Local history

LOCAL MAN'S LAST HOURS RECALLED 

A long wander about Rosebank Cemetery yesterday, and an unexpected glimpse of tempest and terror on the far side of the world. 

Able Seaman John Paterson was one of 27 crew who sailed from Lamlash on Arran on 3 May 1894. Under the command of Captain William Leggat, the three-masted steel barque Cambus Wallace was on her maiden voyage, bound for Brisbane with a cargo of whisky, beer, pig iron, salt, fancy goods and explosives. 

In Rosebank Cemetery, an inscription ends:

SERENE HE SLEEPS

WHOSE SONGS OF LOVE AND HOME

James Simpson, OBE is a distinguished conservation architect with Leith practice Simpson and Brown. On 26th October 2008, he gave an illustrated talk to the Friends of Hopetoun Crescent Garden about the (later successful) project to investigate, dismantle, and remove the historic Botanic Cottage at Haddington Place (see Issues 154, 167, 171) – a scheme in which he had been closely involved. Below are edited excerpts.