GOGAR BANK HOUSE
Gogar Bank House ©
Situated about six miles from Edinburgh on the road to Glasgow from Hermiston, lies the mansion of Gogar Bank.
Owners
1790 Owned by Cumberland Reid, his brother was in Ratho Byres and his nephew at Ratho Hall. Whilst here he sold the Old Mill at Balerno (Newmills) to Wm. Hunter of Gilmerton and he also rented out the Balerno Mill this was the old fulling mill at Kineald to Alex and William Nisbet and William McNiven.
Cumberland Reid, of Gogar Bank. Son of George Reid and Sarah Laurie born April 28th christened 5.5.1746 at Ratho, witnesses Walter Reid and Alexander Reid.
He died on 15.6.1818, unmarried and left his estate to his nephew John who married Miss Douglas of Leith. He also made a settlement on Jane his great niece (£800 to be life rented by her father).
Cumberland Reid was also involved in the development of farming on Gogar moor.
June 1818 John Reid, Merchant, Leith, from Cumberland Reid, Reid built the present extensions and walled gardens and by all accounts ruined himself by his reckless extravagance and vanity.
July 1820 British Linen Co. takes lands of Gogar Bank and adjoining property as security of loan of £1,100 from John Reid.
Sept.1821 Wm. Ramsey, Banker, Edinburgh gives the property to son Peter.
April 1824 Lease reverts to Peter as Heir of William.
Dec. 1824 Sir William Fettes of Comely Bank purchases Gogar Bank from Peter Ramsay with consent of father’s trustees at £17,050.
June 1826 Sir Robert Liston of Millbank, KB, purchases from Sir William 7 acres of land at Gogar Bank at £1,115.
Estate valued at £16,000 (£15,951 5 4d).
Feb. 1839 Property to be surveyed for damages against Railway Co., £1,223 12s 7d for injury to Mansion House general amenity, £6 to £7 an acre had been spent since inspection of drainage.
Claim £2,500.
1843 Repairs and improvements to mansion house, offices etc. under the management of James Newlands, Architect.
| Repairs to mansion house | £577 3 9 |
| Gravelling roads, building shed | £166 16 2 |
| Removing water wheel, water casks and converting drawing room into dining room | £ 52 4 6 |
| Rolling gravel | £ 2 2 6 |
| Painting dining room | £ 25 12 4 |
| Amount expended by factor as at 13th October 1843 | £144 4 1 |
| £948 4 1 |
1844 Land sold to Railway Co. 3.88 acres occupied by the mounding and divergence of road leading to Gogar Bank House.
£2,021 14 0 received in compensation.
1841 Census
Robert Naysmith (50) Surgeon,
Mary (40),
Catherine (20),
Ann (15),
Mary (15),
Robert (10),
David (10),
John (10),
Alice (5),
Edward (2),
Agnes (6 months),
Christian (6 months),
Robert Tenant (20) Advocate is also in residence.
Nov 1879 Mansion House sold to Wm. Dudgeon (Distiller) 11th Nov.
1924 Purchased by James Risk (Distillery Consultant) Nov 11th.
1931 Purchased by the Ministry of Defence as residence for G.O.C. Scottish Command on 15th April. The property is currently still under M.o.D. control.
The most famous of its' owners was Sir William Fettes (1750-1836).
West part of lands of Gogar Mains commonly called the lands of Over Gogar Mains, now called Gogar Bank comprehending 112 acres being two just equal 1/3 parts of said lands of Gogar Mains (Fettes will of 1830).
Minister's Stipend 1831
| Wheat | 3F 3P 3L | @ | £1 12 5 |
| Meal | 4B 2F 2P 1L | @ | £1 2 6 |
| Barley | 4B 2F 2P 1L | @ | £1 6 6three |
| farthings |
| Money | £0 8 8three |
| farthings |
| £4 10 2halfpenny |
| B-boll=140lbs(approx. 63.5kgs) |
| F-firlot = a quarter of a boll |
Burdens 1832
| Minister's Stipend | £15 9 0 |
| 40 Window lights of dwelling house (tax) | £18 6 9 |
| Schoolmaster Salary | £ 2 10 0 |
| Land Tax | £ 1 7 6 |
| Painting dining room | £25 12 7 |
| £41 12 10 |
The following two items are recorded separately from the rents; the second item failing to tally with the recorded accounts.
Sept. 1836 let unfurnished to James Williamson, George Street, Edinburgh, at 100 guineas p.a. for 1 year from March next.
Let 1837 to George Dunlop W.S. £40. p.a.
Rents of Mansion House of Gogar Bank
| 1837 | £112 4 1 |
| 1838/44 | £105 0 0 |
| 1845 | £110 0 0 |
| 1846 | William Pitt Dundas | £115 12 8 |
| 1847 | £115 17 0 |
| 1852 | Misses Trotter | £135 0 0 |
Expenditure
| 1850 | Erection of Greenhouse | £ 2 9 0 |
| Garden wall | £10 15 0 |
| 1874 | Years hedge cutting | £ 2 17 0 |
| 1876 | do. | £ 3 15 0 |
| 1877 May | New bridge over water in Gogar garden as former one was carried away by a flood | £14 6 0 |
James Risk, his wife and four daughters, Elsa, Jean, Hester and Kathleen resided at the mansion house for seven years. They employed a chauffeur, two gardeners a handyman called Black and five maids. The cook was a Mrs Rendall and the table maid was called Black.