Basic Site Details
| Name: | Morningside Public Library |
| Town, district or village: | Morningside |
| City or county: | Edinburgh |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Parish: | |
| Status: | |
| Grid ref: | |
| Notes: | Sculptor: Joseph Hayes. This branch library for the district of Morningside was erected some little time ago by the Edinburgh Library Committee. It is built of stone with ashlar from Blackpastures, Northumberland. The library consists of a lending department and reading room. The latter is a spacious apartment, square on plan and surmounted centrally by a deeply coffered dome, certain of the panels being glazed with ground and figured glass. The plaster work and modelling was well carried out by Messrs. Mackenzie, of Glasgow. The stone carving was executed by the late Mr Joseph Hayes, an able artist who has lost his life while on active service in the Black Watch. The roof of the front building is slated with large-sized Tilberthwaite slates. The cost of the building was about £5,000, and was designed by the architect to the Corporation, Mr. James A. Williamson, ARIBA. [Building News 7 February 1917. Page 128] |
Building Type Classification
| The building is classified under the following categories: | |||
| Classification | Original classification? | Notes | |
 | Library | ||
Street Addresses
| The following street addresses are associated with this building: | |||
| Address | Main entrance? | Notes | |
| Morningside Library | Yes | |
Events
| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | ||||
| From | To | Event type | Notes | |
| 1905 | Journal reference | Initial proposals | |
| 1913 | Design exhibited | ||
| 1913 | 1917 | Construction | |
People
Design and Construction
| The 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 | |
| George White | A | 1905 | After 1910 | As assistant in City Architect's Office, working under James Anderson Williamson | |
| James Anderson Williamson | A | 1905 | 1917 | Williamson mainly responsible (working as assistant in Morham's office at beginning and later as City Architect) | |
| Robert Morham | A | 1905 | Williamson mainly responsible (working as assistant in Morham's office) | ||
References
Bibliographic References
| The 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 | p620 | |
| RSA | 1913 | 437 | |||
Periodical References
| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | |||||
| Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | |
| Builder | 18 November 1905 | LXXXIX | ||
| Building News | 7 February 1917 | p128 with plan and illustration of facade | ||
| RIBA Journal | 13 July 1935 | v42 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p1009 - obituary of James Anderson Williamson |
Archive References
| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | ||||
| Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | |
| Edinburgh City Archives | Edinburgh Dean of Guild | 28 April 1904 | |
| Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 27616 | |
| RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | George White: L v10 no600 (microfilm reel 32) | |