James Ross

at Calton Hill

National Monument

Calton Hill

By 1846, James Ross was working as calotypist at Calton Hill.

His address was National Monument, Calton Hill - The National Monument is Edinburgh’s unfinished imitation of the Parthenon. What premises did he have there?

Hill & Adamson

Calton Hill

To reach the National Monument from Princes Street, he would have climbed the steps to the top of Calton Hill. Part way up these steps, he would pass the doorway into Rock House, Hill & Adamson’s studio from 1843 to 1847.

It seems likely that he would have been acquainted with Hill and Adamson at that time, and may have done some work in their darkroom. He may then have been the only other calotypist in Edinburgh.

James Ross at Calton Hill

Questions

What is known of James Ross' home and photographic studio in 1846? How did James Ross come to have this address, listed in the Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory, 1846-47:

"National Monument, Calton Hill"

when, so far as I am aware, there was nothing there other than a part-finished monument at that spot?

If you can help to answer these questions, please e-mail me.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs

James Ross at Calton Hill

Answer

Thank you to Bryan Gourlay for checking some old maps of Calton Hill and finding a house on Calton Hill, close to the National Monument, possibly the house where James Ross lived in 1946.

I'll try to discover more about this house. It was to the south of the SW corner of the National Monument, and to the E of the Nelson Monument on the Ordnance Survey map below.

This house appears on these maps:

- Ordnance Survey map, 1849-53. This map shows a large house with outbuildings including a 'summer house' and gardens.

- Kay map, 1836. This map shows a fairly substantial house, but a little further to the east. Is this the same house?

Neither the house nor any of its outbuildings appear on the Ordnance Survey map, 1876.

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: August 22, 2006