Over 730 visitors walked through the doors of 19 Smith’s Place, Leith to soak up the atmosphere of a bygone era. Nine members of the Leith local history society spent the day bringing the special commissioned exhibition to life with their expert knowledge on original artefacts telling the story of this piece of working life in Leith over the last two centuries.

Many of the original artefacts and documents were hidden away in underground cellars and dusty cupboards, some dating back to the early 1870s – handwritten letters, detailed business correspondence and a collection of glass bottles and chemist drawers, all with their original Latin inscriptions.

On the day 101 year old Dr Gordon B Drummond – the oldest registered pharmacist in Britain – travelled from Hull to attend the event. Pouring over the exhibition, he recollected having to run errands to Smith’s Place as an apprentice, and explained how to use the pill rolling machine. Many of the visitors had a vested interest in the pharmacy as a local joiner explained how the curved doors in the ground floor atrium were made, having curved one himself as an apprentice. One ex employee reminisced about her experience of meeting a Stevenson-esque ghost in the building, who she met leaning on the balustrade in breeches and a cut-away coat!

Smith’s Place, originally the home to Raimes, Clark and Co, a Wholesale and Analytical Chemists founded in 1816 has benefited from a number of careful owners who have respectfully preserved the Georgian interior and its many original artefacts and features. In the company boardroom, visitors came face to face with portraits of founding members who started the original firm of Raimes, Clark and Co in 1816 and upstairs in the attic visitors could step back in time and imagine how the generations of servants would have lived.

Lindsay and Gilmour chairman, Nigel Cumming, whose family have been involved with the firm for over 100 years, said he was very pleased to be able to share this rich heritage with the local community.