Edinburgh Recollections

Recollections

Moira Fleming

Jedburgh, Borders, Scotland

Moira Fleming wrote:

Question

Moredun Mill Farm

"Does anyone have any knowledge of there being a farm at Moredun Mill in the 1920s?

There is a family 'memory' that a great uncle farmed there, as a tenant farmer, I guess during the 1920s or 1930s. His name was John (Jack?) Blain.

There seemed to be some change of use in 1934/5, if indeed Moredun Mill ever was a farm. Family legend can grow arms and legs!"

Research

"We've tried to look at the Valuation Rolls at Edinburgh Central LIbrary but, alas, that period was mysteriously missing from their index books."

Moira Fleming, Jedburgh, Borders, Scotland: April 15 + 16, 2010

If you have any answers or advice for Moira, please e-mail me, then I'll pass your message on to her. Thank you

- Peter Stubbs: April 16, 2010

Answer

Neil Lawrence

Fountainbridge, Edinburgh

Thank you to Neil Lawrence who wrote:

Moredun Mill Farm

"I'm not sure if this helps with the answer to the question about Moredun Mill (Farm). Here are a couple of map extracts showing the Moredun Mill at Greenend.

- The 1914 map shows 'Moredun Mill (corn).

- The 1930 map shows 'Moredun Mill (laundry)."

Neil Lawrence Fountainbridge, Edinburgh: April 16, 2010

I've reproduced Neil's two map extracts below because they may contain further clues that somebody will pick up on.

NOTE: Greenend, shown in both these maps, is the junction of Gilmerton Road (running from top-left to bottom-right, across the map) and Stenhouse Road. Robin's Nest Inn is on the north side of Gilmerton Road at Greenend.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh, April 16, 2010

Greenend and Moredun Mill - 1914

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Neil Lawrence, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh: April 16, 2010

Greenend and Moredun Mill - 1930

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Neil Lawrence, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh: April 16, 2010

Answer

David Thomson

Broughton, Edinburgh

Thank you to Neil Lawrence for replying to the question about Moredun Mill.

David wrote:

Moredun Mill

"There was a mill on the Gilmerton Road approx opposite the boundary of Craigmillar Golf Club. It was next to the Research Park and Murray Home, about 100 yds up.

It could have been the original farm where there are now houses and Morrisons. In the early 1950s, the mill was bought by Carr's, the footwear makers, as a factory. It now has something to do with Government research.

Opposite the mill, there was a laundry run by White's of Liberton. They ran it until, I think, the early 1960s."

David Thomson, Broughton, Edinburgh: July 26, 2010

Answer

Leslie Thomson

Moredun, Edinburgh

Thank you to Leslie Thomson who wrote:

Moredun Mill Farm

Housing

"Further to the enquiries (in 'Recollections 1' above) on Moredun Mill having a farm, I believe I may be able to help a little. From what I can ascertain, the first housing estate in Moredun appeared around the 1940s, probably prefab houses.

The 1955 Post Office Plan certainly shows housing there. The present housing estate, where I live, was built in the 1960s to replace prefab housing.

There was certainly older activity in the area than housing. I know this from digging in my garden and finding the remnants of clay pipes."

Farm Cottages

"I have found no record of any housing in the area before the prefabs. However, back from the present Moredunvale Road, there was the original road upon which two cottages stood. One of which survives to this day. The other was badly vandalised in the 1970s and had to be demolished.

It is only a guess but I would venture these could have been farm cottages."

Laundry

"As to the laundry, Whites of Liberton operated near the top of Moredunvale Road, where the present nursing home stands today, from 1951 until the early 1990s. The company was wound up in 1996."

Animal Disease Research Centre

"Where Morrisons supermarket stands today was the Animal Diseases Research Centre, the Moredun Institute. This was founded in 1920 by some forward-thinking farmers who were worried about the possible impact of new intensive farming methods upon livestock and was committed to the scientific research into the treatment of animal diseases.

In the late-1990s the Moredun Institute moved out to the Edinburgh Science Park near Bush, Midlothian, where they employ over 200 scientists, vets and support staff dedicated to animal welfare."

Leslie Thomson, Moredun, Edinburgh: April 30, 2012

Prefab Housing

As Leslie mentions above, the 1960s housing at Moredun replaced prefabs. However, not all the prefabs at Moredun were replaced. A number survived and are still being used today. Here is one of them:

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: April 30, 2012