Rodger, Emeritus Professor of Economic and Social History at Edinburgh University, has published widely on Edinburgh, including The Transformation of Edinburgh, and Happy Homes: Cooperation, Community and the Edinburgh Colonies<\/p>\n
Rodger offered an insightful look into the history of Edinburgh\u2019s pioneering civic watchdog, exploring the Association\u2019s origins, its central role in managing the city\u2019s development and preservation, and the enduring relevance of its work today. Rodger considers the Cockburn to be \u201ca very important organisation in the city.\u201d He offered \u201cmy assessment of it,\u201d rather than \u201cthe gospel,\u201d and felt free to criticise the Association\u2019s past errors and its fallow, ineffective periods.<\/p>\n
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Historical Context and Lord Cockburn<\/p>\n
Governance Before Modern Edinburgh<\/p>\n
Rodger emphasised the profound difference in how Edinburgh was governed before 1856, the start of the modern unified city overseen by the council. Prior to this, the council was less significant; the Deans of Guilds and the Police Commission \u201creally ran the city till 1856.\u201d Lord Cockburn was a significant figure in these influential bodies. Significantly, Cockburn was a pioneering figure in the world of conservation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The talk presented a nuanced view of Lord Cockburn, lawyer, judge and literary figure, as well as a prominent Whig and reformer. Cockburn\u2019s promotion of architectural conservation (for instance his role in the preservation of John Knox\u2019s House) inspired the Association\u2019s founding in 1875. Rodger related how Cockburn\u2019s \u00a0travels across Scotland, as part of his role as a judge, made him aware of the varied architecture of the country. Cockburn was critical of aspects of the city, considering the New Town only beneficial to \u201cpolite society\u201d.<\/p>\n
He notably opposed the transition of Princes Street from residential to commercial use. Rodger noted that once established as a primarily retail centre, \u201cthere was no turning back.\u201d The contemporary relevance of this is clear. The widespread dismay over the street\u2019s perceived decline may be seen as just another such evolution in the future. Organisations like the Cockburn are crucial for bringing this historical perspective to debates, helping to raise the level of discourse on such matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scope, Image, and Purpose of the Association<\/p>\n
Challenging the \u201cNew Townie\u201d Image<\/p>\n
Through archival research, Rodger addressed the perception of the Cockburn Association as a body of the \u2018great and the good\u2019, overwhelmingly dominated by those in the West End and New Town \u2013 essentially a \u201cNew Townie sort of thing.\u201d While this perception has \u201cdogged the association,\u201d Rodger found it a little bit unfair, given the diversity of its activities, including many interventions well beyond the city\u2019s historic centre.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Preservation, Green Spaces, and a Positive View<\/p>\n
Rodger was keen to outlined that Association\u2019s focus has always included green spaces, demonstrating it wasn\u2019t \u201cjust protecting old houses.\u201d It was a leader in the preservation movement from the 1880s, fuelled by nostalgia for the Old Town (seen in the 1886 International Exhibition). This shows that the current fascination with Edinburgh\u2019s past and Lost Edinburgh is nothing new.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Association also led early campaigns against the over-commercialisation of the city, such as a large billboard advertising Bovril that covered part of Calton Hill, next to Waverley. In many cases, this would be visitors\u2019 first view of the city. This, they argued, was not \u201cin keeping\u201d with such a historic spot. Such interventions have continued, with the Association keen to highlight and push back against attempts to commercialise the public domain, including attempts to \u2018privatise\u2019 green spaces and parks. This has included opposition to blackboards erected to prevent the public seeing ticketed concerts in Princes Street Gardens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crucially, Rodger stressed that the Cockburn has always held a positive view of the city\u2019s potential. He quoted a document from the Victorian era stating that the Old Town \u201cis not a slum\u201d but just \u201cshamefully neglected\u201d. In short, making it clear that an area or building\u2019s current state says little about its potential; a point illustrated by the resurgence of Leith since the mid-Eighties. Rodger concluded that the Association had a positive vision for the city, believing that with the right sort of effort, backed up by expertise, neglected areas and buildings could find new life. While Rodger believes that, at its core it has an optimistic vision of the city\u2019s future, distinct from the prominent \u2018declinist\u2019 views of the city, according to which Edinburgh is in terminal decline. This is not the Cockburn Association\u2019s view.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Watchdog for the Civic Realm<\/p>\n
Successful Resistance and the Watchdog Role<\/p>\n
Rodger asserted the Cockburn Association was correct to critique and oppose schemes like the inner-city ring road, which it considered \u201cunsettling\u201d to the city\u2019s coherence. In this, it performed its duty as \u201ca watchdog for the Civic realm.\u201d Such episodes of resistance were effective partly because Edinburgh\u2019s civic society was stronger than Glasgow\u2019s in that era, as noted by Professor David McCrone in the Q&A. Here we have echoes of Alan Taylor\u2019s view<\/a> that Edinburgh\u2019s middle class have been consistently effective at saying no to large scale projects, of which the ring road is the most notorious.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rodger believed the Association should maintain its watchdog role while also supporting innovative, positive schemes. It needed to have a vision for the city. He urged action against the homogenisation of the city to maintain its unique character and the need for greater diversity within areas, a sphere where he felt the city had \u201cnot been very successful.\u201d The city remained marked by wide social divides.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limits and Enduring Voice<\/p>\n The talk concluded by acknowledging the Association\u2019s limitations. It is, ultimately, \u201can underfunded voluntary organization\u201d with limited influence and fluctuating success. However, Rodger described the Cockburn Association as an institution with \u201ca voice, a small silent voice in comparison to the wider forces affecting the city.\u201d The challenge is to use that voice effectively, focusing on everyday issues like the streetscape, as well as major challenges like over-tourism.<\/p>\n Rodger\u2019s talk illuminates the Cockburn Association\u2019s enduring role as Edinburgh\u2019s civic watchdog. The central themes\u00a0 were its foundation which drew on the progressive thinking of Lord Cockburn, its consistent, positive vision for the city\u2019s improvement (even when areas are \u201cshamefully neglected\u201d), and its function as a critical counter-balance to forces of over-development and commercialisation. Rodger\u2019s nuanced assessment shows an organisation that has evolved beyond a narrow \u201cNew Townie\u201d focus to campaign for green spaces and the overall character of the city. While acknowledging its limitations as an \u201cunderfunded voluntary organization,\u201d the report underscores the Association\u2019s vital, continuous effort to maintain Edinburgh\u2019s unique heritage and coherence against the powerful forces of change, ensuring its \u201csmall silent voice\u201d is heard in civic debates.<\/p>\n Note that there\u2019s a further opportunity to discuss the book at an upcoming event, \u201cCampaigning for Edinburgh\u201d \u2013 A Conversation with the Authors<\/a>, on Thursday, 6 Nov, 18:00 at Augustine United Church. <\/strong><\/p>\n