The tragic story of the Catman of Ferry Road is indeed one shrouded in mystery.
Ferry Road connects with Junction Street, which some may consider the border of Leith. In its day, the Port of Leith was a vibrant area. Leith Docks served as a major source of industry for the local area, but as the 1990s arrived, dock work went into decline.
Like all ports, Leith saw its fair share of trouble. Rough pubs, crime and violence would feature in the everyday lives of Leithers; trouble was not uncommon.
However, one story remains possibly the strangest I have encountered.
Who was the Catman of Ferry Road?
Gilbert O’Donnell lived in a tenement flat across the road from Leith Library. He was an eccentric character who was well known throughout the area.
Known for his trademark black trench coat, black hair and eyeliner, he certainly stood out from the crowd. The nickname “The Catman” came from O’Donnell’s love of animals. He would be seen daily at Leith Library feeding pigeons and local cats.
The Catman’s last day
2 May 1996 was a bright and unusually warm day for the time of year. Spring had arrived in Leith, and residents took to the streets to enjoy the good weather.
Gilbert O’Donnell spent his afternoon drinking in his local pub, The Junction Bridge Bar. Although a light drinker, the Catman spent several hours drinking that day.
He sat in the company of an unknown male with an Aberdeen accent and appeared to enjoy his company. At around 6pm, both men left the pub and returned to O’Donnell’s nearby flat.
This was the last time anyone would see the Catman alive.
The death of Gilbert O’Donnell
On Sunday, 4 March, police were alerted to 35 Ferry Road. Inside the dark flat lay the body of Gilbert O’Donnell, the Catman of Ferry Road.
A police report confirms that the victim sustained injuries akin to a bad road traffic collision. The murder weapon, a hammer, lay within the confines of the blood-soaked room.
Although a neighbour confirmed they had heard a disturbance in the small hours of Saturday morning, it is not known why it took until Sunday for the police to attend.
It would not take police long to make a breakthrough and ultimately an arrest. Thirty-year-old John King, an ex-submariner from Aberdeenshire, was arrested and charged with the murder.
It is, however, at this point in the story that the mystery begins.
Was the Catman seen after his death?
Neighbours came forward and were interviewed by police. Some statements appeared plausible, yet others seemed entirely impossible.
The first witness claimed to have seen Mr O’Donnell on the morning of Saturday 3rd. He was up to his usual business, out feeding the pigeons and throwing bread. He sported his usual black trench coat and makeup, his face white and pale.
The second witness interviewed by police was the owner of a local shop situated on Ferry Road. She stated that Mr O’Donnell had walked into her shop on Sunday afternoon.
The woman was adamant that the date and time were correct and that she was not mistaken. Again, the witness described the Catman wearing his usual attire and appearance.
The third witness’s account was by far the most bizarre. Not only did she see Mr O’Donnell on the stairwell of his house, but he also acknowledged her on Saturday afternoon.
She stated that although he looked pale and a little under the weather, it was most definitely him.
The mystery facing police
The police’s claim that all three witnesses had to be mistaken was a major spanner in the works. Gilbert O’Donnell was most certainly dead by late Friday evening. The witnesses had to be wrong.
It was considered that perhaps the victim had been injured when sighted and had later died from his injuries. The coroner deemed this impossible, stating that the victim could not have managed the stairs with the injuries sustained.
The case became increasingly difficult and would go on for several months. The jury could not obtain a solid conviction due to the witness statements.
How could a man be seen by three separate people when he had died the day before?
It took more than one year to reach a verdict. The accused, John King, was given a life sentence and jailed.
Could the witnesses have been mistaken?
Could the three witnesses have been mistaken?
Gilbert O’Donnell was indeed a man of routine. He had kept the same routine for many years, so could the witnesses have mixed up the day-to-day Catman sightings?
One thing is certain: there have been no further sightings of him since the tragic and mysterious events of 1996.
The other Catman of Greenock
There is another Catman story from the back streets of Greenock. This, however, falls very much into the realm of urban legend.
A Russian sailor who found himself left behind in the 1970s would make a home in the back streets of the Port of Greenock. As time went on, the sailor would become immobilised and be seen crawling through the alleyways, covered in thick, dark oil.
The local youth would nickname the sailor “The Catman”, and the name would remain for many years to come.
The area where he lived still exists, yet the Greenock Catman has not been sighted for a long time. The legend persists, inviting new stories and speculation from those who hear it.
