51

The Promenade at Aberdeen Sea Beach, c. 1950 with the Beach Shelter and Beach Bathing Station in the background.

54

Gateway to Bridewell Prison, Rose Street, c.1880 - this massive gateway was the impressive entrance to the Bridewell in Rose Street, situated off the west end of Union Street. The Bridewell was opened in 1809 as a House of Correction and became known as the West Prison. It was in use till 1868, when it was closed and later demolished. For a short while, the site was laid out as the West End Pleasure Gardens and Recreation Grounds. The gateway had a porter's lodge and a guardhouse attached and it remained until 1883, when it was demolished to allow Rose Street to be extended northwards to link with Henry Street which in turn led on to Skene Street. Henry Street had been named after George Henry, Provost of the City between 1850-53 but the whole street then became known as Rose Street.

120

This photograph taken in 1880 from St Nicholas Churchyard looks north showing a row of houses which stood between it and Schoolhill. These houses were demolished around 1884 as part of an improvement scheme to widen Schoolhill - named after the old Grammar School which stood nearby. A dwarf wall with ornamental railings was erected in place of these buildings and a porter's lodge was removed from Robert Gordon's College to form a lodge for the Sexton at the entrance to the churchyard.

162

Powis Gateway, Old Aberdeen. These curious towers stand at the gate leading to Powis Lodge, almost opposite King's College, Old Aberdeen. They were constructed by John Leslie of Powis, who succeeded his father, Hugh Leslie of Powis, the builder of Powis House (1802). John Leslie succeeded his father in 1812, and the singular gateway, with the "minarets", dates from about 1830. The towers were finished in 1834. The crescent on the top of one of the towers is the crest of the Frasers, the predecessors of the Leslies in the property of Powis."

165

Powis Gateway, Old Aberdeen. These curious towers stand at the gate leading to Powis Lodge, almost opposite King's College, Old Aberdeen. They were constructed by John Leslie of Powis, who succeeded his father, Hugh Leslie of Powis, the builder of Powis House (1802), which was demolished in connection with the Powis Housing Scheme. John Leslie succeeded his father in 1812, and the singular gateway, with the "minarets", dates from about 1830. The towers were finished in 1834. The crescent on the top of one of the towers is the crest of the Frasers, the predecessors of the Leslies in the property of Powis."

215

Tullich Lodge, Ballater

259

This image shows one of the last races in Seaton Park at a meeting held on Saturday 22nd and Monday 24th September 1928. Horse racing had taken place in the city regularly in the 19th century when there was a racecourse at the Links. Its popularity had declined but racing was revived in Seaton Park in 1923 when 30,000 people attended. The 1928 Meeting was not a great success since less than 1000 spectators attended on the Saturday, although 3000 attended on the Monday despite intermittent rain. The entrance fee to the ground was 1/6 (seven and a half pence) and to the Paddock 4 shillings (20p) with licensed bars, refreshments and teas available. The fields were not large with only 5 runners in the main events. The Bon Accord Handicap, run over 7 furlongs, had prize money of 25 sovereigns. The last race on the Monday was the Consolation Handicap (for beaten horses). Only 3 horses ran, with "Lolita" winning by 6 lengths. The third horse "Peggy Maitland" was so far behind that her owner/jockey had to walk her past the post. An application made in 1956 to restart horse racing was turned down by the Town Council.

293

Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen as it was in 1769.

654

Built in 1834 for John Leslie of Powis by Alexander Fraser, the towers formed the east gate and archway from College Bounds, Old Aberdeen. These oriental style towers with minarets have provoked much interest over the years. At one time there was a portrait of John Leslie dressed in Turkish costume, on the walls of Powis House, but there is no obvious connection between the estate and the Middle East. The gateway is also adorned with panels bearing the coats of arms of the Lairds of Powis. The Estate of Powis was owned by the Frasers - their crest is shown on the towers - until the marriage of an heiress to a Leslie. Powis House was built by Hugh Leslie. By the late 19th century it was owned by the Burnetts and was taken over by Aberdeen City Council in the 1930's as a Community Centre, but was demolished for the Powis Housing Scheme

670

This view was drawn by Robert Seaton in 1806. On the left is the Tolbooth and adjoining it is the Mason Lodge and New Inn. The property was sold in 1839 to the proprietors of the North of Scotland Bank and the bank offices were erected on the site in 1840-2. In the late 1990s, the bank closed and became a pub, called Archibald Simpson's, after the original architect. The prominent building on the right side was the Aberdeen Bank, later to become the Bank of Scotland building. The tall man in the centre was John Ewen, jeweller, the man on the right with the drum was Watty Leith, Town Drummer, and on the left is John Milne, the Town Hangman, talking to the fishwives, claiming his free fish as perks of his trade.

