In November 1937, the Lord Provost gave her a leave of absence from her duties to travel officially to South Africa, where she was to spend two and a half months investigating working class housing and town planning on behalf of the city. He provided her with letters of introduction but they probably weren’t necessary, she apparently owned a fruit farm in the country and her son Phillie had settled there as a dentist! On her return she reported back that she had “travelled many hundreds of miles by air” but that it turned out things in Scotland were far more advanced and better organised for the poor than they were in South Africa! At this time she was also becoming increasingly involved with the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, becoming a local committee member, and in 1939 she and the Lady Provost threw a Christmas dinner for its members in the Canongate Tolbooth.
Esta Henry (2nd left, in the beret) and the Lady Provost give a Christmas Dinner to the elderly of the Canongate in the Tolbooth. Evening News, December 22nd 1939
The year 1939 also brought the clouds of war to the High Street and municipal elections were suspended for the duration. As an incumbent councillor at the end of her 3 year term, Esta would have faced re-election in November that year. She now found herself with an extra six uncontested years added to her term of office and intended to make the most of this chance. She applied her single-minded determination, boundless energy and never-ending appetite for meetings and committees to the task at hand. And so it was that Councillor Esta Henry went to war. Interviewed shortly after the outbreak, she told the People’s Journal that there was no need to conscript women to the war effort as she had not met a woman in Edinburgh “who is not prepared to do whatsoever she is called upon to do“.
People’s Journal, 16th September 1939
One of her first acts, on behalf of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, was to campaign for government allowances for women dependent on the wages of their sons where these men had now been called up. In the Canongate she joined the local ARP (Air Raid Precautions civil defence force), turned her shop basement into an air raid shelter (her name is against it in the Valuation Rolls) and established a corps of 40 local women to act as fire pickets. Later, the Esta Henry Ambulance Section first aiders were also formed. She was soon putting on social events to help finance these activities and found herself placed in charge of the Entertainments Committee of the Lady Provost’s Comforts Fund. This latter organisation started out with the simple of aim of knitting kilt socks for soldiers of the Highland Regiments, as had been done in the 1914-18 conflict. Esta organised bridge parties to raise funds for buying the wool and offered up her house of Marchdyke as a suitable venue. In the Canongate she formed the local women in to work parties in the Tolbooth meeting hall, and arranged free entertainments to keep them amused as they knitted the socks. Soon she was organising mass balls; in February 1940 some 600 dancers packed out the Plaza dancehall in Morningside in a charity gala. At the Eldorado dancehall in Leith though it wasn’t dancing that she put on but boxing, a sport new to her but one that she had fallen in love with. There was nothing that she would not turn her attention to in the name of raising funds; charity auctions, raising pigs and Warship Week where she matched every £1 bond bought at a public rally with £1 of her own.
Esta Henry feeding pigs she was raising for charity sale. Evening News, 26th April 1940
Increasingly in the city centre on her ceaseless war work, getting to and from Marchdyke must have been proving an inconvenience as in 1941 she took possession of the flat in Moubray House above the shop and fitted it out as her own residence. She was also keen to demonstrate that old houses in the High Street could be rehabilitated for use without demolishing them. At the end of that year she paid for 800 local children to go to the cinema as a Hogmanay treat, a special programme being put on for them at the New Palace on the High Street. At the end of this screening she had new years resolutions projected onto the screen and had her audience promise en masse to be good children while their fathers were away and to help contribute to the war effort. 1942 saw the institution of the city Corporation’s Holidays at Home programme; municipal entertainments to keep people and children occupied over the summer holidays and try and reduce the temptation to travel. Esta organised outdoor public dances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens which were put on for 2 hours every Monday to Friday afternoon, admission 6d on the gate. She herself led off the first dance with the Lord Provost and was a regular attendee, encouraging and cajoling shy young men to get themselves a partner and join in.
Wartime dancing at the Ross Bandstand in 1945. Evening News photo, from “Living Memories” by Jennifer Veitch
There was more dancing organised by Esta Henry in 1943, as well as cycle racing at Meadowbank, mass picnics for mothers and children and – as Baths & Washhouses Committee Convenor – she arranged for Portobello outdoor swimming pool to be re-opened (some of its machinery had been removed for war use and the rest had fallen into disrepair) so that charity swimming and water polo galas could be held (the awards being more Esta Henry Cups). This also meant children and youths could go swimming in the holidays again – she was well aware that with many fathers away on service and mothers occupied with war work at home, juvenile delinquency as a result of bored children being left to their own devices was a real problem. At the end of that year she spoke at a meeting to form the East Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Committe when it was announced that British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Moseley had been released from jail.
In 1944 she instituted a scheme whereby service personnel in the city and groups of school children were invited to the City Chambers to attend meetings of the Town Councils as her guest. They watched the proceedings and afterwards could question her and other members about the mechanics of local government; she wanted to show how the Home Front was functioning, to connect people with the municipal authorities and to raise awareness of the acute difficulties faced by it at this time. That summer she pressed the Corporation to make the city’s now unnecessary civil defence resources available to house evacuee children from London in the face of the new V1 and later V2 terror bombing. Although the idea garnered wide support it ultimately came to nothing and she would latter press the city to instead give away its accumulated surplus of bunk beds, mattresses and blankets for free to those in need.
With the end of the war finally coming into sight she now turned her attention to the post war prospects. With the Rev. Selby Weight of Canongate Kirk she held public meetings for the Canongate Welcome Home Service Fund to plan for the reintegration of demobbed service personnel and provide comforts and necessities for them and their families. She joined the local Women for Westminster branch to try and get a woman MP elected for the city and repeatedly went on the record that providing for youths and children had to be central to the city’s postwar planning and foresaw the coming housing crisis in the Old Town (it had of course always been there to an extent, but it was about to get very acute). “My slogan is houses and more houses – housing priority!” she said, but she was also clear that it had to be done by reconstruction of existing communities, not by swinging the wrecking ball and scattering them to all the corners of the city. She also took a great interest in Portobello and joined a local campaign to improve the district after the war. Always one to put her money where her mouth was, at her own expense she commissioned plans and artists’ impressions for a scheme to turn “Edinburgh’s ugly sister” into a fashionable new sea-side resort and Garden City. This wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking, she successfully proposed it to the city authorities who had it approved by the Lord Provost’s Committee and included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1949 “Plan for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh” (you will find it on page 69 in glorious technicolour but with little additional detail). The realities of postwar economics and political priorities meant however that it would never get beyond the pages of that work.
Artist’s impression of Esta Henry’s scheme for post-war Portobello. Evening News, September 18th 1945
As the war drew to its close Esta found time to join yet one more committee, that of the League of Angry Wives. These were Scottish women who had married American servicemen and as “G.I. brides” wanted the right to join their husbands in that country. A resolution was passed and representations were sent directly to President Truman – by letter – and the First Lady – by telegram. A week later, Esta henry defended her seat, which she had now held for 9 years, at the ballot box but the winds of political change blew hard and she was comprehensively defeated by Labour candidates. This was despite her being presented with a pair of boxing gloves by her supporters and urged to “go on fighting“. After further defeats at the 1946 and 1947 elections she stepped back finally from politics, but not from life!
Esta Henry addresses the League of Angry Wives, Daily Record, October 29th 1945
In 1946 and 1947 she was a key organiser with the Scottish Housewives Association in an Edinburgh and Fife-based campaign against bread rationing. This culminated in her and Janet Neish of Kirkcaldy chasing the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade out of the North British Hotel and across the street to his car as he sought to avoid the combined fury of their sharp tongues! Never one to turn down a committee, she was also elected as the President of the Edinburgh branch of that organisation. 1947 had however started on a sad note for her as Jack Henry finally succumbed to long-term heart disease, leaving her a widow. It was around this time that the house at Marchdyke was sold. But Esta showed no signs of retiring from life to mourn and threw herself instead to yet another new activity; women’s football. She became the director of the Edinburgh Lady Dynamos, a team formed from core members of successful pre-war teams when the women’s game had enjoyed a brief spell of public popularity. Donating another Esta Henry Trophy to the cause it was likely that she paid for their kits too and she could be relied upon to turn her formidable oratory power at the authorities when they refused to allow the women to play in public grounds.
Edinburgh Lady Dynamos football team, late 1940s. CC-by-SA-NC 0084-003, via Edinburgh Collected.
Back row L-R is Esta Henry, Kitty Russell, Betty Rae, Agnes Whitelaw, Theresa Mulvie, goalkeeper Jessie Baillie, Nan Laurie, Babs McWhinney and Walter Caesar. Front row L-R is Eleanor Wilson, Betty Davidson (?), Linda Clements, Mary Leslie, Bet Adamson.
She had long been a local celebrity but in the year 1953, Esta Henry’s reputation went national on two accounts. Around the 27th of December 1952, a well dressed man entered her shop on the High Street and introduced himself as a Belgian art dealer, Paul Eugene Dillin. The pair quickly struck up a rapport and he soon confided in her that his identity was a front; he was actually a stateless Romanian Jew by the name of Pinchas Haimovici and had spent two and a half years in hiding in the Netherlands during the war. As he refused to sign a national oath pledging himself to Communism he was exiled from his country of birth and had no papers. It was at the recommendation of the renowned sculptor Benno Schotz, a prominent member of the Scottish Jewish community and whose wife came from the same village as him, that he had come to Edinburgh seeking art. Esta fell in love with the man then and there, despite an age gap of 21 years between them, and proposed to him on the condition that he took the name Henry. When he accepted she threw his fake passport on the fire and urged him to turn himself in and seek asylum so that they could be legally wed.
Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
Esta perhaps imagined naïvely that her reputation and connections would make it a mere formality and booked the couple a honeymoon trip to Madeira. However when the police were invited to the shop they instead charged Pinchas with offences for landing illegally in the country on false papers under the Aliens Act 1920 and he was sent to Saughton Prison. On December 31st he pled guilty at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh and was remanded for sentencing, which was deferred to give his solicitor a chance to arrange an application for Israeli papers and asylum so that he could travel there instead of being deported. After the hearing, Esta told the waiting reporters that she still intended to marry her “Prince Paul” (Paul Haemovitz was another alias he had used) but that she was going to go on the Honeymoon trip to Maderia anyway by herself as the stress of events would otherwise give her a stroke; the reporter noted that she was smoking at the time and confided she had smoked 100 already that day. The case rumbled on and on, the Israelis were being slow with the papers as apparently there was another Pinchas Haimovici on an Interpol watch-list, despite this being a common name in Romania, and he had to prove it was not him. The Sheriff in Edinburgh grew tired of the repeated delays and on March 13th 1953 he ordered Pinchas’ release. But no sooner had he left the courtroom than he found himself re-arrested; the Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe had finally signed a deportation order for him and he was sent straight back to Saughton. Esta told a waiting reporter from the Daily Mirror that if he was to be deported to Romania then she would join him there; “I’m only seventy, and fit enough to crash any of Stalin’s curtains”.
Pinchas petitioned the High Court in Edinburgh to avoid deportation and his case was heard on April 10th. As a declared anti-communist he told the court that he faced “torture and death” if returned to Romania. He also asked leave from court to marry Esta (who waved the papers she had ready to the court), but this request and his protests over his captivity fell on deaf ears and the case was adjourned. Back to Saughton Prison he went were Esta, with her lawyer Lionel Daiches, continued to visit him and made a habit of finding her way uninvited into the Governor’s office to protest more directly. The case was now being reported across the national and regional British newspapers and had become quite embarrassing for the Government. And so it was that the Home Secretary cancelled his previous order and on Friday 24th April 1953 Pinchas Haimovici was released and met by Esta with a pony and trap to drive him home and a brass band she had hired to serenade his freedom. The couple announced that they were to be married on the Monday morning and after a brief registry office ceremony, so they were. Esta insisted that they returned immediately to the shop to re-open for business but outside they were met by an immense crowd of well-wishers who lifted her into the air as they cheered for her and her husband. She lost her shoes in the process and the police had to attend to find the couple a path through the throng.
Esta and Pinchas are met by jubilant crowds of well-wishers in Hunter Square after their marriage. Daily Mirror, April 28th 1953
The crowd followed them all the way back to the shop where they posed for the press and thanked their well-wishers while Esta fumbled through the 20 different keys she kept for the various locks on the premises. They were back behind the counter and at work within an hour of their ceremony starting. The next day they took a taxi out to Saughton Prison and thanked the warders with wedding cake and champagne, Pinchas let the press know that they had treated him very kindly. A few days later he formally changed his name to Paul Henry in line with Esta’s prenuptial wishes.
Pinchas and Esta re-open the shop after wedding, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
To celebrate their union and to thank Benno Schotz for helping bring them together they commissioned him to produce a brass bust of them. Schotz insisted that Pinchas should be holding something in his hand and, knowing that Esta was immensely fond of rings, designed an Adam & Eve ring for the purpose. The finished work was unveiled to mark their first wedding anniversary as the centrepiece of an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street.
Unveiling the bust with Benno Schotz, 23rd April 1954. Paul is holding the ring in his hand.
Returning to the events of 1953, it was while her Prince Paul was still incarcerated that the other event took place that garnered national reporting for Esta; she was robbed! Perhaps she had been distracted by the events surrounding Paul’s case, but she allowed herself to be taken in by a group of well-organised confidence tricksters posing as American buyers. Having taken the time and effort to establish her routines and build up a rapport with her, they arranged a distraction and took their chance to steal jewellery that she valued at £20,000 from a lock box, £320 and $600 in cash and the pass books for her life savings. Esta told the press that amongst the items stolen was an amethyst fob which had once been part of the Hungarian crown jewels. Bits and pieces of the loot turned up in sale rooms afterwards and she was forced to buy them back at half of what the other dealer had paid for them; she was not impressed. The police eventually caught up with her trio of robbers due to their amateurish attempts to pass her stolen valuables off to on an antique dealer for far less than their actual worth. Roy Fontaine got 4 years for theft, Arthur Wooton 3 years for reset and George Ross-Wham had already been jailed on a separate offence by the time his sentencing came up. Fontaine was a career jewel thief, confidence trickster and blackmailer but Esta had found him charming and visited him in jail. She left money for him to try and start up a better life after he was released. This he tried, but it was not to be. It turned out that she may have gotten off lightly from Fontaine’s gang; he was actually the Glaswegian Archibald Hall who gained notoriety some 20 years later as a serial killer who the press dubbed the Monster Butler. His modus operandi was robbing and killing wealthy elderly and high-profile clients that he had worked his charm on to gain work as a butler. He was sentenced to life without parole in 1978.
Archibald Hall being taken to Jail, Daily Record, May 1978
Esta Henry would have one last high-profile adventure before settling down to a quieter married life keeping shop with Paul. In 1954 the Egyptian Junta let it be known that they were auctioning off part of the personal collection of art and objets accumulated by the now deposed King Farouk at the state’s expense. She told the press she was determined to bag herself a bargain and flew to Cairo to the auction at the Koubbeh Palace; they were there at Turnhouse Airport to wave her off. In Egypt, when the Sotheby’s auctioneer initially announced the lots only in French and Arabic she interrupted to protest – “English was good enough for Shakespeare, it should be good enough for these people”. He yielded to her request and began to also announce the lots in English. She next stopped proceedings to ask an Egyptian army major to bring her some tea; tea was brought. When asked not to smoke she refused and instead asked for one of King Farouk’s diamond-studded, gold ashtrays – an auction lot – be brought to her.
Esta Henry, glasses in hand, berates the auctioneer yet again. The other bidders seem much amused. Sphere, 20th March 1954
She eventually brought the proceedings into complete farce by repeatedly protesting when, at the behest of the Egyptian organisers, multiple auction lots were withdrawn, joint lots were split up and opening bids were significantly above the catalogue reserve price. The other bidders, and indeed the Sotheby’s auctioneers, were actually on her side – they too were less than impressed with how the sale was being conducted. When she eventually walked out, labelling the Egyptians “a bunch of twisters”, a number of fellow dealers followed her out. She was chased into the car park by the auctioneer and a senior Egyptian officer who begged her to return. Realising she had made her point, she acquiesced, and went back into the sale room where she publicly hugged and kissed the astonished auctioneer. She now stopped making a nuisance of herself and got down to the business of buying, eventually spending some £15,000 (c. £360,000 in 2025). She allowed herself one last moment of pantomime when, outbid on a 16th century Scottish clock, did jump up, grab the item from the auctioneer’s desk and announce to all that it was Scottish, she was Scottish and “I am going to have it!”. Her delighted fellow buyers let her have it. When she returned home, the gossip columnists and society magazines were waiting and she told them she was left with only the 2/6d in her pocket having spent the rest in Egypt. Her treasures arrived at the end of the following month, and she was met by both the press and by Customs to assess the haul.
Esta and Paul Henry demonstrate one of the Egyptian auction items to a customs officer and the press. Sunday Post, 2nd May 1954
Esta and Paul Henry spent a happy decade together behind the counter at 51 High Street surrounded by the antiques and art that had brought them together. Esta through numerous exhibitions at Moubray House and contributed rare pieces to others. She began to form plans to perhaps leave the house and the best parts of her collection to the nation. In 1960 a fellow Edinburgh antique dealer told the press that they probably had the best collection in the country inside their shop. For their 10th wedding anniversary the couple decided to take a long overdue honeymoon and booked a round the world trip, perhaps to acquire yet more pieces or perhaps with a view to scouting out somewhere warm to retire to.
Copy of Esta Henry’s entry card into Brazil, issued by the Consul General in London on 10th December 1962
It was for this reason that they were in Sao Paulo, en route to Rio de Janiero on January 15th when Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144 came down shortly after takeoff, killing them both. The long reign of the Queen of the High Street was over and the Brazilian authorities had her buried together with her Prince in Sao Paulo. Back home her vast collection of treasure that formed the bulk of her estate was split up and sold off. Her shop became home to a succession of trinket and tourist businesses but her flat above fared better, remaining in the care of the Cockburn association before being restored by a wealthy American benefactor and in 2012 gifted to the nation under the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

