Canaan House, Morningside, Edinburgh

Canaan House

David Watson wrote:

Search for Information

"I'm trying to establish some facts about Canaan House, pictured above as it stands today. The house was built around 1805 with extensions in 1877, and became known as Streatham House in the mid-19^th Century.

Canaan House was then converted to become the Benedictine St Andrews Priory and Catholic School in 1930.

I am a descendant of Charles Twogood and Eleanora Haig who lived in Canaan House in 1852. Charles was a butler but Eleanora was born to a wealthy family. (Later, they moved to and raised a family at 16 Fettes Row.)

My sister and I would like to know more about the nature and ownership of Canaan House around the 1850’s. I have searched The National Archives site and the Public Library site, amongst others, with little success."

David Watson, Ayrshire, Scotland: August 29 + September 1, 2011

Reply to David?

I don't have any information about the history of the house or its occupants in the mid-C19, other than that the early photographer, Bruce A Bremner MD, listed it as his Edinburgh residence when he was a Member of the Photographic Society of Scotland (from 1856 until at least 1873) . He also owned houses in Perthshire.

If you have any information about either the house or its occupants or its occupants that you'd like to pass on to David, please email me then I'll pass it on to him. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 2, 2011

Replies
1.	Eric Gold East End, London	Canaan House
2.	John Dickson Royston, Edinburg	Canaan
3.	Eric Gold East End, London	Canaan Lodge
4.	David Stewart Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland	Canaan Lodge
5.	Brenda McNally Ireland	Canaan Lodge
6.	Vivian Aitken Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.	Canaan Lodge - 1973-77
7.	Douglas Baugh Morningside, Edinburgh	Canaan House + Lodge Dates Ancestors and Servants
8.	Martin Waddell Le Soler, South of France	Around 1973 Vivian Aitken
9.	Vivian Aitken Middlesex, England	Canaan Lodge
10.	Donna Stout Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada	Question - Canaan Cottage
11.	Douglas Baugh Morningside, Edinburgh	Reply - Canaan Cottage
12.	Vivian Aitken Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.	Residents - 1970-78
13.	Martin Corker	1980-81
14.	Bill Paterson Kingsknowe, Edinburgh	Whytock & Reid Canaan House - History of the Building
15.	Bill Paterson Kingsknowe, Edinburgh	Canaan House - History of the Building - 1865 Directory - 1906 Directory
16.	John McAuley London, England	Canaan Lodge: 1946-1980s - May McGuinness - Children
17.	Gordon Harris	Canaan Lodge: 1979-82
18.	John McAuley	Canaan Lodge: 1960s-70s - May McGuinness - Happy to Correspond
19.	Jayne Hinds	Canaan Lodge: from 1967 - Three Children's Homes - My Background - The Staff - Photos
20.	Catherine Fee (née Dennington)	Canaan Lodge: from 1967 - Three Children's Homes - My Background - The Staff - Photos
21.	Lyn Hansch Australia	Canaan Lodge: early 1830s - The Owners - The Gardeners - Teaching the Children - Children's Home
22.	Alex Clark	1969-70 - Deanbank Matrons
23.	Alex Clark	Deanbank House - The Front Steps The Priory - Food
24.	John Findlay	1975 - Other Residents
25.	Susan Ann Tant	1964-65 - Susan + Michael

Reply

David Stewart

Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland

Thank you to David Stewart for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

David wrote:

Canaan Lodge

"I stayed at Canaan Lodge in the late-1970s. I have many happy memories of roaming the grounds at Christmas time.

I have unhappy memories of the Night Matron who would beat me when I peed the bed then put a wet slobbering kiss on me as if to say, 'Sorry'. I would have been about six or seven. I had nightmares about that woman

I must say, I feel that I had some excellent times there. I remember going on the Taxi Man's Picnic, and being taken to my first-ever football game, Hearts v. Motherwell, and the great staff.

I'm glad that someone's looking into this great mansion."

David Stewart, Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland
Message and email address posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 5, 2011.

