The Colonies of Edinburgh

In 1861 a 17th Century tenement in the Royal Mile suddenly collapsed, killing 35 people. A young boy, Joseph McIvor was the only survivor. His rescuers heard him shout from the rubble.
"Heave Awa Lads I'm no deid yet". 
In honour of Joseph's miraculous escape, the building that replaced it was called 'The Heave Awa Hoose'. and an ornate lintel with a carving of Joseph McIvor's head acts as a reminder of the event. 

By the middle of the 1800's the old town houses were at least 300 years old and crumbling. The collapse of the building prompted a public outcry and an enquiry into the appalling living conditions in the old town. 
The colony houses were partly a response to the urgent need to get people out of the dangerous and unhygienic tenements.   They were built as homes for artisans and skilled working-class families.  

By 1911 over 2,000 houses had been constructed on 11 sites. Many were owned by artisan classes in an era when mortgages did not exist. The earliest residents of the colonies were skilled workers and artisan builders and this remained the largest occupational group for much of the 20th century. These  Abbeyhill colonies in particular had a number of railway workers due to the proximity of the area to the line.


There are many fascinating aspects to the Colonies stories - I’ll try to do some more.