Your Memories: Tea, sandwiches..and a party above Woolies

Published on Saturday 4 April 2009 10:31

THE sounding of the death knell for Woolworths stores across the UK was a glum day for many shoppers with fond memories of the historic retailer. However, one great-grandmother's memories of a former Woolworths building in the Capital are more dance room than shopping gloom.

Beatrice Mackenzie, 90, who has lived in Leith all her life, was the pianist for around a year in the upper floor of the former Woolies building at the foot of Leith Walk in the early 1940s, which at the time was the Palace Ballroom.

She formed part of a band alongside a drummer, saxophonist and trumpeter.

At that time, only the bottom floor of the building operated as Woolworths. In the 1930s, the level above was taken over by a professor, Charles Wood, and his partner Mrs Kelly, who opened it as the Palace Ballroom.

Mrs Mackenzie, a great-grandmother of two, says: "During the war I was the pianist at the Palace Ballroom for a year or so until I was called into war work in about 1942.

"I started going to the Ballroom in 1938 when I was 20. I wasn't into dancing at that time but the people were encouraged to learn old time and modern ballroom dancing. It was a varied programme all week and I did a bit of each."

Mrs Mackenzie says the dance hall was popular among Leithers and was open every night from Monday through to Saturday. Popular requests for the band included war tunes Roll out the Barrel and Ferryboat Serenade.

Mrs Mackenzie adds: "It was more like a party than a formal dance. You got to know so many people and mingle.

"It was a lovely ballroom and had nice chandeliers and a lovely floor. A lot of people learned to dance there. I very much enjoyed my time at the Palace Ballroom. There was no rowdiness and it was always very well organised. There was no drink – you got a cup of tea and a sandwich."

The Palace Ballroom closed shortly after the end of the Second World War. "As far as I know, Woolworths took the whole place over," adds Mrs Mackenzie.

Earlier this month, the Evening News reported that the building, which is thought to date back to the 19th century, could be converted into affordable flats.