Reply

Brenda McNally

Ireland

Thank you to Brenda McNally for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Brenda wrote:

Canaan Lodge

"I stayed at Canaan Lodge with my sister in 1961. Mother and Father split up. She was from Scotland. He was Irish.

Does anyone remember us?"

Brenda McNally, Ireland: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, October 20, 2011.

Reply to Brenda?

If you'd like to send a reply to Brenda, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 23, 2011

Note for Brenda

Vivian Aitken (below) would like to contact you. Can you please email me to that I'll know your email address then I'll be able to pass it on to Vivian Aitken. Thanks.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: April 8, 2012

Reply to Brenda

Hi Brenda. Thank you for passing on your email address to me today. I've now passed it on to Vivian Aitken, so you may hear from her soon.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October , 2012

Reply

Vivian Aitken

Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.

Thank you to Vivian Aitken, Middlesex, for posting this message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Vivian wrote:

Canaan Lodge

1973-1977

"I was wondering if anyone can help me out. I am looking to find anyone who was in Canaan Lodge Children's Home between 1973 and 1977 - especially twin girls Marie and Patricia.

I remember that their mother or father lived in Darlington. I'm sure the Home was run by a man called McCarthy.

I'm also looking for information on my social worker at the time - name Roz Waz ?

If anyone was attending the lodge at the same time and has any other memories or info that they can share with me I'd be most grateful."

Vivian Aitken, Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.

Message and email address posted in EdinPhoto guestbook, March 12, 2012

Reply to Vivian?

Unfortunately, I don't have Vivian's email address. Her contact with me was through the EdinPhoto Guest Book which has now closed. I never received any emails from Vivian so I don't have her email address to pass on to anybody who might wish to contact her*** so I cannot pass on any reply to her.

Message for Vivian

Hi Vivian. If you read this page, can you please send an email to me. Then I'll have your email address and will be able to pass it on to anybody who might like to contact you. That includes Linda Collins who was a resident at Canaan House and remembers the twin girls Marie and Patricia that you mention above.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: 27 April 2019

Reply

Douglas Baugh

Morningside, Edinburgh

Thank you to Douglas Baugh who replied, telling me that 'Canaan House' is a particular historical research interest of his.

Douglas wrote:

Canaan House

and

Canaan Lodge

"From the point of view of historical accuracy it is unfortunate that some contributors confuse the terms House and Lodge, because Canaan House and Canaan Lodge have always been separate premises, occupying adjacent plots of land. Both happened to end up in the 1960s/1970s as Children's Homes."

Dates
of the House and Lodge

"David Watson mentions that Canaan House was built around 1805. However, it was Canaan Lodge, on the eastern side, that originated around 1805 as a new villa.

Canaan House, on the western side, actually dates back to the first half of the 18th century, later becoming, the Mansion House of Canaan, then Streatham House and finally The Priory. Of course there were alterations and additions in the later times."

It is easy to be misled by the fact that the 1802 Feuing Plan of Canaan showed no buildings whatever (just a solitary thorn tree), but proof of the presence of Canaan House both before and after the feuing is to be found in 'To Let' advertisements in the Edinburgh Advertiser of February 1779 and March 1810, both of which describe the House in identical terms -'nine fire rooms and kitchen' etc.

Ancestors

and

Servants

"It would be nice for all of us to hear what success David Watson has had in tracing his ancestors who were servants to the Bremners at Streatham House.

(Since Bremner was connected to the Seton family, some odd bits of material relating to Streatham House have happened to be preserved in the National Library of Scotland, MS19234. There is mention of a Miss Ann Mustard, but not of other servants.)

Hopefully those who lived in the Canaan & Redhall Children's Homes in the 1960s and 1970s are getting more information by pooling their memories and resources.

Douglas Baugh, Morningside, Edinburgh: March 29, 2012

Reply

Martin Waddell

Le Soler, South of France

Thank you to Martin Waddell who replied, telling me that 'Canaan House' is a particular historical research interest of his.

Martin wrote:

Around 1973

"I was at Canaan Lodge for about a year, around 1972-73 or 1973-74 while my mum was in long-term hospital care.

