Canaan House, Morningside, Edinburgh

Canaan House

David Watson wrote:

Search for Information

"I'm trying to establish some facts about Canaan House, pictured above as it stands today. The house was built around 1805 with extensions in 1877, and became known as Streatham House in the mid-19^th Century.

Canaan House was then converted to become the Benedictine St Andrews Priory and Catholic School in 1930.

I am a descendant of Charles Twogood and Eleanora Haig who lived in Canaan House in 1852. Charles was a butler but Eleanora was born to a wealthy family. (Later, they moved to and raised a family at 16 Fettes Row.)

My sister and I would like to know more about the nature and ownership of Canaan House around the 1850’s. I have searched The National Archives site and the Public Library site, amongst others, with little success."

David Watson, Ayrshire, Scotland: August 29 + September 1, 2011

Reply to David?

I don't have any information about the history of the house or its occupants in the mid-C19, other than that the early photographer, Bruce A Bremner MD, listed it as his Edinburgh residence when he was a Member of the Photographic Society of Scotland (from 1856 until at least 1873) . He also owned houses in Perthshire.

If you have any information about either the house or its occupants or its occupants that you'd like to pass on to David, please email me then I'll pass it on to him. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 2, 2011

Reply

Eric Gold

East End, London

Eric Gold wrote:

Canaan House

"I knew the children's home in Canaan Lane. It was a home like Redhall in Craiglockhart in the 1940s, up to the mid 1960s.

My classmate went there and me and my mum and his mum visited him there. The matron, called Mrs Joyce was strict."

Eric Gold, East London, England: September 5, 2011

Reply

John Dickson

Royston, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Dickson who wrote:

Canaan

"More information about Canaan can be found in these books:

1. 'Historic South Edinburgh' (Charles J Smith):

Volume 1, Chapter 2, p.205: The Land of Canaan

2. 'Morningside' (Charles J Smith):

Chapter 4, p.98

3. 'Historic Morningside' (William Mair):

Chapter 6, p.28

3. 'Kay's Originals

Volume 2, p.167

John Dickson, Royston, Edinburgh: September 6, 2011

Reply

Eric Gold

East End, London

Eric Gold added:

Canaan Lodge

"When Canaan House was a children’s home, it was renamed 'Canaan Lodge' and it had a Priory at the back.

When I was in Edinburgh in 1997, I walked along the Grange and down the road that takes you into Canaan House. It appeared to be an old folks' home. then."

Eric Gold, East London, England: September 22, 2011

Reply

David Stewart

Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to David Stewart for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

David wrote:

Canaan Lodge

"I stayed at Canaan Lodge in the late-1970s. I have many happy memories of roaming the grounds at Christmas time.

I have unhappy memories of the Night Matron who would beat me when I peed the bed then put a wet slobbering kiss on me as if to say, 'Sorry'. I would have been about six or seven. I had nightmares about that woman

I must say, I feel that I had some excellent times there. I remember going on the Taxi Man's Picnic, and being taken to my first-ever football game, Hearts v. Motherwell, and the great staff.

I'm glad that someone's looking into this great mansion."

David Stewart, Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland
Message and email address posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 5, 2011.

Reply

Brenda McNally

Ireland

Thank you to Brenda McNally for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Brenda wrote:

Canaan Lodge

"I stayed at Canaan Lodge with my sister in 1961. Mother and Father split up. She was from Scotland. He was Irish.

Does anyone remember us?"

Brenda McNally, Ireland: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 20, 2011.

Reply to Brenda?

If you'd like to send a reply to Brenda, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 23, 2011

Note for Brenda

Vivian Aitken (below) would like to contact you. Can you please email me to that I'll know your email address and will be able to pass it on to Vivian. Thanks.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: April 8, 2012

Reply

Vivian Aitken

Middlesex

Thank you to Brenda McNally for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Brenda wrote:

Canaan Lodge

1973-1977

"I was wondering if anyone can help me out. I am looking to find anyone who was in Canaan Lodge Children's Home between 1973 and 1977 - especially twin girls Marie and Patricia.

I remember that their mother or father lived in Darlington. I'm sure the Home was run by a man called McCarthy.

I'm also looking for information on my social worker at the time - name Roz Waz ?

If anyone was attending the lodge at the same time and has any other memories or info that they can share with me I'd be most grateful."

Brenda McNally, Ireland:
Message and email address posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, March 12, 2012

Reply to Vivian

Unfortunately, I don't have Vivian's email address so I cannot pass on any reply. However, you could:

- EITHER post a reply below the message that she left in the guestbook on March 12, 2012

- OR send a reply to me and I'll add it to this page and hope that Vivian will find it here.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 23, 2011

Reply

Douglas Baugh

Morningside, Edinburgh

Thank you to Douglas Baugh who replied, telling me that 'Canaan House' is a particular historical research interest of his.

Douglas wrote:

Canaan House

and

Canaan Lodge

"From the point of view of historical accuracy it is unfortunate that some contributors confuse the terms House and Lodge, because Canaan House and Canaan Lodge have always been separate premises, occupying adjacent plots of land. Both happened to end up in the 1960s/1970s as Children's Homes."

Dates
of the House and Lodge

"David Watson mentions that Canaan House was built around 1805. However, it was Canaan Lodge, on the eastern side, that originated around 1805 as a new villa.

Canaan House, on the western side, actually dates back to the first half of the 18th century, later becoming, the Mansion House of Canaan, then Streatham House and finally The Priory. Of course there were alterations and additions in the later times."

It is easy to be misled by the fact that the 1802 Feuing Plan of Canaan showed no buildings whatever (just a solitary thorn tree), but proof of the presence of Canaan House both before and after the feuing is to be found in 'To Let' advertisements in the Edinburgh Advertiser of February 1779 and March 1810, both of which describe the House in identical terms -'nine fire rooms and kitchen' etc.

Ancestors

and

Servants

"It would be nice for all of us to hear what success David Watson has had in tracing his ancestors who were servants to the Bremners at Streatham House.

(Since Bremner was connected to the Seton family, some odd bits of material relating to Streatham House have happened to be preserved in the National Library of Scotland, MS19234. There is mention of a Miss Ann Mustard, but not of other servants.)

Hopefully those who lived in the Canaan & Redhall Children's Homes in the 1960s and 1970s are getting more information by pooling their memories and resources.

Douglas Baugh, Morningside, Edinburgh: March 29, 2012

Reply

Martin Waddell

Le Soler, South of France

Thank you to Douglas Baugh who replied, telling me that 'Canaan House' is a particular historical research interest of his.

Douglas wrote:

Around 1973

"I was at Canaan Lodge for about a year, around 1972-73 or 1973-74 while my mum was in long-term hospital care.

I would need my memory jogged, but I recall names like:

- Adam Thorburn, (Scooby),

- Eleanor and Rab Grahame,

- Clive and Cindy (They were brother and sister but can’t recall their surnames.)

Canaan lodge is now a disability care home or at least was 10 years ago.

Vivien Aitken

Vivien Aitken who wrote Recollections 6 above may remember me as I was a mixed race child (the only one there at the time) and used to go home for most weekends and also continued at my primary school, Craiglockhart, as opposed to going to the local Morningside schools with all the other children.

Martin Waddell, South of France