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Hall Russell shipbuilders
6 Hall Russell, Ship Builders, Marine Place c. 1950s/60s. Note the main office is off to the right. The entrance at the top of the stairs is to the loft, where scale drawing and templates were drafted. The shipwrights department was on the ground floor to the south of this building.
[Many thanks to Stanley Bruce for providing us with correct details on the building layout.] View of Old Aberdeen
70 Print of Old Aberdeen drawn by John Slezer. General view with the Crown Tower of King's College and the spires of St. Machar's Cathedral in the distance. The small building in the right foreground was the Snow Church - St. Mary ad Nives - which was demolished in the 1600's, although part of the burial ground survives. Statue of Queen Victoria
73 A photograph showing the statue of Queen Victoria at the junction of Union Street and St. Nicholas Street. The building in the background is the Clydesdale Bank that stands next to M&S today. This fine Italian renaissance style building was originally constructed for the Town and County Bank and opened for business in May 1863.
The statue of Queen Victoria was made from marble and was sculpted by Banff born Alexander Brodie (c.1829 - 1867). The origin of this statue is closely related to another Aberdeen monument, the 1863 memorial statue of Prince Albert by Baron Marochetti, now standing, or rather sitting, in the area in front of the Central Library.
Marochetti's statue was augurated by Queen Victoria herself on 13th October 1863 and this was said to the first time the Queen had appeared at a public demonstration following the death of Albert in 1861. The Marochetti statue was the subject of great local controversy and there were various plans for an alternative, superior, memorial to the late Prince Consort. It was at a related meeting that a chap called Alexander Donald, from the Royal Tradesman of Aberdeen, moved "That a colossal statue in marble, of Her Majesty, be erected at the corner of St. Nicholas Street."
The endeavour was taken on by a variety of prominent citizens and funding was raised by public subscription. Brodie, the selected sculptor, worked on an 11-ton block of Sicilian marble for two years to complete the statue. The finished piece is 8 foot 6 inches in height and, at the request of Queen herself, depicts Victoria in Scottish regal attire. The statue stands on a substantial plinth of pink Peterhead granite.
The statue was unveiled and inaugurated on 20th September 1866 by Albert-Edward Prince of Wales, later to be King Edward VII and the subject of another of Aberdeen's notable statues. During his speech at the ceremony, the Prince said "Gentlemen, it has afforded me the greatest satisfaction to attend here today, by the wish of Her Majesty, and at your invitation, for the purpose of inaugurating a statue of the Queen, my dear mother. Her Majesty has desired me to express to you how much she appreciates the motives which have led the people of Aberdeenshire to give this lasting evidence of their attachment and loyalty to her person, of which she has so many proofs, and whose sympathy in her great sorrow has touched her so deeply."
During his visit, the Prince of Wales also received the Freedom of the City and attended the Royal Horticultural Society's Autumn Show, which was then going on in the Music Hall. An extensive account of the unveiling, the Royal visit and the town's celebrations is given in the Aberdeen Journal of 26th September 1866.
After some time at this location, the statue's marble began to show weathering due to the frost and so it was moved to the vestibule of the Town House in 1888, where it remains to this day. It stands at the foot of the building's splendid main stairway. The plaster model of Brodie's statue has also been on display in the Music Hall for many years.
A new bronze statue of an older Victoria, by sculptor Charles Bell Birch, was erected at the St. Nicholas Street location on 9th November 1893 and "the Queen" became a regular meeting place for generations of Aberdonians. To make way for the extension of Marks & Spencer, the 1893 statue moved to its current site at Queen's Cross on 22nd January 1964. Victoria now stands looking east towards Balmoral. Schoolhill
95 Schoolhill, Aberdeen. The building on the left is Aberdeen Art Gallery. The archway leads to Robert Gordon's College and the building at the far right was Gray's School of Art, which took its name from John Gray, an engineer who paid for the building. It was built in 1884 on the site of the Old Grammar School, hence the name Schoolhill. Woolmanhill looking towards Schoolhill
148 Photograph of Woolmanhill taken 1907, looking towards Schoolhill. This image is thought to show the house where Joseph Robertson (1810-1866), the journalist and historian, was born.
