In 1705, Old Fishmarket Close was briefly home to an unusual resident.
Historical records show that a Dutchman, Abraham Sever, kept a female Indian elephant in an upstairs flat above a baker’s shop. She had travelled widely across Europe as part of a touring exhibition, drawing interest and curiosity wherever she appeared.
Her presence in the Close was remarkable, but not without its challenges. Contemporary letters describe complaints from neighbours about the practical difficulties of housing such a large animal in a tenement building. Despite this, she became part of the life of the area for a short time, and part of its story ever since.
Soon after leaving Edinburgh, the elephant continued north. Sadly, she died the following year, in 1706, near Dundee, which is how she got her name that lasts until today: Dundee Elephant.
Her name has not been recorded, but her story has endured across centuries, and is a reminder of how different the world once was. Places like Old Fishmarket Close have always been shaped by unexpected histories.
At The Pend, we recognise this as part of the Close’s past. We respect her story and the place it holds in Edinburgh’s history, while also acknowledging how far understanding of animal welfare has progressed since then.
As we open this space for new ideas, creativity, and community, we also take a moment to remember the lives — human and otherwise — that have passed through here before us on this 450-year old street.
