Apr
Wed 25 May 2016
Edinburgh New Town
The May Manor will be a walk around Edinburgh's New Town, featuring insight in to its connections with the Cape Society and other features of interest to Knights.
Meet in Mathers (25 Broughton Street) between 7.30 and 8.00pm. We'll leave at 8.00. Guests welcome.
Report
Colin, Derran, Martin and Steven met in Mathers before leaving for their first stop, Picardy Place. On the way out of the pub they bumped in to Rab who joined in for the evening. Picardy was the pseudonym of John McDonald who lived in the Stockbridge colonies. He was introduced to the Cape Society by James Grubb and had his tie returned to the society by his wife when he passed away. Steven gave Knights an insight in to the New Town's origins in the mind of Lord Provost George Drummond who was its champion. Many of the street names have royal connections: Hanover, George, Charlotte, Princes, Frederick (George's father), Great King and Cumberland (brother). Others with a theme include national emblems Thistle and Rose; empire connections, Jamaica, India; and local affiliations Dundas and, ofcourse, Drummond. The Manor route took Knights past the houses of Sir Thumb and Sir Discovery in York Place, then down Dublin Street to Drummond Place and to stories of Compton McKenzie's Whisky Galore. A quick stop at the railway tunnel in George V Park at the foot of Scotland Street was followed by libation in the Cumberland, then, along Great King Street taking in the houses of Thomas de Quincey, JM Barrie (Peter Pan) and the Howard Hotel: a favourite past haunt of the Cape. We walked up Dundas Street and stopped off in the Wally Dug where we raised the average age of the patrons by a large number. After leaving, having had bad pints replaced, we looked out on the Royal Scots Club (a favourite on James Grubb) and passed the former home of Robert Louis Stevenson in Heriot Row on our way to Kay's bar where the evening was rounded off in a convivial manor.

Thanks to everyone who supported the Manor by attending.

Notes
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