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Andy Arthur - Threadinburgh @[email protected] · 2025-01-15 · 10:00 UTC

The thread about Esta Henry; the life and times of the Queen of the High Street
On this day (January 15th) in 1963, a small silver airliner with 45 people on board took off from Sao Paulo in Brazil en route for Rio de Janeiro. Moments later it plunged into the ground in the city’s suburbs, taking with it 13 lives. The last victim to be identified was that of Esta Henry, a renowned and somewhat eccentric Edinburgh antiques dealer; her husband Paul was at her side and perished too. Thus ended the final chapter in the colourful life of the lady the papers called the Queen of the High Street. Her surprising story now follows.
Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Convair 340 aircraft, registration PP-CDW, the plane that crashed in January 1963. CC-by Smithsonian Institution
She was born Esther Louis on July 3rd 1882 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Louie Louis and his wife Eveline (née Jackson). Her parents were Jewish, her father a 1st generation Prussian immigrant and her mother 2nd generation to Dutch and German parents. Like many Jews in Britain at this time, to integrate and protect themselves somewhat from anti-Semitism, they altered their names; Louie and Evelina were thus better known as John and Eva. He worked variously as a cobbler, a clothier and an auctioneer and the family moved frequently with his work between Sunderland and Scotland. The family moved to 2 Jane Street in Leith in 1884 where Louie opened an auction room in the Kirkgate. Alas tragedy was to strike the following year. When Esta was just 2 her father died from fever and pneumonia leaving his wife with 7 hungry mouths to feed and another on the way.
Esta’s immediate family tree.
Evelina and her entourage of children gravitated back to Wearside where she remarried in 1889 to Charles Goldman, a pawnbroker. Four half-siblings to Esta would follow and at the time of the 1891 census the enlarged family stayed in a small but prim end-terraced house at 4 Sorley Street in Sunderland. In her own telling of her story at this age the 9 year old Esta ran off to variously Edinburgh or Leith and sold door-to-door by barrow or bicycle to eke out a living, but we should take this with a very large pinch of salt as the records contradict the story and she made a habit of tweaking and embellishing tales of her life to suit circumstances. In 1901 they were at 12 Rutland Street in Sunderland, living above the family pawnbrokers. The 18 year old Esta was described as a General Dealer in the census; she was running a corner shop.
Rutland Street, Sunderland, 1929. Number 12, the Goldman shop and house is at the end of the row with the canopy, if you look very closes the pawnbroker’s sign is in the Goldman name. via Sunderland Antiquarian Society
But Esta did not stay put for much longer, by the next year we find her living at 156 Canongate in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter she married a 25 year old jeweller, Jack H. Henry of 30 Milton Street. But like her Father, Esta’s new husband was using an alias; he was actually born Joseph Henry Abrovich in Łódź, Poland. It suited him to keep details of his past deliberately obscure; he spent his life giving different dates (between 1869-79) and places of birth in official documents and was most frequently recorded as John but sometimes also Jacob. But he married Esta as Jack. His mysteriousness was necessary as he was leading a double life; he was actually a talented concert violinist, a member of the touring orchestra of Polish piano impresario Ignacy Paderewski (who would rise to become Prime Minister of his country). Jack had skipped town in Dublin when on tour in the 1890s in order to avoid returning home to compulsory military service for the Russian Empire. It was also a difficult time for the Polish Jews in general as they faced the Russian Pogroms and waves were emigrating west. Thus he ended up in Scotland; possibly via Glasgow where there were already Abrovichs resident.
“Jack H. Henry.” Juliette Bird, via Ancestry
Esta and Jack settled at the tenement at 170 Canongate and soon opened a jewellery shop below at number 168. They moved into the back of the shop and began to raise a family together. Louis (Lou) was born in 1903, Philip (Philly) in 1904, Herbert (Bertie) in 1906 and Rosa (Rose) in 1908. While the Canongate was a down at heel neighbourhood at the time, one with much slum housing and a largely itinerant population that included many of the city’s poor and immigrants, they were doing well for themselves and advertised for a servant – “apply Mrs Henry” – in the newspapers.
Canongate in the late 19th century. On the left is the tower and clock of the Tolbooth, on the right the distinctive obelisk-topped gate piers of Moray House. The Henry shop and home is the lighter coloured tenement on the right hand side of the street. Beyond is the projecting gable of Huntly House; it is a neighbourhood steeped in Scottish history. Postcard, unknown artist. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
As they prospered, raising 3 children in the back of a shop ceased to be a necessity and they moved to a smart new, end-of-terrace, middle class villa at 1 Lismore Avenue in Willowbrae. It was here in 1918 that their ranks were joined by the birth of Henrietta (Bunty). 1914 saw them relocate the shope up the Royal Mile to number 51 High Street, next to the well know building known as John Knox’s House. This was the ground floor of Moubray House, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the city, where Daniel Defoe had once lodged. It had recently been restored by the Cockburn Association and placed in the hands of a trust. Despite raising 4 children, Esta was clearly becoming more involved in the affairs of business as classified adverts are in the name of both her and Jack. By 1920 she is styling herself “Mrs Henry, Antique Dealer” in these.
“Unidentified Man and Children”, Alexander Wilson Hill, c. 1933. This the shop at 51 High Street and it is probably Jack Henry standing outside. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
The 1921 census finds the family have moved on and up in the housing world again, now at a very large villa at 15 Mayfield Terrace in Newington. Louis Henry was following his father into the jewellery trade and Philip was training to become a dentist. Life was good but it was about to get better. In 1923 the Scottish newspapers reported the surprise visit of Queen Mary to the Henrys’ shop, where she spent an hour and bought many items, particularly Chinese curios. She was “greatly interested with both the collection and the premises” and shook hands with Esta and Jack as she left, promising to return. Her Majesty was true to her word and returned exactly one year later, buying “a score of articles” including a Louis XIV fan that had once belonged to Queen Victoria. She signed the visitors’ book and said that her purchases the previous year had been gifted to the West Kensington Museum.
Queen Mary leaving Henry’s on one of her many visits. Postcard, unknown artist. Via Canmore, SC 2649474 © Courtesy HES
The Queen was back again a year later, with over a dozen items bought, including a portrait believed to have been the property of Napoleon. The Henrys were invited to deliver the items in person to Holyroodhouse that afternoon and join the Queen for tea. They learned that some of the purchases were to stay there at the palace as part of its collection. The Queen thereafter returned almost every year on her visits to Holyrood, the newspapers reporting the purchase of items in 1927 and 1930 for Buckingham Palace and her personal collection. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princes Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Queen Margaret would carry on this royal tradition in later years and a whole section of wall in the shop was reserved for the display of their proudly framed cheques.
As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, Esta’s public profile was ascendant but Jack seems to have begun to step back somewhat from the limelight and into the shadows of the shop. In 1928 she stood for election to the Parish Council in the Canongate ward. Although she came second, there were two seats up for grabs and she was duly returned. Her election notices are the first time in print I could find where she is referring to herself as Esta, rather than just Mrs Henry. Her election was notable as she was the first Jewish woman to be elected to a public office in Scotland and also the press referred to her as Councillor Mrs Esta Henry, other married female councillors were referred to by their husband’s name, e.g Councillor Mrs Adam Millar. This is a public demonstration that she was very much her own woman.
Candidate picture of Esta Henry, Evening News, 7th November 1928
The following year civic Parish Councils in Scotland – which existed largely for the purposes of poor relief – were abolished and merged into the Town Councils. Esta stood as an independent for this latter body in 1929 but came 4th behind two Socialists and a Moderate candidate. She would stand again for the Town Council in 1931, 1933 and 1935. She made very clear in her election speeches, which were reported in the press, that her priorities were housing, housewives, child welfare and the treatment of the sick and poor. Women and children were always central to her campaigns and she was known to mobilise squads of them in the Canongate to carry her election materials and to parade around the polling stations. But despite her strenuous campaign efforts on a sensible platform, her public profile and her local popularity, as an independent female candidate she stood little realistic chance of election. Edinburgh was run by the very pale, male and stale Moderates who largely owned the Council’s seats – many of which they didn’t even need to contest – and it was only in a handful of wards where the Socialists could challenge them (to find out more about the political groupings of 20th century Edinburgh and how the election system worked, you can bookmark this thread to read later).
In between election campaigns and royal visits, in 1933 the Henrys commissioned a magnificent L-plan house in a Dutch Cape Colonial style that also incorporated the latest in Moderne tastes. This was Marchdyke at 50 Pentland Terrace on the outskirts of the city’s growing suburbs and it totally eclipsed the monotonous rows of middle class bungalows that were much in favour all around it. Completed in 1935 this 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom residence featured a Tudorbethan dining room, copious lounge and parlour, a terrazzo bathroom in a Roman style and in the basement a large garage for Jack’s cars, a wine cellar and antiques store. While many of the windows were in an ultra-fashionable fish scale style, the stained glass of the master staircase incorporated original 16th century Swiss and German panes from their collection.
Marchdyke, now known as Huntersmoon. Wilson Property Group, 2022 Property Listing – click here to see an archived copy with the full album of photos.
In the 1935 Town Council election, Esta had come third behind the Socialist Party candidate and another from the Protestant Action Society (PA). This party were extreme anti-Catholics who stood on a platform of “No Popery”. Their leader was the rabble-rouser John Cormack and his political stock was rising at the time. In 1934 his party got just 6% of the popular vote in the Edinburgh municipal elections and 1 seat; in 1935 they got 21% and 3 seats. The exact order of following events are not clear but at the 1936 election Esta was already intending to stand once again on her usual independent platform. John Cormack made it be known in the press that he was inclined to lend his support to her in the Canongate (where many Catholic Irish and Italians lived). Perhaps it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them“, but with just a week to go before polling, Esta Henry made the shock announcement that she was now standing as a Protestant Action candidate – “the Only Party who do Not Want R. C. Votes“. So late was this change that even on the eve of election some of the papers still reported her as an independent. She topped the ballot, beating PA’s primary candidate, and was duly elected as a Town Councillor at the 5th attempt. It was a good year for PA, they got 31% of the popular vote and won 6 seats. Indeed it was their apogee and they soon slumped into bitter infighting and electoral obscurity, leaving just John Cormack to solider on for decades as their only councillor.
Election adverts, Evening News, 31st October 1936
It’s never been clear just how committed Esta was to her new found political home – she certainly threw herself into public meetings on its behalf for a while, it being reported that she would stroll up and down the aisle, brandishing her umbrella at the audience. Realistically she may just have been desperate to get elected and chose the only other party than the Progressives (as the Moderates had re-branded) or Socialists with any chance of winning a seat. John Cormack was strongly criticised from within his own ranks for allowing a Jewish woman to stand on his platform – indeed much later in 1952 he organised pickets against her for suggesting public entertainments on Sundays at public meetings. She did not linger too long under his party whip and had resigned before the 1938 elections. She may have been made very uneasy with the association after a tumultuous public meeting in October 1937 in the Canongate Tolbooth. At this, her male PA colleague refused to answer questions directly and instead railed against Catholics to the boos and heckles of the crowd. Esta tried to make clear that she was there to fight the Socialists in politics but the audience deemed her guilty by association and turned on her too. Thereafter, she dedicated herself thereafter to public service for the Canongate in her own name. She would rise to become Convenor of the Baths and Washhouses Committee, a member of the Cleansing and Lighting Committee, the Streets and Buildings Committee and in 1941 was made JP (a Justice of the Peace, a lay magistrate in the lowest level of municipal courts).
Esta Henry commands the floor at a political meeting. Evening News, 8th February 1940
Esta found that her official role as a councillor fitted well alongside her personal philanthropic activities and she long described herself publicly as a Social Worker in the Canongate (although she frequently embellished the timescales somewhat). In 1931 she had formed the Edinburgh United Independent Association in the Canongate to run youth projects and raise money for the city’s Royal Infirmary hospital. Her attitudes were quite progressive and she recognised the need and value for activities and exercise for her district’s youth to keep them from being led astray and getting into trouble and for their general health. She was heavily involved in the Canon Club for Boys and Girls and formed an amateur dramatic society there.
The youth of the Canongate ward is my special care… I want to mother the young people – I have done it all my days – and to impress them with the same spirit that I have myself… Never to let go, to hold on to the good things of life, because they will be rewarded in the end, the same as I have been.
Esta Henry, 1936
She also put her money where her mouth was and provided trophies for local clubs. In 1936 she presented the first of many Esta Henry Cups to the men of the Trinity College and Moray Knox Club on Cranston Street, an organisation formed for unemployed men. It was for the man who scored highest in their games league of dominoes, billiards, draughts and other pastimes with which they occupied their enforced idleness. Another such cup was presented to the local Caledonian Football Club. In November 1937, the Lord Provost gave her a leave of absence from her duties to travel officially to South Africa, where she was to spend two and a half months investigating working class housing and town planning on behalf of the city. He provided her with letters of introduction but they probably weren’t necessary, she apparently owned a fruit farm in the country and her son Phillie had settled there as a dentist! On her return she reported back that she had “travelled many hundreds of miles by air” but that it turned out things in Scotland were far more advanced and better organised for the poor than they were in South Africa! At this time she was also becoming increasingly involved with the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, becoming a local committee member, and in 1939 she and the Lady Provost threw a Christmas dinner for its members in the Canongate Tolbooth.
Esta Henry (2nd left, in the beret) and the Lady Provost give a Christmas Dinner to the elderly of the Canongate in the Tolbooth. Evening News, December 22nd 1939
The year 1939 also brought the clouds of war to the High Street and municipal elections were suspended for the duration. As an incumbent councillor at the end of her 3 year term, Esta would have faced re-election in November that year. She now found herself with an extra six uncontested years added to her term of office and intended to make the most of this chance. She applied her single-minded determination, boundless energy and never-ending appetite for meetings and committees to the task at hand. And so it was that Councillor Esta Henry went to war. Interviewed shortly after the outbreak, she told the People’s Journal that there was no need to conscript women to the war effort as she had not met a woman in Edinburgh “who is not prepared to do whatsoever she is called upon to do“.
People’s Journal, 16th September 1939
One of her first acts, on behalf of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, was to campaign for government allowances for women dependent on the wages of their sons where these men had now been called up. In the Canongate she joined the local ARP (Air Raid Precautions civil defence force), turned her shop basement into an air raid shelter (her name is against it in the Valuation Rolls) and established a corps of 40 local women to act as fire pickets. Later, the Esta Henry Ambulance Section first aiders were also formed. She was soon putting on social events to help finance these activities and found herself placed in charge of the Entertainments Committee of the Lady Provost’s Comforts Fund. This latter organisation started out with the simple of aim of knitting kilt socks for soldiers of the Highland Regiments, as had been done in the 1914-18 conflict. Esta organised bridge parties to raise funds for buying the wool and offered up her house of Marchdyke as a suitable venue. In the Canongate she formed the local women in to work parties in the Tolbooth meeting hall, and arranged free entertainments to keep them amused as they knitted the socks. Soon she was organising mass balls; in February 1940 some 600 dancers packed out the Plaza dancehall in Morningside in a charity gala. At the Eldorado dancehall in Leith though it wasn’t dancing that she put on but boxing, a sport new to her but one that she had fallen in love with. There was nothing that she would not turn her attention to in the name of raising funds; charity auctions, raising pigs and Warship Week where she matched every £1 bond bought at a public rally with £1 of her own.
Esta Henry feeding pigs she was raising for charity sale. Evening News, 26th April 1940
