Number 27 - Information on residents
This is an 1803 advert for this house (number changed) and below its sale again in 1811. It is not known when Mrs Savile became resident or any information about her.
1812 – 1813 Martin Eccles Lindsay-Bethune Major Martin Eccles Lindsay-Bethune was the son of Henry Lindsay-Bethune and Margaret Eccles, and joined the army in the 1770s. In 1774/75, an American, Janet Schaw, visited Europe and published an account in her Journal of a Lady of Quality; Being the Narrative of a Journey from Scotland to the West Indies, North Carolina, and Portugal, in the Years 1774 to 1776. In it, she recounts meeting Lindsay in Lisbon: ‘But of all the men I have yet seen, I prefer Major Lindsay, also a Scotchman. This Gentleman who is universally and justly admired, is brother to Lindsay of Wormiston in Fife. Never did I see in my life a more agreeable figure, or more amiable manners than he possesses ; he looks and moves the Gentleman. I am never so happy as when attended by him. His conversation is elegant, polite and entertaining, his taste is refined, his remarks judicious. He has such an accurate manner of explaining the present objects and describing the absent, that I am at a loss to discover with which of the two I am most pleased. My brother would doat on him. He is the man entirely to his taste. I am never happy when he is not with us, and could attend to him the day long. Yet I view him as a superior being, as he is on the utmost Verge of Mortality, and in a few weeks at farthest will join his kindred angels. He knows this is the case and waits his fate with the fortitude of a man and the resignation of a Christian. It has ever been my lot to pay days of sorrow for hours of pleasure, and my heart tells me I will sincerely regret this blasted bud of friendship indeed the subject already pains me, so I will say no more.'
While the account has more than a whiff of romance, nothing came of the relationship and Janet Schaw travelled on and in 1781, while stationed in Gibraltar, Lindsay met and married Margaret Tovey, the daughter of General James Tovey. A few years later, the couple returned to Scotland, and then, wishing their sons to be educated in England, moved to Durham
Sadly, by 1802, their deteriorating marriage had broken down to such an extent that a Deed of Separation was agreed which stated that: ‘Martin Eccles Lindsay shall permit and suffer the said Augusta Margaret Tovey Lindsay, to live, inhabit, and reside separate and aprt from the said Major Lindsay, in such place as she shall think proper; and shall not during their joint lives sue, prosecute, disturb, or molest the said Augusta.’ Two years later, Major Lindsay raised an action of divorce for adultery claiming that Augusta had ‘before and since the separation given herself up at many different times and places to adulterous practices.’ The case went to court as the divorce summons had been served in Scotland and it was argued that as Mrs Lindsay resided in Durham, serving the action in Scotland nullified the process. However, the court ruled this was not the case and the divorce was decreed.
In 1812, Lindsay-Bethune was appointed Deputy Commissary-General of the Forces in North Britain, and it was on this appointment that he moved back to Scotland and came to live in Albany Street. But he died the following year.
The eldest son, Henry Lindsay, also joined the army, and was Commander of the Persian forces against Russia between 1804 and 1819, and again from 1834 to 1836. Then, he led the Persian forces against the rebel Zulli Sultan, gaining the rank of Major in the service of the Court of the Shah of Persia. He also served with the Honourable East India Company Service. In 1822, he married Coutts Trotter and, in 1830, succeeded to the title of 9th Earl of Lindsay. In 1832 he was knighted in 1832 and died in 1851.
1814 – 1837 Patrick and Ariana (neé Corbet) Borthwick
The Borthwicks married in 1804 and when they moved here their third child had just been born. At this time Borthwick described himself as a wood merchant, although he later became the Manager of the National Bank of Scotland. Three more children were born in Albany Street. Patrick was the son of Archibald Borthwick, the de jure sixteenth Lord Borthwick, and petitioned the House of Lords in 1816 for the right to claim the title, but was unsuccessful. However, his younger son, Cunninghame, had his similar claim allowed by the House of Lords in 1870 and so became the nineteenth Lord Borthwick. Patrick was appointed as the first Manager of the National Bank of Scotland at a salary of £1000. The National Bank of Scotland was constituted in March 1825 with an authorised capital of £5,000,000. The bank bought Dumbrecks Hotel in St. Andrews Square from William Dumbreck (Number 49) and the building reopened as the bank’s headquarters in October 1825. In 1831, the Bank was granted its Royal Charter of Incorporation, which placed it on the same footing as the older Scottish banks, and, in 1864, become the first Scottish bank to open a London branch. Eventually it became part of The Royal Bank of Scotland. Patrick also acted as the Danish Consul in Edinburgh. Of the Borthwicks’ six children, two daughters and one son died in their early twenties. Their other daughter, Margaret, married Nathaniel Gordon Corbett, a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. One son, Cunninghame, was a member of the London Stock Exchange from 1853 to 1877. As is mentioned above, he became the nineteenth Lord Borthwick in 1870 and sat in the House of Lords as a Scottish Representative from 1880 until 1885. In the year he became a Lord he purchased the estate of Ravenstone, Wigtonshire.
