Basic Site Details Name: | New Club | City or county: | Edinburgh | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Iin 1861 an extensive report on the alteration works appeared in Building News
The extensive addition to and improvements on the New Club edifice, from designs by Mr David Bryce, RSA, are far advanced. Some of the new and altered apartments have been occupied by the members for some time, and it is expected that the whole will be ready by Martinmas. The new part of the domicile is towards the west, and is conspicuous by showing a new oriel window, which has given a more complete and imposing aspect to the edifice. A new writing-room, an extension of the coffee or dining room on the first floor, a new dining-room on the second floor, a new smoking-room, and new bed-rooms and waiting-rooms, are included in the designs. The alterations consist mainly of improvements on the reading-room, the entrance-hall, and the approaches to the different apartments. Between the new writing-room - a large and handsome saloon lighted by the new oriel and finished with cornice and enriched panelled ceiling - and the old reading-room, which is being repainted and decorated, a cheerful division, or rather connexion, is formed by means of a large opening in the wall filled with a sheet of plate-glass, measuring 12 feet by 8 feet. This opening will be of great convenience to gentlemen in quest of friends, as a glance from either apartment will suffice to show the inmates. Each of these rooms have polished Peterhead granite mantel-pieces, of bold design, and in common with the other chief rooms on the different floors, will be lighted at night by the new popular sun-lights in the centre of the ceiling, which act as ventilators and illumine the room with a soft and silvery clearness. Access to the new writing-room and the waiting-rooms behind is obtained by a corridor extending from the old entrance-hall to the end of the new part of the edifice. A section of the ceiling and side of this corridor is glazed with obscured plate-glass, and it is understood that the ceiling portion will be stained. The flooring of the corridor is done in parqueterie —i.e., inlaid coloured woodwork in geometric patterns, and to the eye resembling encaustic tiles. This pavement, which is as yet uncommon in Edinburgh, is manufactured by Mr. J. K. Swann, Leith-walk, and promises to be very effective, in point of colour and design, in the new corridor. A large addition has been made to the old coffee or dining-room on the first floor. This has been effected by cutting through the old wall, and supporting it by two massive Peterhead granite pillars and side pilasters of the same material -all beautifully polished, and tastefully enriched by bronze Corinthian capitals. A new apartment, as it may be termed, has thus been added to the old room, the pillars forming an imposing, though nominal, boundary line. On the second floor is the new dining-room, and adjoining and above the addition to the coffee-room is the new smoking-room. The latter apartment is tastefully finished, having a cove ceiling, a golosche moulding with black cornice, and three large circular-headed windows, each lighted by two panes of plate-glass. All the rooms are finished in wainscot, with panels round the wall. The remaining stages of the new portion of the edifice consist chiefly of bed-rooms. Of the improvements, the most striking, perhaps, is that effected upon the entrance-hall. The old wall that marked the limits of the outer lobby, and darkened the main staircase, has been removed, and abundance of light and a spacious lobby is the result. The wall is supported by an immense square pillar - weighing four tons, and said to be the largest in Scotland - of polished Peterhead granite, with side pilasters. In the centre of the lobby, the floor of which is already partly laid with encaustic tiles, a massive granite pedestal has been laid down for the reception of a large lamp - the design, it is understood, representing Atlas with his traditional load. The character of the new works is in strict harmony with the New Club domicile and its associations - a quiet, elegant, and artistic tone prevails throughout. Messrs William Beattie and Sons are the builders; Mr J. R Swann, the joiner ; Mr Annan, the plasterer ; the painting and decorating are in the hands of Messrs Purdie, Bonnar and Carfrae. We understand that the cost of the works will be about £12,000. It should be mentioned that the polished granite is by Mr. James McDonald, Aberdeen, whose work is now well known for its boldness of expression and beauty of finish. [Building News 20 September 1861 p766, p769] | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Club | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 86, Princes Street | Yes | Colvin gives no 85 |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1834 | | | Original building | | 1859 | 1861 | | Additions by Bryce | | 1906 | | | Interior remodelling and new woodwork for dining room (retained in new building on the site) | | 1908 | | | Further work | | 1911 | | | Further work | | 1919 | | | Alterations | | November 1966 | | Destruction/demolition | Due to start in this month |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Committee of Managers of the New Club | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Cockburn, H A | 1938 | A History of the New Club, Edinburgh | | | | | Fiddes, Valerie and Rowan, Alistair | 1976 | David Bryce 1803-1876 | | Exhibition Catalogue, University of Edinburgh | p96 | | Forman, Sheila | 1955 | The New Club | | Scottish Field, Spetember 1955 | | | Savage, Peter | 1980 | Lorimer and the Edinburgh Craft Designers | | Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1980 (also paperback ed, London & Edinburgh: Steve Savage, 2005) | p175 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 2 November 1861 | XIX | | | | Building | 30 September 1966 | | | p137 | | Building News | 20 September 1861 | | | p766, p769 from the Scotsman | | RIBA Transactions | 1870 | | | p125-128. List of works by Burn compiled by T L Donaldson |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | | Dick Peddie & McKay Catalogue, 1979 | | | | Edinburgh City Archives | Edinburgh Dean of Guild | | two sheets dated 24 May 1859 | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Dick Peddie and McKay Collection | | DPM/1880/26/10 | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Drawings Collection | | EDD 172/24-5 | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Lorimer and Matthew Collection | | LOR/E/32 | | New Club | New Club Archives | | Photostat copy of working drawings; Minute and letter books | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Drawings Collection | | Burns's preliminary drawings, 2 May 1834 |
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