For more information on Robertson see the entry about him in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (available online with an active library membership) and an obituary for him can be found in the Aberdeen Journal of 19th December 1866, page 6.
Roberston was mostly likely born at 73 Woolmanhill. He and his family certainly appear to have lived at this address for some time. Robertson is listed at this number in the Aberdeen Directory 1833-34 (D. Chalmers & Co.), page 116. Additionally, a death notice for Robertson's mother, Christian Leslie, features in the Aberdeen Journal of 23rd March 1859, page 5, which gives her address as 73 Woolmanhill.
Exactly which of the shown buildings is Robertson's birthplace, or no. 73, is somewhat unclear. A Press & Journal article on "Historic Woolmanhill" from 6th June 1925, page 5, states "it was in the line of houses that separate Blackfriars Street from Woolmanhill that there was born in 1810 Joseph Robertson, who became the most noted antiquary of his day, the most accomplished that Aberdeen has produced." This would suggest that Robertson's birthplace is one of the buildings on the left.
This image featured in the Evening Express' 'Flashback' feature from 12th January 1985, page 12. The accompany information states "Joseph Robertson, an eminent historian and one time editor of the 'Aberdeen Observer' was born at 37 Woolmanhill - the tall building in the foreground of our picture - in 1810." This slightly vague description could refer to the building on the right of the image or perhaps to the first tall building on the left side of the road. The latter would accord better with other references. Additionally, the buildings on the right were known as Black's Buildings.
The above reference to "37 Woolmanhill" may initially suggest a confusion of 73 Woolmanhill, but the former is not without precedent. In Historical Aberdeen (1905), within an informative chapter on Woolmanhill, G. M. Fraser writes the following on page 149:
"Then hardly less remarkable, either in historical knowledge, or general scholarship, was Dr. Joseph Robertson, whose name appears so frequently in these pages, born in the unpretending house, still standing, No. 37 Woolmanhill. It is strange that in Aberdeen there is no public memorial of this distinguished man."
If 37 Woolmanhill is the correct address, 1950s Ordnance Survey mapping, which includes building numbers, suggests the relevant house may be the one in the centre of this image, of those on left, in the middle distance, just after the building marked as a tea warehouse. Union Street looking West
191 Union Street looking West with the pillars of the Assembly Rooms on the right. This building, more commonly referred to as the Music Hall, was designed by Archibald Simpson in 1820, while the actual Music Hall within, was designed by James Matthews in 1858. The spire belongs to Gilcomston South Church. Marischal College
198 Marischal College dated c.1906. The view overlooks the Guestrow area which would become part of a slum clearance scheme in the 1930's although Provost Skene's House, the turretted building in the foreground, would survive. The sparkling Kemnay granite of the newly completed frontage to the College stands out clearly. At the right are the tower of the North Church, now Aberdeen Arts Centre, and the spire of Greyfriars Church. Castlegate, Aberdeen
271 The Castlegate, Aberdeen looking west towards Union Street, showing the spires of the Town House and Tolbooth. The building on the right at the corner of Union Street and King Street, was designed by the architect Archibald Simpson as the North of Scotland Bank, later Clydesdale Bank. After its closure as a bank, the building was refurbished and opened in 1997 as a pub named 'The Archibald Simpson'.
In the foreground is the statue of the 5th Duke of Gordon which is now in Golden Square. Adjacent to the statue is the shelter used by cab drivers. Trinity Hall Gateway, Aberdeen.
299 Trinity Hall Gateway, Aberdeen. This ornamental gateway was erected at the original Trinity Hall in the Shiprow - the meeting place of the Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen - and dates from 1632. The left of the three panels contained the Guild family coat of arms and the initials D.W.G - Dr William Guild who gifted the building to the Trades. The central inscription reads: 'To ye glorie of God and comfort of the Poore, this Hows was given to the crafts by Mr William Guild, Doctor of Divinitie, Minister of Abdn:1633'. The inscription on the right hand panel reads: 'He that pitieth the poore lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he repay' Prov. 19.17. The gateway was removed in the 1850's when the new hall was erected in Union Street in 1846, and was rebuilt into a side wall. However, later reconstruction work in the 1890's led to the demolition of the gateway although fragments were preserved in the hall. The Old Trades Hall in the Shiprow, Aberdeen. c.1850
302 This area, at the southern end of the Shiprow, was the site of the monastery of the Trinity Friars until 1559 when it was burnt to the ground by Protestant Reformers.