In 1854, their other son, Archibald, who had trained with his father as an accountant, set up on his own in York Place, and in that year chaired the first meeting of a small group of about fifteen men working as accountants who had decided to form the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh. (Three other residents of Albany Street - James Dickson - Number 52, John Ogilvy – Number 42, and Thomas Scott - Number 41 – were also founding members). This was the first ever professional grouping of accountants and became the model for the chartered profession throughout the world. Fifty years later there was an event to mark the Society’s creation at which the Lord Advocate described the significant change: ‘There are probably few professions which can show a greater contrast between the present and the past….in the beginning of the 18th century accounting was practised by solicitors and other persons of integrity and position. In the last century as the complexity of business and trade increased, as the intricacy of modern finance grew, and especially owing to the great development of joint-stock companies, the demands made upon the skills of the professional accountants increased so their position was much advanced. Before the middle of the 19th century no standard of proficiency was required for an accountant. There was no settled form of training and anyone who pleased to call themselves an accountant could set up in business. It was in these circumstances, in this city of Edinburgh, that the accountants resolved to apply for a Charter in 1854. Since then the designation of Chartered Accountant has become well recognised and honoured all over the country, and in the colonies and wherever civilisation is known. The result is that all of us who are favoured to meet accountants – and happily or unhappily we lawyers have that fortune often – recognise them always to be men of capacity and skill, men of sterling integrity, men fitted to be what they are – honoured members of a learned profession.’
Archibald married Mary Louisa Home and they had six children, although only two survived into adulthood. One of the daughters, Mary, married William G Spens, and the couple, on their retirement, moved from Glasgow to live at Number 44.
Ariana died in 1833 and Patrick moved out of Albany Street around 1837, three years before his death.
1837 – 1843 John and Catherine (neé Buchanan) Cullen
John Cullen was a solicitor (WS). At times he acted as the agent in court cases, sometimes on behalf of the Solicitor-General in prosecutions, and at other times supporting the defence. There is a report from 1844 of Cullen supporting the case of Janet McCaully, widow of Thomas McCaully, miner, who was claiming damages against William Fernie Buist & Company, coal and ironstone masters at Hallcraig, near Airdrie. The company’s defence was led by Andrew Rutherford, advocate, supported by the Writers, John and James Wright. It was claimed that Thomas McCaully, while working in the service and employment of William Fernie Buist & Company, was ‘precipitated to the bottom of a coal pit and killed.’ The case rested on ‘Whether the death of the said Thomas McCaully was caused by the insufficiency of the machinery provided and used by the defenders, or others acting for them for the purpose of enabling their workmen to descend into the said pit, or by the fault, negligence, or want of skill of the defenders, or others, as aforesaid, to the loss, injury, and damage of the pursuers?’ After hearing the evidence the Jury, after deliberating for about an hour, decided the company to be at fault and the court awarded damages of £200 for his widow, Janet, and a further £200 for the two children.
The Cullens married in 1841 and moved to York Place.
1843 – 1851 Elizabeth ( neé Jenkin) Farquharson and George Farquharson
Elizabeth Farquharson was the widow of Thomas Farquharson, an army surgeon, In 1795, Thomas Farquharson built Howden House, near Livingston, and when he died in 1834 the house was purchased by Henry Raeburn, son of the Edinburgh portrait painter Sir Henry Raeburn.
Three daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Isabella, were married at Howden but the only son, George, remained unmarried and lived with his mother. George was a solicitor (WS). He also was a member of the committee of The Art-Union of Scotland for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, established in 1837 to foster a Scottish School of painting mainly by helping Scottish artists to remain in Scotland by encouraging the purchase and distribution of their art works. The Art-Union concept had begun in Switzerland around 1800 and was introduced to Britain in the 1830s. By creating a relatively simple and effective form of private patronage for the middle classes it was hugely influential in developing an interest in contemporary art. The Scottish Art-Union’s model was slightly different from others. The annual subscriptions of one guinea were used to create various sums as prizes with members entering a ballot to win one of the prizes. The winners then had to put their cash prizes towards the cost of a picture from the exhibition of the Scottish Academy. In 1845, George Kerr, who lived at Number 53, won with ticket 633, and spent his £10 on buying the painting Road Scene in Loch Indaal by J. C. Brown. Such was the Art-Union’s popularity that membership increased from 340 in 1839, to over 1200 by 1842. The Scottish Art-Union was the model for the American Art-Union, set up in 1839, that was equally successful in helping popularise the work of North American’s artists.
In 1844, after only one year living in the house, George died, and Mrs Farquharson died 1846. The daughter Mary lived on in the house.