I would need my memory jogged, but I recall names like:

- Adam Thorburn, (Scooby),

- Eleanor and Rab Grahame,

- Clive and Cindy (They were brother and sister but can’t recall their surnames.)

Canaan lodge is now a disability care home or at least was 10 years ago.

Update

Jayne Hinds wrote

"I was also at Canaan Lodge in the 1970s. The brother and sister that you mention above were Clive and Cindy Hunter.

Everyone that you mention is now on Facebook and doing well."

Jayne Hinds, Texas, USA: August 1, 2014

Vivian Aitken

Vivien Aitken who wrote Recollections 6 above may remember me as I was a mixed race child (the only one there at the time) and used to go home for most weekends and also continued at my primary school, Craiglockhart, as opposed to going to the local Morningside schools with all the other children.

Martin Waddell, South of France: May 12, 2012

Reply

10.

Donna Stout

Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

Donna Stout asked a question to which I don't know the answer. If you know the answer, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Donna.

Thank you.

Donna wrote

Question

Canaan Cottage

"My Great-Great-Grandfather, David Crawford (1812-1884) lived in Canaan Cottage.

He was a Gardener on the grounds from about 1845 to 1854 when he moved to Canada with his wife and children.

Would there have been cottages on the grounds of the larger house where the employees lived?

The 1851 Census gives his address as Grange Loan Gole House, St Cuthberts, Edinburgh.

Donna Stout, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada: February 22, 2013

Reply

11.

Douglas Baugh

Morningside, Edinburgh

Thank you to Douglas Baugh for writing again about Canaan House, after reading the comments above.

Douglas wrote:

Donna wrote

Reply

to Recollections 10

Canaan Cottage

No connection with Canaan House

"I'd like to add a Reply to the question asked about Canaan House by Donna Stout in 10 above, though I’m afraid it will be no help to Donna, except perhaps to prevent her following a false lead.

The Canaan Cottage referred to by Donna has no connection with the Canaan House on Canaan Lane which is the subject of this website topic strand."

Early-1800s

"Canaan Cottage lay about a quarter of a mile to the east, with its entrance on Grange Loan. It was built around 1805 when the whole 65-acre Canaan Estate had been divided into 3-acre plots for the building of upmarket private houses. (These are Scots acres.)

The choice of the name 'Cottage' for such a substantial house (big enough to have a Gatehouse and employ Donna’s ancestor as gardener) seems strange to us, but was typical at that time, perhaps reflecting romantic notions of country living."

Later-1800s

"To complicate matters, later in the century Canaan Cottage began to be called Canaan House. The modified building still exists today as an administrative building of the Astley Ainslie Hospital.

The change of name to Canaan House adds to confusion for us, but caused no trouble at the time because the original Canaan House on Canaan Lane had by then changed its name to Streatham House. It reclaimed the Canaan House name in modern times when it became a children’s home."

Douglas Baugh, Morningside, Edinburgh: 14 May 2013

Reply

12.

Vivian Aitken

Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.

Thank you to Vivian Aitken for posting another message in the EdinPhoto Guestbook.

Vivian wrote:

Residents

1970-1978

"I'm trying to trace anyone who was a resident at Canaan Lodge Children's Home between 1970 and 1978, especially:

- the twins Marie and Trisha

- Nun Roz Waz

Any information would be much appreciated."

Vivian Aitken, Isleworth, Hounslow, West London, England.

Message posted in EdinPhoto Guestbook: 15 May 2013

Reply to Vivian?

If you'd like to send a reply to Vivian, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on her email address to you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 15, 2013

Reply

14.

Bill Paterson

Kingsknowe, Edinburgh

Thank you to Bill Paterson for sending the message below

Bill wrote:

Whytock & Reid

"Peter:

You may remember me as Bill Paterson, Works Manager of Whytock and Reid,

Hi Bill:

Yes I remember you. Here is a photo that I took of you (on the left) and another worker when I visited Whytock & Reid's works at Sunbury House, Dean, Edinburgh, in 1991.

I took this photo as part of my personal photographic project 'Edinburgh at Work'.

