A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 19/05/2023, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street.

Prior to the ornate building shown in this image, no. 154 was an earlier 19th century townhouse. In the 1850s and 60s, it was occupied by the Hon. David Oglivie of Clova. By the 1870s, it was the home of David Fiddes, M.D.

The building was rebuilt, as shown here, in the early 20th century. Diane Morgan writes "On the first and second floors there are two solid storeys of bay windows, topped by balustrades, while on the third and fourth, two fantastical storeys have flown in, straight out of The Thousand and One Nights." (The Granite Mile, p. 114).

The ground floor was occupied by the West End Café, a favourite haunt of newspapermen. It later became a branch of Mitchell & Muil's, the bakers and takeway.

This 2023 image shows Lakeland, the household shop, occupying the premises, with many details of the original frontage reinstated.

Location

Union Street

Keyword

Architecture

Photographer

Roddy Millar