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Newhills Parish Church
174 This picture shows the present Church of Newhills as it would have been at the time of its opening in June 1830.
It was built to replace the old kirk, endowed by George Davidson of Pettens in 1662, the ruins of which can still be seen among the tombstones in the churchyard.
After a decline in membership in the 1940s and 1950s, the church benefited from the building of a private and a council housing estate in its area. Membership of the church and its organisations increased till, in 1978, it was reported to be one of the most vibrant and successful in the Aberdeen Presbytery.
The external appearance of the church is little changed but a huge congregational effort in recent years has resulted in the building of a two-storey extension housing a number of meeting rooms plus toilets and kitchen facilities.
The road seen in this picture is now used by a large numbers of vehicles en route to Kingswells and the west of Aberdeen. Seaton Park Racecourse, 1928
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. Pittodrie House
270 This photograph shows Pittodrie House which stands on the east slopes of Bennachie near the village of Pitcaple about 20 miles from Aberdeen. The Mither Tap is visible in the background.
Although the house stands over 680 feet above sea level, it is surrounded by trees which provide shelter from the wind. It is a complex house of several dates and was on the estate of the Knight Erskine family for centuries, before being sold in 1903 to George Smith, a Glasgow shipping magnate who founded the City Line of Steamers. The Smith family still own the property which has been run as a luxury hotel since 1977 and the 3000 acre estate is leased for agriculture.
The original house probably dated from around 1490, and a wheel stair from that period still survives, although the house was burnt by Montrose during the Covenanting Wars.
A date stone commemorates the re-building by the Erskines in 1675, and in 1841, the architect Archibald Simpson created the large neo-Jacobean extension with three storey balustraded tower on the east side - seen here covered in ivy. A billiard room was added in the early 1900s and further extensions took place in 1990.
The word 'Pittodrie' is thought to be derived from the Gaelic 'todhar' which can mean either manure or bleach. Aberdeen Football Club's ground is known as Pittodrie Stadium, because the Knight Erskines also owned the lands in the city where the stadium was built. The Hairy Bar, Aberdeen
289 The Hairy Bar, Aberdeen. Also known as the Aberdeen Arms was on West North Street, Aberdeen. On the left is owner Robert Abercrombie Snr with his son Robert on the right. Riverside Drive
441 Riverside Drive, Aberdeen looking over the River Dee to where Kincorth Housing Estate now exists. Castlegate
519 The Castlegate, Aberdeen showing the statue of the last Duke of Gordon in the foreground. The buildings in the background include the Record Office which was to be demolished in the 1890's for the construction of the Salvation Army Citadel (1896). The double gables on the right belonged to Rolland's Lodging - the town house of this family whose estate was at Disblair. This building was demolished in the 1930's and the site was later occupied by Voluntary Service Aberdeen. Powis Gateway, Old Aberdeen
569 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.
The house was the home of John Leslie, Professor of Greek at King's College. It was subsequently owned by the Burnett Family. In 1936, J.G. Burnett sold most of the estate to Aberdeen Town Council who built a housing estate in the area comprising over 300 residences.
Powis House itself reopened in 1942 as the area's Community Centre and for a while housed a branch of Aberdeen Public Library. Gateway to Powis Lodge
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 Burnett family and was taken over by Aberdeen City Council in the 1930s and converted into a community centre. Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen
709 Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen in around 1880. This photograph by George Washington Wilson shows the granite splendour of this terrace, which was planned by the architects Thomas Mackenzie and James Matthews, jointly with James Giles, artist.
The houses were to be erected on the property of James Skene of Rubislaw, on the north side of Albyn Place. The Aberdeen Journal of 31st March 1852 describes the plans as thus: "The style of architecture possesses in a high degree the rare merit of combining what is new, at least in Aberdeen, with what is, in point of taste exceedingly beautiful".
The houses have crowstepped gables and plain windows alternating with bow windows which have a balustrade, and had 11-15 rooms.
In 1854, James Matthews actually lived there, and later occupants included a paper manufacturer, a ship owner, and a number of advocates.