Please click on the thumbnail image above to enlarge it.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 23, 2013

Bill continued:

Canaan House

History of the Buildings

"Anyway, your contributor asks about Canaan House.

My parents stayed opposite Canaan Lodge at Woodburn House from 1935 until 1975. My mother was a lifelong Morningsider. Her knowledge was that Cannan Lodge was owned in the 1850s and up to the 1870s by an advocate called Gregory.

She always said that Mr Gregory made a fortune from a cure for stomach upsets called 'GREGORY'S POWDERS'. He had a manufactory in what is now Steeles Place, Morningside Road.

She remembered when the house was a Catholic school, then during the War, it was a residence for American officers, on leave.

Finally, she remembers it as a children's home. The three co-terminus houses on the north side of Canaan Lane, to-wit, Deanbank House, The Priory and Cannan Lodge all catered for children of different ages.

I hope this is a help."

Bill Paterson, Kingsknowe, Edinburgh: January 27, 2013 (1st email)

Reply

15.

Bill Paterson

Kingsknowe, Edinburgh

Thank you to Bill Paterson for adding to his Recollections 14 above with the following additional details:

Bill wrote:

Canaan House

History of the Buildings

"Further to my info about Canaan Lodge, it would appear that:

- Streatham House was renamed The Priory when it became a Catholic institution in the 1930s.

- the Bremner family stayed there until the early-1900s.

1865 Directory

"The Edinburgh postal directory for 1865 lists:

- Bruce A Bremner MD, as residing at Streatham House.

- John Gregory at Canaan Lodge."

1906 Directory

"The 1906 directory stated that the street was newly renumbered, no doubt due to the building of tenements at 26 and 38, and we have listed as resident:

- at No.39, Streatham House, Dougald C Bremner, MB and Mrs Bremner.

- at Canaan Lodge, Mrs Colonel MacDougall.

So, I think that Canaan House did not exist then, as all records are for either Strathearn House or Canaan Lodge."

Bill Paterson, Kingsknowe, Edinburgh: January 27, 2013 (2nd email)

Canaan House

Thanks for your comments, Bill.

There certainly seems to have been scope for confusion as to which was Canaan House!

Please see, also, the comments from Douglas Baugh in his Reply 11 above.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 23, 2013

Reply

16.

John McAuley

London, England

Thank you to John McAuley for posting this message in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

John wrote:

Canaan Lodge

May McGuinness

"My aunt, May McGuinness, died on 26 September, 2013, aged 92. She worked in Canaan Lodge from just after WW2 until retirement in the 1980s.

She shared the Canaan Lodge cottage with another lady who worked in the Canaan Lodge laundry, Ellen Traynor who died in the early 1980s."

Children

"May was popular with the children who lived in Canaan Lodge. It would be great to hear how they are doing.

I remember visiting the place and some of the children there, including a lad called Albert, this would have been in the early 1970s."

John McAuley, London, England: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook on 14 December, 2013

Reply to John?

If you'd like to send a reply about May to her nephew, John, please email me, then I'll pass on his email address to you. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 14, 2013

Reply

18.

John McAuley

John McAuley wrote:

Canaan Lodge

1960s-70s

"I remember Canaan Lodge from the late-1960s to early-1970s. It was run by Edinburgh Corporation and had a female Matron (Miss McKay?).

May McGuinness

It seemed to have a good atmosphere. My aunt, May McGuinness (1920-2013) worked there as an assistant.

The Gatehouse was split in two. Two rooms were occupied by a Mr and Mrs Graham; the other two rooms were occupied by my aunt May and a lady called Ellen Traynor who ran the laundry which was next to the main building.

I remember that my aunt May retired around 1986. Soon after that, the Gatehouse was sold, but I’m not sure what happened to the main building.

Happy to Correspond

I’d be happy to correspond with anyone who has an interest in Canaan Lodge.

John McAuley: April 17, 2014

Reply

19.

Jayne Hinds

Texas, USA

Thank you to Jayne Hinds for writing about the years she spent at Canaan Lodge and other Children's Homes in Edinburgh in the 1960s and 1970s.

