There has been a tradition of fishing here from time immemorial. And if fish is caught commercially, it needs to be sold. For centuries, this was done by the fishwife hawking the daily catch — usually her husband’s or father’s — around the streets of the Edinburgh and further afield. Or by the box in auction to restaurants, fishmongers and fish and chip shops .

For centuries, this happened at the pierhead in all weathers. At one time, it was not just the Newhaven fishermen that were landing their catch but many of the other fishing communities that lined the coast of the Forth, too. Because Edinburgh was a major transport hub, the daily catch would then travel to other parts of the country.

With the coming of the railways and steamboats, these fishing villages found they had improved direct access to other more profitable markets and trade at Newhaven started to dwindle. An enclosed Newhaven Fishmarket was conceived by Henry Dempster, known as the Ancient Mariner and a native of the village. He proposed that this would revive the area’s fortunes. A wholesale system was created and fish was sent here daily by rail. Newhaven prospered once more.