Origins of Broomhouse
Although on the lands of Old Saughton, its name is adopted from an estate which lay to the north of the Edinburgh and the Glasgow Railway. The earliest recorded versions of the name (c. 1600) were variations on Brum(e)hous.
The name was taken from a Mansion house (the Broom House) and farm which was situated at the junction of Meadow Place Road and Broomhouse Road. The broom actually grew all around this area.
It mainly comprises a low-rise council housing estate built between 1947 and 1950.
Broomhouse Primary was sited in various buildings, including the old St Joseph’s on Calder Road. Eventually a new building was opened on Saughton Road in November 1957. The school stayed in this building until November 2002 when a new Broomhouse Primary was opened.
Below are where some other names originated:-
Sighthill : so called because of the good views of Corstorphine Hill, Arthur’s Seat and the Pentlands.
Parkhead : Named after the farm which was situated south of the Calder Road. The present streets and houses were constructed on the former farmlands.
Saughton: took its name from the old mansion house of Saughton Hall. The gardens and grounds were located on what is now Saughton Park. “Saugh” means willow tree, as willows grew by the Water of Leith.
Calders: Believed to come from the Old Scottish name for a small stream.
About this memory
Added by Stuart Laidlaw
I lived in broomhouse as a very young boy, my mums maiden name was Whitson,dad’s was topping, I think myself and my brothers and sisters were at that beer lorry crash🤷♂️ I think that is my two sisters in the photo, we must be there too,it came so close that it caused me a stutter for a few years, I was born in the western General hospital, 1960 , later I went to Queen victoria school at the age of 9. because my dad got stationed in Singapore, I love your photos, it’s almost a haunting memory, I will follow your site to find out more
. regardsGeorge.