Basic Site Details Name: | Thistle Foundation scheme with houses, hostel and medical centre | City or county: | Edinburgh | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | The estate was conceived in 1944 by Sir Francis Tudsbery, as a village for disabled ex-servicemen to enable them to live in the comfort of their own homes with their families, and with the ability to received regular and skilled medical treatment on site rather than venturing to, or residing in, a hospital. Originally intended for 140 houses, but rising costs saw the scheme stop at 100 houses in 1950, with £600,000 expended to this date on the building operations and equipment (houses and clinic). | Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 1-9, Chapel Court | Yes | | | Craigmillar Castle Avenue | Yes | | | Niddrie Mains Road | Yes | | | 1-11, 14-18, Queen's Walk | Yes | | | 1-23, West Court | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1945 | | Competition design | | | 1946 | 1950 | Construction | | | 1969 | | Addition | Hostel for single people added |
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 | | John Fraser Matthew | | A | 1945 | 1950 | | | Lorimer & Matthew | | A | 1945 | 1950 | | | Stuart Russell Matthew | | A | 1945 | 1950 | Won the competition independently of his father in November 1945 with the assistance of his brother Robert | | Robert William Kelly Cupples Rogerson | | C | 1960s | | Hostel for single people added. | | Rogerson & Spence | | C | 1969 | | Hostel for single people added |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Tudsbery, Francis, Sir | Originally conceived idea |
Related Buildings, Structures and DesignsChild Structures
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M | 1984 | Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) | | Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd | p544 | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architect and Building News | 5 July 1946 | | | | | Architect and Building News | 26 June 1952 | | | | | Builder | 7 December 1945 | | | p453 [Winning design of S R Matthew] | | Edinburgh Evening Dispatch | 5 September 1950 | | | | | RIBA Journal | Between 1945 and 1946 | LIII | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p63 | | Scotsman | 29 November 1945 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 48687 | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Lorimer and Matthew Collection | | D40556 (Photo of plans dated 1946), LOR E/203, LOR E/53 |
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