Basic Site Details

Name: Linburn House Estate, Housing for the Blind
Town, district or village: Wilkieston
City or county: Midlothian
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: In 1944, further arrangements were required for those Scots blinded in the Second World War, and Linburn, situated outside Edinburgh, was purchased as an expanded Training Centre where seven workshops were established to teach the men and women various craft skills. Houses were built for the married men in the spacious grounds and a hostel, which incorporated a seven-bedded ward for those requiring medical attention, was established. (The hostel facility no longer operates)

Drawings in the Lorimer collection date from 1948 to 1952

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Scottish National Institution For War Blinded  

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Housing  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 119481952Build/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.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 6John Fraser Matthew  19481952 
Item 2 of 6Lorimer & Matthew  19481952 
Item 3 of 6Stuart Russell Matthew B19481952Job continued by Carr & Matthew
Item 4 of 6Carr & Matthew B19501952Job continued by Carr & Matthew
Item 5 of 6David Carr B19501952Job continued by Carr & Matthew
Item 6 of 6James Robertson Laidlaw BAfter 1951 As apprentice with Carr & Mtthew

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Scottish National Institution for War Blinded 

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Parent Structure and Site

This structure is related to the following parent structure or site (click the item to view details):
 Building nameNotes
Item 1 of 1Linburn House and other buildings on siteIn 1944, the Linburn House Estate, situated outside Edinburgh was purchased to provide further facilites for those Scots blinded in the Second World War. Here an expanded Training Centre with seven workshops was established to teach the men and women various craft skills. The original house was demolished in 1955.

See separate entry for housing for the blind built on the estate

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Architectural DesignFebruary 1955  pp43-44
Item 2 of 2Scotsman25 May 1996  Obituary - Stuart Russell Matthew

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 3Courtesy of James Robertson LaidlawInformation sent to Dictionary Sent April 2010
Item 2 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSLorimer and Matthew Collection LOR L/37, L/44
Item 3 of 3Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmoreID 196683