Heave awa' lads

On 24 November 1861 three 250 year-old houses in the High Street, on the Royal Mile, collapsed killing 35 of the occupants. While the debris was being cleared away a boy called Joseph McIver was heard shouting out from within the collapsed building "Heave awa' lads, I'm no deid yet" and was subsequently rescued. When the building was replaced the owner of the flat above Paisley Close asked for a carving of Joseph's head and his exclamation (anglicised) to be added as a memorial.

This reminded me of the woman who survived burial for 17 days after last month's tragedy in Bangladesh when 1127 people died after the collapse of the garment factory. Hopefully that dreadful event will prompt renewed attempts to enforce stricter controls there, just as the overcrowding and tragedy in 1861 prompted the creation of the first Medical Officer of Health in Edinburgh.