Increasingly in the city centre on her ceaseless war work, getting to and from Marchdyke must have been proving an inconvenience as in 1941 she took possession of the flat in Moubray House above the shop and fitted it out as her own residence. She was also keen to demonstrate that old houses in the High Street could be rehabilitated for use without demolishing them. At the end of that year she paid for 800 local children to go to the cinema as a Hogmanay treat, a special programme being put on for them at the New Palace on the High Street. At the end of this screening she had new years resolutions projected onto the screen and had her audience promise en masse to be good children while their fathers were away and to help contribute to the war effort. 1942 saw the institution of the city Corporation’s Holidays at Home programme; municipal entertainments to keep people and children occupied over the summer holidays and try and reduce the temptation to travel. Esta organised outdoor public dances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens which were put on for 2 hours every Monday to Friday afternoon, admission 6d on the gate. She herself led off the first dance with the Lord Provost and was a regular attendee, encouraging and cajoling shy young men to get themselves a partner and join in.
Wartime dancing at the Ross Bandstand in 1945. Evening News photo, from “Living Memories” by Jennifer Veitch
There was more dancing organised by Esta Henry in 1943, as well as cycle racing at Meadowbank, mass picnics for mothers and children and – as Baths & Washhouses Committee Convenor – she arranged for Portobello outdoor swimming pool to be re-opened (some of its machinery had been removed for war use and the rest had fallen into disrepair) so that charity swimming and water polo galas could be held (the awards being more Esta Henry Cups). This also meant children and youths could go swimming in the holidays again – she was well aware that with many fathers away on service and mothers occupied with war work at home, juvenile delinquency as a result of bored children being left to their own devices was a real problem. At the end of that year she spoke at a meeting to form the East Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Committe when it was announced that British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Moseley had been released from jail.
In 1944 she instituted a scheme whereby service personnel in the city and groups of school children were invited to the City Chambers to attend meetings of the Town Councils as her guest. They watched the proceedings and afterwards could question her and other members about the mechanics of local government; she wanted to show how the Home Front was functioning, to connect people with the municipal authorities and to raise awareness of the acute difficulties faced by it at this time. That summer she pressed the Corporation to make the city’s now unnecessary civil defence resources available to house evacuee children from London in the face of the new V1 and later V2 terror bombing. Although the idea garnered wide support it ultimately came to nothing and she would latter press the city to instead give away its accumulated surplus of bunk beds, mattresses and blankets for free to those in need.
With the end of the war finally coming into sight she now turned her attention to the post war prospects. With the Rev. Selby Weight of Canongate Kirk she held public meetings for the Canongate Welcome Home Service Fund to plan for the reintegration of demobbed service personnel and provide comforts and necessities for them and their families. She joined the local Women for Westminster branch to try and get a woman MP elected for the city and repeatedly went on the record that providing for youths and children had to be central to the city’s postwar planning and foresaw the coming housing crisis in the Old Town (it had of course always been there to an extent, but it was about to get very acute). “My slogan is houses and more houses – housing priority!” she said, but she was also clear that it had to be done by reconstruction of existing communities, not by swinging the wrecking ball and scattering them to all the corners of the city. She also took a great interest in Portobello and joined a local campaign to improve the district after the war. Always one to put her money where her mouth was, at her own expense she commissioned plans and artists’ impressions for a scheme to turn “Edinburgh’s ugly sister” into a fashionable new sea-side resort and Garden City. This wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking, she successfully proposed it to the city authorities who had it approved by the Lord Provost’s Committee and included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1949 “Plan for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh” (you will find it on page 69 in glorious technicolour but with little additional detail). The realities of postwar economics and political priorities meant however that it would never get beyond the pages of that work.
Artist’s impression of Esta Henry’s scheme for post-war Portobello. Evening News, September 18th 1945
As the war drew to its close Esta found time to join yet one more committee, that of the League of Angry Wives. These were Scottish women who had married American servicemen and as “G.I. brides” wanted the right to join their husbands in that country. A resolution was passed and representations were sent directly to President Truman – by letter – and the First Lady – by telegram. A week later, Esta henry defended her seat, which she had now held for 9 years, at the ballot box but the winds of political change blew hard and she was comprehensively defeated by Labour candidates. This was despite her being presented with a pair of boxing gloves by her supporters and urged to “go on fighting“. After further defeats at the 1946 and 1947 elections she stepped back finally from politics, but not from life!
Esta Henry addresses the League of Angry Wives, Daily Record, October 29th 1945
In 1946 and 1947 she was a key organiser with the Scottish Housewives Association in an Edinburgh and Fife-based campaign against bread rationing. This culminated in her and Janet Neish of Kirkcaldy chasing the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade out of the North British Hotel and across the street to his car as he sought to avoid the combined fury of their sharp tongues! Never one to turn down a committee, she was also elected as the President of the Edinburgh branch of that organisation. 1947 had however started on a sad note for her as Jack Henry finally succumbed to long-term heart disease, leaving her a widow. It was around this time that the house at Marchdyke was sold. But Esta showed no signs of retiring from life to mourn and threw herself instead to yet another new activity; women’s football. She became the director of the Edinburgh Lady Dynamos, a team formed from core members of successful pre-war teams when the women’s game had enjoyed a brief spell of public popularity. Donating another Esta Henry Trophy to the cause it was likely that she paid for their kits too and she could be relied upon to turn her formidable oratory power at the authorities when they refused to allow the women to play in public grounds.
Edinburgh Lady Dynamos football team, late 1940s. CC-by-SA-NC 0084-003, via Edinburgh Collected.
Back row L-R is Esta Henry, Kitty Russell, Betty Rae, Agnes Whitelaw, Theresa Mulvie, goalkeeper Jessie Baillie, Nan Laurie, Babs McWhinney and Walter Caesar. Front row L-R is Eleanor Wilson, Betty Davidson (?), Linda Clements, Mary Leslie, Bet Adamson.
She had long been a local celebrity but in the year 1953, Esta Henry’s reputation went national on two accounts. Around the 27th of December 1952, a well dressed man entered her shop on the High Street and introduced himself as a Belgian art dealer, Paul Eugene Dillin. The pair quickly struck up a rapport and he soon confided in her that his identity was a front; he was actually a stateless Romanian Jew by the name of Pinchas Haimovici and had spent two and a half years in hiding in the Netherlands during the war. As he refused to sign a national oath pledging himself to Communism he was exiled from his country of birth and had no papers. It was at the recommendation of the renowned sculptor Benno Schotz, a prominent member of the Scottish Jewish community and whose wife came from the same village as him, that he had come to Edinburgh seeking art. Esta fell in love with the man then and there, despite an age gap of 21 years between them, and proposed to him on the condition that he took the name Henry. When he accepted she threw his fake passport on the fire and urged him to turn himself in and seek asylum so that they could be legally wed.
Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
Esta perhaps imagined naïvely that her reputation and connections would make it a mere formality and booked the couple a honeymoon trip to Madeira. However when the police were invited to the shop they instead charged Pinchas with offences for landing illegally in the country on false papers under the Aliens Act 1920 and he was sent to Saughton Prison. On December 31st he pled guilty at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh and was remanded for sentencing, which was deferred to give his solicitor a chance to arrange an application for Israeli papers and asylum so that he could travel there instead of being deported. After the hearing, Esta told the waiting reporters that she still intended to marry her “Prince Paul” (Paul Haemovitz was another alias he had used) but that she was going to go on the Honeymoon trip to Maderia anyway by herself as the stress of events would otherwise give her a stroke; the reporter noted that she was smoking at the time and confided she had smoked 100 already that day. The case rumbled on and on, the Israelis were being slow with the papers as apparently there was another Pinchas Haimovici on an Interpol watch-list, despite this being a common name in Romania, and he had to prove it was not him. The Sheriff in Edinburgh grew tired of the repeated delays and on March 13th 1953 he ordered Pinchas’ release. But no sooner had he left the courtroom than he found himself re-arrested; the Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe had finally signed a deportation order for him and he was sent straight back to Saughton. Esta told a waiting reporter from the Daily Mirror that if he was to be deported to Romania then she would join him there; “I’m only seventy, and fit enough to crash any of Stalin’s curtains”.
Pinchas petitioned the High Court in Edinburgh to avoid deportation and his case was heard on April 10th. As a declared anti-communist he told the court that he faced “torture and death” if returned to Romania. He also asked leave from court to marry Esta (who waved the papers she had ready to the court), but this request and his protests over his captivity fell on deaf ears and the case was adjourned. Back to Saughton Prison he went were Esta, with her lawyer Lionel Daiches, continued to visit him and made a habit of finding her way uninvited into the Governor’s office to protest more directly. The case was now being reported across the national and regional British newspapers and had become quite embarrassing for the Government. And so it was that the Home Secretary cancelled his previous order and on Friday 24th April 1953 Pinchas Haimovici was released and met by Esta with a pony and trap to drive him home and a brass band she had hired to serenade his freedom. The couple announced that they were to be married on the Monday morning and after a brief registry office ceremony, so they were. Esta insisted that they returned immediately to the shop to re-open for business but outside they were met by an immense crowd of well-wishers who lifted her into the air as they cheered for her and her husband. She lost her shoes in the process and the police had to attend to find the couple a path through the throng.
Esta and Pinchas are met by jubilant crowds of well-wishers in Hunter Square after their marriage. Daily Mirror, April 28th 1953
The crowd followed them all the way back to the shop where they posed for the press and thanked their well-wishers while Esta fumbled through the 20 different keys she kept for the various locks on the premises. They were back behind the counter and at work within an hour of their ceremony starting. The next day they took a taxi out to Saughton Prison and thanked the warders with wedding cake and champagne, Pinchas let the press know that they had treated him very kindly. A few days later he formally changed his name to Paul Henry in line with Esta’s prenuptial wishes.
Pinchas and Esta re-open the shop after wedding, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
To celebrate their union and to thank Benno Schotz for helping bring them together they commissioned him to produce a brass bust of them. Schotz insisted that Pinchas should be holding something in his hand and, knowing that Esta was immensely fond of rings, designed an Adam & Eve ring for the purpose. The finished work was unveiled to mark their first wedding anniversary as the centrepiece of an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street.
Unveiling the bust with Benno Schotz, 23rd April 1954. Paul is holding the ring in his hand.
Returning to the events of 1953, it was while her Prince Paul was still incarcerated that the other event took place that garnered national reporting for Esta; she was robbed! Perhaps she had been distracted by the events surrounding Paul’s case, but she allowed herself to be taken in by a group of well-organised confidence tricksters posing as American buyers. Having taken the time and effort to establish her routines and build up a rapport with her, they arranged a distraction and took their chance to steal jewellery that she valued at £20,000 from a lock box, £320 and $600 in cash and the pass books for her life savings. Esta told the press that amongst the items stolen was an amethyst fob which had once been part of the Hungarian crown jewels. Bits and pieces of the loot turned up in sale rooms afterwards and she was forced to buy them back at half of what the other dealer had paid for them; she was not impressed. The police eventually caught up with her trio of robbers due to their amateurish attempts to pass her stolen valuables off to on an antique dealer for far less than their actual worth. Roy Fontaine got 4 years for theft, Arthur Wooton 3 years for reset and George Ross-Wham had already been jailed on a separate offence by the time his sentencing came up. Fontaine was a career jewel thief, confidence trickster and blackmailer but Esta had found him charming and visited him in jail. She left money for him to try and start up a better life after he was released. This he tried, but it was not to be. It turned out that she may have gotten off lightly from Fontaine’s gang; he was actually the Glaswegian Archibald Hall who gained notoriety some 20 years later as a serial killer who the press dubbed the Monster Butler. His modus operandi was robbing and killing wealthy elderly and high-profile clients that he had worked his charm on to gain work as a butler. He was sentenced to life without parole in 1978.
Archibald Hall being taken to Jail, Daily Record, May 1978
Esta Henry would have one last high-profile adventure before settling down to a quieter married life keeping shop with Paul. In 1954 the Egyptian Junta let it be known that they were auctioning off part of the personal collection of art and objets accumulated by the now deposed King Farouk at the state’s expense. She told the press she was determined to bag herself a bargain and flew to Cairo to the auction at the Koubbeh Palace; they were there at Turnhouse Airport to wave her off. In Egypt, when the Sotheby’s auctioneer initially announced the lots only in French and Arabic she interrupted to protest – “English was good enough for Shakespeare, it should be good enough for these people”. He yielded to her request and began to also announce the lots in English. She next stopped proceedings to ask an Egyptian army major to bring her some tea; tea was brought. When asked not to smoke she refused and instead asked for one of King Farouk’s diamond-studded, gold ashtrays – an auction lot – be brought to her.
Esta Henry, glasses in hand, berates the auctioneer yet again. The other bidders seem much amused. Sphere, 20th March 1954
She eventually brought the proceedings into complete farce by repeatedly protesting when, at the behest of the Egyptian organisers, multiple auction lots were withdrawn, joint lots were split up and opening bids were significantly above the catalogue reserve price. The other bidders, and indeed the Sotheby’s auctioneers, were actually on her side – they too were less than impressed with how the sale was being conducted. When she eventually walked out, labelling the Egyptians “a bunch of twisters”, a number of fellow dealers followed her out. She was chased into the car park by the auctioneer and a senior Egyptian officer who begged her to return. Realising she had made her point, she acquiesced, and went back into the sale room where she publicly hugged and kissed the astonished auctioneer. She now stopped making a nuisance of herself and got down to the business of buying, eventually spending some £15,000 (c. £360,000 in 2025). She allowed herself one last moment of pantomime when, outbid on a 16th century Scottish clock, did jump up, grab the item from the auctioneer’s desk and announce to all that it was Scottish, she was Scottish and “I am going to have it!”. Her delighted fellow buyers let her have it. When she returned home, the gossip columnists and society magazines were waiting and she told them she was left with only the 2/6d in her pocket having spent the rest in Egypt. Her treasures arrived at the end of the following month, and she was met by both the press and by Customs to assess the haul.
Esta and Paul Henry demonstrate one of the Egyptian auction items to a customs officer and the press. Sunday Post, 2nd May 1954
Esta and Paul Henry spent a happy decade together behind the counter at 51 High Street surrounded by the antiques and art that had brought them together. Esta through numerous exhibitions at Moubray House and contributed rare pieces to others. She began to form plans to perhaps leave the house and the best parts of her collection to the nation. In 1960 a fellow Edinburgh antique dealer told the press that they probably had the best collection in the country inside their shop. For their 10th wedding anniversary the couple decided to take a long overdue honeymoon and booked a round the world trip, perhaps to acquire yet more pieces or perhaps with a view to scouting out somewhere warm to retire to.
Copy of Esta Henry’s entry card into Brazil, issued by the Consul General in London on 10th December 1962
It was for this reason that they were in Sao Paulo, en route to Rio de Janiero on January 15th when Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144 came down shortly after takeoff, killing them both. The long reign of the Queen of the High Street was over and the Brazilian authorities had her buried together with her Prince in Sao Paulo. Back home her vast collection of treasure that formed the bulk of her estate was split up and sold off. Her shop became home to a succession of trinket and tourist businesses but her flat above fared better, remaining in the care of the Cockburn association before being restored by a wealthy American benefactor and in 2012 gifted to the nation under the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

