Information from the Edinburgh City Chambers Archives

Dunedin Room

Committe Room V, adjoining the Old Council Chamber is named 'The Dunedin Room' after Dunedin, New Zealand. There have been close links between the two cities since the founding of Dunedin in 1848. Dunedin was named after the ancient name for Edinburgh and many of the streets are named after those in the New Town of Edinburgh. The decoration of the room and the artefacts desplayed within it form a celebration of the links between Edinburgh and Dunedin which were finally formalised in 1974 when Edinburgh was twinned with Dunedin.

In order to express Dunedin's goodwill and sympathy with Edinburgh during the Second World War a street day was held in 1944. Over £1000 was raised and the money was sent to the city of Edinburgh to be used by the City Councillors in a manner that linked Dunedin's thoughts and feelings with Edinburgh. Various suggestions were made by Dunedin including the furnishing of a room in Edinburgh's City Chambers to be know as the Dunedin Room. The Second World War and restrictions on imports meant that Edinburgh's scheme to refurbish a committee room using Rimu wood panelling from New Zealand was slow to be realised. The Dunedin Room was finally completed in January 1956.

At the west end of the room is a painting of Dunedin City and Harbour by Peter McIntyre presented to Edinburgh by Dunedin in 1947. It is bordered by Maori artefacts including two taiha and a paddle. Other paintings include Dunedin from the Hill by Graham Tait, which was presented by the Mayor of Dunedin in 1983, and Maori Curios by Mabel Hill gifted to Edinburgh in 1956 and The University of Otago. The remaining paintings include portraits of past Edinburgh Lord Provosts.

For further information please contact: Edinburgh City Archives:
City Chambers
High Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YJ