| The most important place to start in any | | | | children of in batches at a time. One of the |
| research of the history and genealogy of Leith is | | | | pathetic inscriptions reads "lyth here, two children |
| South leith Churchyard. | | | | dear, in life united, when dead not parted" One |
| The gravestones of South leith although not the | | | | stone tells us of a certain lady who was the |
| most famous in Scotland nor the most attractive. | | | | mother of 21 children and died at the early age of |
| They are important however because they are | | | | 45. John Pew the Maltman whose stone is worth |
| the best recorded in scotland dateing back in | | | | visiting had 25 children and outlived all but a few. |
| some cases to the 16th century | | | | There is also the type of inscription which details |
| We have all scanned the tombstones in passing | | | | long phrases the numerous virtues of a deceased |
| by looking for something of interest, and it must | | | | friend and there are others which point a moral or |
| be admitted that in this respect South Leith | | | | warning to the careless reader (eg "As I am now, |
| churchyard has no very great attractions. We are | | | | so shalt thou be").There is an interesting stone |
| impressed by the large families which were so | | | | which bears to be erected to a lady the daughter |
| common a feature of former times and by the | | | | of a soldier who fell in the royal cause at the |
| ravages of infectious diseases which carried | | | | battle of Preston in 1745. |