History of 39 Thistle Street

The Thistle Street Bar has gone through many incarnations since the property was first built around 1775. As a pub it was known as Marr’s Bar in the late 1970s and early 80s (the late Archie Marr being one of the early band members of the Bay City Rollers). Going back even further it was known as Just Charlie’s.

But, who were the people who lived at the property in the first street built in Edinburgh’s New Town during the Georgian and Victorian periods? Edinburgh historian Barclay Price has done some digging on our behalf and here is the result of his findings. We hope you will enjoy exploring the history of 39 Thistle Street.