Gayfield House, with grounds stretching as far as Leith Walk, was built a little before 1765.
In the 1780s the grounds were feued out for building by the solicitor James Jollie (1757-1846).
Construction of Gayfield Square began opposite the front of Gayfield House, but for a while it was called Gayfield Place. Later, the name Gayfield Place was applied exclusively, as today, to the buildings on Leith Walk opposite Elm Row.
The large tenement known as Gayfield Place was started in 1790, thus predating Edinburgh's New Town itself.
The architect was James Begg, of whom very little is otherwise known.
The Napoleonic Wars probably slowed progress and the whole block was not completed until 1804 at the earliest.
The tenement has a massive five-bay centre piece, with four storeys from street level and a fifth shallower attic storey. At the ends are bows like a corner-tower. Ground-floor windows in the two bows are in three sections, while those on the second and third floors have an arch over the middle of the three windows, making the type of window known as Venetian. The arches are made of only three stones and the keystones have been susceptible to slipping over the years. There are two fine garlanded ceilings in the entrance hall at 4 Gayfield Place and a Venetian screen.
William Flockhart, lived at 4 Gayfield Place from 1841-1848. He was partner in the firm of Duncan and Flockhart (52 North Bridge) who supplied the chloroform to Professor James Young Simpson for his world-pioneering work on its use as an anaesthetic in 1847. According to the centenary history published by the firm in 1947, "Flockhart became the life of the business at North Bridge, and not even long hours-a druggist's shop was open for fourteen hours a day-could exhaust his abounding supply of energy. It is even said of him that when the closing hour was changed from 11 to 9 p.m. he was ashamed to go home so early!"
Thomas Walley resided at 4 Gayfield Place from 1880 to 1882. He was born in Staffordshire, trained in Manchester, and in 1871 was appointed Professor of Cattle Pathology to the Veterinary College founded by William Dick, now Edinburgh University's "Royal Dick Vet" in Summerhall. In 1874 he was chosen as Principal, a position he held until his death in 1894.
In the Census of 1881 he is shown with his wife Elizabeth (born in Portsmouth), his children Maria, Thomas and Ralph (born in Liverpool), Constance (born in Edinburgh) and Gertrude (born in Leith).
Also living with the family were three veterinary students, William Welsby (born in Lancashire), George Davey (born in Somerset) and George McArthur (born in India), and two servants Barbara Naismith and Janet Crow. "The reign of Thomas Walley was mainly marked by a gradual extension of the teaching activities of the College .... The curriculum and professional examinations were amplified .... " "His Principalship, compared with that of his predecessors, was one of peace and tranquillity."
Towards the last part of the nineteenth century, use changed from private accommodation to business premises. From 1883 to 1918 Lees and Wilson, Rope and Twine Manufacturers, operated from the building, using the basement as well as the street level. Their name can still be seen faintly over the two windows to the left of the stair to No 3.
From 1918 to 1931 James Miller (now one of the largest building firms - Miller Homes & Miller Construction) used No 4 as their offices. Maitland Radio used No 4 for the longest period, 1932 to 1971, spanning the time when radios were operated by "wet" batteries which were brought to be recharged, to the universal introduction of television.
In 1978 the YWCA moved here, using the street level and the basement areas. The YWCA Roundabout Centre works to encourage equal opportunities and an open, accepting, multicultural society. It organises a wide range of activities including a creche, a Summer Playscheme, a women's drop-in centre. The Roundabout Centre continues to use 4b, after selling the Main Door Level (No 4) to the Christadelphian Church in 1983.
At the Christadelphian Church our aim at its highest is to follow what Jesus taught as the two greatest commandments: love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. It is a hard ideal, but one we hope all our predecessors, contemporaries and successors would approve.
according to the Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directories and the Census Records (except for final two entries)
| People | |
| 1833-1838 | Miss Clark |
| 1838-1843 | No mention of 4 |
| 1841 Census | William Flockhart |
| 1843-1848 | William Flockhart |
| 1848-1849 | Andrew Adams |
| 1850-1851 | John Scott of Melby, Mrs James Hewat |
| 1851 Census | Clementina Hewat |
| 1851-1855 | No mention of 4 |
| 1855-1868 | John Hardie, merchant |
| 1861 Census | John Hardie, late merchant |
| 1868-1870 | P. H. Hardie [son] |
| 1871 Census | John Walcot, ironmonger |
| 1872-1880 | William Wilson (Lees & Wilson) |
| 1880-1882 | Thomas Walley, V.S., M.R.C.S.E., professor and principal, Edinburgh Veterinary College |
| 1881 Census | Thomas Walley, Veterinary Professor, Principal Royal Vet College |
| 1882-1883 | No mention of 4 |
Companies | |
| 1883-1918 | Lees & Wilson, Rope & Twine Manufacturers |
| 1918-1931 | James Miller, Builders |
| 1926-1927 | James Miller and McKendrick & Dunlop, building contractors |
| 1929-31 | James Miller and J. K. McCulloch & Co. |
| 1932-1971 | Maitland Radio |
| 1971-1972 | No mention of 4 |
| 1972-1977 | Scotts Electronics |
Organisations | |
| 1978-1983 | YWCA Roundabout Centre |
| 1983-present | Christadelphian Church |
It is not easy to identify occupiers before 1834 as the Directories do not give detailed house-to-house information on each street. In recent years the Street Directories have no longer been published.
This material was prepared for Open Doors Day 1997. We are grateful to the following for help in researching this information: Edinburgh Public Libraries (Edinburgh Room), The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh University Library, and George Watson's College Library. We have been unable to trace any copyright holder for the Duncan Flockhart History and Photograph, but will be happy to make suitable acknowledgement if brought to our attention.
Edinburgh Christadelphians
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History of the building
