It was 1965 when a bold young barber decided to take his comb and scissors and go it alone in the world of hairdressing.

Opening his first salon at the age of 21, that fledgling business has gone on to become one of Scotland's top studios and still bears the name of the man who started it all.

From growing up in an Edinburgh "slum" with no indoor toilet to fulfilling his dream of running his own salon, Charlie Miller has become one of Scotland's most celebrated stylists.

Fifty years on, Charlie Miller Hairdressing boasts five salons across the city, a world-renowned artistic team and a roster of award-winning hairdressers.

Charlie, 72, says: "I came from a place called Arthur Street which doesn't exist anymore. It's on top of the Pleasance in Edinburgh. It was a slum.

"Eventually I got my first shot of a bath when we got sent to Niddrie Marischal. We didn't have any inside toilets or anything but it was a great place to be brought up."

"I was dying to be a drummer but we couldn't afford drums but I had drumsticks," Charlie says.

"When my mum and dad used to take me to the Tattoo, I used to always see the marines and they were the best drummers. I thought 'I'm going to go and join the marines when I leave school'.

"So, I left school when I was 15, and I went up to the marine office which was in Frederick Street.

"They had sergeants standing at the door and he said 'yes son, what can I do for you?' and I said 'I want to join the marines' and he says 'how old are you? you have to be 18 to get into the marines'.

"I wipe the sweat off my brow now to think about it because as soon as that, I was off. I wanted to be a hairdresser."

It wasn't long until young Charlie swapped the drumsticks for scissors and he landed his first job at Bob's barber shop sweeping the floors.

"It was the best barber shop in town and so I got a great training with them. I was there for five years and I loved it," he says.

"The dominating hairstyles when I went into it were the Perry Como and the Tony Curtis, who was an amazing film star who turned his hair up into the middle of his forehead. There were also American soldiers coming over with crew cuts."

After five years at Bob's, Charlie leaped at the chance of opening his own salon when a shop became available.

He named it His Hair, a suggestion from his wife Janet, and it became one of the most sought after hairdressers in the city.

The salon gradually became unisex and Charlie finally got a taste of cutting women's hair.

"I opened up in Prestonfield in the housing scheme and I'm not exaggerating, people came from all over Edinburgh to me because of what I was doing," says Charlie.

"They would come down on the bus, they would come down on their scooters and they would come down in their cars.

"They would come down in all sorts of ways and I mean some really classy cars, there was a couple of Rolls Royce's that came down."

The business went from strength-to-strength and Charlie moved operations to Stafford Street in 1971 under the new name of Charlie Miller Hairdressing and ,in 1995, a second salon was opened on St Andrew Street.

In the years to follow, three popped up around the city.

Mountains of awards sit upon the mantelpiece at Charlie Miller's HQ, from the coveted British Hairdressing Awards Hall of Fame to the Scottish Hairdresser of the year, all of which have been awarded to numerous hairdressers and stylists within the company.

And then, in 2012, Charlie was awarded an OBE from the Queen.

"I was a bit gobsmacked," says Charlie. "It was a total surprise, I didn't know until I got the letter.

"The Queen was lovely. She stands there looking at everybody with care and speaks to you really nicely."

Her Majesty isn't the only famous face that Charlie has brushed shoulders with during his career.

He has cut the locks of stars like Sean Connery and Rangers European Cup Winners' Cup captain John Greig and has even gifted the Dalai Lama with a set of clippers.

"About 15 years ago, the Dalai Lama went to the Samye Ling in the borders on one of his visits. I knew I was going to get my photo taken with him so I took him clippers.

"I sent away for one that was a 220v because I thought he travels the world and you would need a 220v more than what we use here," he adds.

"So I got that and I put it in a little tartan bag and I gave it to him as a gift. I thought he'd give it to one of the monks because he's got his own hairdresser."

Charlie explains: "Then, when I was in India with friends of mine visiting the Dalai Lama, I said to him, 'I gave you clippers way back when you were at the Samye Ling' and he stopped in his tracks and looked at me and said 'is it a 220?' and he put his hand up and said, 'I still use it.'"

With such a long career under his belt, the time eventually came for Charlie to hand his scissors over to his two sons, Jason and Josh, who have kept the family business running since his retirement in 1998.

Following in his father's footsteps, Charlie's eldest son Jason joined the family business in 1982 straight out of school.

He proved to be talented in his own right and now appears in the British Hairdressing Hall of Fame along with his dad and his wife India.

Jason says: "I think it was a natural transition. One day dad just said 'I think you guys should do this' and we've been doing it for a long time together so we have been very fortunate that it has been a natural progression.

"I am lucky enough also to have my brother, Josh, who is involved in the business side and so we do that together and it complements each other," he adds.

The brothers are now looking towards the next 50 years and the future of Charlie Miller Hairdressing.

Jason says: "My brother Josh and I are looking at growing the business but we will only do it as we have always done and when all the right th ings are in the right place.

"I would say it probably will move out of Edinburgh but it's all about who wants to live somewhere. When these things are in place then that's when it will happen."

Despite missing the buzz of the salon, Charlie is proud to see his legacy continue in the hands of his children.

"It was time to let go," admits Charlie. "I would have worked right up to now, I loved it, but it was for the business and for Jason and for the rest of them, to let them fly, and they have done."