Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:51 pm

Hello All,

I've come across an address on a (1958) death certificate. It's 1 Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh. Would this be the City Hospital or another institution.
The deceased's usual address is given and the informant is described as "Occupier" which makes me think it must be something of the sort.
I have tried googling it but can't find anything definite.

Best wishes,
Meg

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:11 pm

As far as I can gather from the old maps site
GlenLockhart Road was the address of the Poorhouse and thereafter it was the Craiglockhart Institution - but what that was I'm not sure.

It's now a lot of new houses, so it's probably been a psychiatric hospital [the NHS seem to be selling off the land of these places all over].

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:26 pm

Oh right - thanks very much.
Would that be the Craiglockhart where Sassoon and Owen met during WW1?

Meg

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:39 pm

Hmmm according to this:

http://sites2.scran.ac.uk/Warp/index.htm

It seems to be!

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:50 pm

Great link!

Thanks again

Meg

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:57 pm

Hi Meg,

The poorhouse at 1 Glenlockhart Road, or occasionally addressed as 144 Comiston Road (the address of its eastern gatehouse) was the Edinburgh City Poorhouse, which moved out there from Forrest Road (beside Greyfrair's Church). The poorhouse eventually became Greenlea Old People's Home. The old people's home closed in the 1980s. The modern buildings and connecting buildings were demolished. The main old buildings were converted into flats, and new flats built in a similar looking style were built in the remainder of the grounds.

Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen were in the War Hospital for Officers, which had been Craiglockhart Hydropathic, facing out to Colinton Road at the west end of Glenlockhart Road. After the war, it became a Roman Catholic teacher training college, and more recently became the Craiglockhart campus of Napier University (or College as it was when I was there).

The Hydropathic and the Poorhouse were about half a mile apart, separated by Wester Craiglockhart Hill (mostly used by part of the Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club).

Across Greenbank Drive, to the south of the poorhouse was the City Hospital for infectious diseases. It too was made up of separate ward buildings and connecting corridors. It was closed about 10 years back when its services were transferred into the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Like the poorhouse, after closure its modern buildings and connecting corridors were demolished and the old (1903) buildings converted into flats. Much of its extensive grounds had further houses built upon.

All the best,

AndrewP

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:01 pm

Andrew,

What a mine of information you are!
Thank you very much.

Best wishes,
Meg

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:06 pm

garibaldired wrote:What a mine of information you are!
Thank you very much.

Hi Meg,

That area was on my variety of walking to school routes when I was in my teenage years. I was in the grounds of most of these places many times (good trees for Tarzan swings).

See also the later edit above regarding the City Hospital.

All the best,

Andrew

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:58 pm

I knew a local 'Burgher would toddle along and enlighten this Glesga Keelie!
Thanks Andrew

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:12 pm

Andrew wrote:

That area was on my variety of walking to school routes when I was in my teenage years

I bet you never thought it would prove so useful though!

Meg