673

A view of the buildings at Castle Street prior to their demolition for the construction of the new Town House (1867-1874) designed by Peddie and Kinnear. The entrance to Broad Street is visible in the left foreground. The entrance further on is to Huxter's Row, which turned west and ran behind these building to exit on Broad Street. The Lemon Tree Hotel and the Bon-Accord Hotel were located on this lane. The former soon moved to 7-9 St. Nicholas Street. Past the fortified facade of the Tolbooth, and its prominent spire, can be seen the entrance to Lodge Walk and Archibald Simpson's North of Scotland Bank premises, opened in 1842. The signs in the shop windows likely give notice of imminent closure. A sign for Alexander Badenoch, an outfitter, can be seen at 12 Union Street. Further down, at what is likely Chapman and Co., tailors and clothiers, "Great bargains" are advertised. In addition to the gas lamps and pollards, there is array of traffic on the cobbled street. Two night watchmen stand talking on the left. A Gordon Highlander, presumably coming from the nearby Castlehill Barracks, is outside Badenoch's shop. Two fishwives carry leaden creels to market. A large dog sleeps outside Chapman and Co. and various horse drawn vehicles are shown.

674

Drawing of Castlegate looking west along Union Street. Silver City Vault user Ed Fowler got in touch to point out the salient features of "the Plainstones, Mercat Cross in is original position with the Athenaeum Reading Room, Tolbooth, the New Inn (Freemasons Lodge) and the Aberdeen Bank at the top of Marischal Street. It is one of set of 3 drawings by the same artist employed by Gibb's the Lithographer. The others being the Brig o' Dee, and the Nether Kirk Gate, Benholm Lodging."

724

Wallfield House probably dated from the 18th century but, in a sale advert in 1826, it is referred to as the "property of Wallfield, formerly called Lower Belvidere ... within 15 minutes walk of the Castle Street of Aberdeen". It was situated in the Rosemount area, had 20 rooms with "2 acres of fine rich land surrounded by a high wall, covered with fruit trees of the finest kinds!" It was owned by Robert Catto, shipowner in the Australian and China trade, and a member of Aberdeen Harbour Board. After his death in 1885, and that of his widow in 1897, the house was demolished and the grounds laid out as two streets: Wallfield Place and Crescent.

733

A photograph of the Watson Street Lodge in Victoria Park. The figures standing in the doorway are most likely to be Robert Walker (1848-1930), the Keeper of Victoria Park, and his family; his second wife Christina Walker and daughters Elizabeth and Ann. Judging by the 1891 census and Robert's eventual obituary, the family also had at least five sons. Walker was previously married to Isabella Robertson. She died on 24th November 1877. This photograph likely dates from the later 19th century. Robert Walker was originally from Perth and was himself a son of a gardener. He came to Aberdeen as a nurseryman and in around 1871 was chosen out of 450 candidates to be the city's first keeper of parks. He oversaw the creation of Victoria Park, Aberdeen's first public park, before going on to lay out Westburn Park, Stewart Park, Union Terrace Gardens and the Promenade. Walker was also an early advocate and pioneer of the planting of street trees. For a number of years Aberdeen had two superintendents of parks, Walker and a Mr Peter Harper at Duthie Park. When Harper retired in 1914 Walker was appointed general superintendent. Post Office directories indicate that Walker and his family lived at the Watson Street Lodge, also known as the Victoria Park Lodge, from its construction in around 1872 to his retirement in 1919. His residence at the lodge was part of the job. On retirement Walker moved to the relatively nearby 111 Westburn Drive. He was succeeded as general superintendent of parks by William B. Clark, who resided at the West Lodge of Duthie Park. A man called Robert Duncan replaced Walker as the keeper of Victoria and Westburn Park. Over the years Aberdeen has had substantial success and renown as an attractive, green city. A considerable portion of the credit for this success must reside with the pioneering and dedicated work of Robert Walker.

746

This view was drawn by Robert Seaton in 1806. On the left is the Tolbooth and adjoining it is the Mason Lodge and New Inn. The property was sold in 1839 to the proprietors of the North of Scotland Bank and the bank offices were erected on the site in 1840-2. In the late 1990s, the bank closed and became a pub, called Archibald Simpson's, after the original architect. The prominent building on the right side was the Aberdeen Bank, later to become the Bank of Scotland building. The tall man in the centre was John Ewen, jeweller, the man on the right with the drum was Watty Leith, Town Drummer, and on the left is John Milne, the Town Hangman, talking to the fishwives, claiming his free fish as perks of his trade.

805

Aberdeen City Hospital lodge, Urquhart Road. The hospital was built as a fever hospital in 1874 but is now used for elderly patients.

