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Part 2: [A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|XYZ]

JACK'S CLOSES
LITTLE
BIG
Known as little Jack's Close. Jack's Court, Ainslie. Kirkwood Jack's Close, Kerr. This close was known formerly as Mausie Smith's Close, m.t.c. 28/7/1784. Massia or Mausey Smith was wife of Patrick Heart, and they owned another tenement, on the south side of the Canongate, a little above the 'Canon Cross'. The subjects on the east side of New Street, sold by Dr. Thomas Young to Henry Home, Lord Kaims, were bounded on the east by subjects belonging to the heirs of John Jack and the close called Mausey Smith's Close or Jack's CloseCan. Chart. 4, 28/7/1784, (i.e. little Jack's Close; the 'Big' and 'little' refer to the width of the entrances). Mausie Smith seems to have owned the property in her own right. The two closes take their names from Jack's land, which lies between them; it was built by Robert Jack, slater, and finished after his death by his brother John, also a slater. Robert had acquired part of the property from John Riddle, M.D., and his wife Jean Livingstone, on 10th May 1738, Can. Chart. 16/12/1818, and partly from Robert Tod, senior, merchant in Edinburgh, Can. Chart. 2/1/1799. John Jack was a captain, presumably of the Trained Bands, but I have failed to trace this, a slater by trade, Prot. W.F. 10, 5/12/1761, a bailie of the Canongate, with property there and also in Edinburgh; he died before 27th July 1753, leaving two sisters, namely Christian, wife of Wm. Horsburgh of Athlone by whom she had a son William, and Isobel, wife of James Gibson, and mother of James Gibson, younger, surgeon, Prot. W.F. 6, 27/7/1753. Elizabeth Home, wife of John Jack, daughter of Wm. Home of Sharplaw, and sister of Robert Home, Can. Chart. 11/6/1774, survived her husband, being life-rented in part of the property, but they seem to have had no family, for his two nephews mentioned above were his ultimate heirs, Prot. G.I. 1, 1710/1763. Jack's land was occupied by David Hume from 1753 to 1762, trad. 56. There are frequent references in the protocols to John Jack, tiler or slater, and his scattered properties. He-Bailie John Jack-had a halfseat in the Tron Kirk in 1745, Tron Kirk, 175. The only derivation hitherto hazarded of the name of the closes seems to be that of Grant that it came 'doubtless from some forgotten citizen or speculative builder', o.& n.e. ii. 19. From this oblivion he is now rescued. Big Jack's Close was known also as Jack's Close Ainslie, or East Jack's Close, D. 1799.
JACKSON'S CLOSE John Jackson owned property in the close, Prot. J. W.2, 3/8/1751. Robert Jackson of Loch-houses owned property close by, between the two Fleshmarket gates, Prot. W.F.8, 30/10/1758. John Jackson acquired a tenement in Jackson's Close from Edward Dougal, which was inherited by his son John, and later by his grandson, also John, who acquired additional property there, Prot. W.F. 7, 3/7/1755. A tenement on the west side of the close, owned formerly by John Jackson, was owned later by his children, Mr. John, Rachel, jannet, Hellen, and Elizabeth, Prot. W.F.1, 13/8/1746, and a family of Jacksons, two sisters and a brother, sold some property at the head of the close to the town in 1893.
JACOB'S LAND 53 North Back of Canongate. Probably from Jacob's ladder, the steep paths connecting the Regent Road and the N.B. Canongate; a frequent name for such paths, Gen. xxviii, 12. Jacob's Land not a street. North back of Canongate now Calton Road.
JAMAICA STREET D.1827. Ainslie 1804, m.t.c. 1/5/1810. TherewasalsoajamaicaSt.,TobagoSt.,D.1827. Lothian Map 1825 and in Ainslie 1780 the name is applied to North College and Infirm Streets.
JAMES BAYNE'S CLOSE A little close on the east side of Blackfriars' Wynd, behind Bayne's of Bain's land, Prot. W.F.2, 3/4/1747, owned by James Bayne, wright, Prot.J.W.1,11/3/1747. Edgar and Ainslie show a recess, or opening about the middle of Blackfriars' Wynd, which may be this close.