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Andy Arthur - Threadinburgh @[email protected] · 2025-01-15 · 10:00 UTC

The thread about Esta Henry; the life and times of the Queen of the High Street
On this day (January 15th) in 1963, a small silver airliner with 45 people on board took off from Sao Paulo in Brazil en route for Rio de Janeiro. Moments later it plunged into the ground in the city’s suburbs, taking with it 13 lives. The last victim to be identified was that of Esta Henry, a renowned and somewhat eccentric Edinburgh antiques dealer; her husband Paul was at her side and perished too. Thus ended the final chapter in the colourful life of the lady the papers called the Queen of the High Street. Her surprising story now follows.
Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Convair 340 aircraft, registration PP-CDW, the plane that crashed in January 1963. CC-by Smithsonian Institution
She was born Esther Louis on July 3rd 1882 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Louie Louis and his wife Eveline (née Jackson). Her parents were Jewish, her father a 1st generation Prussian immigrant and her mother 2nd generation to Dutch and German parents. Like many Jews in Britain at this time, to integrate and protect themselves somewhat from anti-Semitism, they altered their names; Louie and Evelina were thus better known as John and Eva. He worked variously as a cobbler, a clothier and an auctioneer and the family moved frequently with his work between Sunderland and Scotland. The family moved to 2 Jane Street in Leith in 1884 where Louie opened an auction room in the Kirkgate. Alas tragedy was to strike the following year. When Esta was just 2 her father died from fever and pneumonia leaving his wife with 7 hungry mouths to feed and another on the way.
Esta’s immediate family tree.
Evelina and her entourage of children gravitated back to Wearside where she remarried in 1889 to Charles Goldman, a pawnbroker. Four half-siblings to Esta would follow and at the time of the 1891 census the enlarged family stayed in a small but prim end-terraced house at 4 Sorley Street in Sunderland. In her own telling of her story at this age the 9 year old Esta ran off to variously Edinburgh or Leith and sold door-to-door by barrow or bicycle to eke out a living, but we should take this with a very large pinch of salt as the records contradict the story and she made a habit of tweaking and embellishing tales of her life to suit circumstances. In 1901 they were at 12 Rutland Street in Sunderland, living above the family pawnbrokers. The 18 year old Esta was described as a General Dealer in the census; she was running a corner shop.
Rutland Street, Sunderland, 1929. Number 12, the Goldman shop and house is at the end of the row with the canopy, if you look very closes the pawnbroker’s sign is in the Goldman name. via Sunderland Antiquarian Society
But Esta did not stay put for much longer, by the next year we find her living at 156 Canongate in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter she married a 25 year old jeweller, Jack H. Henry of 30 Milton Street. But like her Father, Esta’s new husband was using an alias; he was actually born Joseph Henry Abrovich in Łódź, Poland. It suited him to keep details of his past deliberately obscure; he spent his life giving different dates (between 1869-79) and places of birth in official documents and was most frequently recorded as John but sometimes also Jacob. But he married Esta as Jack. His mysteriousness was necessary as he was leading a double life; he was actually a talented concert violinist, a member of the touring orchestra of Polish piano impresario Ignacy Paderewski (who would rise to become Prime Minister of his country). Jack had skipped town in Dublin when on tour in the 1890s in order to avoid returning home to compulsory military service for the Russian Empire. It was also a difficult time for the Polish Jews in general as they faced the Russian Pogroms and waves were emigrating west. Thus he ended up in Scotland; possibly via Glasgow where there were already Abrovichs resident.
“Jack H. Henry.” Juliette Bird, via Ancestry
Esta and Jack settled at the tenement at 170 Canongate and soon opened a jewellery shop below at number 168. They moved into the back of the shop and began to raise a family together. Louis (Lou) was born in 1903, Philip (Philly) in 1904, Herbert (Bertie) in 1906 and Rosa (Rose) in 1908. While the Canongate was a down at heel neighbourhood at the time, one with much slum housing and a largely itinerant population that included many of the city’s poor and immigrants, they were doing well for themselves and advertised for a servant – “apply Mrs Henry” – in the newspapers.
Canongate in the late 19th century. On the left is the tower and clock of the Tolbooth, on the right the distinctive obelisk-topped gate piers of Moray House. The Henry shop and home is the lighter coloured tenement on the right hand side of the street. Beyond is the projecting gable of Huntly House; it is a neighbourhood steeped in Scottish history. Postcard, unknown artist. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
As they prospered, raising 3 children in the back of a shop ceased to be a necessity and they moved to a smart new, end-of-terrace, middle class villa at 1 Lismore Avenue in Willowbrae. It was here in 1918 that their ranks were joined by the birth of Henrietta (Bunty). 1914 saw them relocate the shope up the Royal Mile to number 51 High Street, next to the well know building known as John Knox’s House. This was the ground floor of Moubray House, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the city, where Daniel Defoe had once lodged. It had recently been restored by the Cockburn Association and placed in the hands of a trust. Despite raising 4 children, Esta was clearly becoming more involved in the affairs of business as classified adverts are in the name of both her and Jack. By 1920 she is styling herself “Mrs Henry, Antique Dealer” in these.
“Unidentified Man and Children”, Alexander Wilson Hill, c. 1933. This the shop at 51 High Street and it is probably Jack Henry standing outside. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
The 1921 census finds the family have moved on and up in the housing world again, now at a very large villa at 15 Mayfield Terrace in Newington. Louis Henry was following his father into the jewellery trade and Philip was training to become a dentist. Life was good but it was about to get better. In 1923 the Scottish newspapers reported the surprise visit of Queen Mary to the Henrys’ shop, where she spent an hour and bought many items, particularly Chinese curios. She was “greatly interested with both the collection and the premises” and shook hands with Esta and Jack as she left, promising to return. Her Majesty was true to her word and returned exactly one year later, buying “a score of articles” including a Louis XIV fan that had once belonged to Queen Victoria. She signed the visitors’ book and said that her purchases the previous year had been gifted to the West Kensington Museum.
Queen Mary leaving Henry’s on one of her many visits. Postcard, unknown artist. Via Canmore, SC 2649474 © Courtesy HES
The Queen was back again a year later, with over a dozen items bought, including a portrait believed to have been the property of Napoleon. The Henrys were invited to deliver the items in person to Holyroodhouse that afternoon and join the Queen for tea. They learned that some of the purchases were to stay there at the palace as part of its collection. The Queen thereafter returned almost every year on her visits to Holyrood, the newspapers reporting the purchase of items in 1927 and 1930 for Buckingham Palace and her personal collection. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princes Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Queen Margaret would carry on this royal tradition in later years and a whole section of wall in the shop was reserved for the display of their proudly framed cheques.
As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, Esta’s public profile was ascendant but Jack seems to have begun to step back somewhat from the limelight and into the shadows of the shop. In 1928 she stood for election to the Parish Council in the Canongate ward. Although she came second, there were two seats up for grabs and she was duly returned. Her election notices are the first time in print I could find where she is referring to herself as Esta, rather than just Mrs Henry. Her election was notable as she was the first Jewish woman to be elected to a public office in Scotland and also the press referred to her as Councillor Mrs Esta Henry, other married female councillors were referred to by their husband’s name, e.g Councillor Mrs Adam Millar. This is a public demonstration that she was very much her own woman.
Candidate picture of Esta Henry, Evening News, 7th November 1928
The following year civic Parish Councils in Scotland – which existed largely for the purposes of poor relief – were abolished and merged into the Town Councils. Esta stood as an independent for this latter body in 1929 but came 4th behind two Socialists and a Moderate candidate. She would stand again for the Town Council in 1931, 1933 and 1935. She made very clear in her election speeches, which were reported in the press, that her priorities were housing, housewives, child welfare and the treatment of the sick and poor. Women and children were always central to her campaigns and she was known to mobilise squads of them in the Canongate to carry her election materials and to parade around the polling stations. But despite her strenuous campaign efforts on a sensible platform, her public profile and her local popularity, as an independent female candidate she stood little realistic chance of election. Edinburgh was run by the very pale, male and stale Moderates who largely owned the Council’s seats – many of which they didn’t even need to contest – and it was only in a handful of wards where the Socialists could challenge them (to find out more about the political groupings of 20th century Edinburgh and how the election system worked, you can bookmark this thread to read later).
In between election campaigns and royal visits, in 1933 the Henrys commissioned a magnificent L-plan house in a Dutch Cape Colonial style that also incorporated the latest in Moderne tastes. This was Marchdyke at 50 Pentland Terrace on the outskirts of the city’s growing suburbs and it totally eclipsed the monotonous rows of middle class bungalows that were much in favour all around it. Completed in 1935 this 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom residence featured a Tudorbethan dining room, copious lounge and parlour, a terrazzo bathroom in a Roman style and in the basement a large garage for Jack’s cars, a wine cellar and antiques store. While many of the windows were in an ultra-fashionable fish scale style, the stained glass of the master staircase incorporated original 16th century Swiss and German panes from their collection.
Marchdyke, now known as Huntersmoon. Wilson Property Group, 2022 Property Listing – click here to see an archived copy with the full album of photos.
In the 1935 Town Council election, Esta had come third behind the Socialist Party candidate and another from the Protestant Action Society (PA). This party were extreme anti-Catholics who stood on a platform of “No Popery”. Their leader was the rabble-rouser John Cormack and his political stock was rising at the time. In 1934 his party got just 6% of the popular vote in the Edinburgh municipal elections and 1 seat; in 1935 they got 21% and 3 seats. The exact order of following events are not clear but at the 1936 election Esta was already intending to stand once again on her usual independent platform. John Cormack made it be known in the press that he was inclined to lend his support to her in the Canongate (where many Catholic Irish and Italians lived). Perhaps it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them“, but with just a week to go before polling, Esta Henry made the shock announcement that she was now standing as a Protestant Action candidate – “the Only Party who do Not Want R. C. Votes“. So late was this change that even on the eve of election some of the papers still reported her as an independent. She topped the ballot, beating PA’s primary candidate, and was duly elected as a Town Councillor at the 5th attempt. It was a good year for PA, they got 31% of the popular vote and won 6 seats. Indeed it was their apogee and they soon slumped into bitter infighting and electoral obscurity, leaving just John Cormack to solider on for decades as their only councillor.
Election adverts, Evening News, 31st October 1936
It’s never been clear just how committed Esta was to her new found political home – she certainly threw herself into public meetings on its behalf for a while, it being reported that she would stroll up and down the aisle, brandishing her umbrella at the audience. Realistically she may just have been desperate to get elected and chose the only other party than the Progressives (as the Moderates had re-branded) or Socialists with any chance of winning a seat. John Cormack was strongly criticised from within his own ranks for allowing a Jewish woman to stand on his platform – indeed much later in 1952 he organised pickets against her for suggesting public entertainments on Sundays at public meetings. She did not linger too long under his party whip and had resigned before the 1938 elections. She may have been made very uneasy with the association after a tumultuous public meeting in October 1937 in the Canongate Tolbooth. At this, her male PA colleague refused to answer questions directly and instead railed against Catholics to the boos and heckles of the crowd. Esta tried to make clear that she was there to fight the Socialists in politics but the audience deemed her guilty by association and turned on her too. Thereafter, she dedicated herself thereafter to public service for the Canongate in her own name. She would rise to become Convenor of the Baths and Washhouses Committee, a member of the Cleansing and Lighting Committee, the Streets and Buildings Committee and in 1941 was made JP (a Justice of the Peace, a lay magistrate in the lowest level of municipal courts).
Esta Henry commands the floor at a political meeting. Evening News, 8th February 1940
Esta found that her official role as a councillor fitted well alongside her personal philanthropic activities and she long described herself publicly as a Social Worker in the Canongate (although she frequently embellished the timescales somewhat). In 1931 she had formed the Edinburgh United Independent Association in the Canongate to run youth projects and raise money for the city’s Royal Infirmary hospital. Her attitudes were quite progressive and she recognised the need and value for activities and exercise for her district’s youth to keep them from being led astray and getting into trouble and for their general health. She was heavily involved in the Canon Club for Boys and Girls and formed an amateur dramatic society there.
The youth of the Canongate ward is my special care… I want to mother the young people – I have done it all my days – and to impress them with the same spirit that I have myself… Never to let go, to hold on to the good things of life, because they will be rewarded in the end, the same as I have been.
Esta Henry, 1936
She also put her money where her mouth was and provided trophies for local clubs. In 1936 she presented the first of many Esta Henry Cups to the men of the Trinity College and Moray Knox Club on Cranston Street, an organisation formed for unemployed men. It was for the man who scored highest in their games league of dominoes, billiards, draughts and other pastimes with which they occupied their enforced idleness. Another such cup was presented to the local Caledonian Football Club. In November 1937, the Lord Provost gave her a leave of absence from her duties to travel officially to South Africa, where she was to spend two and a half months investigating working class housing and town planning on behalf of the city. He provided her with letters of introduction but they probably weren’t necessary, she apparently owned a fruit farm in the country and her son Phillie had settled there as a dentist! On her return she reported back that she had “travelled many hundreds of miles by air” but that it turned out things in Scotland were far more advanced and better organised for the poor than they were in South Africa! At this time she was also becoming increasingly involved with the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, becoming a local committee member, and in 1939 she and the Lady Provost threw a Christmas dinner for its members in the Canongate Tolbooth.
Esta Henry (2nd left, in the beret) and the Lady Provost give a Christmas Dinner to the elderly of the Canongate in the Tolbooth. Evening News, December 22nd 1939
The year 1939 also brought the clouds of war to the High Street and municipal elections were suspended for the duration. As an incumbent councillor at the end of her 3 year term, Esta would have faced re-election in November that year. She now found herself with an extra six uncontested years added to her term of office and intended to make the most of this chance. She applied her single-minded determination, boundless energy and never-ending appetite for meetings and committees to the task at hand. And so it was that Councillor Esta Henry went to war. Interviewed shortly after the outbreak, she told the People’s Journal that there was no need to conscript women to the war effort as she had not met a woman in Edinburgh “who is not prepared to do whatsoever she is called upon to do“.
People’s Journal, 16th September 1939
One of her first acts, on behalf of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, was to campaign for government allowances for women dependent on the wages of their sons where these men had now been called up. In the Canongate she joined the local ARP (Air Raid Precautions civil defence force), turned her shop basement into an air raid shelter (her name is against it in the Valuation Rolls) and established a corps of 40 local women to act as fire pickets. Later, the Esta Henry Ambulance Section first aiders were also formed. She was soon putting on social events to help finance these activities and found herself placed in charge of the Entertainments Committee of the Lady Provost’s Comforts Fund. This latter organisation started out with the simple of aim of knitting kilt socks for soldiers of the Highland Regiments, as had been done in the 1914-18 conflict. Esta organised bridge parties to raise funds for buying the wool and offered up her house of Marchdyke as a suitable venue. In the Canongate she formed the local women in to work parties in the Tolbooth meeting hall, and arranged free entertainments to keep them amused as they knitted the socks. Soon she was organising mass balls; in February 1940 some 600 dancers packed out the Plaza dancehall in Morningside in a charity gala. At the Eldorado dancehall in Leith though it wasn’t dancing that she put on but boxing, a sport new to her but one that she had fallen in love with. There was nothing that she would not turn her attention to in the name of raising funds; charity auctions, raising pigs and Warship Week where she matched every £1 bond bought at a public rally with £1 of her own.
Esta Henry feeding pigs she was raising for charity sale. Evening News, 26th April 1940
