Basic Site Details Name: | Watt's Hospital | Town, district or village: | Leith | City or county: | Edinburgh | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | LEITH, N.B.—For erecting a Poorhouse for the parish of North Leith. Plan, etc, and schedules of measurement, of Mr P Hamilton, architect, 18 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh. Contractors to estimate for the whole work. Tenders addressed to the Chairman of the Building Committee, and marked " Tender for North Leith Poorhouse," to be lodged with the inspector, Mr J W Gardiner, at his office, 17 Dock-street, Leith, to May 31. [Building News 18 May 1860 p409]
New Workhouse, North Leith.—The North Leith Parochial Board having obtained a piece of ground measuring about three acres, in North Junction Street whereon to build a poorhouse and offices for the Board and their servants, the buildings were commenced in July 1860. according to plans prepared by the late Mr. Peter Hamilton, architect, Edinburgh, and they have now been satisfactorily completed. The poorhouse, situated in the centre of the ground, with the front to the south, is plain, substantial, and commodious. The principal portion of it is two storeys high, 140 feet long and 45 feet broad: and the height from the floor to the ceiling on the ground-floor is 12 feet, and in the upper flat 13 feet. The whole arrangements for ventilation have been completed by Mr. William Cunning, ironmonger, Queen Street, Edinburgh, after a plan of which he is the inventor. The grounds, enclosed with high stone walls, are laid out in a tasteful and useful manner. The late Mr James Hume, builder, Leith, was the contractor for the mason work; Mr. Andrew Cunningham, wright, Leith, for the joiner work ; Mr Peter Innes, plasterer, Edinburgh, for the plaster work; Mr. Fortune, slater, Leith, for the slater work; and Mr Law, plumber, Edinburgh, for the plumber work. Some consider the house a model poorhouse, and already several deputations from distant parochial boards have come to inspect it. The cost of the house and furnishings amounts to about £7,000. [Building News 4 July 1862 p14] | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | North Leith Poorhouse | | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Hospital | | | | Poor house | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Duke Street | Yes | | | North Junction Street | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1860 | 1862 | Build/construction | Designed by Peter Hamilton and completed after his death in 1861 | | 1862 | | Opened | |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Peter Hamilton | | | 1860 | 1861 | In progress at the time of Hamilton's death and completed in 1862 |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | | | Fisher, Ian | | Thomas Hamilton dissertation | MSS in NMRS | | | | Leith and its antiquities | | Leith and its antiquities | | | p11 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Building News | 18 May 1860 | | | p409 - contracts
| | Building News | 4 July 1862 | | | p14 |
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