All About Edinburgh
Buccleuch Place Edinburgh
Plaques and Statues
Buccleuch Place Edinburgh
Buccleuch Place is mainly buildings of Edinburgh University and the entrance to the University Library. There are a number of medallions on walls of houses of famous people who graduated from the University of Edinburgh.
James Africanus Horton (1835–1883)
James Horton was born in Freetown Sierra Leone and was known as James Beale. He was the first African to graduate from Edinburgh University and went on to be a medical surgeon in the British Army.
Baroness Jennie Lee
(1904 – 1988)
Baroness Lee of Asheridge known as Jennie Lee, was a Scottish politician. Baroness Jennie Lee was married to the Welsh Labour politician Aneurin Bevan from 1934 until his death in 1960. As Minister for the Arts 1964–1970, she was instrumental in the foundation of the Open University. The Jennie Lee building can be found in Drumsheugh Gardens Edinburgh, the home of the Open University offices in Scotland. The plaque reads. In honour of | Baroness | Jennie Lee | 1904–1988 | An early woman MP | First Minister for the Arts | founder of the Open University | graduate of the | University
Lord Francis Jeffrey
(1773 – 1850)
Lord Francis Jeffrey was a literary critic and Scottish judge, Francis Jeffrey was also the editor of The Edinburgh Review a liberal critical periodical from 1803 -1829. Francis Jeffrey was appointed Lord Advocate. Francis Jeffrey a member of the House of Commons introduced the Scottish Reform Bill in 1831. When the new Edinburgh streets were being built the street connecting the High Street with Waverley Station was named in his honour “Jeffrey Street”.
George Edward Moore O.M., F.B.A. (1873 – 1958)
G.E. Moore O.M. FBA (Order of merit and Fellow of the British Academy) lived at 11 buccleuch Place Edinburgh from 1904-1908 with his friend A.J. Ainsworth. He was one of the founders of Analytic Philosophy. He is also remembered for what is now commonly called “Moore’s Paradox”.
Thomas Carlyle (1795 – 1881)
Thomas Carlyle graduated from Edinburgh University became a teacher and then an essayist and author. His most successful publication was “The French Revolution: A History”. Thomas Carlyle was married to Jane Welsh after marrying they moved to Comely Bank in Edinburgh. Thomas Carlyle was deemed to be one of the influential writers of the period Moving to Chelsea he would entertain poets and authors such as Tennyson, Dickens, Ruskin and Thackeray. Thomas Carlyle was installed as Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1865. There is a plaque in his honour at 22 Buccleuch Place Edinburgh.
Dr Wong Fun (Huang Kuan) (1828 – 1878)
Huang Kuan from Hsiang-shan, Canton China graduated with a Phd in medicine from Edinburgh University in 1857. He was the first Chinese student to graduate from Edinburgh University and it is also believed that he was the first Chinese student in Europe to receive a degree. The Confucius Institute in Scotland at Abden House 1 Marchbank Crescent Edinburgh stands a statue in his honour.
