Edinburgh Recollections - Mount Alvernia

Recollections

Lilian Lockhart

Rome, Italy

Thank you to Lilian Lockhart who wrote:

Age 15

"I was born at 24 Restalrig Drive in 1938 and brought up there. When I was fifteen, I entered the Poor Clare convent, Mount Alvernia, Liberton, where I remained a few years. I have happy loving memories of the dear sisters.

Return Visit

"Recently, I returned to Edinburgh and was, of course, sad to see changes but that's life .

The cemetery is on the left-hand side when you enter the gate. I went to the graves of all my sisters. They were wonderful.

Kemp's Corner

I also remember Kemp's Corner, and my friends:

- the Bell family who lived in Loganlea Crescent.

- the Airlies, the Cairns and the Sowersbys from Restalrig Drive. When I come to Edinburgh we all meet like one big happy family"

Lilian Lockhart, Rome, Italy: September 24, 2010

Recollections

Danny Callaghan

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Danny Callaghan for following up a question asked by Frank White on the Poor Clare Convent page. Please click on any ot the thumbnail images below to enlarge them.

Danny wrote:

Sister Anthony Question

"Following up on Frank White's request for information on the grave of his aunt, Sister Anthony, I made a visit to Mount Alvernia. After an initial look about decided not to waste any time and knocked on a door of a house in the original chapel part of the development.

Chaplain's House

The gentleman living there, Mr Hamilton, had been in the house since about 2000 and knew some information about the nuns' cemetery. He also has a copy of the original title deeds for the convent."

The Cemetery

"The cemetery has now been enclosed by the developer with a lovely real stone wall. It is located at the south side of the site next to the wall of Liberton Hospital and next to the parking area parallel to the main road.

It can be seen on Google Earth. Zooming-in, it is possible to see the grave plaques. The cemetery has a wrought iron gate and its own path leading from a gate on the main road. The cemetery is under the care of Edinburgh Council who cut the grass - occasionally. The grass was somewhat unkempt when I was there

Grave plaques in Cemetery

"While I was in the cemetery we were joined by a lady who lives in one of the flats in the original convent. She was one of the first to move into the new houses and does some of the maintenance in the cemetery. She was able to give me a lot of information.

Prior to the wall being built around the cemetery, the graveyard was open. When the developers was building the wall they found that the layout plan of the graveyard was wrong and they had to put a dogleg in the wall to avoid disturbing some graves."

Plaques

"Originally the the graves were marked with simple crosses and plaques with the sisters' names and details. These have been removed and stainless steel plaques have been set into the ground on each grave, giving details of sisters.

The sisters were all named Sister Mary something, with a name such as Anthony, many with the names of male saints.

The graves are located out from both the west and the east walls in 2 rows."

The Nun who looked after the chickens and sold the eggs was Sister Mary Stephen. Here is her plaque.

Sister Mary Stephen's Plaque

The founder of the convent was Mother Mary Bernadine. Here is her plaque.

Mother Mary Bernadine's Plaque

Stations of the Cross

"The nuns still come from their convent in Humbie on anniversaries etc. Around the wall are crosses of 'The Stations of the Cross'. On the south wall one of the original crosses remains.

An old lady, a relative of one of the nuns, still comes up regular from Berwick on Tweed to leave flowers etc."

Station of the Cross

Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:12 January 2012