Increasingly in the city centre on her ceaseless war work, getting to and from Marchdyke must have been proving an inconvenience as in 1941 she took possession of the flat in Moubray House above the shop and fitted it out as her own residence. She was also keen to demonstrate that old houses in the High Street could be rehabilitated for use without demolishing them. At the end of that year she paid for 800 local children to go to the cinema as a Hogmanay treat, a special programme being put on for them at the New Palace on the High Street. At the end of this screening she had new years resolutions projected onto the screen and had her audience promise en masse to be good children while their fathers were away and to help contribute to the war effort. 1942 saw the institution of the city Corporation’s Holidays at Home programme; municipal entertainments to keep people and children occupied over the summer holidays and try and reduce the temptation to travel. Esta organised outdoor public dances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens which were put on for 2 hours every Monday to Friday afternoon, admission 6d on the gate. She herself led off the first dance with the Lord Provost and was a regular attendee, encouraging and cajoling shy young men to get themselves a partner and join in.
Wartime dancing at the Ross Bandstand in 1945. Evening News photo, from “Living Memories” by Jennifer Veitch
There was more dancing organised by Esta Henry in 1943, as well as cycle racing at Meadowbank, mass picnics for mothers and children and – as Baths & Washhouses Committee Convenor – she arranged for Portobello outdoor swimming pool to be re-opened (some of its machinery had been removed for war use and the rest had fallen into disrepair) so that charity swimming and water polo galas could be held (the awards being more Esta Henry Cups). This also meant children and youths could go swimming in the holidays again – she was well aware that with many fathers away on service and mothers occupied with war work at home, juvenile delinquency as a result of bored children being left to their own devices was a real problem. At the end of that year she spoke at a meeting to form the East Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Committe when it was announced that British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Moseley had been released from jail.
In 1944 she instituted a scheme whereby service personnel in the city and groups of school children were invited to the City Chambers to attend meetings of the Town Councils as her guest. They watched the proceedings and afterwards could question her and other members about the mechanics of local government; she wanted to show how the Home Front was functioning, to connect people with the municipal authorities and to raise awareness of the acute difficulties faced by it at this time. That summer she pressed the Corporation to make the city’s now unnecessary civil defence resources available to house evacuee children from London in the face of the new V1 and later V2 terror bombing. Although the idea garnered wide support it ultimately came to nothing and she would latter press the city to instead give away its accumulated surplus of bunk beds, mattresses and blankets for free to those in need.
With the end of the war finally coming into sight she now turned her attention to the post war prospects. With the Rev. Selby Weight of Canongate Kirk she held public meetings for the Canongate Welcome Home Service Fund to plan for the reintegration of demobbed service personnel and provide comforts and necessities for them and their families. She joined the local Women for Westminster branch to try and get a woman MP elected for the city and repeatedly went on the record that providing for youths and children had to be central to the city’s postwar planning and foresaw the coming housing crisis in the Old Town (it had of course always been there to an extent, but it was about to get very acute). “My slogan is houses and more houses – housing priority!” she said, but she was also clear that it had to be done by reconstruction of existing communities, not by swinging the wrecking ball and scattering them to all the corners of the city. She also took a great interest in Portobello and joined a local campaign to improve the district after the war. Always one to put her money where her mouth was, at her own expense she commissioned plans and artists’ impressions for a scheme to turn “Edinburgh’s ugly sister” into a fashionable new sea-side resort and Garden City. This wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking, she successfully proposed it to the city authorities who had it approved by the Lord Provost’s Committee and included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1949 “Plan for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh” (you will find it on page 69 in glorious technicolour but with little additional detail). The realities of postwar economics and political priorities meant however that it would never get beyond the pages of that work.
Artist’s impression of Esta Henry’s scheme for post-war Portobello. Evening News, September 18th 1945
As the war drew to its close Esta found time to join yet one more committee, that of the League of Angry Wives. These were Scottish women who had married American servicemen and as “G.I. brides” wanted the right to join their husbands in that country. A resolution was passed and representations were sent directly to President Truman – by letter – and the First Lady – by telegram. A week later, Esta henry defended her seat, which she had now held for 9 years, at the ballot box but the winds of political change blew hard and she was comprehensively defeated by Labour candidates. This was despite her being presented with a pair of boxing gloves by her supporters and urged to “go on fighting“. After further defeats at the 1946 and 1947 elections she stepped back finally from politics, but not from life!
Esta Henry addresses the League of Angry Wives, Daily Record, October 29th 1945
In 1946 and 1947 she was a key organiser with the Scottish Housewives Association in an Edinburgh and Fife-based campaign against bread rationing. This culminated in her and Janet Neish of Kirkcaldy chasing the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade out of the North British Hotel and across the street to his car as he sought to avoid the combined fury of their sharp tongues! Never one to turn down a committee, she was also elected as the President of the Edinburgh branch of that organisation. 1947 had however started on a sad note for her as Jack Henry finally succumbed to long-term heart disease, leaving her a widow. It was around this time that the house at Marchdyke was sold. But Esta showed no signs of retiring from life to mourn and threw herself instead to yet another new activity; women’s football. She became the director of the Edinburgh Lady Dynamos, a team formed from core members of successful pre-war teams when the women’s game had enjoyed a brief spell of public popularity. Donating another Esta Henry Trophy to the cause it was likely that she paid for their kits too and she could be relied upon to turn her formidable oratory power at the authorities when they refused to allow the women to play in public grounds.
Edinburgh Lady Dynamos football team, late 1940s. CC-by-SA-NC 0084-003, via Edinburgh Collected.
Back row L-R is Esta Henry, Kitty Russell, Betty Rae, Agnes Whitelaw, Theresa Mulvie, goalkeeper Jessie Baillie, Nan Laurie, Babs McWhinney and Walter Caesar. Front row L-R is Eleanor Wilson, Betty Davidson (?), Linda Clements, Mary Leslie, Bet Adamson.
She had long been a local celebrity but in the year 1953, Esta Henry’s reputation went national on two accounts. Around the 27th of December 1952, a well dressed man entered her shop on the High Street and introduced himself as a Belgian art dealer, Paul Eugene Dillin. The pair quickly struck up a rapport and he soon confided in her that his identity was a front; he was actually a stateless Romanian Jew by the name of Pinchas Haimovici and had spent two and a half years in hiding in the Netherlands during the war. As he refused to sign a national oath pledging himself to Communism he was exiled from his country of birth and had no papers. It was at the recommendation of the renowned sculptor Benno Schotz, a prominent member of the Scottish Jewish community and whose wife came from the same village as him, that he had come to Edinburgh seeking art. Esta fell in love with the man then and there, despite an age gap of 21 years between them, and proposed to him on the condition that he took the name Henry. When he accepted she threw his fake passport on the fire and urged him to turn himself in and seek asylum so that they could be legally wed.
Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
Esta perhaps imagined naïvely that her reputation and connections would make it a mere formality and booked the couple a honeymoon trip to Madeira. However when the police were invited to the shop they instead charged Pinchas with offences for landing illegally in the country on false papers under the Aliens Act 1920 and he was sent to Saughton Prison. On December 31st he pled guilty at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh and was remanded for sentencing, which was deferred to give his solicitor a chance to arrange an application for Israeli papers and asylum so that he could travel there instead of being deported. After the hearing, Esta told the waiting reporters that she still intended to marry her “Prince Paul” (Paul Haemovitz was another alias he had used) but that she was going to go on the Honeymoon trip to Maderia anyway by herself as the stress of events would otherwise give her a stroke; the reporter noted that she was smoking at the time and confided she had smoked 100 already that day. The case rumbled on and on, the Israelis were being slow with the papers as apparently there was another Pinchas Haimovici on an Interpol watch-list, despite this being a common name in Romania, and he had to prove it was not him. The Sheriff in Edinburgh grew tired of the repeated delays and on March 13th 1953 he ordered Pinchas’ release. But no sooner had he left the courtroom than he found himself re-arrested; the Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe had finally signed a deportation order for him and he was sent straight back to Saughton. Esta told a waiting reporter from the Daily Mirror that if he was to be deported to Romania then she would join him there; “I’m only seventy, and fit enough to crash any of Stalin’s curtains”.
Pinchas petitioned the High Court in Edinburgh to avoid deportation and his case was heard on April 10th. As a declared anti-communist he told the court that he faced “torture and death” if returned to Romania. He also asked leave from court to marry Esta (who waved the papers she had ready to the court), but this request and his protests over his captivity fell on deaf ears and the case was adjourned. Back to Saughton Prison he went were Esta, with her lawyer Lionel Daiches, continued to visit him and made a habit of finding her way uninvited into the Governor’s office to protest more directly. The case was now being reported across the national and regional British newspapers and had become quite embarrassing for the Government. And so it was that the Home Secretary cancelled his previous order and on Friday 24th April 1953 Pinchas Haimovici was released and met by Esta with a pony and trap to drive him home and a brass band she had hired to serenade his freedom. The couple announced that they were to be married on the Monday morning and after a brief registry office ceremony, so they were. Esta insisted that they returned immediately to the shop to re-open for business but outside they were met by an immense crowd of well-wishers who lifted her into the air as they cheered for her and her husband. She lost her shoes in the process and the police had to attend to find the couple a path through the throng.
Esta and Pinchas are met by jubilant crowds of well-wishers in Hunter Square after their marriage. Daily Mirror, April 28th 1953
The crowd followed them all the way back to the shop where they posed for the press and thanked their well-wishers while Esta fumbled through the 20 different keys she kept for the various locks on the premises. They were back behind the counter and at work within an hour of their ceremony starting. The next day they took a taxi out to Saughton Prison and thanked the warders with wedding cake and champagne, Pinchas let the press know that they had treated him very kindly. A few days later he formally changed his name to Paul Henry in line with Esta’s prenuptial wishes.
Pinchas and Esta re-open the shop after wedding, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
To celebrate their union and to thank Benno Schotz for helping bring them together they commissioned him to produce a brass bust of them. Schotz insisted that Pinchas should be holding something in his hand and, knowing that Esta was immensely fond of rings, designed an Adam & Eve ring for the purpose. The finished work was unveiled to mark their first wedding anniversary as the centrepiece of an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street.
Unveiling the bust with Benno Schotz, 23rd April 1954. Paul is holding the ring in his hand.
Returning to the events of 1953, it was while her Prince Paul was still incarcerated that the other event took place that garnered national reporting for Esta; she was robbed! Perhaps she had been distracted by the events surrounding Paul’s case, but she allowed herself to be taken in by a group of well-organised confidence tricksters posing as American buyers. Having taken the time and effort to establish her routines and build up a rapport with her, they arranged a distraction and took their chance to steal jewellery that she valued at £20,000 from a lock box, £320 and $600 in cash and the pass books for her life savings. Esta told the press that amongst the items stolen was an amethyst fob which had once been part of the Hungarian crown jewels. Bits and pieces of the loot turned up in sale rooms afterwards and she was forced to buy them back at half of what the other dealer had paid for them; she was not impressed. The police eventually caught up with her trio of robbers due to their amateurish attempts to pass her stolen valuables off to on an antique dealer for far less than their actual worth. Roy Fontaine got 4 years for theft, Arthur Wooton 3 years for reset and George Ross-Wham had already been jailed on a separate offence by the time his sentencing came up. Fontaine was a career jewel thief, confidence trickster and blackmailer but Esta had found him charming and visited him in jail. She left money for him to try and start up a better life after he was released. This he tried, but it was not to be. It turned out that she may have gotten off lightly from Fontaine’s gang; he was actually the Glaswegian Archibald Hall who gained notoriety some 20 years later as a serial killer who the press dubbed the Monster Butler. His modus operandi was robbing and killing wealthy elderly and high-profile clients that he had worked his charm on to gain work as a butler. He was sentenced to life without parole in 1978.
Archibald Hall being taken to Jail, Daily Record, May 1978
Esta Henry would have one last high-profile adventure before settling down to a quieter married life keeping shop with Paul. In 1954 the Egyptian Junta let it be known that they were auctioning off part of the personal collection of art and objets accumulated by the now deposed King Farouk at the state’s expense. She told the press she was determined to bag herself a bargain and flew to Cairo to the auction at the Koubbeh Palace; they were there at Turnhouse Airport to wave her off. In Egypt, when the Sotheby’s auctioneer initially announced the lots only in French and Arabic she interrupted to protest – “English was good enough for Shakespeare, it should be good enough for these people”. He yielded to her request and began to also announce the lots in English. She next stopped proceedings to ask an Egyptian army major to bring her some tea; tea was brought. When asked not to smoke she refused and instead asked for one of King Farouk’s diamond-studded, gold ashtrays – an auction lot – be brought to her.
Esta Henry, glasses in hand, berates the auctioneer yet again. The other bidders seem much amused. Sphere, 20th March 1954
She eventually brought the proceedings into complete farce by repeatedly protesting when, at the behest of the Egyptian organisers, multiple auction lots were withdrawn, joint lots were split up and opening bids were significantly above the catalogue reserve price. The other bidders, and indeed the Sotheby’s auctioneers, were actually on her side – they too were less than impressed with how the sale was being conducted. When she eventually walked out, labelling the Egyptians “a bunch of twisters”, a number of fellow dealers followed her out. She was chased into the car park by the auctioneer and a senior Egyptian officer who begged her to return. Realising she had made her point, she acquiesced, and went back into the sale room where she publicly hugged and kissed the astonished auctioneer. She now stopped making a nuisance of herself and got down to the business of buying, eventually spending some £15,000 (c. £360,000 in 2025). She allowed herself one last moment of pantomime when, outbid on a 16th century Scottish clock, did jump up, grab the item from the auctioneer’s desk and announce to all that it was Scottish, she was Scottish and “I am going to have it!”. Her delighted fellow buyers let her have it. When she returned home, the gossip columnists and society magazines were waiting and she told them she was left with only the 2/6d in her pocket having spent the rest in Egypt. Her treasures arrived at the end of the following month, and she was met by both the press and by Customs to assess the haul.
Esta and Paul Henry demonstrate one of the Egyptian auction items to a customs officer and the press. Sunday Post, 2nd May 1954
Esta and Paul Henry spent a happy decade together behind the counter at 51 High Street surrounded by the antiques and art that had brought them together. Esta through numerous exhibitions at Moubray House and contributed rare pieces to others. She began to form plans to perhaps leave the house and the best parts of her collection to the nation. In 1960 a fellow Edinburgh antique dealer told the press that they probably had the best collection in the country inside their shop. For their 10th wedding anniversary the couple decided to take a long overdue honeymoon and booked a round the world trip, perhaps to acquire yet more pieces or perhaps with a view to scouting out somewhere warm to retire to.
Copy of Esta Henry’s entry card into Brazil, issued by the Consul General in London on 10th December 1962
It was for this reason that they were in Sao Paulo, en route to Rio de Janiero on January 15th when Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144 came down shortly after takeoff, killing them both. The long reign of the Queen of the High Street was over and the Brazilian authorities had her buried together with her Prince in Sao Paulo. Back home her vast collection of treasure that formed the bulk of her estate was split up and sold off. Her shop became home to a succession of trinket and tourist businesses but her flat above fared better, remaining in the care of the Cockburn association before being restored by a wealthy American benefactor and in 2012 gifted to the nation under the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

