Jane and Alexander Whyte of the Georgian House

Life and education

Alexander Whyte was born in 1836 in Kirriemuir, in Angus, the son of Janet Thompson, a weaver who raised him as a single mother. Despite his modest beginnings and leaving school aged 10 to work as a herd boy, Alexander was bright. He eventually studied philosophy at the University of Aberdeen and later theology at New College in Edinburgh. His background instilled in him a deep empathy for those from disadvantaged circumstances.
Jane Whyte, née Barbour, came from a vastly different world. Born in 1861 to a wealthy family, Jane grew up between the family estate in Perthshire and their home in Edinburgh. Her father, George Freeland Barbour, was a cotton merchant and railway entrepreneur. Jane enrolled in the Edinburgh Ladies’ Education Association, where she studied chemistry, mathematics, and art. She was surrounded by progressive thinkers, which helped shape her views on education, women’s rights, and her later philanthropic work.

Marriage

Jane and Alexander met through her brothers, who were studying at university with Alexander. Despite the 20-year age gap, they shared a profound connection, based on a meeting of minds, shared values, and a deep commitment to improving society. They married in 1881 and soon began a family.

Family Life

Between 1882 and 1896, they had eight children, though tragedy struck twice: they lost one child as an infant, and their son Robert died at the Battle of Loos in 1915 during World War I.
Despite their busy public lives, the Whytes placed great importance on family. They spent summers together in the Scottish Highlands, primarily at Jane’s family estate, Bonskeid, allowing them to remain close and active in their children’s lives. Their children went on to become prominent figures in various fields, from academia to women’s rights.

Jane’s bedroom, according to her son, Lance, was large and filled with strange objects, scents, and other mysteries. Lance said: ’There was an electric ozone machine to purify the air. There were spirit lamps for midnight meals, Celtic crosses, scarabs and drawings from Egypt, several Buddhas of dubious sex, eaux de Cologne and lavenders galore. My mother sitting up in bed writing letters to extraordinary men all over the world: men with dreams to convert mankind (there was nothing sectarian in No. 7, everything was universal) to new and better religions and more wonderful ways of living. She did not need to save money, so she gave it away.’

Alexander’s public life and ministry

After completing his theological studies, Alexander quickly gained a reputation as a compelling preacher. His role as minister at Free St. George’s Church in Edinburgh made him a central figure in Scottish religious life. Beyond his church, Alexander was deeply involved in public life, particularly through his role in the Edinburgh Social Union, a group dedicated to improving the living conditions of the city’s poorest. In 1898, he became Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland.

Jane’s social work

A dedicated social reformer, Jane was a founding member of the Edinburgh Social Union in 1885, a group dedicated to improving living conditions in the city’s slums. One of her notable projects was the renovation of White Horse Close in 1887, which updated the sanitation, allowing over forty families to remain in their homes. In 1906, she co-founded the Canongate Free Kindergarten with their governess, Lileen Hardy. It promoted outdoor play and healthy living for some of the city’s poorest children.
Also in 1906, Jane travelled to Palestine, where she was introduced to the Bahá’í faith. She became a dedicated follower. Jane and Alexander hosted the first Bahá’í meetings in Scotland in this house. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the leader of the Bahá’í faith, stayed here in January 1913.

Hosting at No. 7 Charlotte Square

While the Whytes lived at No. 7 Charlotte Square, a family home where they raised their eight children, it was also a hub for various social, philanthropic, and church-based initiatives in which they were both leading lights.

The restored drawing room was converted into a 6,000-book library and became a space for intellectual and spiritual gatherings.

Their son, Lance, recalled: ’On the ground floor was a large schoolroom. In an attempt, I suppose, to balance the Buddha, Calvin, and Boehme, this was devoted to what I used to call ‘muscular Christianity’, for it was turned into a gymnasium, complete with parallel bars and whatnot, where my father’s church assistants used to teach us boys that religion also meant having a healthy body.’

Timeline

• 1836 Alexander Whyte is born in Kirriemuir, Angus.
• 1861 Jane Barbour is born at Bonskeid, Perthshire.
• 1868 Edinburgh Ladies’ Education Association is founded, which Jane later joins.
• 1881 Jane Barbour marries Alexander Whyte.
• 1882–1896 The couple have eight children.
• 1885 Jane Whyte becomes a founding member of the Edinburgh Social Union.
• 1887 Jane works on the renovation of White Horse Close.
• 1889 Alexander and Jane move to 7 Charlotte Square, which becomes the hub of their social, religious, and philanthropic activities.
• 1898 Alexander Whyte becomes the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland.
• 1906 Jane Whyte co-founds the Canongate Free Kindergarten with Lileen Hardy.
• 1906 Jane travels to Palestine and meets ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
• 1913 Jane and Alexander host ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the house during his visit to Scotland, marking the first Bahá’í meeting in Scotland.