A new memorial bench has been placed on site at Edinburgh Technopole to honour the lives and contributions of Jimmy and Davina Knox, a couple who spent the majority of their working lives on the Estate.

Jimmy first joined the Estate in 1954, initially carrying out forestry work before moving into a long career with the Edinburgh Centre for Rural Economy, which managed the Estate. As Estate Foreman, Jimmy led the grounds team and oversaw the maintenance of the site until 1989. He then worked as a caretaker with SELECT until his retirement in 2001.

Davina arrived in 1959 to take up a post at the poultry research station, living in student accommodation in Bush House. It was here she met Jimmy, and the two married in 1964. They raised their family in various homes on the Estate, later settling in a house in the corner of the courtyard.

The bench has been placed in a tranquil location opposite Bush House, offering views of the courtyard, the surrounding buildings, the main lawn, and the Pentland Hills. It stands as a quiet, lasting tribute to the couple’s enduring place in the history of the Estate.