Street Views - Saint James Street

The SW side of the square (on the right in this photo) is now named, 'James Craig Walk'

© Copyright: Peter Stubbs - please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk Photo taken: June 18, 2012
with acknowledgement to David Kerr, Savills, for allowing me to take this photo

Former Government Offices (left) covered in wire mesh and netting prior to demolition
2012

Looking SW across the square from in front of Former Government Offices - 2012

Looking SW across the square to side of Register House and SW side of square - 2012

Ground floor of 25 + 26 St James Square and gardens in front of the Tenements

Saint James' Square

Photos

Photo 1

Photo 1 was taken in 1958, when there were tenements on all four sides of St James' Square. This was about a decade before the tenements were demolished on three sides of the square to make way for the Saint James' Centre Government Offices and shopping complex, and King James Hotel.

Photos 2, 3

Photos 2,3,4.5 give a similar view to Photo 1, but taken 54 years later. The buildings on the SW side of the square have survived, and have acquired an extra storey above ground level, due to the pavement in front of them having been lowered.

These photos were taken from the Government Offices on the opposite side of the square, looking through the wire mesh and netting that now covers these buildings, awaiting their demolition.

Photos 4, 5

These photos also look across the square towards the buildings on the SW side of the square. However, these have been taken from ground level, close to the main entrances to the Government Offices.

Photos 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

More photos taken from ground level from various positions around the square. These photos were all taken in late Spring, showing the trees in full bloom.

Saint James' Square

Background

Location

This photograph, shows Saint James' Square, once a residential area in central Edinburgh, immediately to the North of the General Post Office and North British Hotel, whose clock can be seen in the background.

1890s

Thomas Vernon Begbie

This area was the home of the photographer, Thomas Vernon Begbie, in the 1890s. His studio was in Leith Street, which lies behind the buildings on the left side of this photo.

1940s

Air Raid Shelters

A former resident of the St James' Square area tells me that there were air raid shelters in the middle of the square in the 1940. She is looking for a photograph showing these. If you know of any such photo, can you please email me.

Acknowledgement: Lily Dunn

1950s

Aerial View

Please click on the thumbnail image below to see an aerial view, looking to the SW over St James' Square towards the North British Hotel on the corner of Princes Street and North Bridge.

This photo was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on August 12, 1958.

1970s

Demolition and Redevelopment

Almost all of the buildings in the St James Square area were demolished around 1970, to allow the area to be redeveloped as the Saint James' Centre Government Offices, hotel and shopping complex, and King James Hotel.

Thank you to Alan Monk for emailing me to remind me that the buildings on the right hand side of this photos (those with the light upper floor, on the west side of the square) were not demolished around 1970, and are in fact still standing today.*

This prompted me to take some photos of the area as it is today in June 2012. Please click on the thumbnail image below to see them.

* Acknowledgement: Alan Monk: June 13, 2012