Extension: John Paul Jones and Leith

25 North Fort Street, Edinburgh EH6 4HF

This street in Leith is named after one of the most audacious moments of the Revolutionary War. In September 1779, John Paul Jones, the Scottish-born “father of the U.S. Navy,” sailed a small fleet of American warships into the Firth of Forth and anchored off Leith, demanding a ransom of £200,000 from Edinburgh and threatening to bombard the port.

Banks locked their doors, the garrison closed the Castle portcullis, and church bells rang the invasion alarm. Only a sudden gale drove Jones back out to sea. In direct response, Leith Fort was built to defend the harbor. 

Sources:

• Threadinburgh
• Historic Environment Scotland Blog
• Georgian Edinburgh Blog
• EuroWalks