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Andy Arthur - Threadinburgh @[email protected] · 2025-01-15 · 10:00 UTC

The thread about Esta Henry; the life and times of the Queen of the High Street
On this day (January 15th) in 1963, a small silver airliner with 45 people on board took off from Sao Paulo in Brazil en route for Rio de Janeiro. Moments later it plunged into the ground in the city’s suburbs, taking with it 13 lives. The last victim to be identified was that of Esta Henry, a renowned and somewhat eccentric Edinburgh antiques dealer; her husband Paul was at her side and perished too. Thus ended the final chapter in the colourful life of the lady the papers called the Queen of the High Street. Her surprising story now follows.
Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Convair 340 aircraft, registration PP-CDW, the plane that crashed in January 1963. CC-by Smithsonian Institution
She was born Esther Louis on July 3rd 1882 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Louie Louis and his wife Eveline (née Jackson). Her parents were Jewish, her father a 1st generation Prussian immigrant and her mother 2nd generation to Dutch and German parents. Like many Jews in Britain at this time, to integrate and protect themselves somewhat from anti-Semitism, they altered their names; Louie and Evelina were thus better known as John and Eva. He worked variously as a cobbler, a clothier and an auctioneer and the family moved frequently with his work between Sunderland and Scotland. The family moved to 2 Jane Street in Leith in 1884 where Louie opened an auction room in the Kirkgate. Alas tragedy was to strike the following year. When Esta was just 2 her father died from fever and pneumonia leaving his wife with 7 hungry mouths to feed and another on the way.
Esta’s immediate family tree.
Evelina and her entourage of children gravitated back to Wearside where she remarried in 1889 to Charles Goldman, a pawnbroker. Four half-siblings to Esta would follow and at the time of the 1891 census the enlarged family stayed in a small but prim end-terraced house at 4 Sorley Street in Sunderland. In her own telling of her story at this age the 9 year old Esta ran off to variously Edinburgh or Leith and sold door-to-door by barrow or bicycle to eke out a living, but we should take this with a very large pinch of salt as the records contradict the story and she made a habit of tweaking and embellishing tales of her life to suit circumstances. In 1901 they were at 12 Rutland Street in Sunderland, living above the family pawnbrokers. The 18 year old Esta was described as a General Dealer in the census; she was running a corner shop.
Rutland Street, Sunderland, 1929. Number 12, the Goldman shop and house is at the end of the row with the canopy, if you look very closes the pawnbroker’s sign is in the Goldman name. via Sunderland Antiquarian Society
But Esta did not stay put for much longer, by the next year we find her living at 156 Canongate in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter she married a 25 year old jeweller, Jack H. Henry of 30 Milton Street. But like her Father, Esta’s new husband was using an alias; he was actually born Joseph Henry Abrovich in Łódź, Poland. It suited him to keep details of his past deliberately obscure; he spent his life giving different dates (between 1869-79) and places of birth in official documents and was most frequently recorded as John but sometimes also Jacob. But he married Esta as Jack. His mysteriousness was necessary as he was leading a double life; he was actually a talented concert violinist, a member of the touring orchestra of Polish piano impresario Ignacy Paderewski (who would rise to become Prime Minister of his country). Jack had skipped town in Dublin when on tour in the 1890s in order to avoid returning home to compulsory military service for the Russian Empire. It was also a difficult time for the Polish Jews in general as they faced the Russian Pogroms and waves were emigrating west. Thus he ended up in Scotland; possibly via Glasgow where there were already Abrovichs resident.
“Jack H. Henry.” Juliette Bird, via Ancestry
Esta and Jack settled at the tenement at 170 Canongate and soon opened a jewellery shop below at number 168. They moved into the back of the shop and began to raise a family together. Louis (Lou) was born in 1903, Philip (Philly) in 1904, Herbert (Bertie) in 1906 and Rosa (Rose) in 1908. While the Canongate was a down at heel neighbourhood at the time, one with much slum housing and a largely itinerant population that included many of the city’s poor and immigrants, they were doing well for themselves and advertised for a servant – “apply Mrs Henry” – in the newspapers.
Canongate in the late 19th century. On the left is the tower and clock of the Tolbooth, on the right the distinctive obelisk-topped gate piers of Moray House. The Henry shop and home is the lighter coloured tenement on the right hand side of the street. Beyond is the projecting gable of Huntly House; it is a neighbourhood steeped in Scottish history. Postcard, unknown artist. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
As they prospered, raising 3 children in the back of a shop ceased to be a necessity and they moved to a smart new, end-of-terrace, middle class villa at 1 Lismore Avenue in Willowbrae. It was here in 1918 that their ranks were joined by the birth of Henrietta (Bunty). 1914 saw them relocate the shope up the Royal Mile to number 51 High Street, next to the well know building known as John Knox’s House. This was the ground floor of Moubray House, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the city, where Daniel Defoe had once lodged. It had recently been restored by the Cockburn Association and placed in the hands of a trust. Despite raising 4 children, Esta was clearly becoming more involved in the affairs of business as classified adverts are in the name of both her and Jack. By 1920 she is styling herself “Mrs Henry, Antique Dealer” in these.
“Unidentified Man and Children”, Alexander Wilson Hill, c. 1933. This the shop at 51 High Street and it is probably Jack Henry standing outside. CC-by-NC National Galleries Scotland
The 1921 census finds the family have moved on and up in the housing world again, now at a very large villa at 15 Mayfield Terrace in Newington. Louis Henry was following his father into the jewellery trade and Philip was training to become a dentist. Life was good but it was about to get better. In 1923 the Scottish newspapers reported the surprise visit of Queen Mary to the Henrys’ shop, where she spent an hour and bought many items, particularly Chinese curios. She was “greatly interested with both the collection and the premises” and shook hands with Esta and Jack as she left, promising to return. Her Majesty was true to her word and returned exactly one year later, buying “a score of articles” including a Louis XIV fan that had once belonged to Queen Victoria. She signed the visitors’ book and said that her purchases the previous year had been gifted to the West Kensington Museum.
Queen Mary leaving Henry’s on one of her many visits. Postcard, unknown artist. Via Canmore, SC 2649474 © Courtesy HES
The Queen was back again a year later, with over a dozen items bought, including a portrait believed to have been the property of Napoleon. The Henrys were invited to deliver the items in person to Holyroodhouse that afternoon and join the Queen for tea. They learned that some of the purchases were to stay there at the palace as part of its collection. The Queen thereafter returned almost every year on her visits to Holyrood, the newspapers reporting the purchase of items in 1927 and 1930 for Buckingham Palace and her personal collection. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princes Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Queen Margaret would carry on this royal tradition in later years and a whole section of wall in the shop was reserved for the display of their proudly framed cheques.
As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, Esta’s public profile was ascendant but Jack seems to have begun to step back somewhat from the limelight and into the shadows of the shop. In 1928 she stood for election to the Parish Council in the Canongate ward. Although she came second, there were two seats up for grabs and she was duly returned. Her election notices are the first time in print I could find where she is referring to herself as Esta, rather than just Mrs Henry. Her election was notable as she was the first Jewish woman to be elected to a public office in Scotland and also the press referred to her as Councillor Mrs Esta Henry, other married female councillors were referred to by their husband’s name, e.g Councillor Mrs Adam Millar. This is a public demonstration that she was very much her own woman.
Candidate picture of Esta Henry, Evening News, 7th November 1928
The following year civic Parish Councils in Scotland – which existed largely for the purposes of poor relief – were abolished and merged into the Town Councils. Esta stood as an independent for this latter body in 1929 but came 4th behind two Socialists and a Moderate candidate. She would stand again for the Town Council in 1931, 1933 and 1935. She made very clear in her election speeches, which were reported in the press, that her priorities were housing, housewives, child welfare and the treatment of the sick and poor. Women and children were always central to her campaigns and she was known to mobilise squads of them in the Canongate to carry her election materials and to parade around the polling stations. But despite her strenuous campaign efforts on a sensible platform, her public profile and her local popularity, as an independent female candidate she stood little realistic chance of election. Edinburgh was run by the very pale, male and stale Moderates who largely owned the Council’s seats – many of which they didn’t even need to contest – and it was only in a handful of wards where the Socialists could challenge them (to find out more about the political groupings of 20th century Edinburgh and how the election system worked, you can bookmark this thread to read later).
In between election campaigns and royal visits, in 1933 the Henrys commissioned a magnificent L-plan house in a Dutch Cape Colonial style that also incorporated the latest in Moderne tastes. This was Marchdyke at 50 Pentland Terrace on the outskirts of the city’s growing suburbs and it totally eclipsed the monotonous rows of middle class bungalows that were much in favour all around it. Completed in 1935 this 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom residence featured a Tudorbethan dining room, copious lounge and parlour, a terrazzo bathroom in a Roman style and in the basement a large garage for Jack’s cars, a wine cellar and antiques store. While many of the windows were in an ultra-fashionable fish scale style, the stained glass of the master staircase incorporated original 16th century Swiss and German panes from their collection.
Marchdyke, now known as Huntersmoon. Wilson Property Group, 2022 Property Listing – click here to see an archived copy with the full album of photos.
In the 1935 Town Council election, Esta had come third behind the Socialist Party candidate and another from the Protestant Action Society (PA). This party were extreme anti-Catholics who stood on a platform of “No Popery”. Their leader was the rabble-rouser John Cormack and his political stock was rising at the time. In 1934 his party got just 6% of the popular vote in the Edinburgh municipal elections and 1 seat; in 1935 they got 21% and 3 seats. The exact order of following events are not clear but at the 1936 election Esta was already intending to stand once again on her usual independent platform. John Cormack made it be known in the press that he was inclined to lend his support to her in the Canongate (where many Catholic Irish and Italians lived). Perhaps it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them“, but with just a week to go before polling, Esta Henry made the shock announcement that she was now standing as a Protestant Action candidate – “the Only Party who do Not Want R. C. Votes“. So late was this change that even on the eve of election some of the papers still reported her as an independent. She topped the ballot, beating PA’s primary candidate, and was duly elected as a Town Councillor at the 5th attempt. It was a good year for PA, they got 31% of the popular vote and won 6 seats. Indeed it was their apogee and they soon slumped into bitter infighting and electoral obscurity, leaving just John Cormack to solider on for decades as their only councillor.
Election adverts, Evening News, 31st October 1936
It’s never been clear just how committed Esta was to her new found political home – she certainly threw herself into public meetings on its behalf for a while, it being reported that she would stroll up and down the aisle, brandishing her umbrella at the audience. Realistically she may just have been desperate to get elected and chose the only other party than the Progressives (as the Moderates had re-branded) or Socialists with any chance of winning a seat. John Cormack was strongly criticised from within his own ranks for allowing a Jewish woman to stand on his platform – indeed much later in 1952 he organised pickets against her for suggesting public entertainments on Sundays at public meetings. She did not linger too long under his party whip and had resigned before the 1938 elections. She may have been made very uneasy with the association after a tumultuous public meeting in October 1937 in the Canongate Tolbooth. At this, her male PA colleague refused to answer questions directly and instead railed against Catholics to the boos and heckles of the crowd. Esta tried to make clear that she was there to fight the Socialists in politics but the audience deemed her guilty by association and turned on her too. Thereafter, she dedicated herself thereafter to public service for the Canongate in her own name. She would rise to become Convenor of the Baths and Washhouses Committee, a member of the Cleansing and Lighting Committee, the Streets and Buildings Committee and in 1941 was made JP (a Justice of the Peace, a lay magistrate in the lowest level of municipal courts).
Esta Henry commands the floor at a political meeting. Evening News, 8th February 1940
Esta found that her official role as a councillor fitted well alongside her personal philanthropic activities and she long described herself publicly as a Social Worker in the Canongate (although she frequently embellished the timescales somewhat). In 1931 she had formed the Edinburgh United Independent Association in the Canongate to run youth projects and raise money for the city’s Royal Infirmary hospital. Her attitudes were quite progressive and she recognised the need and value for activities and exercise for her district’s youth to keep them from being led astray and getting into trouble and for their general health. She was heavily involved in the Canon Club for Boys and Girls and formed an amateur dramatic society there.
The youth of the Canongate ward is my special care… I want to mother the young people – I have done it all my days – and to impress them with the same spirit that I have myself… Never to let go, to hold on to the good things of life, because they will be rewarded in the end, the same as I have been.
Esta Henry, 1936
She also put her money where her mouth was and provided trophies for local clubs. In 1936 she presented the first of many Esta Henry Cups to the men of the Trinity College and Moray Knox Club on Cranston Street, an organisation formed for unemployed men. It was for the man who scored highest in their games league of dominoes, billiards, draughts and other pastimes with which they occupied their enforced idleness. Another such cup was presented to the local Caledonian Football Club. In November 1937, the Lord Provost gave her a leave of absence from her duties to travel officially to South Africa, where she was to spend two and a half months investigating working class housing and town planning on behalf of the city. He provided her with letters of introduction but they probably weren’t necessary, she apparently owned a fruit farm in the country and her son Phillie had settled there as a dentist! On her return she reported back that she had “travelled many hundreds of miles by air” but that it turned out things in Scotland were far more advanced and better organised for the poor than they were in South Africa! At this time she was also becoming increasingly involved with the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, becoming a local committee member, and in 1939 she and the Lady Provost threw a Christmas dinner for its members in the Canongate Tolbooth.
Esta Henry (2nd left, in the beret) and the Lady Provost give a Christmas Dinner to the elderly of the Canongate in the Tolbooth. Evening News, December 22nd 1939
The year 1939 also brought the clouds of war to the High Street and municipal elections were suspended for the duration. As an incumbent councillor at the end of her 3 year term, Esta would have faced re-election in November that year. She now found herself with an extra six uncontested years added to her term of office and intended to make the most of this chance. She applied her single-minded determination, boundless energy and never-ending appetite for meetings and committees to the task at hand. And so it was that Councillor Esta Henry went to war. Interviewed shortly after the outbreak, she told the People’s Journal that there was no need to conscript women to the war effort as she had not met a woman in Edinburgh “who is not prepared to do whatsoever she is called upon to do“.
People’s Journal, 16th September 1939
One of her first acts, on behalf of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, was to campaign for government allowances for women dependent on the wages of their sons where these men had now been called up. In the Canongate she joined the local ARP (Air Raid Precautions civil defence force), turned her shop basement into an air raid shelter (her name is against it in the Valuation Rolls) and established a corps of 40 local women to act as fire pickets. Later, the Esta Henry Ambulance Section first aiders were also formed. She was soon putting on social events to help finance these activities and found herself placed in charge of the Entertainments Committee of the Lady Provost’s Comforts Fund. This latter organisation started out with the simple of aim of knitting kilt socks for soldiers of the Highland Regiments, as had been done in the 1914-18 conflict. Esta organised bridge parties to raise funds for buying the wool and offered up her house of Marchdyke as a suitable venue. In the Canongate she formed the local women in to work parties in the Tolbooth meeting hall, and arranged free entertainments to keep them amused as they knitted the socks. Soon she was organising mass balls; in February 1940 some 600 dancers packed out the Plaza dancehall in Morningside in a charity gala. At the Eldorado dancehall in Leith though it wasn’t dancing that she put on but boxing, a sport new to her but one that she had fallen in love with. There was nothing that she would not turn her attention to in the name of raising funds; charity auctions, raising pigs and Warship Week where she matched every £1 bond bought at a public rally with £1 of her own.
Esta Henry feeding pigs she was raising for charity sale. Evening News, 26th April 1940