811

A photograph showing Wellington Lodge on the corner of Justice Mill Lane and Holburn Street. The top of Holburn Street, towards Holburn Junction, was previously known as South Street and later as Wellington Place. In the background of this image, on the far left, can be seen the John Smith designed Water House on Union Street. Wellington Lodge stood across the road from Holburn Church, roughly where the Glentanar Bar stands today. It can be seen on the large scale Ordnance Survey town plan and map sheets from the 1860s. The property appears to have belonged to the Whytes of Dalhebity, Cults. For some time Wellington Lodge was the residence of Helen Whyte and she was likely the house's final resident. Helen Whyte died aged 85 on 31st January 1898 (death notice: Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 09/02/1898, p. 4). Newspaper references suggest she was involved in various charitable activities. She was the daughter of Baillie John Whyte, a merchant, and had a brother also called John Whyte (1845-1904), a prominent citizen and advocate. Another death notice indicates that Mary Ann Hardie, of 48 Victoria Road, Torry, was employed for 38 years as the servant for Miss Helen Whyte. Hardie died in 1895 (death notice: Aberdeen Journal, 17/08/1895, p. 4). Newspapers also suggest the villa was the home of Miss Mary Murray Gordon. She would likely have been a relation of James Murray Gordon who was a partner in the same law firm as John Whyte, Helen's aforementioned brother. Wellington Lodge was probably demolished shortly after the death of Helen Whyte. It made way for the extension of the larger tenement buildings on Holburn Street that can be seen in the background of this photograph. The Aberdeen Weekly Journal's 'Granite Chips' column of 17th May 1899 (p. 9) states "A very large and handsome block of buildings for Mr Peter Farquharson has been erected in Holburn Street, stretching from the office of the Union Bank of Scotland to Justice Mill Lane." This most likely refers to this development.

845

Foundation work for the new granulation plant, Sandilands Chemical Works. In the background are the old lodge buildings which became laboratory and office buildings in the later history of Sandilands. The granular fertiliser produced by the new plant was based on ammonium phosphate and as such was a more concentrated chemical fertiliser than that produced on superphosphate base. The batch mixer was replaced by a continuous mixer and the plant produced approximately 20 tons per hour, 24 hours a day, every day.

859

In 1880, Miss Elizabeth Crombie Duthie of Ruthrieston bought land at Allenvale and Polmuir and the vacant estate of Arthurs Seat and donated it to Aberdeen Town Council as a public park. Today, the park covers 44 acres of wide open spaces. A restaurant was also opened in 1972 at a cost of £50,000 and the famous winter gardens built in 1899 at a cost of 1550 pounds and subsequently rebuilt in 1969 at a cost of £58,000. In the centre of the picture can be seen the old West Lodge or Duthie Lodge. When the Great Southerrn Road and King George VI Bridge were built in 1938, the lodge was bought for 60 pounds by an Aberdeen contractor, dismantled and moved piece by piece to Rubislaw Den South. The Great Southern Road was a new road from Holburn Street to Whinhill Road, linking the city with the new satellite town at Kincorth and onwards to meet the Aberdeen - Stonehaven Road.

1111

A photograph of 3 Hamilton Place in the late 1980s. The building was designed by Pirie and Clyne and built by John Morgan in the 1880s. The sign above the door identifies the house as Hamilton Lodge. Ordnance Survey maps indicate the building was a surgery in the 1950s.

1127

The West Gate Lodge stood at the Whinhill Road entrance to Duthie Park. It had to be removed in 1938 due to the widening of the Great Southern Road. The lodge was rebuilt at Rubislaw Den South. The present West Lodge was erected on a new site 100 yards south of the old building.

1128

The Whinhill Road entrance to Duthie Park in the snow. The West Gate Lodge stood at this entrance from 1883, when the park first opened, until 1938 when it had to be removed due to the widening of the Great Southern Road. The lodge was rebuilt at Rubislaw Den South.

1499

Upper Mastrick was a farm located in the north west of the Aberdeen area. It was adjacent to Long Walk Road and south west from Cairncry and Oldtown Quarries. Springhill House was to the west of the farm. Silver City Vault user Glenn Williams informs us that his grandfather grew up on this farm. He left for the United States In 1906. His name was William Clubb. The farm was demolished in the mid-20th century to make way for the development of the Mastrick housing estate.

1776

Secluded in the West End of the city off Viewfield Road, Johnston Gardens are a hidden gem. The Aberdeen Journal captioned a photograph of the gardens in their paper from 23 August 1939; "The Beauty of Johnston Gardens, a public pleasance, property of the City of Aberdeen, of the situation of which one town councillor at this week's Council meeting confessed complete ignorance." (page 12) This photograph taken from the narrow walk-bridge shows the large duck pond to the east of the gardens. This wooden bridge visible was later replaced by one made primarily of metal.