Funerals
‘Mr W. D. Thorburn died suddenly at his residence last night from diabetes, from which he has been for some time a sufferer. He was an ardent Conservative, and voted in West Edinburgh election on Saturday, getting cold by going out, and died as above stated. Two years ago he contested Leith unsuccessfully in the Conservative interest. He was a member the Faculty of Advocates and Chairman of Leith School Board, and recently married a wealthy lady.’ Thus one newspaper announced the passing in 1888 of Thorburn who had lodged at Number 19 for five years before moving to Heriot Row the year before, presumably after marrying his ‘wealthy lady.’ A few days later the newspaper reported: ‘His funeral cortege, including a large number of fellow advocates, started from his new house in Heriot Row and travelled along Albany Street, Forth Street and Pilrig Street to Rosebank Cemetery.’ Rosebank Cemetery was one of the new graveyards developed by the Edinburgh and Leith Cemetery Company; established in 1842 by, among others, James Peddie (Number 14). The cemetery was laid out by David Cousin, an architect who specialised in cemetery design. The first cemetery to be developed by the Edinburgh and Leith Cemetery Company, again to a design by David Cousin, was Warriston Cemetery. (engraving) This was the first garden cemetery in the city, and provided a model for several other Scottish cemeteries. It was the closest to Albany Street and so the place of rest for many of its residents. Soon after Warriston Cemetery opened, it was divided by the building of the Edinburgh Leith and Newhaven Railway amd a tunnel to link the north and south sections was built and its design, with its Gothic archways at each ends, was by James Peddie’s brother, the architect John Dick Peddie.
It is unlikely that Thorburn would have had a funeral as we understand it today. It was not until 1897 that the Church of Scotland officially approved church funerals. Before then Protestant religious leaders thought that a service and prayers for the deceased would encourage the misbelief that prayers for the dead could influence their eternal life. Instead of a funeral, family and neighbours sometimes held a watch over the body in the home of the deceased and a Minister might hold a short private service in the house. In addition, for someone of Thorburn’s standing, the Minister of his church might deliver a eulogy at a later service, and some of these were published. The public element was the funeral procession. At the graveside a Minister would often lead prayers and there might be some other mark of respect. As Thorburn had been a member of the Schools Board, at his burial there were: 'Around the grave a number of children belonging to Leith Board schools, who sang a requiem while the internment was taking place.’
Catholics, however, were given a church funeral: ‘The obsequies for A. V. Smith-Sligo of Inzievar and Carmyle (who had lodged at Number 31) were the occasion of a very imposing requiem ceremonial at the Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Saturday forenoon. The interior of the building was heavily draped in black, relieved at intervals by white hatchments; in front of the high altar, on a catafalque surrounded by numerous lighted candles, lay the remains of the deceased..…a procession of nearly fifty mourning carriages was formed to the place of interment in Warriston Cemetery.’
Here, the gravestone of William Beveridge who died at Number 13 in 1807, and his wife, Barbara. (photo courtesy of Charles Sale)
The funeral of Sir James Young Simpson (Number 22) was a public one, and the procession was the largest ever seen in the city; the number being calculated at from 80,000 to 100,000. 'From the highest to the lowest, from the youngest to the oldest, everybody turned out to pay the last tribute of respect to Sir James Simpson. .Before the hour appointed for the starting of the procession the funeral car was drawn up in front the house. The car, designed and specially constructed for the occasion, was the French style, about twelve feet long and six and a-half feet broad, the height, including the plumes, being about fifteen feet. From corners of the floor rose black ornamental pillars supporting the canopy hung with drapery and tassels. The car was drawn by six black Belgian horses, and gave full view of the coffin to the spectators along the route.…The total number in the procession was nearly 1,700, the largest ever seen in the city, and all along the route to the road leading to Warriston Cemetery.’
