Question
Faces of Haddington: The bearded man
Where is he, where did he come from, and who does he represent? Is it Santa Claus?
We don’t know all the answers – perhaps you know? Over to you and a Merry Christmas to you all.
This poser is also posted, as usual, on our own HHS Facebook page and also Old Haddingtonshire FB page where you can read other contributors’ answers or comments.
Our Answer
The face is incorporated in the wall of Garden, Stirling & Burnet at 22 Hardgate, Haddington. The carving appears Victorian but we do not know where it came from.
Suggested answers on Facebook are:
Caroline Skene: My Dad remembers this. He worked on the building in the early 70s. Drew Riley was the stonemason and Robert Cockburn obtained those stone moulds from a derelict building nearby.
John Hamilton: Here’s an original one from a now demolished building on Market Street, it would have been where the ‘conservative’ car park is today. They were to fend off spirits from the building.
Tonia Moncrieff: Old job centre building now Stirling and Burnett. My husband Andrew Moncrieff thinks his dad put it up there while working on the building as a stonemason long time ago not sure where he got it from though.
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