Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Brown | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1729 | Died: | 8 December 1807 | Bio Notes: | James Brown was born about 1729, the second son of William Brown of Lindsaylands and Elliston who was a Commissioner of Supply. His older brother was George Brown, an army officer, who became the laird of Lindsaylands and Ellieston and Receiver-General of Excise in Scotland. George Brown (c1722-1806) was cousin german to Lord Coalstone, one of the Lords of Session and was known as a 'gentleman of amiable temper and suavity of manner' and moved in the highest social circles. James Brown may have had some experience in London as the pattern of terraced houses he was later to design were developed in London in the early 18th century.
James Brown designed two significant squares in Edinburgh. Brown Square (now absorbed into Chambers Street) was built in the early 1760s and George Square from 1766-85. In 1761 James Brown bought for £1200 26 acres of ground from the architect John Adam the lands of Ross Park, which had been offered to but refused by the Town Council. The Town later offered Brown £2000 but he refused to sell for less than £20,000. Feuing began in 1766. The feuing plan showing George Square and other developments by Brown on the Ross estate is dated 1779. Brown named the Square after his brother George Brown. George Square was the first large-scale house-building scheme in Edinburgh and the first true square. These were followed by a series of houses in streets in the vicinity of George Square.
Brown was clearly a man of means although he was a second son. He had enough money in his early thirties to purchase Ross Park. Newspaper reports show that he contributed to various charitable causes, including the poor relief fund in 1773 and the Royal Infirmary fund in 1797. He was co-owner of the freestone quarry at 'Hill-Park of Ravelstoun' which was advertised for let in 1785. Brown was well acquainted with some of the most eminent Edinburgh citizens of the 1770s and 1780s. He was a trustee engaged to ensure that the Act of Parliament for building South Bridge and the wide range of improvements connected with this were carried out. Other trustees included the Lord Provost, the Rt Hon James Hunter Blair, the Rt Hon Henry Dundas of Melville, the Rt Hon Islay Campbell Lord Advocate of Scotland as well as various tradesmen who held posts in the Edinburgh trade guilds.
In the 1770s Brown was consulted by the Heritors of Kelso on the state of their church. It is possible that the connection to Elliston, which was located in St Boswells Parish, brought him this job. Further work in the Scottish Borders followed as well as in Stirlingshire and Edinburgh.
Brown was prominent in the affairs of the Riding Academy in Edinburgh. He purchased the site in Nicolson Street for the building and reported to the directors that the foundations of the building had been laid according to 'Mr Adam's plan'. He was a member of the committee which chose the master of the establishment and if the venture proved unsuccessful to arrange for the disposal of the horses. When the Academy ceased to prosper, Brown was financially embarrassed. The directors of the Academy were sympathetic and arranged that anyone owing money should be approached and the payment passed to Brown. However this did not seem to work as Brown was 'apprehended on a Caption'. Eventually the debt was paid.
Brown published anonymously a pamphlet entitled ‘The Importance of the Cowgate Bridge etc Considered’ and it is thought that Brown can be identified with the ‘J. Brown’ who drew the engravings illustrating ‘A Plan for Erecting a New Prison and Bridewell in the City of Edinburgh’, published by the Lord Provost and Archibald Cockburn in 1782.
Brown died at his house in George Square on 8 December 1807 aged 78. He was survived by his wife, Janet Dempster, and their three daughters, Violet, Janet and Elizabeth (also Isabella?) who remained in his house in George Square until 1849. Their daughter Margaret had died in 1797. He was buried in the churchyard of Buccleuch Relief Church.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Teviot Row, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1770s | | | | 29, George Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1770 | | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Colvin, Howard | 2008 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | | London: YUP. 4th edition | | | Marshall, David | 1884 | Genealogical Notes about Some Ancient Scottish Families | | London: Forgotten Books. Reprint 2013 | pp92-3 | | Peacock, Helen; Emslie, Douglas; Barratt, oliver; Jones, Barry; Primeau, Steve; | 1974 | Forgotten South Side | | Edinburgh | pp31, 32 | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p62 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Caledonian Mercury | 27 January 1773 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 6 April 1797 | | | | | Scots Magazine | 1807 | 69 | | 960 | | The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club | XXVI | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Bodleian Library | Godwin Pamphlets | Godwin Pamphlet 1813 (14) | | | Bodleian Library | Gough Maps and Documents | Gough Scotland 260 | | | Location not given in Colvin | Burial register of Buccleuch Relief Church Burial Ground | | |
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