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Treasure 121: Annals of the Road by Captain Malet (1876)
344 One of our final treasures is a very rare book dating from 1876 which tells us about the history of the stage and mail coaches in Britain. A subject that perhaps, on first glance, would appear to be rather dry and uninteresting, becomes significantly more dramatic when you consider the limitations and risks inherent in a journey by coach in the days before rail, car and plane. Indeed, with many of us venturing out on a journey for the summer holidays, a lot of us will take for granted the ease and speed with which we may reach our destinations. Journeys such as these would have been nigh on impossible in the days of the stage coach in terms of time and expense.
Our book is entitled Annals of the Road, or Notes on Mail and Stage Coaching in Great Britain. By Captain Malet, XVIIIth Hussars, to which are added Essays on the Road by Nimrod, published by Longmans, Green, and Co., London 1876. According to Capt. Malet, stage coaching came into general use between 1662 and 1703. However, travel on horseback was still considered preferable by many due to the discomfort of the early coaches, the bad state of the main roads (which were few) and the constant danger of highway robbery. Coaches were an easy, slow-moving target for highwaymen as they carried more baggage and the passengers would be unable to ride away at speed. Mail coaches began in the 1780s from Edinburgh and by 1835, 27 coaches were running to various places from Aberdeen.
To see some beautiful illustrations of coaches and coach travel - and find out just how expensive it was (very!) - have a look at the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition.
Treasure 122: Aberdeen Charters and Armorial Seals
345 For one of our final treasures we are travelling further back in time than we have done previously, to look at possibly the oldest items in Aberdeen City Libraries' collections. These are a collection of three charters dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, two of which have their wax seals still attached. They are written in Latin on parchment and describe the conveyance of land or rights from one party to another within the burgh of Aberdeen. The earliest of our charters dates from 13 March 1567 and is a charter respecting the granting by Gilbert Kintoir, senior, burgess of Aberdeen, of 'one half net of the ly fords fishings in the water of the river Dee' in favour of John Arthour, another burgess of Aberdeen. Our next charter is dated 10 May 1597 and is a charter of feuferm granted by Provost, Baillies, etc. of the Burgh of Aberdeen, in favour of William Jaffray, burgess. Our last charter is much later and dates from 1673. It is a charter of James Raite of Findlastoun.
Also on display are two replicas of Aberdeen City's 1430 armorial seal. One, a silver pendant, and the other a replica wax seal, both made by Malcolm Appleby in limited editions for the council in 1979. The permission to use the design of a shield bearing the Royal Tressure of Scotland (parallel lines around the shield with fleur-de-lis), and lion supporters on the 1430 arms, was given to the burgh of Aberdeen by King James I (1406-1437) in acknowledgement of the city's role as one of the four burghs (along with Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee) who had elected to pay the ransom for his liberty from captivity under King Henry VI of England. James had been captured by the English in infancy, and held as a prisoner of Henry V and Henry VI for 18 years.
To learn more about the fascinating evolution of Aberdeen's coat-of-arms, have a browse in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition. Treasure 123: George Washington Wilson in the Highlands and Islands
346 In July 1860, Wilson, accompanied by his friend George Walker, set off on a photographic tour of the west coast of Scotland. They travelled to Inverness, then through the Caledonian Canal. Walker expressed his delight at these new experiences "as we proceeded the scenery got always grander, the mountains loftier and more magnificent". The lack of suitable transport and accommodation had ensured that this wild and mountainous terrain was still largely unexplored by the mid-1800s and had not yet been exploited as a tourist destination. When Wilson began to visit these more remote areas they were still well off the main tourist track but his photographs which captured the grandeur of the landscape brought them to more general attention and increased their popularity for visitors. Although Wilson's views of the spectacular Highland scenery are impressive, his skilful portraits of the people and their way of life provide a valuable record of these remote areas in the late 1800s.
See more of these fascinating photographs in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen. Treasure 124: Queen Mother authograph
347 One of our final 125 treasures is a valued item from the Library Archive; the Visitor's Book containing the signature of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, dated October 20, 1982. The Library staff newsletter of December 1982 states that: "The highlight of our Autumn was undoubtedly the visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother to the Central Library on Wednesday 20 October." The purpose of the visit was to unveil a commemorative plaque in the new Lending Library to mark the completion of the extension and refurbishment of the building over a 4 year period. During her 45 minute tour, Her Majesty visited all the public departments and chatted to members of staff who were issued with a souvenir ticket for the event. Before leaving, Her Majesty signed the Visitors Book and was presented with a copy of "The old Deeside Road" by G.M. Fraser. Peter Grant was the City Librarian at this time and he oversaw the 4 year modernisation project and improved the public image of the library service. He held the position of City Librarian from 1973 until his retirement on 28 April 1989. Staff remember Peter as a quiet man who always found time to walk around the Library and speak to staff. He loved books and earned a personal reputation as an enthusiastic and well-informed book man. Following retirement he was a familiar figure in the Central Library. He died in April 2009.
Learn more about this royal visit in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen. Treasure 125: Tivoli Posters
348 In 2017, we celebrate 145 years since the Tivoli Theatre was built. Known at that time as Her Majesty's Theatre, this place of entertainment delighted generations of Aberdonians with its shows by artists well known on local and national scales. Many companies used to come back season after season, receiving a warm welcome every time from an enthusiastic audience. Over the years, Aberdeen City Libraries has built up a varied collection of many posters and ephemera of this extraordinary theatre.
Showcasing these posters allows us to look closer into the history of one of Aberdeen's most famous cultural venues.
To see some more posters from the Tivoli and learn about its rich history, check out our interactive exhibition on the touchscreen! |