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Allenvale Cemetery from Kincorth
60 An early photograph of Allenvale Cemetery, taking shape in the middle distance, as seen from Kincorth, with Abbotswell Farm in the foreground.
A limited company called the Aberdeen Cemetery Company was established for the purpose of creating this new graveyard. A prospectus inviting public investment was published in the Aberdeen Journal of 29th January 1873. It reads as follows:
"It is well known that in Aberdeen cemetery accommodation is limited and insufficient, and it is generally admitted that its extension is necessary, and cannot much longer be delayed. It is therefore desirable to acquire additional space for that purpose, and to treat it in accordance with modern ideas and practice.
"This company has been formed for the purpose of providing an extensive Cemetery, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, suitable in all respects for the purposes of internment, and of easy access - but sufficiently removed from town to preserve its suburban character."
The new cemetery opened in late 1874 and, as we know, was a big hit. It was officially known as the Aberdeen Cemetery but quickly became known as Allenvale Cemetery, after the property on which it was built.
Allenvale saw major extensions in 1912 and 1932. A London syndicate purchased control of the graveyard from the Aberdeen Cemetery Company in 1958. Aberdeen Town Council subsequently took control of the cemetery in 1965 following the then owners going into liquidation and worries about Allenvale's future. Allenvale remains a fine example of a planned Victorian cemetery to this day.
Notable residents of Allenvale include John James Rickard MacLeod (1876-1935), co-discoverer of insulin, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), fiddler and composer, and Mary Esslemont (1891-1984), the influential doctor. Though, of course, many interned at Allenvale would have their own interesting stories to tell.
In this photograph, Duthie Park, later created on the right, has yet to be landscaped. St. Machar Poorhouse, Fonthill House and Devanha House can all be seen in the distance. Diversion of the River Dee
157 The Dee originally flowed northward from Wellington Bridge close by the railway arches eastwards to the sea. After years of discussion about the development of the harbour, the Aberdeen Harbour Act of 1868 allowed the Harbour Commissioners to divert the river to the south. The first turf was cut by Lord Provost Leslie on 22nd December 1869.
This photograph shows the dam built to allow the excavation of the new channel. Most of the work was carried out by hand with men using picks and shovels. There was no official inauguration of the new channel but the river was following its new course by the beginning of 1873. Deeside Hydropathic
209 Deeside Hydropathic at Murtle, five miles to the west of Aberdeen City Centre, was built for the Rev Dr Alexander Stewart in 1899. He had founded a similar establishment in 1874 at Heathcot, Kincardinshire, and the growth of business there led to the selection of this new site close to Murtle Station on the Deeside Railway. It was also seen as a convenient centre for visiting the Deeside area. The extensive grounds included a croquet lawn, bowling green and tennis courts, while the Deeside Golf Club was only a mile away. The building itself had 92 bedrooms, there were Turkish, Russian, vapour, electric and spray baths. Since hydropathy was a medical treatment consisting of the external and internal application of water, the proximity of an artesian well supplying abundant pure water was also a feature. After the first World War, the building was sold and converted into Tor-Na-Dee Sanatorium in August 1918, specialising in the treatment of tuberculosis. More recently it has been used as a convalescent hospital, but it is now being re-developed for housing. Dr Stewart was born in 1835 in Coupar, Angus and studied at Glasgow University and did the medical course at Aberdeen University. At his death in 1909, he was Minister of John Street Congregational Church in Aberdeen, having been ordained there in 1864. Victoria Park
241 In 1871 Aberdeen Town Council decided to convert nearly 14 acres of Glennie's Parks, which had been used for cattle grazing, into a public recreation ground - Aberdeen's first public park.
Aberdeen's lack of a public park up to this point had become a contentious issue. For example, newspaper reports indicate that those opposed to the Municipality Extension Act of 1871 (which extended the boundary of the city, brought the functions of the Police Commissioners under the Council and incorporated the gasworks) repeatedly suggested that the expense involved in the new bill would be better used in the creation of a much wanted public park.
It is not unreasonable to suppose that this debate, and criticism of the Council, hastened the creation of Victoria Park. While work likely begun in 1871, it was not until March 1873 that the Improvements Committee of the Council recommended that the new park should be called "Victoria Park". At the same time, they also outlined a series of 13 rules and regulations for agreement by the full Council. There does not appear to have been an official opening for the new amenity.
Glennie's Park was not the only site considered for Aberdeen's first public park. Interest in such an undertaking was increasing at the same time as work was underway to divert the River Dee and improve the harbour. The new ground created in this latter project, encompassing the old, more northerly course of the river and the Inches, was a much proposed location for a park. Following the creation of Victoria Park this newly leveled ground was instead given over for buildings related to the expanding fishing industry.
