Ghosts and grim tales of the Georgian House

The Georgian House, while famous for its beautiful 18th-century architecture and historical significance, is also said to have a ghostly aspect. Both visitors and staff have experienced strange occurrences, such as cold spots, footsteps on the stairs, and shadowy figures, which have led some to believe that the spirits of former residents may still linger.

The parlour

The bookcase features a wide selection of books and novels from the 18th century, including the Encyclopædia Britannica and the Waverley Novels by renowned Edinburgh author Sir Walter Scott. Another famous author born in Edinburgh was Robert Louis Stevenson, who became renowned for tales such as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. This novel was inspired by Edinburgh’s own William ‘Deacon’ Brodie, a respected cabinet maker, locksmith, and council member by day and gambler and thief by night.

The drawing room

The Victorian owner of the house, Lord Charles Neaves, died in the Georgian House in December 1876, and his funeral service was held in the drawing room. His body was placed in a large coffin draped in black cloth, and the cortege was an impressive sight: a hearse drawn by four horses, followed by twenty mourning coaches and twenty-six private carriages.

The square piano in the drawing room was made in 1804 by Richard Horsburgh. During the day, visitors can play it as it is still in working condition. Over the past few decades, there have been reports of the sound of a piano playing late at night in Charlotte Square, by a phantom pianist, perhaps?! However, the more likely explanation is that a member of staff has accidentally left the piano recording switched on overnight!

The bedroom

The bed was made in 1774 for Thomas Hog of Newliston. His wife Lady Mary Hog worked on the cream moreen cotton fabric hangings. Lady Mary died aged just 41 at her estate in Newliston, possibly in the bed.

Above the dressing table hangs a portrait of Lucy De Loutherbourg, once reputed to be the most beautiful woman in England. Along with her husband, Philippe, she was a faith healer. In 1789, the couple pursued interests in alchemy, the supernatural, and the occult.

The Georgians had a different relationship with death. As a means of honouring a loved one’s life and remembering their image, it was common for relatives of dead or dying family members to commission a portrait. In a family portrait (pictured below), one of the young girls is dressed in black. This is to mark that she has died. Symbols of figures in black were symbolic indicators in mourning portraiture during the Georgian period.

The medicine chest was made across the square from the Georgian House on George Street in 1830. It retains 22 of its 29 original bottles. Edinburgh led the world in medical research and anatomy, much of which came from studying cadavers. This led to the awful trade of bodysnatching, including digging up freshly buried bodies and selling them to the medical schools
for research. Many of these medicines were commonly given to children, either to ease coughs and colds or to help them sleep. William Neaves, born in the house in 1850 and likely treated with many of these medicines, died at the age of 34 after taking an overdose of syrup of chloral (a popular treatment for insomnia).

The two most famous people who exploited this trade were William Burke and William Hare. They didn’t dig up a single body, but were in fact serial killers who murdered at least 16 victims and then sold their bodies to anatomist Doctor Robert Knox.