Register House

Architecture and construction

The building is located in West Register Street, Edinburgh behind Robert Adam's 18th century Register House (referred to now as General Register House). The Italianate structure was built by architect Robert Matheson between 1859 and 1863 and was complementary in architectural style to Adam's Neoclassical original. A portico was added to the south elevation to give it the character of a public building; and the style of internal finish was kept simple. New Register House was needed to provide additional storage capacity for Scotland's archives, particularly for the birth, death and marriage records, which were the result of compulsory registration after 1855. The building was first occupied in 1861 and completed in 1863 following the addition of 5 offices to each floor on the north side. The Accountant in Bankruptcy and Lord Lyon's departments were also allocated rooms. It cost, complete with fittings, nearly £35,000 to build.