Our building was built in 1860, as a Town House.
Kids/ servants in the attic , everyone else in between and of course below stairs for the kitchen staff.
Somewhere between then and 1900s the building became a hotel, the Balmoral.
Across the way at what stands the Grosvenor Hotel, was the Army Recruiting Office that was the base of McCrae's regiment : Heart of Midlothian Football club signed up for active service in WW1, hence why the Memorial Clock is in view from our steps.
An association we are proud to have.
Then with the Labour Government post war and the nationalisation of the Coal Board etc, this then became the National Coal Board HQ , which it remained until 1961 when they moved to purpose built premises and Eliza moved in.
Having been in service from the age of 14, Eliza had vision of what she wanted for her own place.( she was once in service to the Earl of Wemyss).
Eliza was sympathetic to the original decoration, we have original cornices etc still in our rooms and *butlers' tray* spaces on the 1st floors.
Sadly that never moved to actually putting in a lift in the 1960s at a time when it might have been passed, but when she did start trying the City Council always refused as they had at last worked out how important listed buildings where.
Eliza House, wants to be your home from home, ok many of you do not have all these stairs, but...
We are in the process of change, we want to keep Eliza's memory alive by being sympathetic to the 1860s but also make it comfortable and friendly.
We are a work in progress, Eliza once said ' It's like the Forth Bridge, start at one end, finish , then start again'.... And we have been busy refurbishing rooms this last year and we know decor is subjective, but we source designer wallpaper and we like to be on trend, but true to the house's original aesthetic. ( did you know the Savoy in London has the same wallpaper in some of their rooms? LOL)
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