One of Scotland’s most eminent scientific instrument makers, Alexander Adie, lived at Canaan Cottage for most of his life. He and his uncle both purchased plots in 1802 when the 65-acre Canaan Estate was divided and sold for building private suburban houses.

Alexander J. Adie’s second son, Alexander James Adie junior (1808-1879), was apprenticed to the civil engineer, James Jardine, and became a railway and bridge engineer. In May 1828, he wrote the account of a mongoose, which he had kept at Canaan Cottage for about a year, and he published this in the first issue of The Magazine of Natural History, in 1829.

Charles Maclaren (1782-1866) was co-founder and editor of the Scotsman newspaper. He moved to Moreland Cottage from Northumberland Street in the New Town of Edinburgh around 1851, and he lived there until his death at the age of 84, in September 1866.

A summary of the fascinating characters who lived on the site of the Millbank pavilion.

John Thomson was a most remarkable man. Born a weaver in Paisley, he retired as Professor at Edinburgh University. He Lived at Moreland Cottage.

Horticultural connections with William Ivory and St. Roque’s House