In 1631, having purchased the lands, Dr William Guild, gifted their old chapel and other buildings to be a hospital and meeting house for the seven Aberdeen Incorporated Trades. These were Hammermen, Bakers, Wrights and Coopers, Tailors, Shoemakers, Weavers, Fleshers.
Guild was one of Aberdeen's ministers and afterwards became Principal of King's College.
The Chapel became an Episcopal Church until 1794 when it was removed and replaced by the building seen at the left of the photograph. It was vacated in 1843, when the congregation joined the Free Church, and was then sold and eventually became the Alhambra Music Hall until 1902.
On the right was the Trades or Trinity Hall - often known as the Trinity Hall. It had a projecting wing tower and corbelled angle turret, and was demolished around 1857 for railway development.
The Trades had already moved into their new premises in Union Street in 1846.
This photograph looks south-south-west and is taken from roughly where Trinity Lane is now. The image likely dates from the 1850s, the time of the demolition.
Ebenezer Bain in Merchant and Craft Guilds: A History of the Aberdeen Incorporated Trades (1887) writes the following:
"The extension of the railway system to Aberdeen sealed the fate of the old Trades Hall. When Aberdeen Railway was projected in 1844, the hall and site, which extended from the foot of Shiprow to the near present line of railway, were scheduled [for demolition], and although not required for railway purposes, the buildings had to come down when Guild Street and Exchange Street were constructed. The last of the buildings was taken down in 1857 [...]" (Page 174). Old Torry
324 The prominent granite building in the centre of the image is the Torry Bar. It stands between the two leading lights.
A bucket dredger is shown on the right, while a number of scaffie fishing vessels are berthed on the Torry shore. St. Nicholas Street, Aberdeen. 1898
363 This image taken in 1898, shows two prominent Aberdeen citizens crossing St. Nicholas Street under the watchful gaze of a statue of Queen Victoria. The building behind them was then the Town and County (now Clydesdale) Bank. These two individuals were lifelong friends and both came from a poor background, however their industry and intelligence, combined with self education led to their successful careers. William Cadenhead on the left began work in a thread factory but later became a traveller for a wine and spirit merchant, eventually succeeding to the business. He died on 11th December 1904 aged 85. William Carnie on the right was apprenticed as an engraver, but his ambition to write for newspapers was fulfilled when he began on the North of Scotland Gazette. However in 1861, he was appointed as Clerk and Treasurer of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the Royal Lunatic Asylum. After his retirement he wrote three volumes entitled Reporting Reminiscences covering the period 1850 - 1876, recollecting local events and people he knew. He died on 2nd January 1908 aged 83. The Castlegate looking down Union Street
385 The Castlegate looking down Union Street. The Market Cross is in the foreground. The spire of the Tolbooth is seen on the right, while the new Town House has yet to be built. This dates the image to before 1867, the year demolition of the shown building began. Aberdeen Beach with the Beach Baths
404 An Adelphi Series postcard showing Aberdeen Beach with the Beach Baths building on the right.
Also known as the Beach Bathing Station, its fresh water pool was where generations of Aberdonians learnt to swim.
The Bathing Station was designed by City Architect John Rust and opened on 13 July 1898.
Its distinctive red brick chimney dominated the beach skyline.
