17 Albany Street

1899 – 1912 Robert Renton Robert Renton was unmarried, and his mother and sister lived with him here. Previously, he lived in Fife where he had practised as a solicitor in Cupar, before becoming Procurator Fiscal of for Fife. He acted as Chair of the Association of Procurator Fiscals in Scotland and was directly involved in preparing all legislation submitted by the Crown Office to Parliament, including the important Summary Jurisdiction Act of 1908. He is best known for the book he wrote with Henry Brown in 1890, Criminal Procedure, according to the Law of Scotland, which remains, through updated editions, the accepted ‘handbook’ of criminal procedure in Scotland. Although to the popular press of the day he was best known as the procurator in a number of high profile cases.

One involved the alleged theft of a valuable pearl necklace from Mrs Cameron, wife of Lieutenant Cecil Cameron, winner of the Victoria Cross. Lieutenant and Mrs Cameron claimed that on their way back to their residence in Heriot Row, while he had gone into a chemist’s shop to make a purchase and Mrs Cameron waited outside, she suddenly had been grabbed from behind, and a hand forced down the back of her neck and her valuable pearls snatched from her neck. Mrs Cameron recounted that she had half collapsed in a fainting fit at the shock while the thief ran off; before struggling into the shop to raise the alarm. She explained that she had not cried out in the street for her throat had been compressed by the ripping off of the pearls. It later transpired that the pearls recently had been insured for £5,000 by Lloyd’s. There was the lack of witnesses, although the theft was supposed to have happened in a busy street. It also was discovered that Lt. Cameron’s finances were in a bad state and that just days prior to the alleged robbery he had enquired about how he might invest £6000. So the couple were charged with fraud and Renton took charge of the prosecution. The trial of a heroic army officer and his stylish wife engrossed the public.

The newspaper reports gave full coverage to her style: ‘Mrs Cameron wore a cream coloured costume with black cuffs and collar. She had the same hat as the previous day, a black straw with a white feather. Her button-hole was of pink carnations and lily of the valley.’ The broker, who had provided the insurance, read out the letter he had received from Mrs Cameron. ‘I rather want them to be insured under the name I used to be known by in the singing world – Miss Ruby O’Brien. I always was lucky then.’ However, her luck ran out and she and her husband were found guilty and sentenced to three years hard labour. Throughout the case Cameron had refused to give evidence in his defence and remained silent. Later, when in prison, Ruby confessed that she alone was the guilty party and Cameron had only been protecting her. So, following his later release from prison, a petition for a pardon was signed by, among others, five dukes, twenty privy councillors, and 126 generals, and he received a full pardon and was restored to his rank of Lieutenant. During the First World War, he again served with gallantry, including running spies in German Occupied France. But in 1924 Cameron committed suicide. What became of Ruby is now known.

1926 – early 1970s Cameron Highlanders Association of Edinburgh ClubIn July 1926 an advert appeared: ‘Clubmaster, steady, reliable man for Cameron Highlanders’ Association Club in Edinburgh; must be an ex-Cameron Highlander: good wage, free house, coal and light.’ Later that year the Club opened, and the first names to be inscribed in the visitors’ book were those of the Duke (later King George) and Duchess of York, who formally opened the club as part of a day visit to Edinburgh for the Duke to receive the Freedom of the City. A large crowd crammed into Albany Street to see the royal visitors, and residents, many of whom had decorated their houses with flags, peered from their windows. Thirty ex-Cameron Highlanders formed a guard of honour outside as the Duke and Duchess were welcomed by General Sir John Spencer Ewert, K.C.B., Colonel of the Cameron Highlanders. It was reported that: ‘the Royal visitors made an inspection of the premises which include a billiards room, a reading room and a library, and a social room. In the library the Duke of York’s attention was attracted to a placard showing a number of regimental costumes of former periods which was in use as a fire-screen. He discussed a point of costume with the officers present.’Newspaper article 1939

In 1943, Charles Morse, the Club Steward, was imprisoned for the embezzlement of £75 of Club funds.

1975 - 1980 Thorburn & Partners

Consulting Engineers