Marking the Millennium?

This week’s images all come from a lovely photograph album commissioned by the University in 1900 (Shelfmark EUA CA1/2). We don’t have much information about this volume but we think it was made to hail the start of the 20th century.  It contains 25 photographs of University buildings and views in and around Edinburgh, including some are fascinating scenes of Edinburgh life – when was the last time you saw people skating on Duddingston Loch?

Thanks to the Lost Edinburgh Facebook team Digital Imaging Unit images have appeared on the Lost Edinburgh Facebook page. As a result of this each image has received 1,331 + 1294 likes respectively and 216 + 161 individual shares. Also around 80 comments per image were generated and this  has brought the CRC Facebook page an additional 76 new likes since appearing on the site. The Lost Edinburgh Facebook page currently has 66,296 likes, probably making this the biggest audience for our images.

Susan Pettigrew

Curling (a national Scottish game). Edinburgh. The Forth Railway Bridge. The University Old Buildings. Old College. Edinburgh from Calton Hill. Skating on Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh.

14 Comments

  1. Fraser Parkinson said:

    The University Old Building Photograph
    One of the early ‘horse tram’. Horse Trams came to Edinburgh around 1871 and routes quickly evolved, including this one described as Newington / Craigmillar Park, up onto the South Side, in 1872. What’s interesting about this photo is the third horse. Edinburgh hills demanded that instead of the usual two horses, on occasions a third or even a forth was necessary. This was called the ‘trace’ horse which was unhitched at the top of the hill. The photo is pre-1898 as Mackenzie street lamps with a large globe arc lamp, were installed between 1898 and 1918 – lighting is an earlier version here. Horse drawn trams were finally withdrawn in Edinburgh in 1907 funnily enough the last one being a Newington Craigmillar Park one – I believe.

    October 31, 2013
    Reply
    • diu said:

      Hi Fraser- thanks for this information- it will really beef up our metadata.

      November 1, 2013
      Reply
  2. Fraser Parkinson said:

    Curling – A Scottish National Game

    This appears to be looking from Blackford, Craigmillar Park, areas. Can’t quite identify the houses as yet but would appear to be looking to Arthur’s Seat from a south west direction. These are big houses!

    October 31, 2013
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  3. The Calton Hill photo was taken well before 1900 – the old North Bridge went in c.1896, and there is no sign here of the building of the North British Hotel. Perhaps the commissioned photographer or firm drew on existing images in their collection as well as producing some of the marvellous 1900 ones you are treating us to here.

    November 1, 2013
    Reply
    • diu said:

      Cheers James, that’s really helpful!

      November 1, 2013
      Reply
    • I am desperate to see a photograph of 57 Calton Road, it’s where my grandparents lived and I have vague memories as a child but can’t place exactly where it was, is it in this old photograph of Calton Hill?

      November 2, 2013
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      • diu said:

        Hi Janette- Sorry, but I think Calton Road is the other side of Calton Hill. This looks down on Waterloo Pl & Regent Rd with Princes St in the distance. Not sure if we have any of the other side, but will keep my eyes peeled!

        November 4, 2013
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        • diu said:

          Hi again Janette- I thought you were meaning the image from Calton Hill in the Marking the Millennium Post, did you mean the one posted on Lost Edinburgh the other day & the 2nd image down in our ‘Final selection of images of “Old Edinburgh” by Baldwin Brown’ post? If this is the one you mean it may well be Calton Road- there is nothing with the image to say where it was taken, but the Lost Edinburgh folk seem pretty sure it is Calton Rd & they really know their stuff! Hope that helps.

          November 5, 2013
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          • James Hamilton said:

            Yes, via the Edinburgh Post Office directories on the National Library of Scotland, we were able to place the Calton Road “Lost Edinburgh” photograph at c. 24 Calton Road. Every Calton Road address was in the directories and it would be well worth Janette’s time checking them to see if it’s possible for her ancestor’s address to appear somewhere in the image.

            November 6, 2013
          • diu said:

            Thanks James- this should help with Janettes search!

            November 6, 2013
  4. John Dickson said:

    Fraser,s right with Blackford Hil, Pond. the houses at the back are on Cluny Gardens.

    November 1, 2013
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    • diu said:

      Great to have an address for this- cheers!

      November 1, 2013
      Reply
    • Sheila Masson said:

      According to my mother (who lived at number 23, the second house from the right), that is Mortonhall Road in the background, and yes that is Blackford Pond in the foreground.

      December 24, 2016
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  5. Fraser Parkinson said:

    A postcard shown on ‘Lost Edinburgh’ Facebook page today (6 December 2013) shows a view which confirms that the Curling Image at the top of page is indeed Blackford Pond. The large house in the middle of shot on its own is number 20 Mortonhall Road and still stands today. The 3 houses on the right edge can also be found on Mortonhall Road today. The road can be seen crossing the railway line just below the house second to the right edge. This bridge is on Oswald Road today.

    December 6, 2013
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