Today, many of the houses have been converted into offices for legal firms. Granite balustrades and a garden area separate the terrace from Albyn Terrace. Jack's Brae
710 A photograph looking north west up Jack's Brae, from its junction with Upper Denburn, in the Rosemount area. Jack's Brae was named after the owner of property there. This photograph likely dates from the mid-to-late 19th century.
The Ordnance Survey town plan of Aberdeen, 1:500 scale, surveyed in 1866-67 depicts a "Coffee Roasting and Grinding Works" at the top of Jack's Brae at its junction with Leadside Road. A large chimney of these works can be seen on the right side of this image in the distance.
These works were the premises of John Strachan. In the Aberdeen Post Office Directory for 1867-68, Strachan is described as follows:
"Strachan, John, coffee roaster, coffee, sugar, and sugar grinder, Jack's brae" (page 213).
Aberdeen City Council's Historic Environment Record describes the site thusly:
"Site of meal mills, built in the 18th - 19th Centuries and demolished in the 1980s. The works was two-storey with a basement, comprising a 9-bay range with a single kiln and a three-storey with attic 5 by 6-bay block of later date. There were also two 2-storey store blocks. The mill was originally water powered, later electrically driven. The OS 1st edition map depicts a coffee roasting and grinding works here; they are annotated as corn mills on the OS 25in map published 1924." (link here).
The business was known as John Strachan & Sons and the works as Gilcomston Mill. The business was started in around 1852 and John Strachan was succeeded as its proprietor by his son James Strachan (1838-1914). His obituary can be found in the Evening Express of 28th December 1914, page 5. His son, John Strachan, was later to become the business's managing director. The obituary of this later John Strachan can be found in the Press & Journal of 1st July 1935, page 8.
At the time of writing in 2022, the site is occupied by a residential complex called Strachan Mill Court - no doubt named after the coffee roasting and milling enterprise. Great Southern Road
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. Dunecht Smiddy
1146 Blacksmiths in the smiddy at Dunecht. This shop appears to have been fairly busy, employing as it did, 3 blacksmiths. They were called upon for all sorts of metal related jobs. All the tools of the trade can be noted, including 2 anvils for hammering and a main furnace (centre of picture). All 3 blacksmiths are seen here wearing leather aprons, which protected them from the hot flying sparks. No industrial glasses were in use however at this time, and the traditional flat bonnet is still the norm.
Correspondent David Christie has identified the blacksmith on the left as James Stephenson Smith, his great grandfather. David explains that Smith worked as a blacksmith for Dunecht Estate from 1925 to 1929 and so this dates the photograph to this period. His great grandfather also worked at other properties belonging to the estate, such as renovations of Dunnottar Castle. Smith had to give up working as a Blacksmith after breaking his leg in a fall while working there.
He subsequently worked as a driver for the Dunecht Garage, which ran buses at the time, and later for the W. Alexander & Sons bus operating firm.
There is an article about this image by Hilary Simpson in the Evening Express of 17 September 1986. It details the memories of readers Margaret Skene and John Gray. Margaret's grandfather was Alexander Innes, the figure in the middle. On the right is Bill Innes, a son of Alexander. They are said to have run the smiddy with the assistance of James Smith.
The article also explains that the image was originally a postcard. One of a series detailing the various trades active on the Dunecht estate of Lord Cowdray.
(Many thanks to David for getting in touch and providing additional information and making us aware of the newspaper article.) The Hairy Bar, Aberdeen
1215 The Hairy Bar, West North Street. 1947. The lady is Charlotte Abercrombie, owner. Man holding bottle is her son Robert Abercrombie. Man behind piano is Alexander Abercrombie. Man at piano is owner Robert Fergus Abercrombie. Man at right is Cyril Ross, part time bar man. The Hairy bar, Aberdeen
1218 The Hairy Bar, West North Street, Aberdeen. Robert Abercrombie, son of owner on the left. Cyril Ross, part time bar man on the right. c.1947 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. Westerton Farm
1474 A photograph, likely by James G. Kellas and from around 1951, showing one of either two farms known as Westerton. Both have since been demolished.
It could be the Westerton Farm that was located on the old road that preceded Provost Fraser Drive. Near where Provost Fraser Drive now meets Springhill Road, in the space between Provost Fraser and Springhill Terrace.
