Rosebank Cottages Colonies, off Gardner's Crescent

After a lovely morning yoga class I did some leaflet delivery for the local elections.  It's always a pleasure to have an excuse to be around Rosebank Cottages.  

The colony houses in Edinburgh built between 1850 - 1910 were intended for artisans and skilled working class families.  The first were built at Pilrig and these, the second, were designed in 1857 by Alexander MacGregor.  They were intended for "the better class of mechanics."

Stockbridge Colonies might be the best known in Edinburgh and Rosebank was the model for their build between 1861 - 1872. 

Interestingly the colonies from 1861 were built by "The Edinburgh Co-operative Building Company".  This group was formed by a group of stonemasons and joiners who found themselves locked out of building sites for three months following a dispute over working hours. So they formed a company to build houses and their first venture was Glenogle Park at Stockbridge.  The first houses cost between £100 - £130 with a £5 deposit required.  A property investment company loaned the balance to be payed back in installments of £13 per annum over 14 years!!  At that time it was £11 per annum to rent a flat in the Old Town.   It was to be a condition of purchase that "it was unlawful to convert, or permit to be converted, any of the dwelling houses into sheebens or brothels or to have any cow house or pig house or manufactory!".