Looking for St Johns Manse/Parish in Leith, Edinburgh.....

mvy_1 · Post by **mvy_1** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:01 am

Hello to Everyone reading this post,
My father has in his possession a letter from his Fathers local church, St John's Manse/Parish in Leith signed by a Donald. M. Begbie. This letter is like a Reference, written for my Granfather when he was emigrating to Australia.
I have been trying to find this Manse/Parish by doing searches in Google and on some Scottish Websites, but so far have had no luck.
I am wondering if this Church is still in existence or not, also the history of the church and where in Leith it is.
My Grandfather left Scotland some time between 1923 and 1925. I am not even sure if he came straight to Australia or if he went to America first.
Any help on this at all is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading my post.
Margaret.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:35 pm

Hi Margaret
It seems this used to be known as New Kirk, formed by a breakaway group from South Leith Church in 1773, and became St John's in 1834. (info from "The Life and Times" of Leith by James Scott Marshall) It was built on the edge of Leith Links... but I'm still trying to find the exact location on a map. I have a funny feeling it has may changed its name or maybe is not there now as there seems to be no sign of it on the web, as you have noted. The one I can see by Leith Links is St Andrews Church....

Here:
There seems to be a church just to the left of the letter "T" of Leith, in John's Place - I wonder if that is it?

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:21 am

Hi Margaret,

St John's was a Quoad Sacra parish within South Leith Parish. On the street maps on the NLS website there is a St John's Church shown. On the 1850s map it is shown as St John's Free Church. On the 1870s and 1890s maps, it is more simply St John's Church.

On the map Lesley gave the link for, it is shown as "Est Church". Head northwards on Constitution Street (South Leith Parish Church on the left). Just after the crossroads with Charlotte Street (renamed Queen Charlotte Street in 1968), itis on the right-hand side.

1849-1853 map
http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/edinburgh1056_1.html
Click on the north east section.
Click on Sheet 17 (just below the centre of the map section)
Click on the area just left of the top-centre of the map to see St John's Free Church.

1876-1877 map
http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/edinburgh1056_2.html
Click on the north east section.
Click on Sheet 17 (just below the centre of the map section)
Click on the area just left of the top-centre of the map to see St John's Church.

1893-1894 map
http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/edinburgh500.html
Click on the north east section.
(St John's church is split across two maps)
Click on Sheet I.16.23 (just above the centre of the map section)
Click on the the right-hand edge, just below the centre to see St John's Church.
and
Click on Sheet I.16.24 (just above the centre of the map section)
Click on the the left-hand edge, just below the centre to see St John's Church.

Looks like it is still there. See this recent aerial view.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&c ... &alt=-1000
(may take time to load)

All the best,

AndrewP

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:49 am

Thanks Andrew

mvy_1 · Post by **mvy_1** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:39 am

Thank you Lesley and Andrew for looking this up for me. I will have a look at the links you posted.

mvy_1 · Post by **mvy_1** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:39 am

Hello Andrew,
I've just had a look at some of the links you sent me. The Live Search one in particular is excellent. I've found the church, the street my grandfather lived in before he left Scotland and also the street his sister lived in, in the 1920's. Awesome

. Have saved it to my favourites so i can show my dad.
Many Many Thanks