Old Edinburgh  -  Black Turnpike

1886 Exhibition

'Old Edinburgh' Exhibit

The scenes above is from the Old Edinburgh Exhibit in the 1886 International Exhibition of Science & Art held at the Meadows, Edinburgh.

Marshall Wane had exclusive rights to take photographs in this part of the 1886 exhibition.  The buildings had been specially erected for the exhibition as an example of life in earlier times in Edinburgh.  It was hoped that these buildings could remain after the exhibition closed, but planning consent was not granted so they were taken down.

The Black Turnpike

Behind the Guard-House, standing to the west of the Tron church was the Black Turnpike, reported to have been a sumptuous building,  built in 1461.

It belonged to George Crichton, Bishop of Dunkeld in 1527.  It was the town mansion of the provost of Edinburgh in 1567, and the building from which Mary Queen of Scots was brought, prisoner.

Cartes de Visite  -  Cabinet Prints  -  Postcards

The Old Edinburgh scenes above from the 1886 exhibition were first published by Marshall as Cabinet Prints and Cartes de Visite.  The Edinburgh Room at Edinburgh City Library has some examples of these.

These views were later published as postcards.  I believer that there are several series of postcards, each comprising probably about 8 or 12 views.

The Postcard

This is one of two post cards I have that was posted on 17 August 1905 from Edinburgh to Pitlochry.  Here is the other:

©