The history of No 35 Inverleith Terrace

The History of 35 Inverleith Terrace Formerly 'Edzell Lodge', now 'Braeburn'
Inverleith Terrace is about a mile to the north of the centre of Edinburgh. It runs along the southern edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens. No 35 is the house at the western end of the street, at the junction with Arboretum Avenue and the SE corner of Inverleith Park. Early 1900s ©
1.	Background	- Letter Found - 1960s
2.	History	- The Letter - James Lindsay - Picture Gallery - Religion - Family - Wedding Reception - Children's Home - Students' Hostel - Private Home - Residential Home
3.	Alistair McKenna Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland	- Edzell Lodge, 1913 - Edinburgh's Oldest Resident

History

The Letter

The title of the letter found in 35 Inverleith Terrace is:

'A Century at 35 Inverleith Terrace''

The letter was found in a cupboard in the house, but the author is not known. I 've reproduced the letter below and added paragraph headings.

James Lindsay

"Number 35 Inverleith Terrace was built at the end of the 19th century by James Lindsay who was the son of the founder of William Lindsay, a cooper in Edinburgh. He named the house Edzell Lodge after the name of the lands of Clan Lindsay.

James Lindsay employed Sir Robert Lorimer *** as his architect but in order to ensure that there was a high standard of workmanship from the builder he also employed his own clerk of works during the construction.

*** Penny Kidd subsequently wrote (on February 24, 2008)

"On further research, I have discovered that the architect was not Sir Robert Lorimer. It was Thomas Tolmie Paterson, as listed in the DSA - Dictionary of Scottish Architects."

See also 'The Buildings of Scotland - Edinburg' (John Gifford et al.) This confirms the architect as being Thomas Tolmie Paterson. The house is now named 'Braidburn'. Here is how it is described in John Gifford's book

"1895, very free Renaissance in red sandstone behind the shrubs, with symmetrical front to Arboretum Avenue; discrete orange brick extension by Stanley P Ross-Smith, 1980."

Lindsay himself was an extremely hard working man who managed two cooperages in Edinburgh, one at Beaver Hall and one at Glenogle Road. He would start work at 5.30 in the morning, after having walked from the lodge along Rocheid Path to Glenogle Road. He was, however, also aware of progress and installed one of the earliest telephone connections in Edinburgh between Edzell Lodge and Glenogle Road cooperage."

Picture Gallery

"Despite his long hours and hard work, he was a very gifted man, not only business-wise, but he was artistic, musical and well read. He was very keen on art as a hobby and he used the hall, the stair and some of the rooms as a picture gallery to house his personal collection of pictures, which was quite well known. MacTaggart was a great friend of his."

Religion

"He was a deeply religious member of the Wee Free Church on the Mound and since it had no organ he used to sit under the pulpit and sing solo the first verse of hymns and psalms. His library was good and included original editions of Robert Louis Stevenson's books and those of J. M. Barrie."

Family

"James and his wife Ann had a family of two sons and six daughters. At the beginning of the century the lodge was therefore housing some 14 people. James, though not good looking, had a lot of charm and was very entertaining. Anne was a beauty - a real matriarch - only her family mattered to her.

After James died she never at any time had to live in Edzell Lodge by herself. She always had some of the family with her. One or other of her daughters. One son was still managing the cooperage business but was living at 36 Inverleith Place on the other side of the Botanical Gardens. She was a woman of strong character and views, which might not have suited the more ecumenical approach of life today. She was once heard to say that when she died she did not mind who bought the house as long as it was not a Roman Catholic."

Wedding Reception

"One of the highlights of the house's existence occurred in 1923 (actually February 1924 - Penny) when it was used for the wedding reception of James's granddaughter Nita at which there were 500 guests including the Scottish and Irish International Rugby Teams."

Private Home, then Children's Home

"When Anne died in 1934 the house was bought by Mr Thomas McGregor but after the 1939-45 war it was sold again to become a children's home."

Students' Hostel

"Early in the 1960's it passed to the Standard Life Insurance Company who used it as hostel accommodation for their trainee actuaries.

Many of the trainees had been recruited from the Highlands and Islands and when they arrived in Edinburgh they found difficulty in getting suitable accommodation that was both convenient for their work and for studying for their exams."

(The company was in fact Standard Life Assurance Company. Many of the students came from throughout England, as well as Scotland. - Peter Stubbs.)

Private Home

"In the mid 1970's the lodge again changed hands being bought as a private residence by Mr Brian Footman who was a Stockbridge veterinary surgeon."

Residential Home

"In 1970 (Perhaps this should read 1979 or 1980 - Peter Stubbs.) the Representative Church Council of the Episcopal Church in Scotland were looking for a property to replace their existing house “Braeburn” in Blacket Place which was being used by them as a home for the elderly.

They decided to purchase Edzell Lodge for conversion. It was not however until October 1981 that work was complete and the residents at Blacket Place together with other additional residents were able to move into the new Braeburn Home. It now houses 22/24 persons; more than half as many again as at the beginning of the century.

(The increase in numbers is not really surprising. A large extension was built onto No 35 when it became a residential home. - Peter Stubbs)

With acknowledgement to Penny, New Zealand: February 12, 2008.

Recollections from

Alistair McKenna

Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland

Alistair McKenna wrote:

Edzell Lodge, 1913

"I read, with fascination and delight, the history of Edzell Lodge. Why? It gives me the template i need to research the history further.

Edzell, Lodge, locally known as 'The Barrels' to the folk of Stockbridge, was my Grandmother's first place of employment.

My Grandmother Mrs Annie Eliss Turnbull, nee Walker, born September 1898, was found employment here by her mother in 1913 as a scullery maid, aged 15. There are many upstairs / downstairs tales to be told including the visit of Rudyard Kipling to the lodge."

Edinburgh's Oldest Resident

I'll need to quiz my grandmother whilst its still fresh in her mind. As Edinburgh's oldest resident, 110 this year, she now lives in Leith in sheltered housing. She has led a full and varied life.

I think she was still at Edzell Lodge for the wedding of Nita, and was given a silver tea service as a wedding present from one of the daughters of Annie Lindsay, circa 1928.

I'm sure she mentioned caring for an elderly gentleman, and a funeral which may have been the Father, James. My gran moved on and worked at a large house in Selkirk, then to St Edward's House, Corstorphine Road to work for the Munros of Munrospun. She also worked for Lord and Lady Traquair."

Alistair McKenna, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland: February 24, 2008