Become a Local Environmental Historian

Snug in the downstairs room of a pub, nine of us gathered around an 1812 map of Edinburgh. I led the workshop as I'm an Edinburgh historian which you can read more about on my Academia page.

We identified where we lived and used the map as a source to discuss how the local environment had changed over the past two centuries. Themes included trees, water, agriculture, housing, industry, biodiversity, perspectives and landowners.

I introduced the group to some of the sources and resources available in Edinburgh for undertaking their own research into their local area.

Hopefully at the next event new participants will be able to hear about some of their groundbreaking research towards an environmental history of Edinburgh!

Feedback included "interesting and inspirational", "fascinated and stimulating" and "your enthusiasm is infectious". That sounds like a reason to do another. Sign up to be notified of future events at Meetup.com/WildReekie.

Henry Cockburn describes how before the Moray Estate was developed in 1822, he used to stand at the corner of Charlotte Square on summer evenings and listen to the corncrakes in the meadow which is now Moray Place.

Sources and Resources Links

• National Library of Scotland maps 
• Also georeferenced maps as a google map overlay
• Post office directories
• Vision of Britain: for population statistics etc
• Mapping Edinburgh's Social History 
• Central library Edinburgh Room 
• National Records of Scotland historical room
• National Library of Scotland manuscripts
• TC Smout, A History of the Scottish People 1560-1830 (1969), A Century of the Scottish People 1830-1950 (1986), People and Woods in Scotland, a History (2003), The Firth of Forth, an Environmental History (2012)
• Richard Rodger, The Transformation of Edinburgh (2001)
• Henry Cockburn, Memorials of his Time (1856)
• John Ruskin, Edinburgh Lectures (1853)
• Patrick Geddes, Cities in Evolution (1915)

Follow me at @eleanormharris