10 Albany Street

1893 – 1913 Jemima Bennett (neé Perey), James and Margaret Bennett and Mary Perey

Jemima Bennett was the widow of George William Bennett of Antigua. Living with her was her son, James, a solicitor WS); her daughter, Margaret; and her sister, Mary Perey. Another son, George Henry Bennett, later became Bishop (RC) of Aberdeen.

In March 1910 the house saw an extraordinary affair as reported in The Scotsman: A shooting affair of a desperate character evidently premeditated and planned by its chief participant occurred shortly after noon yesterday in Albany Street, a quiet residential and business quarter of the city. Its immediate result is that a man of 36, named Alexander Longair, the author of the crime , has succumbed is Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to self-inflicted revolver wounds; and that his victim , a servant girl aged 22 named Joan McNicol lies in same institution suffering from a serious bullet wound to the thigh. Nunber 10 Albany is occupied by Mrs Bennett, an invalided lady, and her daughter. Mrs Longair, wife of Alexander Longair, has acted for considerable time as charwoman , and Longair himself seems to be well known about the premises . Longair, who resides with his wife at 28 West Nicolson Street; is employed as a cellarman.

About noon yesterday a message boy arrived at the house with groceries , and the cook, Joan M'Nicol , attended to him , taking the groceries in through a window on the basement . While the boy was there , Longair arrived and was admitted to the house by the basement door . Immediately, Longair , who was in a flushed and excited condition , produced a revolver, and after uttering threats deliberately fired at McNicol , wounding her in the thigh. The bullet just missed an artery. Her agonised screams brought her fellow servant and other inmates oi the house to her assistance, and soon the alarm spread to the members of the public, who rapidly gathered on the scene. Meantime Longair, brandishing' his revolver and threatening all who came near , went upstairs to the dining room , where he established himself .

Constable Gran was on "points" duty in York Place when about a quarter-past twelve a breathless servant girl from a neighbouring house rushed up to him, and informed hi m that something- dreadful had happened at Number 10. Hurrying to the house the constable encountered Longair, who assumed the most threatening attitude. Pointing his loaded revolver at the constable, he shouted, “Come near if you dare.” The constable attempted to reason with the man but without avail, and he retired to seek assistance . He asked a gentleman to telephone to the police office, and just then Constable Mowat arrived on the scene. Longair, who had raised the window of the dining--room, was gesticulating with the revolver , and threatening all in the vicinity . A shot was fired , and the crowd fell back, and Longair then retired into the room , and another shot rang out . At this point one of the inmates of the house leant out of an upper window, and threw down the keys which opened front door. Together the constables entered the house, and finding the door to the dining room open, they entered. Longair, who had shot himself in the head , was discovered lying in an unconscious condition on the hearth , part of his body being actually in the fire . His clothing had already become ignited, and had he not been rescued at the moment, there seems every reason to suppose that he might have met his death by fire. Longair was bleeding from a bullet wound on the right side of the head above the ear and efforts were made to obtain the services of a medical man , but none of the doctors in the vicinity was at home. When a doctor did arrive, Longair already been removed to the Royal Infirmary, and the girl McNicol , whose condition was much less serious , was being transferred to an ambulance. Longair later died from his wounds.

Ii is obvious, as has been indicated , that the crime was deliberately planned . In one of the pockets of the assailant was found a razor evidently intended for himself if other means had failed. The police , it is understood , are in possession ' of materials which give conclusive proof as to the motives which actuated Longair. He had written in pencil a four-page letter addressed to his wife in which he made reference to past misconduct and asking her forgiveness and prayers. People, he wrote, would say that he was mad when be committed such a deed ; but he declared that he was perfectly sane. By the time his wife read the letter he would , he added , be in another world . In a second note, found in his own house , he gave instructions regarding money matters . He has been heard to make desperate threats yesterday morning he took money from the house to buy the revolver. Before he left his house, he bade his son good-bye and told him to be good to his mother . He also took a good-bye of his wife, to which, however , she did not attach any peculiar significance. The girl McNicol , while seriously wounded , does not seem to be in danger.’

1913 – 1915 Matilda Campbell

Matilda Campbell was an unmarried daughter of William Campbell who had been a farmer in Ederline, Ayrshire. She died in the house in 1915, aged 70.

1918 – 1919 Mrs James McKelvie

Nothing traced, although she may have been the widow of the Edinburgh coal merchant and property developer, James McKelvie.

1928 – 1938 Thomas Rhodes Matson

Thomas Matson was Australian. In 1909 he graduated as a vet from Melbourne University and during the First World War served as a vet, becoming a Major and being awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). A soldier working as a farrier in France recounted: ‘Major Matson inspecting horses, made numerous complaints. The most rag time show I was ever in, men loafing about all day, over 100 men in wagon line at present. He said the Militia Boys in Sydney were a long way better.’ And an entry from the dairy of Sir Charles Rosenthal: ‘Put in strong report today regarding condition of horses. They are perceptibly getting poorer and weaker. Major Matson thinks they get too much work – Absurd – The ration is the trouble.’

After the war Matson studied at Edinburgh University, and after graduating as a doctor in 1927, set up his practice here soon after. He was elected to be an Edinburgh High Constable in the early 1930s and, in 1932, he was one of the High Constables enjoying their annual excursion to Lochranze, Arran: ‘ In dull but fair weather. The company were conveyed by special train to Wemyss Bay where they embarked on board the steamer Duchess of Montrose.’

In 1935, Matson wrote to the British Medical Journal detailing what he thought might be a new syndrome: ‘It may be of some interest to the profession to have my experience of what is, to me, a new epidemic, or a new phase of an old one, which has been very common in Edinburgh during the last few weeks. The patients are generally children from 1 year up to 10 or 12. The patient is flushed and there is a low fever at night.’ He goes on to describe further symptoms and postulates that it is some form of scarlet fever.

In 1938 Matson returned to Australia to marry Caroline Kennison in Melbourne, and before leaving he advertised the sale of medical equipment, a billiard table and his Morris car.

In the Second World War, he served with the Australian forces. Following the war, he stayed in Australia, taking over a medical practice in Euroa, in North East Victoria, and died in 1950, in Melbourne.

In 1941, during the blackout, one of the lodgers, James Hogg, a thirty-year-old cabinetmaker and upholsterer, who had his workshop in Duke (Dublin) Street, died when his motorbike was involved in a collision at the junction of Frederick Street and George Street.

In 1945, eleven lodgers were listed including a nurse, railway servant, shop manager, soldier. waitress and a telephonist.