Timeline of Edinburgh history Scottish Academy (later the Royal Scottish Academy) is founded; John Bartholomew founds the mapmaking firm John Bartholomew & Son Ltd. 1827 Walter Scott reveals himself to be the author of the "Waverley novels" at a Theatrical Fund dinner in the George Street Assembly Rooms 1828: Burke and Hare are arrested for the "West Port Murders". Burke is put on trial and convicted on Hare's evidence 1829: Building of George IV Bridge and Dean Bridge begins; the murderer William Burke is hanged; the new Royal High School opens; Walter Scott arranges the return of Mons Meg to Edinburgh Castle 1830: Advocates'
Trams in Edinburgh 1956. At Pilrig, the cable trams running along the busy Leith Walk route crossed the city boundary between Edinburgh and Leith. When the Leith system was electrified in 1905, passengers had to transfer between the two modes, in what became known as the 'Pilrig muddle'. This lasted until electrification of the Edinburgh system, with the first through tram running on 20 June 1922. The Edinburgh Street Tramways Company was originally authorised by an 1871 Act of Parliament to construct tramways in Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello. Their first horse tram service began on 6 November 1871. It ran from Haymarket, via