Jayne wrote:

Canaan Lodge

Three Children's Homes

"There were three large homes for children:

1. Deanbank House was where I lived with my sister, Carolyn Hinds, in the 1960s. It is still standing now.

Deanbank House

Deanbank House is at 35 Canaan Lane. It is now an Edinburgh Council Day Centre offering support services for adults with a learning disability

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 9, 2014

2. The Priory. You got to The Priory by walking through the hole in the wall at Deanbank House and along a path. The Priory is still standing now.

The Priory

The Priory, Canaan Lane, is now used by ARK Housing Association, a group established in 1977 by some of the parishioners from Morningside Parish Church to provide housing for people needing care and support.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 9, 2014

3. Canaan Lodge, a big mansion house in the same grounds as The Priory. It has now been pulled down.

Canaan Lodge

Since 1990, there has been a Royal Blind School, at 43-45 Canaan Lane, named 'Canaan Lodge. Is this a new building on the site of the old Canaan Lodge mansion? The web site above describes it as "Scotland's first purpose built school for children with a visual impairment and multiple disabilities"

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 9, 2014

My Background

"I was born in USA but my Mum was Scottish, so when my Dad was murdered in 1967 we moved to Edinburgh where we were put in homes. I remained in Edinburgh until 1999 when I returned to USA.

I went to The Priory in the late-1960s, then was taken back home, but I was always running away from home and I absconded from Craigentinny Primary School on a regular basis. Those were the days before the Children's Panels, so I was dealt with by the District Courts.

I returned for care at Canaan Lodge in 1970 and lived there until adulthood.

The Staff

"The 3 Children's Homes were all administered from the larger house, Canaan Lodge. When I first went into the Priory in 1967,

- Matron Campbell and Sister McKay were in charge at Canaan Lodge.

- Miss Richardson was in charge of The Priory. The staff were dressed in nurses' uniforms.

- Daisy Dewar was in charge at Deanbank House

- Miss Farr, the cook, cooked the food for all three homes in her kitchen at The Priory.

There were two wee cottages in the grounds of Canaan House:

- John Lawson, a corporation driver, lived in one of them.

- John Dickson, the gardener, lived in the other one, by the back gate of Canaan Lodge.

I remember:

- Miss Chalmers on the bus to school, screaming at Robert Graham

- Miss Crawford, the wicked night nurse.

- Eddie, the Laundry Man.

I have lots of memories of Canaan Lodge. Good ones too. I loved my time there. (lol)."

Photos

"I've been looking for photos of the three Children's Homes at Canaan Lodge and would like to find some."

Jayne Hinds, Texas USA: August 1+2, 2014 (13 emails)

Reply to Jayne?

If you remember Jayne and would like to contact her again, or if have any photos of the Children's Homes at The Priory or Canaan Lodge that you think she might like to see, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on her email address to you.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: Edinburgh: August 9, 2014

Reply

20.

Catherine Fee

(née Dennington)

Edinburgh

Thank you to Catherine Fee (née Dennington) who wrote:

Canaan Lodge

The Dennington Family

1962

" I was in Canaan Lodge in 1962 with:

- my brother, Arne, and

- my sister Mary Anne.

I was 8 years old then, and missed my parents so much. I don't have any idea why I was in the home. I found out that I was there by looking at my medical card. The Doctor had to come there to see me because I was ill.

I remember getting the bus to Craigentinny School and singing on the bus.

Request for Photos and Contacts

"I've always had a yearning to see the home. Is it still there, or are there any photos of it. Am I on any register of any kind.

I have fond memories of the home and would like to be contacted by anyone who was there at that time."

Catherine Fee (née Dennington), Edinburgh: August 10, 2014 (2 emails)

Reply to Catherine

Hi Catherine: Unfortunately, I believe that the old Canaan Lodge has been demolished and replaced by a newer building. So let's hope that somebody might have a photo of the old building that they can send to me to add to the EdinPhoto web site.

If anybody does have such a photo, please email me to let me know.

