In February, 2023, we invited Eric Melvin to talk to the alumni about what was known as the Golden Age of Edinburgh. Inspired by Lord Provost George Drummond, Edinburgh burst from the confines of the medieval Old Town and started to build what even then was described as the New Town. At the same time as Edinburgh was being transformed physically and socially, its intellectual reputation saw the City referred to as “The Athens of the North.” This was due in no small part to the reputation of the University which attracted some of the finest academics of the day to live and to work in Edinburgh.
With their shop in the High Street, the Gillespie brothers were witnesses to exciting times. Their successful tobacco and snuff business saw them amass a fortune which they left to the City to support charitable enterprises. Their generous legacy continues to this day.
The alumni who managed to attend this fascinating talk were delighted with Eric’s presentation and enjoyed refreshments provided by the Parent Council and a good chinwag with old school friends afterwards. Thank you, Eric, for a memorable presentation!
