Scope and Contents

Part of a series of images of Chessel's Court. Coll-1167/B/26/5/2-5 show an area on the South side of the Canongate. Note how images Coll-1167/B/26/5/2-5 have been rearranged to show consecutive views from west to north-east, before being catalogued in the 1980s, these negatives were numbered in their box so: 14, 11, 13, 12.

Scope and Contents

Part of a series of images of Chessel's Court. Note how images Coll-1167/B/26/5/2-5 have been rearranged to show consecutive views from west to north-east, before being catalogued in the 1980s, these negatives were numbered in their box so: 14, 11, 13, 12.

Scope and Contents

Calton Jail (site of St. Andrew's House) in the background. The site on the lower right hand side of the street (not visible) was formerly occupied by a bus depot and, before that, by the Edinburgh Gas Works. The building on the immediate right is probably the house, or site of the house, of Lord Kames. Handwritten title by R. Dykes.

Scope and Contents

This shows Playhouse and Old Playhouse Close entrances. The Newspaper billboard on the right of the picture reads "News of the World. Crippe Verdict Due Today." The verdict on the the murderer of H.H. Crippen was given on 21st October 1910, hence we have an exact date of this photograph. Old Playhouse Close has been much restored. South side of Canongate. Handwritten title by R. Dykes.

Scope and Contents

"Jack" seems to have been a slater. This unprepossessing Close has associations with General Thomas Dalyell of the Binns, Prince Edwart Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) and David Hume, the philosopher. Note the Calton Jail in the background. Handwritten title by R. Dykes.

Scope and Contents

Probably also Little Jack's Close. The details (marks on bricks, etc.) exactly match those shown on print no Coll-1167/B/26/5/9. Unfortunately the writing on the sign board is illegible in both photographs. A print of this glass plate negative was exhibited in the "Squalor and Romance" section of Geddes' replacement "Cities and Town Planning Exhibition".

Scope and Contents Adam Smith, author of 'Wealth of Nations' lived here from 1778 until his death in 1790. His house is out of sight to the east. The house beyond the washing, Cadell House, was also still standing 1989. North side of the Canongate. A women holding a child stands in the shadow, laundry is strung across the alleyway from the first floors. Handwritten title by Alasdair Geddes. A print of this glass plate negative was exhibited in the "Squalor and Romance" section of Geddes' replacement "Cities...

Scope and Contents Reid's Court, from street showing Entrance Gate, north side of Canongate. Notice the well-dressed children on the left, and contrast and compare them with the others in this and subsequent images. This photograph has been taken from the street, and not from the south east corner of the court. It appears to precede the next print, Coll-1167/B/26/5/15. See also the inscription on Coll-1167/B/26/12/5. There has been some confusion, as that inscription probably refers to this image but at some...

Scope and Contents

Reid's Court from within the courtyard. Note that the original of The image was given no number. Handwritten title by Alasdair Geddes.

Scope and Contents

Reid's Court from within the court looking north and north-east. A group of children stand at the end of the shadow cast by a building. Previous cataloguers (1990s) have tried to arrange the pictures so that they form a logical sequence, but the order in which they were photographed is almost impossible to establish. As this image shows the east side of Reid's Court, it could have been taken from the south west, but it is uncertain. Handwritten title by Alasdair Geddes.