Increasingly in the city centre on her ceaseless war work, getting to and from Marchdyke must have been proving an inconvenience as in 1941 she took possession of the flat in Moubray House above the shop and fitted it out as her own residence. She was also keen to demonstrate that old houses in the High Street could be rehabilitated for use without demolishing them. At the end of that year she paid for 800 local children to go to the cinema as a Hogmanay treat, a special programme being put on for them at the New Palace on the High Street. At the end of this screening she had new years resolutions projected onto the screen and had her audience promise en masse to be good children while their fathers were away and to help contribute to the war effort. 1942 saw the institution of the city Corporation’s Holidays at Home programme; municipal entertainments to keep people and children occupied over the summer holidays and try and reduce the temptation to travel. Esta organised outdoor public dances at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens which were put on for 2 hours every Monday to Friday afternoon, admission 6d on the gate. She herself led off the first dance with the Lord Provost and was a regular attendee, encouraging and cajoling shy young men to get themselves a partner and join in.
Wartime dancing at the Ross Bandstand in 1945. Evening News photo, from “Living Memories” by Jennifer Veitch
There was more dancing organised by Esta Henry in 1943, as well as cycle racing at Meadowbank, mass picnics for mothers and children and – as Baths & Washhouses Committee Convenor – she arranged for Portobello outdoor swimming pool to be re-opened (some of its machinery had been removed for war use and the rest had fallen into disrepair) so that charity swimming and water polo galas could be held (the awards being more Esta Henry Cups). This also meant children and youths could go swimming in the holidays again – she was well aware that with many fathers away on service and mothers occupied with war work at home, juvenile delinquency as a result of bored children being left to their own devices was a real problem. At the end of that year she spoke at a meeting to form the East Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Committe when it was announced that British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Moseley had been released from jail.
In 1944 she instituted a scheme whereby service personnel in the city and groups of school children were invited to the City Chambers to attend meetings of the Town Councils as her guest. They watched the proceedings and afterwards could question her and other members about the mechanics of local government; she wanted to show how the Home Front was functioning, to connect people with the municipal authorities and to raise awareness of the acute difficulties faced by it at this time. That summer she pressed the Corporation to make the city’s now unnecessary civil defence resources available to house evacuee children from London in the face of the new V1 and later V2 terror bombing. Although the idea garnered wide support it ultimately came to nothing and she would latter press the city to instead give away its accumulated surplus of bunk beds, mattresses and blankets for free to those in need.
With the end of the war finally coming into sight she now turned her attention to the post war prospects. With the Rev. Selby Weight of Canongate Kirk she held public meetings for the Canongate Welcome Home Service Fund to plan for the reintegration of demobbed service personnel and provide comforts and necessities for them and their families. She joined the local Women for Westminster branch to try and get a woman MP elected for the city and repeatedly went on the record that providing for youths and children had to be central to the city’s postwar planning and foresaw the coming housing crisis in the Old Town (it had of course always been there to an extent, but it was about to get very acute). “My slogan is houses and more houses – housing priority!” she said, but she was also clear that it had to be done by reconstruction of existing communities, not by swinging the wrecking ball and scattering them to all the corners of the city. She also took a great interest in Portobello and joined a local campaign to improve the district after the war. Always one to put her money where her mouth was, at her own expense she commissioned plans and artists’ impressions for a scheme to turn “Edinburgh’s ugly sister” into a fashionable new sea-side resort and Garden City. This wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking, she successfully proposed it to the city authorities who had it approved by the Lord Provost’s Committee and included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1949 “Plan for the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh” (you will find it on page 69 in glorious technicolour but with little additional detail). The realities of postwar economics and political priorities meant however that it would never get beyond the pages of that work.
Artist’s impression of Esta Henry’s scheme for post-war Portobello. Evening News, September 18th 1945
As the war drew to its close Esta found time to join yet one more committee, that of the League of Angry Wives. These were Scottish women who had married American servicemen and as “G.I. brides” wanted the right to join their husbands in that country. A resolution was passed and representations were sent directly to President Truman – by letter – and the First Lady – by telegram. A week later, Esta henry defended her seat, which she had now held for 9 years, at the ballot box but the winds of political change blew hard and she was comprehensively defeated by Labour candidates. This was despite her being presented with a pair of boxing gloves by her supporters and urged to “go on fighting“. After further defeats at the 1946 and 1947 elections she stepped back finally from politics, but not from life!
Esta Henry addresses the League of Angry Wives, Daily Record, October 29th 1945
In 1946 and 1947 she was a key organiser with the Scottish Housewives Association in an Edinburgh and Fife-based campaign against bread rationing. This culminated in her and Janet Neish of Kirkcaldy chasing the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade out of the North British Hotel and across the street to his car as he sought to avoid the combined fury of their sharp tongues! Never one to turn down a committee, she was also elected as the President of the Edinburgh branch of that organisation. 1947 had however started on a sad note for her as Jack Henry finally succumbed to long-term heart disease, leaving her a widow. It was around this time that the house at Marchdyke was sold. But Esta showed no signs of retiring from life to mourn and threw herself instead to yet another new activity; women’s football. She became the director of the Edinburgh Lady Dynamos, a team formed from core members of successful pre-war teams when the women’s game had enjoyed a brief spell of public popularity. Donating another Esta Henry Trophy to the cause it was likely that she paid for their kits too and she could be relied upon to turn her formidable oratory power at the authorities when they refused to allow the women to play in public grounds.
Edinburgh Lady Dynamos football team, late 1940s. CC-by-SA-NC 0084-003, via Edinburgh Collected.
Back row L-R is Esta Henry, Kitty Russell, Betty Rae, Agnes Whitelaw, Theresa Mulvie, goalkeeper Jessie Baillie, Nan Laurie, Babs McWhinney and Walter Caesar. Front row L-R is Eleanor Wilson, Betty Davidson (?), Linda Clements, Mary Leslie, Bet Adamson.
She had long been a local celebrity but in the year 1953, Esta Henry’s reputation went national on two accounts. Around the 27th of December 1952, a well dressed man entered her shop on the High Street and introduced himself as a Belgian art dealer, Paul Eugene Dillin. The pair quickly struck up a rapport and he soon confided in her that his identity was a front; he was actually a stateless Romanian Jew by the name of Pinchas Haimovici and had spent two and a half years in hiding in the Netherlands during the war. As he refused to sign a national oath pledging himself to Communism he was exiled from his country of birth and had no papers. It was at the recommendation of the renowned sculptor Benno Schotz, a prominent member of the Scottish Jewish community and whose wife came from the same village as him, that he had come to Edinburgh seeking art. Esta fell in love with the man then and there, despite an age gap of 21 years between them, and proposed to him on the condition that he took the name Henry. When he accepted she threw his fake passport on the fire and urged him to turn himself in and seek asylum so that they could be legally wed.
Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953Pinchas and Esta, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
Esta perhaps imagined naïvely that her reputation and connections would make it a mere formality and booked the couple a honeymoon trip to Madeira. However when the police were invited to the shop they instead charged Pinchas with offences for landing illegally in the country on false papers under the Aliens Act 1920 and he was sent to Saughton Prison. On December 31st he pled guilty at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh and was remanded for sentencing, which was deferred to give his solicitor a chance to arrange an application for Israeli papers and asylum so that he could travel there instead of being deported. After the hearing, Esta told the waiting reporters that she still intended to marry her “Prince Paul” (Paul Haemovitz was another alias he had used) but that she was going to go on the Honeymoon trip to Maderia anyway by herself as the stress of events would otherwise give her a stroke; the reporter noted that she was smoking at the time and confided she had smoked 100 already that day. The case rumbled on and on, the Israelis were being slow with the papers as apparently there was another Pinchas Haimovici on an Interpol watch-list, despite this being a common name in Romania, and he had to prove it was not him. The Sheriff in Edinburgh grew tired of the repeated delays and on March 13th 1953 he ordered Pinchas’ release. But no sooner had he left the courtroom than he found himself re-arrested; the Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe had finally signed a deportation order for him and he was sent straight back to Saughton. Esta told a waiting reporter from the Daily Mirror that if he was to be deported to Romania then she would join him there; “I’m only seventy, and fit enough to crash any of Stalin’s curtains”.
Pinchas petitioned the High Court in Edinburgh to avoid deportation and his case was heard on April 10th. As a declared anti-communist he told the court that he faced “torture and death” if returned to Romania. He also asked leave from court to marry Esta (who waved the papers she had ready to the court), but this request and his protests over his captivity fell on deaf ears and the case was adjourned. Back to Saughton Prison he went were Esta, with her lawyer Lionel Daiches, continued to visit him and made a habit of finding her way uninvited into the Governor’s office to protest more directly. The case was now being reported across the national and regional British newspapers and had become quite embarrassing for the Government. And so it was that the Home Secretary cancelled his previous order and on Friday 24th April 1953 Pinchas Haimovici was released and met by Esta with a pony and trap to drive him home and a brass band she had hired to serenade his freedom. The couple announced that they were to be married on the Monday morning and after a brief registry office ceremony, so they were. Esta insisted that they returned immediately to the shop to re-open for business but outside they were met by an immense crowd of well-wishers who lifted her into the air as they cheered for her and her husband. She lost her shoes in the process and the police had to attend to find the couple a path through the throng.
Esta and Pinchas are met by jubilant crowds of well-wishers in Hunter Square after their marriage. Daily Mirror, April 28th 1953
The crowd followed them all the way back to the shop where they posed for the press and thanked their well-wishers while Esta fumbled through the 20 different keys she kept for the various locks on the premises. They were back behind the counter and at work within an hour of their ceremony starting. The next day they took a taxi out to Saughton Prison and thanked the warders with wedding cake and champagne, Pinchas let the press know that they had treated him very kindly. A few days later he formally changed his name to Paul Henry in line with Esta’s prenuptial wishes.
Pinchas and Esta re-open the shop after wedding, Associated Press, 27th April 1953
To celebrate their union and to thank Benno Schotz for helping bring them together they commissioned him to produce a brass bust of them. Schotz insisted that Pinchas should be holding something in his hand and, knowing that Esta was immensely fond of rings, designed an Adam & Eve ring for the purpose. The finished work was unveiled to mark their first wedding anniversary as the centrepiece of an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street.
Unveiling the bust with Benno Schotz, 23rd April 1954. Paul is holding the ring in his hand.
Returning to the events of 1953, it was while her Prince Paul was still incarcerated that the other event took place that garnered national reporting for Esta; she was robbed! Perhaps she had been distracted by the events surrounding Paul’s case, but she allowed herself to be taken in by a group of well-organised confidence tricksters posing as American buyers. Having taken the time and effort to establish her routines and build up a rapport with her, they arranged a distraction and took their chance to steal jewellery that she valued at £20,000 from a lock box, £320 and $600 in cash and the pass books for her life savings. Esta told the press that amongst the items stolen was an amethyst fob which had once been part of the Hungarian crown jewels. Bits and pieces of the loot turned up in sale rooms afterwards and she was forced to buy them back at half of what the other dealer had paid for them; she was not impressed. The police eventually caught up with her trio of robbers due to their amateurish attempts to pass her stolen valuables off to on an antique dealer for far less than their actual worth. Roy Fontaine got 4 years for theft, Arthur Wooton 3 years for reset and George Ross-Wham had already been jailed on a separate offence by the time his sentencing came up. Fontaine was a career jewel thief, confidence trickster and blackmailer but Esta had found him charming and visited him in jail. She left money for him to try and start up a better life after he was released. This he tried, but it was not to be. It turned out that she may have gotten off lightly from Fontaine’s gang; he was actually the Glaswegian Archibald Hall who gained notoriety some 20 years later as a serial killer who the press dubbed the Monster Butler. His modus operandi was robbing and killing wealthy elderly and high-profile clients that he had worked his charm on to gain work as a butler. He was sentenced to life without parole in 1978.
Archibald Hall being taken to Jail, Daily Record, May 1978
Esta Henry would have one last high-profile adventure before settling down to a quieter married life keeping shop with Paul. In 1954 the Egyptian Junta let it be known that they were auctioning off part of the personal collection of art and objets accumulated by the now deposed King Farouk at the state’s expense. She told the press she was determined to bag herself a bargain and flew to Cairo to the auction at the Koubbeh Palace; they were there at Turnhouse Airport to wave her off. In Egypt, when the Sotheby’s auctioneer initially announced the lots only in French and Arabic she interrupted to protest – “English was good enough for Shakespeare, it should be good enough for these people”. He yielded to her request and began to also announce the lots in English. She next stopped proceedings to ask an Egyptian army major to bring her some tea; tea was brought. When asked not to smoke she refused and instead asked for one of King Farouk’s diamond-studded, gold ashtrays – an auction lot – be brought to her.
Esta Henry, glasses in hand, berates the auctioneer yet again. The other bidders seem much amused. Sphere, 20th March 1954
She eventually brought the proceedings into complete farce by repeatedly protesting when, at the behest of the Egyptian organisers, multiple auction lots were withdrawn, joint lots were split up and opening bids were significantly above the catalogue reserve price. The other bidders, and indeed the Sotheby’s auctioneers, were actually on her side – they too were less than impressed with how the sale was being conducted. When she eventually walked out, labelling the Egyptians “a bunch of twisters”, a number of fellow dealers followed her out. She was chased into the car park by the auctioneer and a senior Egyptian officer who begged her to return. Realising she had made her point, she acquiesced, and went back into the sale room where she publicly hugged and kissed the astonished auctioneer. She now stopped making a nuisance of herself and got down to the business of buying, eventually spending some £15,000 (c. £360,000 in 2025). She allowed herself one last moment of pantomime when, outbid on a 16th century Scottish clock, did jump up, grab the item from the auctioneer’s desk and announce to all that it was Scottish, she was Scottish and “I am going to have it!”. Her delighted fellow buyers let her have it. When she returned home, the gossip columnists and society magazines were waiting and she told them she was left with only the 2/6d in her pocket having spent the rest in Egypt. Her treasures arrived at the end of the following month, and she was met by both the press and by Customs to assess the haul.
Esta and Paul Henry demonstrate one of the Egyptian auction items to a customs officer and the press. Sunday Post, 2nd May 1954
Esta and Paul Henry spent a happy decade together behind the counter at 51 High Street surrounded by the antiques and art that had brought them together. Esta through numerous exhibitions at Moubray House and contributed rare pieces to others. She began to form plans to perhaps leave the house and the best parts of her collection to the nation. In 1960 a fellow Edinburgh antique dealer told the press that they probably had the best collection in the country inside their shop. For their 10th wedding anniversary the couple decided to take a long overdue honeymoon and booked a round the world trip, perhaps to acquire yet more pieces or perhaps with a view to scouting out somewhere warm to retire to.
Copy of Esta Henry’s entry card into Brazil, issued by the Consul General in London on 10th December 1962
It was for this reason that they were in Sao Paulo, en route to Rio de Janiero on January 15th when Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144 came down shortly after takeoff, killing them both. The long reign of the Queen of the High Street was over and the Brazilian authorities had her buried together with her Prince in Sao Paulo. Back home her vast collection of treasure that formed the bulk of her estate was split up and sold off. Her shop became home to a succession of trinket and tourist businesses but her flat above fared better, remaining in the care of the Cockburn association before being restored by a wealthy American benefactor and in 2012 gifted to the nation under the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

If you have found this useful, informative or amusing, perhaps you would like to help contribute towards the running costs of this site (including keeping it ad-free and my book-buying budget) by supporting me on ko-fi. Or please do just share this post on social media or amongst friends.

