‘Old and New Edinburgh’ (1880)

I had volumes 1 & 3 of a different publication of this set but when I obtained all three in a random blind buy I figured why not learn all about our capital city.

James Grant fast became one of my favorite historian authors, though I’d never heard or come across his name, from the very first few pages I read. His writing has an easy style to it, super informative, without bombarding you with facts and statistics.  His wit comes through at points but you can tell the renovation of Edinburgh in the mid 19th century annoyed him due to the loss of so many of the city’s oldest structures and monuments. He does a fantastic job of describing scenes and edifices in a way in which you can fully imagine them as they were. It made me want to head to the capital to see what remained of his time and how Edinburgh has changed since he took on this project.

I hope everyone who reads his work ends up with the same enthusiasm for the history of Edinburgh as it gave me. The obscure information he relates to fully give an idea of the time, customs and experiences of the people, adds so much to shaping and fleshing out the history of this most eventful and interesting of Scottish cities. I can’t recommend this set enough. James Grant has such an easy-to-read writing style and must have gleaned his information from all the nooks and crannies where the histories tends to end up to have obtained even half the information he has. The illustrations are beautiful and have been reproduced as well as possible for Random Scottish History visitors.

[Vol. 1 Contents]

 

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1 & 3, Cassell & Company, Limited. and 1-3, Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Spines.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1 & 3, Cassell & Company, Limited., Front Cover.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1 & 3, Cassell & Company, Limited., Inside Front Cover.

Thanks to the original owner of these books we have the first additional snippet. This one regarding the famous Edinburgh “Body-snatchers” and murderers, Burke & Hare. William Burke was hanged for the crimes but, as noted in this excerpt, William Hare “turned King’s evidence” against his partner-in-crime and was freed to live quite the pathetic life after apparently becoming blind in a lime-pit after his colleagues found out who he was.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1 & 3, Cassell & Company, Limited., Front Flyleaf.

The second additional piece of information added by the previous owner is this letter from a D. Guthrie with regards the whereabouts of “the skulls of Darnley and the Regent Morton”. The handwritten note at the bottom suggests “[Darnley’s] skull was blown up in London blitz.” It then goes one to describe the “grisly relics” in the Anatomical Museum, Teviot Place, within the Medical School Building of Edinburgh University; the “Casts of 1. Skull of Robert the Bruce, and2. of mummified head of the Earl of Bothwell, [last & most controversial] husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Mummified (and petrified) heart of William the Lion, King of Scotland, 1536-78.

Skull of [Scottish historian and scholar] George Buchanan, 1506-82.

Also, of course, such well known relics as the Black Dwarf’s bones, and the skeleton of William Burke.”

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vol.1, Cassell & Company, Limited, Front Flyleaf (reverse).

The third and last additional article to the book is this newspaper clipping from the Scottish Sunday Express, April 29, 1936 that runs with the headline:

“The baby king tale is banned – BY WHITEHALL

EDINBURGH CASTLE guides must not tell the “coffin in the wall” story to tourists. The Ministry of Works has banned it.”

The story gave fuel to a conspiracy tale of Queen Mary’s son James the VI. of Scotland having died shortly after birth and swapped with the Countess of Mar’s son.

Newspaper article found between the pages of ‘Old and New Edinburgh’, Jamess Grant (1880), vol.1, Cassell & Company. (Newspaper & Edition Unknown).

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1 & 3, Cassell & Company, Limited., Publisher’s Page.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1-3, Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Front Cover.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1-3, Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Back Cover.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vols.1-3, Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Publisher’s Page.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vol.1, “The Old Church of St. Cuthbert’s, and the North Loch. (After Clerk of Eldin).” opposite Publisher’s Page.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vol.1, “Keys of the City of Edinburgh.”, p.ix.

‘Old and New Edinburgh’, James Grant (1880), vol.1, “Paul’s Work. (The room in which Sir Walter Scott corrected his proofs).”, p.xii.