The Bathing Station was eventually filled in and demolished, the door having finally closed to the public on the 11th July 1972. Aberdeen Beach from the south
406 Aberdeen Beach from the south. A crowded day on the beach. Note the roof of the Beach Ballrooom at the right of the photograph. St. Nicholas Street
436 St. Nicholas Street looking up Flourmill Brae. The Equitable Building is on the right. These buildings were demolished in 1985 to make for for the St. Nicholas Centre. Provost Skene House and St. Nicholas House are visible at the top of the road. The staff of Aberdeen High School for Girls
455 The staff of Aberdeen High School for Girls outside the main entrance of the school on Albyn Place. The building was designed by Archibald Simpson. Castlegate looking down Union Street
490 Castlegate looking up Union Street. The Market Cross is on the right in front of the imposing North of Scotland Bank Buildings. The Athenaeum is the square building on the left. Schoolhill, Aberdeen
497 Schoolhill, Aberdeen. The building on the left is Aberdeen Art Gallery. The archway leads to Robert Gordon's College and the building at the far right is Gray's School of Art (1884), which takes its name from John Gray, an engineer who paid for the building. It was built on the site of the Old Grammar School, hence the name Schoolhill. Castlegate, Aberdeen
506 The Castlegate. The Town House is centre with the Spire of the Tolbooth at the right. The large building on the right was the headquarters of the North of Scotland Bank. Note the statue of General Gordon and the cannon at his left. 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. The Puffing Briggie
532 A scene of change and renovation in the Denburn Valley. The image looks south from Union Bridge over the suburban platforms of the old Aberdeen Joint Railway Station. The old station's large, curved roof can be seen in the background.
The area we are looking at has seen much change since this time. It is now largely covered by the 1960s retail development on the south side of the bridge, the later Trinity Centre, the development of Wapping Street and Denburn Road, and the building of Atholl House. Though many of the buildings of note we can see in this image are still visible today.
The tall buildings on the far right are the rear of those on Bridge Street. The small street in front of them, going up to Guild Street, is the start of College Street. It is now a partially pedestrianised lane that goes under Wapping Street. The building at the top of this street is the classical style suburban ticket office, built 1909 and now home to Tiffany Hair & Beauty.
Going west along Guild Street's two span road bridge we come to the Great North of Scotland Railway Company's headquarters. This was designed by architects Ellis & Wilson and built in 1894. It is now part of the Station Hotel, along with number 78 next door. The building retains many of its original features. The Guild Street entrance to the Trinity Centre now runs along the western side of this building.
The image also shows features that are no longer present. The covered walkway that can be seen on the near right of the image enabled direct access from the station's central platform to the Palace Hotel on Union Street. The hotel was owned by the Great North of Scotland Railway Co. (GNSR). The walkway was vaulted to pass over the tracks at sufficient height.
Consulting The Joint Station: Aberdeen Station, 1867-1992 (c1992), this image probably dates from 1912 when, in additional to commencing the reconstruction of the Joint Station, the GNSR also laid new loading docks and carriage storage siding in the Hadden Mills site (left of image). This was to ensure that the main station buildings were used purely for passenger traffic.
The walkway that linked Windmill Brae and the Green, known affectionately as the Puffing Briggie, can be seen in the centre of the image. It looks like a section on the left has been temporarily demolished as part of the ongoing work.
The sidings on the extreme left were used for cleaning carriages in the later 20th century. One of our correspondents recounts using the often-unattended carriages, accessible when entering the station from the Green, as an unusually exciting and plush playground during their youth in the late-1940s. 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. The Castlegate
574 The Castlegate, Aberdeen. The Town House is in the centre of the photograph with the spire of the Tolbooth to the right. The Athenaeum Building is on the left and behind the statue of the Duke of Gordon is the headquarters of the North of Scotland Bank. Note the cannon to the left of the Market Cross.
In his Annals of Aberdeen (1818) William Kennedy states "In the year 1394, King Robert III granted to the burgesses and community a charter, dated 20th of October, by which he permitted them to build a tolbooth and court house, eighty feet in length, and thirty feet in breath, in any part of the town except in the middle of the market place. This edifice was accordingly soon afterwards erected on the north side of the Castlegate, on the site of the present town house." (page 403)
In 1615 a new prison replaced the one on this site and it stood for many years. It was largely replaced or subsumed by the new town house development in the 1870s, however the old Tolbooth spire can still be seen - as in this photograph (the right most spire). |