Livingstone Street - photos and memories
The Polish Corridor
Livingstone Street was once known as 'the Polish Corridor' because of all the Poles (or Lithuanians and Latvians) who lived there. Many hundreds of them came to Scotland c. 1900-1914, to work in the mines. There were large settlements of 'Poles' in Lanarkshire and Midlothian, and a smaller number in West Lothian, especially in the Addiewell, Stoneyburn and Fauldhouse areas.
Bill Irvine
At the end of the War, they had a huge bonfire at Livingstone Street, and there was a teenager, Bill Irvine, up on top of the wash houses, dressed up in fancy dress as a jester.
Bill had a labrador dog that used to wait for him getting home from school, at the end of the garden.
Livingstone Street in its heyday, 1909.
West Lothian Local History Library. All rights reserved. S1. 3.
The same view c.1995.
Charlie Richardson, per West Lothian Local History Library. All rights reserved. S1. 3.
Livingston Street, 1960s.
BP. All Rights Reserved. S1. 92.
Livingstone Street's houses lined both sides of this street.