These threads © 2017-2025, Andy Arthur
#Antiques #Canongate #Court #Crime #January15 #Jewish #LocalPolitics #Politician #Women #WomenSFootball #Written2025 #WW2

#antiques #canongate #court #crime #january15 #jewish
Brad Linder @[email protected] · 2024-11-21 · 22:31 UTC

Lilbits: Google without Chrome, Rabbit R1 gets (a little) more useful, and Pine64’s new camera
The US Department of Justice wants to break up Google. After launching to horrible reviews earlier this year, the Rabbit R1 is getting a little more useful through software updates. Pine64 stuck a 2MP camera on the end of a tiny computer with a RISC-V and ARM processor. And Google may be done with tablets… again.
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.
The US Department of Justice wants to force Google to spin off Chrome, make other changes [Techmeme]
If you’ve seen any tech news today, you’ve probably seen this one. But the long and short of it is that the US government alleges that Google has violated antitrust laws by leveraging its Chrome web browser, Android mobile operating system, and Google search engine to create a sort of inescapable Google experience.
Google Chrome
One proposed solution? Make Google sell off its web browser and maybe even its mobile operating system. But it’s unclear to me what that would actually mean for the general public that uses these apps and services – it would certainly be a setback for Google that could theoretically lead to increased competition.
But a big part of the reason Google offers Chrome and Android for free is that they’re bundled with Google search and other apps in a way that helps Google make a LOT of money from advertising. Would an independent Chrome browser be a financially viable product? I guess that depends on who buys it and what changes they implement. This is all hypothetical until a judge rules early next year though.
Teach mode, Rabbit’s tool for automating R1 tasks, is now available to all users [Engadget]

The Rabbit R1 is inching closer to living up to its potential. The long-promised “teach mode” is now available in beta, allowing users to train the R1 to interact with websites on their behalf. Theoretically this opens the door to doing things like ordering groceries for you, but right now the simplest functions are things that it’d probably be easier to do manually.
Android will soon instantly log you in to your apps on new devices [Ars Technica]
Restore Credentials
When you set up a new Android phone, odds are that you’ll have the chance to import your apps and data from your old phone. One thing that you normally still need to do though, is login to most of your apps. But Google has introduced a new Restore Credentials feature that could save you the trouble… assuming third-party developers update their apps to use the feature.
November Update: Something Borrowed Something New [Pine64]
Pinecam
The company behind the PinePhone, PineBook, PineTab, and PineNote line of hacker-friendly products is returning to putting out monthly progress/status updates. The latest brings news of a new PineCam featuring a SG2000 RISC-V + ARM processor and a 2MP camera. The RISC-V powered PineTab V has also received a small hardware update: it now has an accelerometer and status LED as well as some bug fixes.
Google Cancels Pixel Tablet Development [Android Authority]
I’d take this with a grain of salt, because Google has been making tablets in one form or another on and off for more than a decade. Yesterday Android Headlines reported that Google was still planning to release a Pixel Tablet 2 in 2025, but that the tablet after that had been canceled. Now Android Authority reports that BOTH tablets are canceled. Not only will there not be a Pixel Tablet 3, but there won’t be a Pixel Tablet 2.
Keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Bluesky or @[email protected] on Mastodon. You can also follow Liliputing on Threads, Facebook, and X.
#android #antitrust #chrome #doj #google #lilbits #pine64 #pinecam #pinetab #pixelTablet #pixelTablet2 #pixelTablet3 #rabbit #rabbitR1 #restoreCredentials #tablet #teachMode

#android #antitrust #chrome #doj #google #lilbits
Brad Linder @[email protected] · 2024-11-21 · 22:31 UTC

Lilbits: Google without Chrome, Rabbit R1 gets (a little) more useful, and Pine64’s new camera
The US Department of Justice wants to break up Google. After launching to horrible reviews earlier this year, the Rabbit R1 is getting a little more useful through software updates. Pine64 stuck a 2MP camera on the end of a tiny computer with a RISC-V and ARM processor. And Google may be done with tablets… again.
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.
The US Department of Justice wants to force Google to spin off Chrome, make other changes [Techmeme]
If you’ve seen any tech news today, you’ve probably seen this one. But the long and short of it is that the US government alleges that Google has violated antitrust laws by leveraging its Chrome web browser, Android mobile operating system, and Google search engine to create a sort of inescapable Google experience.
Google Chrome
One proposed solution? Make Google sell off its web browser and maybe even its mobile operating system. But it’s unclear to me what that would actually mean for the general public that uses these apps and services – it would certainly be a setback for Google that could theoretically lead to increased competition.
But a big part of the reason Google offers Chrome and Android for free is that they’re bundled with Google search and other apps in a way that helps Google make a LOT of money from advertising. Would an independent Chrome browser be a financially viable product? I guess that depends on who buys it and what changes they implement. This is all hypothetical until a judge rules early next year though.
Teach mode, Rabbit’s tool for automating R1 tasks, is now available to all users [Engadget]

The Rabbit R1 is inching closer to living up to its potential. The long-promised “teach mode” is now available in beta, allowing users to train the R1 to interact with websites on their behalf. Theoretically this opens the door to doing things like ordering groceries for you, but right now the simplest functions are things that it’d probably be easier to do manually.
Android will soon instantly log you in to your apps on new devices [Ars Technica]
Restore Credentials
When you set up a new Android phone, odds are that you’ll have the chance to import your apps and data from your old phone. One thing that you normally still need to do though, is login to most of your apps. But Google has introduced a new Restore Credentials feature that could save you the trouble… assuming third-party developers update their apps to use the feature.
November Update: Something Borrowed Something New [Pine64]
Pinecam
The company behind the PinePhone, PineBook, PineTab, and PineNote line of hacker-friendly products is returning to putting out monthly progress/status updates. The latest brings news of a new PineCam featuring a SG2000 RISC-V + ARM processor and a 2MP camera. The RISC-V powered PineTab V has also received a small hardware update: it now has an accelerometer and status LED as well as some bug fixes.
Google Cancels Pixel Tablet Development [Android Authority]
I’d take this with a grain of salt, because Google has been making tablets in one form or another on and off for more than a decade. Yesterday Android Headlines reported that Google was still planning to release a Pixel Tablet 2 in 2025, but that the tablet after that had been canceled. Now Android Authority reports that BOTH tablets are canceled. Not only will there not be a Pixel Tablet 3, but there won’t be a Pixel Tablet 2.
Keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Bluesky or @[email protected] on Mastodon. You can also follow Liliputing on Threads, Facebook, and X.
#android #antitrust #chrome #doj #google #lilbits #pine64 #pinecam #pinetab #pixelTablet #pixelTablet2 #pixelTablet3 #rabbit #rabbitR1 #restoreCredentials #tablet #teachMode

#android #antitrust #chrome #doj #google #lilbits
AskPippa🇨🇦 @[email protected] · 2024-09-10 · 14:54 UTC

The problem with writing for a publication that has login access only is I often feel nobody is reading my stories. The Medical Post/Canadian Healthcare Network is free to #doctors and #pharmacists in Canada. Here are some titles of stories I've written. I'd be happy to do other versions, as a freelancer, for other more public websites, etc. - if anyone out there is interested.
1. Move over sugar? Fats and proteins can trigger bigger insulin responses than glucose .
2. Cancer research blasts off: Materials behave differently in lower gravity allowing for accelerated research.
3. Nasal spray for tachycardia: nothing to sniff at.
4. No laughing matter: Laughing gas for treating depression.
5. Patients showing up with green hair?
6. Using graffiti art to communicate public health messages.
7. An extremely effective piece of preventative medicine? Cut way down on salt.
8. Could a century old treatment be an answer to antibiotic resistance? Ottawa patient with severe joint infection showing improvement from experimental phage therapy.
#journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance #freelancewriting #editors @medmastodon

#doctors #pharmacists #journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance
AskPippa🇨🇦 @[email protected] · 2024-09-10 · 14:54 UTC

The problem with writing for a publication that has login access only is I often feel nobody is reading my stories. The Medical Post/Canadian Healthcare Network is free to #doctors and #pharmacists in Canada. Here are some titles of stories I've written. I'd be happy to do other versions, as a freelancer, for other more public websites, etc. - if anyone out there is interested.
1. Move over sugar? Fats and proteins can trigger bigger insulin responses than glucose .
2. Cancer research blasts off: Materials behave differently in lower gravity allowing for accelerated research.
3. Nasal spray for tachycardia: nothing to sniff at.
4. No laughing matter: Laughing gas for treating depression.
5. Patients showing up with green hair?
6. Using graffiti art to communicate public health messages.
7. An extremely effective piece of preventative medicine? Cut way down on salt.
8. Could a century old treatment be an answer to antibiotic resistance? Ottawa patient with severe joint infection showing improvement from experimental phage therapy.
#journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance #freelancewriting #editors @medmastodon

#doctors #pharmacists #journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance
AskPippa🇨🇦 @[email protected] · 2024-09-10 · 14:54 UTC

The problem with writing for a publication that has login access only is I often feel nobody is reading my stories. The Medical Post/Canadian Healthcare Network is free to #doctors and #pharmacists in Canada. Here are some titles of stories I've written. I'd be happy to do other versions, as a freelancer, for other more public websites, etc. - if anyone out there is interested.
1. Move over sugar? Fats and proteins can trigger bigger insulin responses than glucose .
2. Cancer research blasts off: Materials behave differently in lower gravity allowing for accelerated research.
3. Nasal spray for tachycardia: nothing to sniff at.
4. No laughing matter: Laughing gas for treating depression.
5. Patients showing up with green hair?
6. Using graffiti art to communicate public health messages.
7. An extremely effective piece of preventative medicine? Cut way down on salt.
8. Could a century old treatment be an answer to antibiotic resistance? Ottawa patient with severe joint infection showing improvement from experimental phage therapy.
#journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance #freelancewriting #editors @medmastodon

#doctors #pharmacists #journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance
AskPippa🇨🇦 @[email protected] · 2024-09-10 · 14:54 UTC

The problem with writing for a publication that has login access only is I often feel nobody is reading my stories. The Medical Post/Canadian Healthcare Network is free to #doctors and #pharmacists in Canada. Here are some titles of stories I've written. I'd be happy to do other versions, as a freelancer, for other more public websites, etc. - if anyone out there is interested.
1. Move over sugar? Fats and proteins can trigger bigger insulin responses than glucose .
2. Cancer research blasts off: Materials behave differently in lower gravity allowing for accelerated research.
3. Nasal spray for tachycardia: nothing to sniff at.
4. No laughing matter: Laughing gas for treating depression.
5. Patients showing up with green hair?
6. Using graffiti art to communicate public health messages.
7. An extremely effective piece of preventative medicine? Cut way down on salt.
8. Could a century old treatment be an answer to antibiotic resistance? Ottawa patient with severe joint infection showing improvement from experimental phage therapy.
#journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance #freelancewriting #editors @medmastodon

#editors #freelancewriting #freelance #medical #medicalwriting #journalism
AskPippa🇨🇦 @[email protected] · 2024-09-10 · 14:54 UTC

The problem with writing for a publication that has login access only is I often feel nobody is reading my stories. The Medical Post/Canadian Healthcare Network is free to #doctors and #pharmacists in Canada. Here are some titles of stories I've written. I'd be happy to do other versions, as a freelancer, for other more public websites, etc. - if anyone out there is interested.
1. Move over sugar? Fats and proteins can trigger bigger insulin responses than glucose .
2. Cancer research blasts off: Materials behave differently in lower gravity allowing for accelerated research.
3. Nasal spray for tachycardia: nothing to sniff at.
4. No laughing matter: Laughing gas for treating depression.
5. Patients showing up with green hair?
6. Using graffiti art to communicate public health messages.
7. An extremely effective piece of preventative medicine? Cut way down on salt.
8. Could a century old treatment be an answer to antibiotic resistance? Ottawa patient with severe joint infection showing improvement from experimental phage therapy.
#journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance #freelancewriting #editors @medmastodon

#doctors #pharmacists #journalism #medicalwriting #medical #freelance
Tom Fucoloro @[email protected] · 2024-06-21 · 18:12 UTC
Weekend Guide: Fremont Solstice, Lid I-5 bike tour, Move Redmond open streets festival + How to spread the word about your bike event
Summer is officially here! Below is a look at some of the bike events happening around town this weekend.
Do you have an idea for a fun bike event? Make it happen! Then be sure to list the details for free on the Seattle Bike Blog Events Calendar so we can help spread the word.
Saturday
Lid I-5 biking tour
Tour existing and possible future freeway lids in the U District and along SR 520. Starts 9 a.m. at University Playfield and ends at Yarrow Point.
Move Redmond Open Streets Festival in Overlake Village
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Overlake Village Station to Esterra Park. Lots of activities along the street and on the main stage:
Fremont Solstice Parade and naked bike ride
Riders gather around 12:30 p.m. at Gas Works Park to begin riding. Spectators should find a spot along the parade route around that time. More details in our previous post.
Sunday
NE 8th St Bridge Opening
An all-ages ride leaving 10:30 a.m. from the Totem Lake Salt & Straw to the noon bridge opening celebration near Wilburton Station.
Redmond History Ride
Join Bob Svercl on a leisurely ride and learn about old Salmonberg starting at 1 p.m.
All Weekend
Bicycle Weekends on Lake Washington Blvd
It’s Bicycle Weekend! Lake Washington Blvd will be car-free from 10 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday between Seward and Mount Baker Parks.

Share
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- Email
#SEAbikes #Seattle
#weekendguide #events
Your Autistic Life :PanPride: @[email protected] · 2024-01-07 · 16:34 UTC

OH MY GOD!
That girl with whom I matched? She sounds PERFECT.
We had barely exchanged any texts last night. She opened today with asking for a phone call. That's fast. Every time someone has been this fast asking for a phone number, it was a scammer. I hesitated a tiny bit, but decided to go for it. She called me, and we talked. Her phone number was coherent with the location she gave me, at least.
She says she's not on the spectrum, but she's been raising money for people on the spectrum. She has cousins who are on the spectrum. She told me how she'd handle someone having a panic attack, and I nearly cried.
She says she's not on the spectrum... but I have my doubts. She was basically info dumping. :madjoy: I guess we'll have to investigate later.
She's in school, and plan to go to law school. What's not to love? Law is one of my interests. She has also travelled. She's been to Korea. I told her about my stint in Taiwan.
"School? How old is she?"
25. Shut up!
It just happened this way, but we discussed the word "love." We're on the same page. I told her that I use it fast, but that it does not mean I want to have a baby, move in, marry, etc. She's on board with that.
Judging by a short clip she sent me, it looks like she'd like to meet me sooner than later. I told her that I'd like to not just jump in bed with her, and she was fine with this.
This clip by Ninja Sex Party illustrates well how I feel. (Make sure you listen to it in a place where you don't care about who hears it. It is a bit salty.)
https://youtu.be/TS_OWTKCUIM?si=KpPyrkHCnoNrof0s
#dating #NinjaSexParty #HeartBoner

#dating #ninjasexparty #heartboner