1851 – 1859 Hunter’s School
John Hunter purchased the house and also number 25. Hunter had been a Master at the Circus Place School and announced the opening of his: ‘academy for all the branches of an English Education.’ The hours of the school were from 9 to 11am and 12 to 2pm. Miss Murray was in charge of the young ladies, and special classes in needlework were provided. Hunter was at pains to assure parents that ‘the Masters, with the assistance of the janitor’ would supervise the boys in the playground. Subjects included The Rudiments of Arithmetic, Vocal Music, Geography, French, Drawing, Gymnastics, Grammar, Elements of Ancient History and Scottish History, Problems in the Use of Globes, and the Elements of Botany. Biblical studies appeared at various points in the timetable.
In 1851 the school purchased Number 25 to extend the facilities, including a new outdoor playground for girls; although the school made it clear that an indoor exercise area was available for times when the weather was inclement.
Around 1859 Hunter’s School moved to York Place and Numbers 27 and 25 became separate again.
In 1858, Mr Gardener, who had taught at Hunter’s School in Albany Street, sailed in the ship, Strathfieldsaye, to join the Otago colony in New Zealand that had been established by William Cargill, who had lived for a time in Albany Street. Gardner was the eighth teacher sent at the special request of the Government to assist in education in the new colony.
1859 – 1861 Thomas John’s Boarding Establishment for Young Gentlemen.
Thomas John took over Hunter’s School and advertised that he had been: ‘Resident tutor for four years at Oliphant’s Boarding Establishment in Charlotte Square’, and ‘receives as boarders in his house, young gentlemen who intend to prosecute studies at the public seminaries.’ The 1861 census lists eight pupils ranging from 8 to 16 years of age as lodging here. As John was unmarried, there was an elderly housekeeper and two servants to look after the young pupils. There was one teacher lodging in the house, Andrew Mercer, and although he was only 18 was in charge of teaching mathematics. In 1861 John moved to Dean Terrace
1862 – 1871 David Scott Dickson and the Hon. Francis (neé Addington) Dickson
David Scott Dickson was a solicitor (WS) as his father, Walter, had been. Francis's father was a Minister and also the second Viscount of Sidmouth. David and Francis married in 1861 when Dickson was living in Royal Circus. That same year they had their first child, a girl, but sadly she died within a few months. They had two further children who survived, David and William. The Dicksons moved out in 1871.
1872 – 1873 Mrs John Bell
Nothing traced.
1874 - 1877 Robert Will
Robert Will moved here from Number 37. An obituary of Robert Will recounts his career with Webster’s firm: ‘Before Will was out of his teens he went to Edinburgh and entered the office of Mr. James Webster, S.S.C, who had one of the largest practices in that City. Mr. Will, by his close attention to business, secured rapid promotion, and became Managing Clerk within two years of entering the office. Later he became the senior partner, the firm being then known as Messrs. Webster, Will, & Ritchie, and enjoying a law business which was one of the most extensive in Edinburgh.’
1877 – 1897 Lodgings
These were run by Mrs Marshall: the census of 1881 shows that she lived here with her two unmarried sisters. The lodgers at that date were Robert MacIntyre, a retired grocer, his elderly sister and his son, Peter, who was studying law; Robert and Elizabeth Waterston, he a retired merchant; and Alexander and John Fletcher, both from Elgin and studying in the city.
Later, the house became apartments managed by Sarah Hall. Her husband, Hugh, was a Pattern Maker. In 1891 the census records the lodgers as: Janet Wyllie, an elderly widow; James and Elizabeth Stewart, a bank clerk; and Alice Dudgeon, an elderly unmarried woman who died here later that year. Dudgeon lodged here for many years and in 1887 was listed as a member of the Edinburgh Subscription Library. The library was founded in 1794, the main founder being the Reverend Dr Hall who went on to become the President of the Library. It opened because 'it was a matter of considerable difficulty to procure books of value, without an expense which few are able to bear'. The aim of the Library was to collect 'the most valuable books in miscellaneous literature' as well as 'the most eminent publications of the season'. When the Library was founded the entrance fee was £1.11s.6d and the annual subscription was 10s.6d. When a person paid the entrance fee they were given a share, which they could sell if the member no longer wished to use the Library, or it could be passed on to a descendant. When the Library first opened the books were stored in the Session House of Rose Street Chapel, but by 1807 the Library could afford its own premises on South Bridge. This included books by a number of Albany Street residents, including the fiction of Mary Brunton.
1898 – 1904 Thomas and Ella (neé Inches) Millar
Thomas Millar became an accountant in 1893 and a partner in Barstow & Millar. The Millars moved into the house following their marriage, and in 1900 had their first child, a daughter, and advertised for a nurse. While living in Albany Street Millar wrote Building Society Finance and Statistics, which was published in 1905 and was judged to be: ‘a succinct and instructive account….practical, clear and systematically expounded.’ He published further books and lectured widely. He acted as auditor for several major firms and public institutions, including The Distress Committee of Edinburgh.
Ella’s father, Sir Robert Kirk Inches, was an Edinburgh Councillor and became Edinburgh’s Lord Provost in 1912. Ella later became the first woman to be elected as a magistrate in Edinburgh, and, like her father, served as a City Councillor. She also served on a range of public bodies, including the Central Midwives Board for Scotland. She received a MBE.