All About Edinburgh
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
New Town Attractions
Charlotte Square
Edinburgh
Charlotte Square was part of the designs of the new town of 1759, originally called George Square after King George III and renamed Charlotte Square after his wife, as there was a George Square already in existence in Edinburgh. Also in Charlotte Square is Bute House, the First Minister’s residence, the Georgian House at 16 South Charlotte Street where Alexander Graham Bell lived, West Register House and the memorial in Charlotte Square Garden is of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria.
Charlotte Square
New Town Housing
A typical terrace of houses built in the new town in the early 1800s on the north side of Charlotte Square. The row of terraced houses in Charlotte Square was the city’s most affluent area, with boot scrappers and torch snuffers at the doors the must haves before electric and door mats.
Albert Prince Consort
Charlotte Square Gardens Edinburgh
Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
was born on 26 August 1819 in Bavaria. He married Queen Victoria in 1840.
Albert and Victoria's were cousin. In 1857 he was given the title of Prince Consort. Albert was behind the great exibition of 1851. Albert and Victoria had 9 children and when Albert died in 1861 at the age of 42. His wife Queen Victoria went into morning on his death, which lasted until her death in 1901. The monument in the centre of Charlotte Square is a memorial to Albert Prince Consort. A bronze statue of Prince Albert on a horse. It was opened in 1876 by his late wife Queen Victoria.
Earl Douglas Haig
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
Douglas Haig son of the Haig Whisky family and became a Field Marshal in the British Army in the First World War.
He also served in India and in Africa in the Boer War.
He led his forces in the Battle of the Somme and was nicknamed, The Butcher of the Somme due to his tactics.
He died in London in 1928 and was buried in Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders. (No.24) Charlotte Square Edinburgh.
Lord Joseph Listor
Lord Lister lived with his father- in- law James Syme at No. 9 Charlotte Square for 7 years 1870-1877. Born in
Upton Essex he introduced carbolic acid to sterilise surgical instruments. Carbolic Acid is now known as Phenol.
Many famous people lived or were born in Charlotte Square. Sir William Fettes founder of Fettes College lived at No.14
and Field Marshal Earl Douglas Haig, World War I Officer, nicknamed, the butcher of the Somme was born at No.24.
WEST REGISTER HOUSE
CHARLOTTE SQUARE EDINBURGH
West Register House
West Register House was built as part of the new town plans, having a Square at each end of the plans with a church looking over a garden square. This did not go ahead in St Andrew Square as there was no land space available to build a Church to mirror the one in Charlotte Square. The church of St George was built in Charlotte Square between 1811 and finished in 1813 and opened in 1814 which was to hold up to 1500 worshipers with a dome said to replicate the dome of st Paul's in London.
In 1964 St George's church united with St Andrew's Church in George Street and later that year the National registers took over the building and it became West Register House.
Bute House
The First Ministers Residence
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
No. 6 Charlotte Square has been the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland since 1999. The First Minister is the equivalent to the UK Prime Minister, if Scotland were to become independent. The house is similar to next door at No.7 and it is believed to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Edinburgh.
The Georgian House
Charlotte Square
Edinburgh Attraction
No. 7 Charlotte Square Edinburgh. Find out how the wealthy of Edinburgh lived in the 18th-century in Edinburgh’s New Town. Charlotte Square was one of the most fashionable and desirable residential addresses in the New Town.
The Georgian House is a fully restored house with furniture of the period and some even older. Take the tour and find out about all who lived in the house and their backgrounds. (The real Downton Abbey in Edinburgh).
Alexander Graham Bell
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
Alexander Graham Bell was a scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator. He was the inventor of the first practical telephone. He was born in Edinburgh on 3 March 1847 and his home was at
16 South Charlotte Street. The door is now 14 but above on the stone work 16 can still be seen.
There is now a commemorative wall tablet beside the door marking where he was born.
He was educated at University of Edinburgh and University College London. He died of diabetes on 2 August 1922
(aged 75) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first US patent for the telephone in 1876. Bell considered his most famous invention an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his study.
Lord Henry Cockburn
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
Lord Henry Cockburn Lived at 14 Charlotte Square Edinburgh from 1813 -1848 Henry Cockburn was a Scottish lawyer and a Judge. He also was a regular writer for the Edinburgh magazine the Edinburgh Review which was founded in 1802. Lord Henry Cockburn’s acquaintances were Lord Francis Jeffrey, Sir Walter Scott al members of the Speculative Society founded in 1764 and still meets at the Old College of Edinburgh University.
Professor Sir Robert Philip
Charlotte Square Edinburgh
Professor Sir Robert Philip opened the world's first tuberculosis dispensary in Bank Street Edinburgh in 1887. Sir (Dr) (Professor) Robert Philip pioneered the management, prevention, detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). On the wall in Bank Street a blue Plaque reads “Near this place in 1887, Dr Robert Philip founded a tuberculosis dispensary, the first clinic in the world dedicated to fighting a disease of which he foretold Man’s eventual mastery. That vision has brought hope to many lands.” Tuberculosis (TB) was the biggest killer in the UK by the middle of the 19th century and due to Sir Robert Philip it has been almost eradicated. Sir Robert Philip died at home in 9 Palmerston Road, in the Grange area of Edinburgh, on the 25th January 1939.
Catherine Sinclair Memorial
Replica Scott Monument
Catherine Sinclair was born in Edinburgh on 17 April 1800. Her father was Sir John Sinclair, a well known politician and the first organiser of the The Statistical Account of Scotland’. Catherine Sinclair was home educated and published her first book in 1832 (‘Charlie Seymour, or, The good aunt and the bad aunt’). Catherine Sinclair most popular book was for children and was sold worldwide Holiday House published in 1839. She also established cooking depots and was instrumental in drinking fountains and park benches being installed around the Edinburgh streets.
