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The Wellington Suspension Bridge
67 The Wellington Suspension Bridge over the River Dee was built in 1829 by Samuel Brown and John Smith. It connects Ferryhill with the high bank of Craiglug to the south. Print dated 1850. The bridge, locally known as the 'Chain Bridge', was closed to traffic and pedestrians because of its poor condition before reopening after restoration in 2008. 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. Old bed of River Dee
314 This photograph looks east from the field below Devanha House, roughly where the street Devanha Gardens East stands today, towards the River Dee and Torry beyond. The image shows the old river bed prior to its diversion in 1869.
Prospect Terrace can be seen at the end of the field and beyond this lane are buildings of the Devanha Brewery and some nearby houses. The archways that can be seen on the left are part of the viaduct for the Caledonian Railway heading north towards the nearby Guild Street stations.
The open archway is likely where Wellington Road, now South College Street, passes under the railway. Much of this viaduct can still be seen today and remains how trains reach the city centre from the south. 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. Aberdeen Fisher Girls
398 These fishwivies are on the Torry side of River Dee and the photograph looks north west towards Tidal Harbour. Riverside Drive
441 Riverside Drive, Aberdeen looking over the River Dee to where Kincorth Housing Estate now exists. Old channel of the River Dee
505 The old channel of the River Dee. 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. Footdee From Balnagask
571 A George Washington Wilson image titled Footdee From Balnagask and numbered 139.
It shows Aberdeen Harbour Mouth photographed from the Torry side of the River Dee estuary, with Fittee in the background.
Across the water, the light, single storey building with the battlement style roof is the harbour's old custom house. In 1986 chef Didier Dejean converted this building into the Silver Darling restaurant.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests that the temporary structure behind the custom house was used to cast concrete blocks for an extension to the North Pier between 1869-77.
The image is also interesting for showing the industrial buildings around Footdee and Aberdeen Beach before much of its later development.
Futhermore, the tall structure on the far right looks like a taller version of the sewer ventilation shaft known as Scarty's Monument. The structure must have been shortened some time after construction. Part of New Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
599 An illustrated view of New Aberdeen, showing the River Dee. The inscription below the image states "Engraved by J. Storer, for the Antiquarian and Topographical Cabinet, from a Drawing by J. D. Glennie".
The latter is likely John David Glennie (1796-1874), a painter, engraver and lithographer that the Benezit Dictionary of Artists describes as known for illustrating Letters on India and Scenes on the Continent by Maria Graham.
Antiquarian and Topographical Cabinet, containing a series of elegant views of the most interesting objects of curiosity in Great Britain. Accompanied with letter-press descriptions was compiled by James Storer and John Greig and published in 9 or 10 volumes from around 1807 to 1817.
In the advertisement at the beginning of the first volume, J. Storer and I. Greig state that the work "will be hastening to preserve the lineaments of the most venerable remains of Antiquity which Time is incessantly whittleing away by nearly imperceptible atoms."
This view of New Aberdeen features in volume 9 of the series, published in 1811, and is accompanied by a short description. It lists the principal objects shown as the Castle Hill, the Barracks, Toll-booth and the Custom House. Aberdeen across the Dee
605 An illustration looking north towards Aberdeen from the Kincardineshire (Torry) side of the River Dee.
Rowing and sailing boats are shown in the river. Various spires can be seen on the skyline: South Parish Church, built on Belmont Street in 1830, St. Nicholas Kirk and the Tolbooth. Maitland's Quay
608 A photograph looking north from Maitland's Quay, off Sinclair Road, into the River Dee Dock, also known as the Torry Dock.
Supply boats are moored in the dock and mud silos are visible on the left of the image, next to the site of John Lewis & Sons' shipyard.
Beyond the dock, across the River Dee, oil tanks can be seen on Point Law and the shipyard of Hall Russell can be seen in the far distance.
This image was likely taken in the 1980s. Maitland's Quay
613 A photograph looking north east from Maitland's Quay, off Sinclair Road, into the River Dee Dock, also known as the Torry Dock.
Supply boats are moored in the dock and mud silos are visible on the left of the image, next to the site of John Lewis & Sons' shipyard.
Beyond the dock, across the River Dee, oil tanks can be seen on Point Law.
This image was likely taken in the 1980s. Torry
614 An 1980s photograph looking west towards Torry Harbour, Sinclair Road and the River Dee channel from a grassy area off Greyhope Road.
Campbell's Bar and the more easternly leading light can be seen. The Harbour Mouth, Aberdeen
657 A George Washington Wilson photograph titled The Harbour Mouth, Aberdeen and numbered 505.
The image looks north east from the fields above Old Torry. Point Law, dividing the River Dee channel and the Tidal Harbour, is largely undevelopment. It looks like construction work may be going on over the water at Pocra Quay.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests that the large temporary looking building that can be seen across the water, past the round house on the New Quay, is of particular interest. He posits it was used to cast concrete blocks for an extension to the North Pier between 1869-77. Flood mark on Bridge of Dee
820 Stone marking Flood mark, 4th August 1829 on Bridge of Dee. The stone was originally put on a high wall to the north-east of the Bridge of Dee. The level of the river beyond tidal waters was estimated at ten feet above normal. When the Riverside Road was formed in 1923, the slab was shifted to another site near the bridge. Allan Park Skating Pond, Cults
1032 This wintry scene of iceskaters was taken about 1902/3 in Allan Park, Cults. Allan Park was named after David Allan, a resident of Cults and head of the firm of James Allan and Son, Furnishers. He gifted about 7 acres of land between the Deeside Railway and the River Dee, and the Park was officially opened in June 1897. It was proposed that there should be a curling and skating pond in the centre surrounded with trees and laid out with walks. |