A nurseryman called Robert Walker (1848-1930), originally from Perth, was chosen out of 450 candidates to be the city's first public park keeper and appointed to Victoria Park. He was likely largely responsible for the park's initial layout and appearance. His Press & Journal obituary (21/04/1930, p.6) suggests that prior to his appointment the site was "little better than a waste space".
Walker subsequently laid out Westburn Park, Stewart Park, Union Terrace Gardens and the Promenade. He also advocated and pioneered the planting of street trees. He served the Corporation for 46 years, retiring in 1919, and must be considered one of the unsung heroes of Aberdeen history.
This photograph, taken around 1900, shows one of the main paths leading to a large granite fountain, which was designed by J.B. Pirie. It is built of 14 different types of granite and was presented by the granite polishers and master builders of the city.
Since the park is almost in the city centre, it is an oasis of peace with its mature trees and, in spring, there are masses of flowering bulbs scattered through the grass. Diversion of the River Dee
323 A photograph in Aberdeen Harbour looking east from the Inches (near the later site of Commercial Road).
The image looks across the old course of the River Dee including its spillwater channel towards Old Torry and Balnagask in the distance.
The civil engineering works shown in this photograph are thought to be part of the river diversion, creation of Albert Basin and the associated reclamation of land.
The diversion of the River Dee took place roughly between 1868 and 1873. Switchback railway
371 Ripley's Patent Switchback Railway drew a large crowd when it opened in July 1889. Built almost entirely of wood, it was situated on The Inches, on reclaimed ground, alongside the Dee, now North Esplanade West. Primitive in construction by present day standards with its straight course of 115 feet, standing 27 feet high, its three drops were 20 feet, 15 feet and 3 feet.
Local historian Ed Fowler has been in touch to suggest the background of this image has been edited to remove the industrial skyline of chimneys and works in the Poyernook area that would have formed the backdrop for this entertainment. Gilcomston Dam
706 Once fed by the waters of the Denburn on its eastward course from Kingswells and Rubislaw Den, the Gilcomston Dam lay between Leadside Road and the present Osborne Place. It was in existence as early as 1673, when it is mentioned in a disposition of sale of surrounding land to the Aberdeen Corporation, and in the sale, the meal mill of Gilcomston is mentioned. The dam was drained and filled in by the Town Council in 1907 as it had become insanitary and a favourite place for drowning cats and dogs. Gilcomston Dam
707 Once fed by the waters of the Denburn on its eastward course from Kingswells and Rubislaw Den, the Gilcomston Dam lay between Leadside Road and the present Osborne Place. It was in existence as early as 1673, when it is mentioned in a disposition of sale of surrounding land to the Aberdeen Corporation, and in the sale, the meal mill of Gilcomston is mentioned. The dam was drained and filled in by the Town Council in 1907 as it had become insanitary and a favourite place for drowning cats and dogs. Westerton of Auchmill Farm
1472 This photograph, likely by James G. Kellas and taken in around 1951, looks north west towards the farm of Westerton of Auchmill.
Its buildings are located just north east of the Northfield housing estate and remain at this location as of 2020. They are now largely bordered by Auchmill Golf Course, which also covers the previously nearby Dancing Cairns Quarry.
While the farm buildings still exist, this lane, which in the opposite direction would have lead to Westerton/Midtown Farm, has been replaced by the housing around Bonnyview Drive. Hazlehead Park
1557 The estate of Hazlehead was purchased by the Aberdeen Town Council at a cost of 40,000 pounds. Over 200 acres were originally woodland but part of this now forms a public golf course. The grounds in the vicinity of the mansion house are attractively laid out and, in the season, a wealth of bloom combines with the grassy lawns, well-trimmed walks and stately trees to make a charming picture. James Tulloch
1914 A portrait of Baillie James Tulloch (30th September 1830 - 16th November 1925). Upon his death, at home at 5 Devonshire Road, The Press and Journal wrote that "Aberdeen has lost one of its oldest citizens and certainly one of the most public spirited it has possessed in the course of the last half-century."
Tulloch was the second son of a ship-master who hailed from Shetland. He was a "Fittie Boy", having been born at 14 Clement Street. His primary business was supplying emigrant boats with groceries and other supplies. He was one of the founders of the Party of Progress and entered the council in 1869.
He was instrumental in the construction of Victoria Bridge after the Torry ferryboat disaster. He was also associated with the Riverside Road scheme, Ferryhill, Union Terrace improvements and the Public Library movement. Tulloch was also involved in infrastructural improvements to mail delivery, railway and the telegraph. Furthermore, he played a crucial role in the extension of the university. Milk from the Kirkhill Dairy
2236 Milk being delivered by two milk boys on Victoria Road, Torry. The milk came from the Kirkhill Dairy, Balnagask. The photograph shows a horse drawn cart.