JAMES' COURT Also known as Brownhill's Court. This court was built, 1725-27, by James Brownhill, wright, from whom it took its name, Chambers, i. 219; o.e.c. iii. 247. He also built and owned Brownhills Land, about the middle of Blackfriars' Wynd, Prot. J. W. 7, 22/3/1765. He died before 23rd January 1729, leaving his affairs in disorder, and trustees on his estate had to be appointed in the interest of his creditors, Prot. G.I. 1, 23/1/1729. The court was known also as Brownhill's Court,Prot. J.W.1, 17/l/1745; W.F.10, 4/12/1761. He left two sisters, his heirs-general, namely, Janet who married Bryan Betty, Collector of Excise as Inverness, and Issobell who married Robert Finlay, pewtherer in Leith; their son James was tenant in Coats, Prot. W.F.9, 16/5/1760. Provision was made in James Brownhill's will for his relict Janet Drummond, of a liferent of his estate, Prot. G.H, 23/1/1729, Edgar. Ainslie. Kirkwood. Kerr. For details of various entrances of James Court and other closes here see o.e.c. vol xii, p. 11.
JAMES STREET From John James Hamilton, Marquis of Abercorn, superior. His own naming 1824, Baird 360.
JAMESON PLACE From the celebrated Dr. Jameson, whose "Raid" resulted in the South African War.
JANE STREET It bore the name in 1869, when George Sinclair's works were in Great Junction St. It was named from the wife of James Galloway, nephew and succeeder of Peter McCraw, superior of the ground, D.1869.
JEFFREY STREET A poor tribute to Francis Jeffrey, o.& n.e. 1.290. m.t.c. iii. Lord Jeffrey, one of the leaders of the Whig party, Lord Advocate 1830. M.P. for Edinburgh 1832. judge of Session 1834. Died 1850.
JESSFIELD TERRACE Shown as Jessfield. Whalebrae, D.1827. Jessefield or Jessiefield, near Newhaven, m.t.c. 9/2/1814. On site of old Jessfield House, jr.
JOCK'S LODGE D.1827. Said to be from a beggar who built him a hut there. The name first appears in 1650, o.& n.e. 142. "Jokis Lodge" Nicoll's Diary, p.12. Wilson i, 123. Andrew Spence, Lorimer, Jockslodge, Burgess Register, 27/l/1692.
JOHN STREET From John James Hamilton, Marquis of Abercorn, superior. His own naming, Baird 360.
JOHN'S LANE
PLACE
D. 1827. West Side Links to Charlotte St. From Church of St. John, j.r. 1779.
JOHNSTON'S CLOSE Ainslie. Kirkwood. Kerr. The first close east of the West Bow, extant, but unnamed. It is clearly shown in a map of the district (specially of the closes demolished for the New College) in a portfolio of Sir Daniel Wilson's, in the Library of the Museum of Antiquities, where the house between the close and the West Bow is marked as that of Sir Patrick Johnston (Lord Provost and knight, 1700, and representative for the city in Parliament, 1709-10), see p. 73. Johnston's land stood on the west of Riddell's land, Prot. W.F.10, 4/3/1761. (Blank) Johnston, glover, owned a tenement there, Prot. J. W. 7, 1/3/1764. The tenement of the late Edward Johnston, junior, is mentioned as being on the south side of the High Street in the Overbow, Prot. J. W. 6, 9/1/1764, and part of the city wall of 1450 could be seen at the foot of the close, M.138, cc.2. See also Burnet's Close.
JOHNSTON TERRACE Planned, Lothian Map 1825. Part of the "Wester Approach" (18251836). Named, Ord. Surv. 1852. From Sir Wm. Johnston. Lord Provost 1848-1851. Old name "Castle Place", Reg. 25/6/1861.
JOLLIE'S CLOSE A tenement at the top of the close was owned by Patrick Jollie, and later by Alexander Jollie, writer, Reg. 9/5/1859. Evidently the family gave their name to the close. James Jollie was a trustee on the estate of the late Thomas Tod, of the adjacent Tod's Close, m.t.c. 9/3/1831. Esther Jollie married George Cunningham, Reg. 9/5/1859. Ainslie. Kirkwood. Shown, unnamed, by Kerr.
JOPPA GARDENS
TERRACE
PARK
ROAD
From Joppa pans, for making salt. Map of 1770, Baird 302. Name Joppa goes far back. It was originally a colliers' and miners' row of cottages, and supposed to have taken its name from being near the sea; like Joppa in Palestine, w.b. See also Joppa Grove-Part II.
JORDAN BURN
LANE
BANK
The burn received its name from the adjoining area known as (Little) Egypt, q.v. Its own name the Powburn, q.v., o.e.c.x. 179.
JUNCTION STREET
GREAT
NORTH
D. 1827. Making a junction between Leith Walk and the Ferry Road. "Proposed new road" Ainslie 1804, o.& n.e. iii. 206. "Joining foot of Leith Walk and Wet Docks", m.t.c. 21/7/1824. See also Junction Place-Part II .