Day 55

Robert Burns Statue in Leith

and the Time Capsule Beneath

The Leith Burns Club first proposed to the Leith Town Council that a statue to Burns should be erected at the foot of Leith Walk in 1894, for unveiling in 1896. The council delayed making a decision, but the society continued to plan. In 1897 they wrote again to the Town council to say they had commissioned the sculptor David Watson Stephenson to provide a bronze statue of the bard. 

After consideration the council suggested that the statue should be placed in its current location at the junction of Bernard Street and Constitution Street. In 1898 the statue was unveiled and in 1974 it was given category A listed building status.

The panels at the bottom were still being worked on at the time, and were subsequently added between 1899 and 1901. The panels depict scenes and quotes from ‘The Cotter’s Saturday Night’, ‘Scotch Drink’, ‘Halloween’ and ‘Death and Dr Hornbook’. Why these works were chosen is unknown - but a clue may be found in a discovery made when the statue was temporarily removed due to the tram works.

A time capsule was found hidden inside.

Time Capsule open - The time capsule having been carefully opened with hand tools to preserve the contents. Image Copyright The Edinburgh Reporter.

Time Capsule - Conservator Nic Boyes with the Robert Burns time capsule, holding the 1890’s Robert Burns Group constitution. Image Copyright City of Edinburgh Council.

Burns Club Leaflet - was among the papers found in the time capsule. Image Copyright The Edinburgh Reporter.

Crimes and Offences - A leaflet detailing crimes reported and investigated by police for the year 1897 was among the papers found in the time capsule. Image Copyright The Edinburgh Reporter.

The Statue has been moved once before in 1961, by 18 feet, due to a change in the road layout. The time capsule was found to contain information from both 1898 and 1961.

Conservator Nic Boyes has been in charge of examining the contents of the capsule, and restoring the statue before it is returned to its place.