Celebrating Leith and North Edinburgh January 2012
Cut Trident Not Jobs 2010
Unite Against Fascism 2010
Gaza Aid Flotilla May 2010
Gude Cause March 2009
Stop Climate Chaos:
Scottish Climate Change Bill
Campaign for Leith Museum
Campaign for Leith Theatre


Leith & North: Please email any news items to: news@leithandnorth.org.uk Edinburgh Suffrage Procession: A Gude Cause Maks a Strong Arm Marchers in Edwardian dress with lilac and green ribbons entering Middle Meadow Walk

More pictures of Gude Cause Centenary March 2009 on Leith & North >>>

Women and men from all over Scotland gathered on Bruntsfield Links on October 10th to recreate the Gude Cause Procession down Princes St, 100 years after the original event. The march was the culmination of many months' planning and celebration, which included workshops keeping the history and art of banner making alive and flourishing. The day saw a celebration of Suffragette colours - green, purple and white - a zeitgeist which Leith & North's roving editor embraced without forethought.

Gude Cause web site >>>

Purple on white banner with rosettes and slogans Staff from Edinburgh City Museums with a 6 foot high banner as the trees start to turn to Autumn Left <<<: Banner of the Africa Centre on Melville Drive.
Right >>>: Edinburgh City Museums on Melville Drive. People in Edwardian dress marching with banners including banners "We've a gude way to go", and Inverness Women's Aid

Many chose to travel back in time to the Edwardian era, by dressing in period costume, although there was also a band dressed in the garb of the World War II Women's Land Army. The march was led off by Leith's own piper for all occasions, Louise Millington, and the lead banner was carried by leading Scots politicians including, North & Leith's MP and MSP, Mark Lazarowicz and Malcolm Chisholm, as well as MSPs Sarah Boyack, Robin Harper and Fiona Hyslop.
 Marchers with lilac and green banners entering Middle Meadow Walk


^^^: Marchers enter Middle Meadow Walk.

 Young people in black with kettle drums Two girls and a woman carrying a banner "Use your Vote: Your ancestors are watching" Left <<<: Leith's own Pulse of the Place drummers.
Right >>>: A message to non voters.

Struggles for fair representation at the ballot box are not yet behind us in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Youth Parliament (below,) joined the march, and were handing out leaflets to support the campaign to lower the voting age to 16 - a cause which Leith & North supports. Continuity with the past was also marked by young women carrying placards with the names of relatives who joined the original procession, way back in 1909 (see foot of this page).

Desi Bravehearts dancing in yellow dresses with yellow headdresses, green waistcoats and green leotards

Gude Cause on the Scottish Youth Parliament web site >>>

Women and men in black and pink waterproofs holding up cutout pink figures Pupils in Edwardian era hats carrying a banner "Here Come the Girls" Left <<<: Scottish Breast Cancer marchers.
Right >>>: St Georges School. Smiling woman with a white knitted beret in a wheelchair with two young women carrying placards: "I remember my great Grandmothers" and "I rememberr my great aunt Chrissie"

Gude Cause web site >>>
View more photos on Flickr >>>
A gude cause: The Scotsman, October 9th, 2009 >>>
Gude Cause on the Scottish Youth Parliament web site >>>
Pulse of the Place on YouTube and other video clips >>>
Women's History Scotland web site >>>
womensgrid web site >>>
Gude Cause on facebook >>>

More pictures of Gude Cause Centenary March 2009 on Leith & North >>>

Marchers and dachshunds passing Greyfriars Bobby