Tag Archives: john lawrie

Last week, a fire destroyed the former Debenhams building in the heart of Edinburgh. The Princes Street building was once the home of the Scottish Liberal Club. The premises were sold in 1970 and many of the artefacts, including a bust of Gladstone, were removed by the Scottish Liberal Club. However, the beautiful wood panelled library was destroyed in the fire.

This was covered by the Edinburgh Evening News in which Convener of the Scottish Liberal Club Faith Sutherland and President (and LDV contributor) Lin Macmillan were quoted:

The Scottish Liberal Club, which once owned the property, has urged Historic Environment Scotland, the Cockburn Society and the City of Edinburgh Council to “work together towards restoring these historic buildings”.

In a joint statement, club president Lin Macmillan and convenor Faith Sutherland said: “We deeply regret the loss of 109 Princes Street and the damage to the adjoining premises.”

They confirmed a “fine bust” of former Prime Minister William Gladstone was saved after being moved into storage, but noted valuable oak panelling and other original features were left behind in the Gladstone Memorial Library, which remained a centrepiece of the store until its sale in 2023.

First opening its doors as the Palace Hotel in 1869, the building spent much of its pre-Debenhams days as the Scottish Liberal Club – a centre for political and social activity during the decades of Liberal Party dominance in Victorian Scotland.

During the creation of the Debenhams department store in the late 1970s, it merged with the neighbouring former Conservative Club. Despite the major construction project, the building retained much of its Victorian grandeur, including an ornate entrance hall, elaborate ceiling plasterwork, and the historic library.

John Lawrie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ wisest counsellor and co-writer of its constitution, was also interviewed by Edinburgh Live. He gave his memories of the building which he first visited as an 18 year old in 1961.

“I went there for meetings, and other functions too, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and you know it was a very fine building and it’s so sad. Princes Street doesn’t have that number of fine buildings, and it’s a great shame that this has happened.

“I suppose the first time I remember going there was for the Scottish Liberal Party, I think it was it twice a year council meeting something in the spring or summer of 1961 I would guess, when I was an enthusiastic 18-year-old young liberal.