The historic signal was fired

Wednesday marks the anniversary of the One o’ Clock Gun being fired experimentally for the first time to find out which size of garrison gun could be best adapted to convey the time signal over a wide area.

The historic signal was fired on a Saturday, 26th January 1861. On the following Monday, the signal was fired hourly, beginning at 10.30 am and ending at 3.30 pm. A six pound charge was fired at 10.30 from a 24 pounder standing next to the flagpole on the Half Moon Battery, followed by an eight pound charge at 11.30. A six pound charge was fired again from the 24 pounder at 12.30. At 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30 a four pound charge was fired from an 18 pounder on the Forewall Battery.

The 10.30 firing was heard all over the city and in Dalkeith while the 11.30 firing was heard in the north of the New Town, Dalkeith, Newington on the south side of the city and the Port of Leith.

The gunners reckoned that the second firing would also have been heard in Burntisland on the other side of the Firth of Forth. Although the reports from the 18 pounder were sharp and clear, they could not be heard in several areas of the city.

Mr John Gosden johngosd@gmail.com has contacted us to ask if anyone is familiar with the following poem or song. One of the verses goes:

‘Then may I walk the Royal Mile
That’s Scotland’s great highway
Where at one o’clock from the Castle Rock
Sounds Auld Reekie’s call each day’

Can anyone help?