Basic Site Details

Name: Central Fire Station
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: At a meeting of the Plans and Works Committee of Edinburgh Town Council on the 4th inst, Mr Morham, the City Architect, submitted plans for the new central fire station at the south-west corner of the Cattle Market. These show buildings three stories in height in the Renaissance style with a high tower in the rear. The design comprises an engine house for four fire engines, stabling for six horses, duty room, private and clerks’ offices for the fire-master, gymnasium, recreation room and baths for the firemen, workshops for the engineer, joiners and painters, quarters for nine single men and dwelling houses for twenty-one married men, residence for the fire-master, hose tower, and stores and boiler houses. Mr Morham also submitted plans showing the suggested re-arrangement of the Cattle Market in consequence of the erection of the new fire station. A plan has likewise been prepared showing how, in the event of the Cattle Market being removed altogether from its present site, the ground might be made available for feuing with an access from Lauriston. It is suggested that tenements of houses might be erected on the north and east sides, leaving the remainder of the space for recreation and drill purposes. The estimated cost of the buildings, exclusive of site, is £23,500. [Builder 13 March 1897 p256]

Building Type Classification

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

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1Lauriston PlaceYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 318971901  
Item 2 of 37 June 1900 Opened 
Item 3 of 31913  Tenement shell for fire practice

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 4Robert Jonas Gildard  18971901Responsible for the drawings
Item 2 of 4Robert Morham  18971901Robert Gildard responsible for the drawings - under supervision of James Anderson Williamson
Item 3 of 4James Anderson Williamson A18971901Working as Depute under Robert Morham
Item 4 of 4James Anderson Williamson B1913 Tenement shell for fire practice

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Academy Architecture1900 part 1 p101
Item 2 of 2Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp259

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder13 March 1897LXXII p256
Item 2 of 3Edinburgh Evening News6 March 1897   
Item 3 of 3RIBA Journal13 July 1935v42London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp1009 - obituary of James Anderson Williamson

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of Guild 1897, 1898
Item 2 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30123