Vennels


Fair Maid
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Yeah they definitely add character and most of old Perth especially if it was touched up would make the place very attractive. The Meal Vennel has gone but others still exist all over like the Water Vennel. It means a wee street to me but it probably has a technical term.

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The Meal Vennel connected South and High Streets, it ran northwards from the side of the post office in South Street. Many of my ancestors (Irish immigrants) lived in the Meal Vennel well over 100 years ago. If you want to be pedantic, the old Meal Vennel route still exists as a right of way. The old Meal Vennels slums were cleared in the 1950s to make room for the city square which was replaced by the St John's Centre.

Other vennels I can think of are:

Fleshers Vennel

Baxters Vennel

Cutlog Vennel

Oliphants Vennel

Not sure if places like the Watergate, Speygate, etc qualify as vennels.

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Regarding the size aspect the Cutlog Vennel was narrower than the Meal Vennel then there was one called Horners Lane ran from South St to Canal St beside Tesco it was as wide as the Cutlog. Then further along South St you had the Ropemakers Close running to Canal St further east you had one just before Princes St again going to Canal St.Across the road you have the one going to St Johns Kirk then up George St you have two, one going to Skinnergate it has part off the old city wall halfway down. The other one is across the road going to Tay St joins up with that wee St between church and the Royal George used to go to the lifeboys in that kirk and later years pay my rent in the wee street, building used to house the registrars and the rent office

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The Meal Vennel connected South and High Streets, it ran northwards from the side of the post office in South Street. Many of my ancestors (Irish immigrants) lived in the Meal Vennel well over 100 years ago. If you want to be pedantic, the old Meal Vennel route still exists as a right of way. The old Meal Vennels slums were cleared in the 1950s to make room for the city square which was replaced by the St John's Centre.

Other vennels I can think of are:

Fleshers Vennel

Baxters Vennel

Cutlog Vennel

Oliphants Vennel

Not sure if places like the Watergate, Speygate, etc qualify as vennels.

Hi Ziggy I'm a Meal Vennel boy too - what was your family called (PM me) I've got the full census of the old Vennel in the Irish immigrant era.

In Yorkshire they call it a Snicket.

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Meal Vennel also had a school and a public toilet. What was the name of the cafe that was across from the public toilets ? There was also a wee shop with shutters when leaving st johns square in to the meal vennel ????

Was the school called Central District?

And the Coffee shop was called something like Kardomah, if I remember right?

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Regarding the size aspect the Cutlog Vennel was narrower than the Meal Vennel then there was one called Horners Lane ran from South St to Canal St beside Tesco it was as wide as the Cutlog. Then further along South St you had the Ropemakers Close running to Canal St further east you had one just before Princes St again going to Canal St.Across the road you have the one going to St Johns Kirk then up George St you have two, one going to Skinnergate it has part off the old city wall halfway down. The other one is across the road going to Tay St joins up with that wee St between church and the Royal George used to go to the lifeboys in that kirk and later years pay my rent in the wee street, building used to house the registrars and the rent office

Horner's Lane is still there, isn't it?

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Hi Ziggy I'm a Meal Vennel boy too - what was your family called (PM me) I've got the full census of the old Vennel in the Irish immigrant era.

In Yorkshire they call it a Snicket.

My parents have a Perth Street Directory from 1936. Tells you who lived in the houses as well as there occupations. Can have a look if you are interested.

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My parents have a Perth Street Directory from 1936. Tells you who lived in the houses as well as there occupations. Can have a look if you are interested.

I was born there. 'Don't know if my family was there as early as '36. My Granny's name was Lowther, so you could look it up. I'd be grateful.

Smudge

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My parents have a Perth Street Directory from 1936. Tells you who lived in the houses as well as there occupations. Can have a look if you are interested.

Can you see what it says for 34 Meal Vennel? My great grandfather's accidental death was reported in the PA in 1938 and that was his address given but his "usual residence" on his death certificate was somewhere else. Think 34 Meal Vennel might have been a lodging house?

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Can you see what it says for 34 Meal Vennel? My great grandfather's accidental death was reported in the PA in 1938 and that was his address given but his "usual residence" on his death certificate was somewhere else. Think 34 Meal Vennel might have been a lodging house?

The library has the first postal records of Perth dating back to 1890s with Meal Vennel delivery names. I have a copy somewhere.

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I've since uncovered a whole new branch of the family from the 1860s/70s residing in amongst other places Cutlog and Fleshers Vennels (a trip to The Grill will never be the same again) and wait for it...Lochee, another well-known Irish enclave.

Soulful, Perthshire school records for the period 1870–1900 have recently been put online, any names you want looked up? It also has details of any before and after school jobs the kids had. Very interesting, some were working 30 hours a week at age 11 delivering milk, papers, etc as well as school.

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