- published: 27 Aug 2014
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Gorgie is a densely populated area of west Edinburgh, Scotland, located near Murrayfield, Ardmillan and Dalry.
The name is thought to be Brythonic in origin. Early forms suggest it derives from gor gyn – upper wedge – which may refer to the tapering shape of the land between the Water of Leith and the Craiglockhart hills. An alternative derivation is 'big field' from Cumbric (Brythonic) gor cyn. Gorgie is recorded in 12th century charters of Holyrood Abbey.
Tynecastle Stadium, home of Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian Football Club is in Gorgie, as is the North British Distillery, which creates a distinctive odour in parts of the area. The area was developed in the 19th century and was a mixture of residential and industrial, most of the homes being tenement flats. Many factories developed in the district, including McVitie and Price's biscuit factory; Cox's glue and gelatin works; the Caledonian Brewery and various chemical works, which used the water supply from the Water of Leith and the Union Canal, which terminated in a nearby basin. The area was also traversed by both the Caledonian Railway and the North British Railway – both companies had stations in the vicinity. Most of the large industrial works have now closed. The area contains Gorgie City Farm, and retains a number of smaller businesses, including two laundrettes. There is also a secondary school, Tynecastle High School.
The brothers James "Jim" Lloyd Mitchell (November 30, 1943 – July 12, 2007) and Artie Jay Mitchell (December 17, 1945 – February 27, 1991) were pioneers in the pornography and striptease club business in San Francisco and other parts of California from 1969 until 1991, when Jim was convicted of killing Artie.
They opened the O'Farrell Theatre in 1969 as an adult cinema and at one time operated 11 such businesses; they produced and directed many adult films, including Behind the Green Door in 1972. They were also successful as the defendants in many obscenity cases. The Mitchells' notoriety significantly increased with Jim's fratricide; they became the subject of three books, X-Rated by David McCumber, Bottom Feeders by John Hubner, 9½ Years Behind the Mitchell Brothers' Green Door by Simone Corday and one movie, Rated X.
The Mitchells' father, Robert (known to all as Bob), an "Okie," was a professional gambler. He and his wife, Georgia Mae, settled in Antioch, near San Francisco and, according to the Mitchell brothers' biographers, provided a relatively stable childhood for Jim and Artie; the boys were popular and their childhood friends would become important members of the Mitchells' porn empire.