Ian Smith has kindly been in touch to inform us that the man behind the cart is his grandfather, Albert Corbett. He ran Kirkhill Farm for much of his life.
The golden anniversary of Albert and Georgina Corbett (née Todd) was reported in the Press & Journal of 9th September 1970, page 18. The article explains that the couple had left South Kirkhill Farm, where Albert had farmed for 47 years, the previous year, moving to 28 Leggart Terrace.
They met when Georgia, an Aberdonian, moved to Fraserburgh. Albert worked on his family's nearby farm, called Watermill, and delivered milk to Georgina's landlady.
After marriage, and before moving to Balnagask, the couple lived in Strichen and ran a diary there. The article concludes stating, both aged 71, Albert and his wife had two daughters, named Mrs Irene Smith and Mrs Ethel Douglas, and three sons, Bert, James and Alistair. They also had nine grandchildren.
A family notice from the 10th January 1978 issue of the same newspaper states that Albert B. D. Corbett had died after a short illness, aged 79, the day before. A service was held for him on the 12th of that month at the Aberdeen Crematorium, Hazlehead (West Chapel).
Ian also checked with family members and informs us that the boy on the right in this photograph is Andy Cowe, who later moved to Seattle, USA, and on the left is Jocky Milne.
The Ordnance Survey, 25 inch to the mile, map of Balnagask published in 1899 indicates that there was once three houses called Kirkhill in the area; North, South and East.
South Kirkhill was located on the south side of Balnagask Road, a bit to the east of Balnagask House and Mains. East Kirkhill was not far to the east, on the other side of St. Fittick's Road and North Kirkhill was up towards Greyhope Road.
Later maps tell us that the original South Kirkhill was demolished by the early 20th century and by the 1950s East Kirkhill had taken its name. None of the residences remain today, the area of North Kirkhill is now part of Balnagask Golf Club and St. Fittick's Community Garden is now roughly where East (later South) Kirkhill once stood. North Kirkhill used to be the home of the greenkeeper of the golf course.
The use of the name Kirkhill likely refers to the nearby old St. Fittick's Church and the hilly terrain of Balnagask and Torry. Balnagask Golf Course
2249 The golf course at Balnagask, Torry. The JV in the bottom left of the image identifies this as the work of James Valentine's studio. He was a Dundee based rival of Aberdeen's George Washington Wilson. In the background of the image you can see Girdleness lighthouse which was built by Robert Stevenson - grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson. Diversion of the River Dee
2250 The Dee originally flowed northward from the Wellington Suspension Bridge close by the railway arches then eastward to the North Sea.
After years of discussion about the development of the harbour, the Aberdeen Harbour Act of 1868 allowed the Harbour Commissioners to divert the river to the south.
The first turf was cut by Lord Provost Leslie on 22nd December 1869 and when he had filled a wheelbarrow full of earth it was wheeled along and dumped on the site of the new development.
This 1870 image from the south, Torry side of the river, shows the dam built to allow the excavation of the new channel. Most of the work was done by hand with men digging with picks and shovels and filling horse drawn wagons with the excavated soil.
This laborious work continued for a few years. There does not seem to have been a formal inauguration of the new channel but the river was running in its new channel at the beginning of 1873.
After the slopes of the new channel had been built up with granite, the uneven ground left by the old course of the river was leveled and the area filled with fish curing works and other industrial premises. Craibstone School of Rural Domestic Economy
2270 Craibstone House was formerly the home of the Pirie family who owned Stoneywood Paper Mills and it was bought by the North of Scotland College of Agriculture in 1913 and this school was set up around 1920. It is situated near Bucksburn, about 5 miles north of Aberdeen. The School was a training college for women who wanted to work on the land and provided training in household work, cookery, laundry, dairying, poultry and bee keeping and farm accounts.
This 20-roomed mansion was totally destroyed by fire in January 1953 but a new college was built and the college continued to use the estate for research and experimental work in relation to grassland and crops. However, by 1968 Rural Domestic Economy was no longer a viable course and the School closed. Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen: March Stone 63
2580 On back of pavement on west side of Golf Road at south entrance to the football ground. Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen: March Stone 64
2581 On Golf Road at the corner of School Road. 446 and 448 Union Street
2615 This photograph of Union Street was taken in 1936 and shows the premises of John Raffan, shoe fitting specialists, at 446 and Dugan & Mitchell, clothiers, at 448 Union Street.
James Dugan and Duncan Mitchell entered into partnership around 1919. Mitchell had previously been in the former's employment as a cutter.
Dugan had worked as a tailor on his own account since about 1907 in premises in Bon Accord Street, Rose Street and 443 Union Street. Prior to this he was a commercial traveller representing two local tailoring firms; Messers Milne and Low and Messers Kenneth McLean and Sons.