This Westerton Farm was demolished shortly after this photograph was taken to make way for the development of the Northfield housing estate.
Across the old road from this farm was the lands of Springhill House and Farm.
The other Westerton Farm was just to the north east of Northfield Farm and a bit south of Dancing Cairns Quarry. This farm was also previously known as Midtown.
Like Northfield Farm (demolished late 50s/early 60s), this Westerton survived the initial development of Northfield as a housing estate. Ordnance Survey maps suggest the farm made way for the construction of Marchburn Court, and the extension of Smithyhaugh Road, in the mid-to-late 1960s.
It is difficult to say for certain which farm this photograph shows. The hills in the background perhaps suggest we are looking west towards the more northernly Westerton, the one nearer Northfield Farm. Springhill Farm
1476 A photograph of Springhill Farm. Looking north up Springhill Road. The building on the left can still been seen in 2017. The land around the farm and Springhill estate has been radically altered over the years. It is now flat parkland.
This photograph was likely taken by James G. Kellas in around 1951. Rosehill Farm
1485 A photograph, likely by James G. Kellas and from the early 1950s, showing Rosehill Hill Farm.
The large scale Ordnance Survey map surveyed in 1867, those revised in 1899 and in 1924 show the farm located on the north side of Cairncry Road. Rosehill Quarries were located to the north of the farm buildings.
The OS map surveyed in 1955 shows the farm surrounded by a modern housing estate. The buildings are then nos. 8, 10 and 12 Blackthorn Crescent.
The farm buildings later appear to have made way for new housing developments on Blackthorn Crescent and no remains of the farm can be seen today.
In the early 19th century the lands of Rosehill, along with Burnside and Ruthrieston, were acquired by Alexander Duthie, a successful advocate in Aberdeen, and later passed to his grandson Walter, a writer to the signet in Edinburgh. Walter was the uncle of Elizabeth Crombie Duthie, who donated Duthie Park to the people. See the latter's obituary in the Evening Express of 30th March 1885, page 3, for further detail. Upper Mastrick Farm
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.
Correspondent 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. Northfield Farm
1503 Northfield Farm was located at Bannermill behind Northfield Church of Scotland. It was tenanted by the Booth family for centuries. The farm was leased from the Hays of Seaton.
Along with the adjoining farms of West Northfield and Oldtown, the farm was taken over by the Corporation of Aberdeen in 1946 and eventually demolished to make way for the expansion of the housing estate of the same name.
The name Northfield is believed to have come from the area being the most northerly point of the Freedom Lands given to the burgh of Aberdeen by King Robert the Bruce.
(Many thanks to Alexander Gavin for providing information and prompting further research into the history of the farm.) Northfield Farm
1504 Northfield Farm was located at Bannermill behind Northfield Church of Scotland. It was tenanted by the Booth family for centuries. The farm was leased from the Hays of Seaton.
Along with the adjoining farms of West Northfield and Oldtown, the farm was taken over by the Corporation of Aberdeen in 1946 and eventually demolished to make way for the expansion of the housing estate of the same name.
The name Northfield is believed to have come from the area being the most northerly point of the Freedom Lands given to the burgh of Aberdeen by King Robert the Bruce.
(Many thanks to Alexander Gavin for providing information and prompting further research into the history of the farm.) 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. Bowling green in Westburn Park
1560 On the opposite side of Westburn Road from Victoria Park, this popular area was formerly a residential property and contains some fine specimens of oak, ash, elm and sycamore trees. It was acquired by the Town Council in 1899 and extends to fully 25 acres. Facilities are provided for bowling and tennis, as well as for children's games. Altogether, the estate greatly enhances the amenities of the city. Woodside House
1713 Many thanks to correspondent Michael Morrison for identifying Woodside House as the building shown in this photograph.
He informs us that the house was converted into a hotel in 1930. It was known as the Woodside House Hotel and also Cruives Inn. It closed down in 1973 when the then owner, Margaret Goodwall, sold the property to the Dee and Don River Purification Board.
The building is located off Mugiemoss Road and now functions as a care home. |