If anybody would like to contact Catherine, please email me, then I'll pass her email address to you.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: August 10, 2014

Reply

21.

Lyn Hansch

Australia

Thank you Lyn Hansch who wrote:

Canaan Lodge

The Owners

- Canaan Lodge belonged to the Gregory family.

- Many of the Gregor family were University Professors.

The Gardeners

- James Fargie was a Gardner there.

- James & Mary Fargie lived there with their 9 children.

- Mary was a 'washerwoman' at the Lodge and died there in 1849.

- James the son took over the gardening at Canaan Lodge.

- After his father died in 1827, James won many Gardening Awards.

Awards

Prizes won by James Fergie for his gardening, including grapes, raspberries, plums, cauliflowers, strawberries, flowers and trees grown at Canaan Cottage and Lodge included:

- 1838: Caledonian Gardeners' Society 2nd Prize.

- 1839: Caledonian Gardeners' Society 2nd Prize.

- 1841: Morningside Practical Gardeners' Society 1st + 2nd Prizes.

- 1842: Caledonian Horticultural Gardeners' Society.

- 1843: Morningside Practical Gardeners' Society 1st + 2nd Prizes.

- 1839: Caledonian Gardeners' Society 2nd Prize.

Teaching the Children

- The children were taught with the Gregory children.

- All James' & Mary's children could read and write

- One of the children became a schoolteacher in Edinburgh.

Children's Home

"Later, Canaan Lodge became an Edinburgh Corporation Children's Home."

Lyn Hansch, Australia* June 3, 2015

* Lyn is a direct descendant of James Fargie and Margaret Moir
through James & Mary's son, John, a gardener in Geelong, Australia.

Reply

22.

Alex Clark

Thank you to Alex Clark for replying to Jayne Hinds' Reply 19 above.

Alex wrote

1969/70

"I stayed in Deanbank House along with my younger brother for around a year in 1969/70. I also stayed in Canaan Lodge on two occasions prior to that."

Deanbank Matrons

"I remember Daisy that Jayne mentioned in her Reply 19 above. However Daisy wasn't in charge at Deanbank. The person in charge was Peggy who lived in the house with her husband. I also remember another Matron called Mary that I didn't particularly like.

It's a long time ago with water under the bridge now, but I remember Deanbank as being a decent place. I was well taken care of there in my recollection.

Feel free to pass on my email to Jayne. I can't remember Jayne but she might remember another girl, Dorothy Morton."

Alex Clark: August 7, 2016

Reply

23.

Alex Clark

Thank you to Alex Clark for writing again.

Alex wrote:

Deanbank House

The Front Steps

"Here is a photo taken in the summer of 1971 of me and my brother sitting on the steps of Deanbank House. John Clark is on the left with me in the middle.

Even though I've tried, I can't bring back the name of the wee girl in the red shoes sharing the steps. Maybe someone may recognise her here."

Photo

John and Alex Clark
and an unidentified girl in red shoes

The Priory

Food

"Just to add some more to the earlier discussion, by 1971 there were no children staying in the Priory, though I believe that the food for both Deanbank and Canaan Lodge was still prepared there.

The food definitely was not cooked in Deanbank, although they had a big kitchen. If Jayne Hinds is reading this, that's where Daisy was in charge. It was a nice place to be."

Alex Clark: August 7, 2016

Reply

24.

John Findlay

Thank you to John Findlay who wrote:

1975

"I was a resident of Canaan Lodge Children's Home from February to October 1975 along with my sisters, Joanne and Margaret. Alas I don't know anything of the building's history, to my shame, but I do remember some of the people who were there."

Other Residents

"My memory is of a Mr and Mrs Anderson being in charge of the home at that time.

I remember:

- Clive and Cindy Hunter

- Paul Thorburn (Scooby to all)

- Willie and Chay Blyth

- Jean Ponder, a lovely blonde girl

- the Boat brothers, Albert and David.

Outings

"I, too, recall :

- going on the Taxi Driver's' Outing in 1975.

- the boys of a certain age going on a two week caravan holiday to North Berwick in the summer of 1975.

John Findlay: 21 March 2018