He became a well respected figure in the tailoring and clothing trade in Aberdeen and the North East. He was the son of a china merchant in George Street called Hugh Dugan. James was married and had a daughter. He died suddenly at his residence at Glen-Shiel, Bieldside on 10th May 1927.
Duncan Mitchell was a native of Largs, Ayrshire and served his apprenticeship in Glasgow. He was a keen golfer and was a member of the Deeside Golf Club. He died aged 73 after a short illness in January 1955.
John Raffan died on Sunday 10th June 1906 after suffering an apoplectic seizure in his Union Steet shop the preceding Friday. He was 52 years old at the time of his death. He was born in the parish of Ordiquhill and his father was a shoemaker named James Raffan.
He served his apprenticeship in Portsoy with a draper called James Guthrie before coming to Aberdeen. He worked with Messers J. & A. Gibb and Mr James Saint, warehousemen and silk mercers, prior to starting his own business as a boot and shoe merchant in Market Street and then Union Street.
Beyond his business, Raffan was deeply involved in religious and philanthropic work. He was a force in the establishment of Union Grove Baptist Church and was connected to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, as a life member, the Aberdeen Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, the Seabank Home, and Stronach's Close Mission. He was married and had a daughter and two sons.
Above the shop fronts is a sign for Imperial Typewriters. The buildings in this photograph were across the road, just west, from the Capitol Cinema. They are still visible today. In more recent times they have been occupied by general food shops such as the Co-operative and Costcutters. Concourse of the Aberdeen Joint Station
2642 The concourse was dominated by the train departure board, manually operated of course. In front of this was the bookstall, complete with posters announcing the latest news.
The shell in the centre of the concourse was used by many as a meeting place and is still there today. 189-193 Union Street
2823 Alfred Catto, tailor, at 189 and A. & J. Smith, jewellers, at 191 Union Street in 1937. The entrance to 193 is also shown on the right of the image. This was the address of Cameron's Register Office, William Kirkwood, solictor, James Brown, advertising contractor, Hazlehead Golf Club and the Scottish Federation of Merchant Tailors. Dee Village Electricity Works
2888 This photograph shows the Dee Village Electricity Works under construction on 6th January 1903. It shows the combined steam engines and dynamos being installed in the work's engine room.
John S. Reid in Mechanical Aberdeen (1990) explains that, once completed, the engine room, 126 feet long by 62 feet wide, housed eight combined steam engines and dynamos. These enabled the plant to supply 3,810 kilowatts for lighting, heating, power and tramway traction purposes.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests the two steam engines and dynamos shown in this image are likely those installed and active in a temporary wooden engine room as the final hall was constructed surrounding it. The generating sets look to be at a higher position than the final layout and would need to have been lowered in due course.
This image is from an album of photographs held by Aberdeen City Libraries detailing the construction of the Dee Village Electricity Works between 1901 and 1903. March Stone 28 (plus Propertie Stone)
3210 This stone is located adjacent to Littlemill/Brodiach Burn, on rough ground, north west of Borrowstone Farm, off the Clinterty/Blackburn Road. It is marked "28 ABD".
The line of the marches has followed the Brodiach 2 miles north from number 27. Present next to marker number 28 is an older stone marked "P" for "Propertie".
The Blue Book states:
"Stone No. 28 looks like it was placed on the wrong side of the burn, but it appears that, at one time, the burn was diverted, and the stone lettered 'P' signifies that the Town claimed the nook when the course of the burn was altered."
The book also explains that Borrowstone was owned by the Weavers' Incorporation and it was at this stone that their "Doupin'" ceremonies took place and also includes a photograph of the two stones.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 31 (plus Doupin' Stone)
3213 This stone is located in the same field north of Wynford. It is marked "31 ABD". The line of the marches from number 30 has left the Littlemill Burn, for the Blind Burn, and headed north a short distance.
The descriptions in 1525 and 1698 there had not been a marker stone here at those times. In 1780 two large earthfast stones were noted, both saucer marked.
It was here that new burgesses underwent the initiation of "doupin'", or being dropped onto the stone. This took place during the Riding of the Marches. The Doupin' cup stone is next to the lettered stone.
This is the north west corner of the Freedom Lands. However, the boundary line does go further north that this point; north east to stone number 34 at Greenwelltree, later Craibstone Golf Course.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 34
3216 This stone is located in a field north west of Craibstone Golf Course, against a dry stone dyke. It is marked "34 ABD". The nearby burn is the Garlet.
The golf course was previously the fields of Greenwelltree Farm. The farm buildings appear to now house facilities of the course. Stones 36 and 37 are also at the northern periphery of the golf course.
This is the last stone recorded in 1525, as afterwards the marches followed a well-known highway, the Chapman Road. In 1698 a cairn was noted as standing beside the stone.
The Blue Book includes a photograph of the stone showing the Chapman Road in the foreground.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. |