 Gladstone and his family left Seaforth in 1830, spending the next few years living in Royal Leamington Spa and Torquay seeking health for Mrs Gladstone and their daughter, Helen, before taking up residence at Fasque House in the summer of 1833.The family spent their winters in Edinburgh at their townhouse at 11 Atholl Crescent

In 1838 John Gladstone paid for several philanthropic works in his home town of Leith, including St Thomas's Church, an adjacent manse, a free school for boys, a free school for girls, a "house for female incurables", and a public rose garden.In 1846 Gladstone was created a baronet by the outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel.