Quick Search
|
Search Results
You searched for: More Like: 'Leopard in the country'
135 items
items as
Desswood Place
29 Desswood Place was laid out in 1888 by the City of Aberdeen Land Association in what was then a relatively rural area in the west end of Aberdeen but it was rapidly being filled with large granite houses for the more prosperous citizens. It was named after Alexander Davidson of Desswood who was Chairman of the Land Association for many years. Desswood was his country property near Kincardine O'Neil on Deeside. Tillyfourie Quarry
53 Granite quarrying at Tillyfourie Quarry. In action is one of the first steam boring machines in the country. Near the top of the picture are hand drillers and borers at work. Statue of General Charles George Gordon
777 Statue of General Charles George Gordon outside entrance to Robert Gordon's College, Schoolhill.
The inscription on the base reads "Charles George Gordon, R.E.C.B., Major General, born 28 January 1833, fell in his country's service at Kartoum, January 1885, dedicated to his memory by members of the Gordon Clan "I have done my best for the honour of our country", Kartoum 14 December 1884"
The statue was sculpted by T. Stuart Burnett, ARSA, and unveiled by the Marquis of Huntly on Saturday 16th June 1888. Culter Boys' Brigade
999 A photograph showing Culter Boys' Brigade collecting waste paper and scrap metal during World War 2.
In World War 2, major campaigns were set up to encourage people to collect as much waste material as possible for recycling. Here we see members of Culter Boys' Brigade loading a lorry with waster paper and scrap metal, including part of an iron bedstead.
The lorry had been lent by William Gavin of Kennerty Meal Mills. All sorts of metal, including railings, were collected to be converted into munitions.
Country children were urged to collect tufts of sheep wool stuck on barbed wire fences or hedges so that it could be sent away to be spun into knitting wool to make gloves or socks for soldiers. Waste paper, including books, could be reprocessed and used in the manufacture of Stirling bombers.
Local historian Brian Coutts has been in touch to identify some of the boys on the lorry: At the front of the trio on the left is James "Jeeker" Brown; in the middle, behind the bins, is Derek Thom; and stood up on the far right of the image is Derek Stephen. MacPherson outing
1036 This image taken in 1902 shows a horsedrawn coach full of people ready to go on an outing. It had been organised by James MacPherson, joiner in Cults and the photo is taken at the east side of Kirk Brae. Such outings were commonplace at this period when firms organised day trips into the country for their employees. Donside Paper Mill
1220 Donside Paper Mill. William Falconer attends the paper reels. c.1928.
The production of paper in the area goes back as far as 1696 at Gordon mills which later changed to a cloth mill, then meal mill before returning to paper production in 1890.
Donside Paper Company Ltd. took over in 1893 with many men and women from Woodside working in the Donside Paper Mill.
In 1913 a modern newsprint machine was installed (reportedly the fastest in the country). By the mid-1900s the mill modernised further and was home to the two fastest running paper machines in the North east. Desswood Place
1370 Desswood Place was laid out in 1888 by the City of Aberdeen Land Association in what was then a relatively rural area in the west end of Aberdeen but it was rapidly being filled with large granite houses for the more prosperous citizens. It was named after Alexander Davidson of Desswood who was Chairman of the Land Association for many years. Desswood was his country property near Kincardine O'Neil on Deeside. Newpark
1521 A photograph of the gateway and avenue of Newpark. Located between Sheddocksley and Kingswells, this property was once known as Cuttlehill.
In Historical Walks and Names (1927) local historian G. M. Fraser writes:
"You descend Brimmond Hill at the south-west corner, and passing between the properties of Fairley and Cloghill, you presently pass the farm of Gillahill (properly Gallowhill), on your left, and strike the western end of the "Lang Stracht," near the property of Newpark. This is a comparatively recent name for Cuttlehill, the property that once formed part of Sheddocksley, and was bought in 1777 by Robert Dyce of Aberdeen, father of the well-known physician, Dr. William Dyce, of Cuttlehill, whose town house for many years was No. 48 Marischal Street. In this country residence of Cuttlehill, the old entrance gate and avenue of which are still in existence, was born on 19th September, 1806, William Dyce, afterwards William Dyce, R.A., a gifted artist, who took a leading part in decorating the House of Lords, and better still, who, having been sent by the government to report on the Art schools of the Continent in the middle of the last century, was the means of re-organising the art education system of Great Britain. It is singular that this accomplished man, although he is commemorated on a monumental brass in Streatham Parish Church, where he latterly stayed, is as yet unremembered by any mark on his father's house in Aberdeen, where he passed the early part of his life."
Newpark and the gated and avenue, though likely thoroughly modified, can still be seen today.
Other sources suggest that William Dyce, the above mentioned artist, was born at 48 Marischal Street. His birthplace remains something of a mystery. There is no indication of the location in the old parish register record of his baptism at St. Nicholas Kirk. Portrait of farm worker on country road with pair of horses, Denhead Farm, Dunlugas, near Banff
1644 This image has not yet been indexed. Use the Comments button below the image to enter information about the image.
Please note: we will not include any personal information provided unless you indicate that you wish to be acknowledged. The standard form for crediting your information is (name, place) e.g. (John Smith, Aberdeen). The Aberdeenshire Canal
1789 This drawing shows a barge being pulled by two horses along the Aberdeenshire Canal, with the twin spires of St. Machar Cathedral in the background.
The Aberdeenshire Canal was opened in 1805 and ran for 18 miles from Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone, near Inverurie. It was first proposed in 1795 by various landed proprietors as a means of providing better transport connections for the rural interior of Aberdeenshire.
The new waterway was fed by the River Don and various streams and springs. Barges transported goods and fly boats or gig boats carried passengers.
In 1840, the goods transported included nearly 4000 tons of lime, 5000 tons of coal, 1124 tons of meal, 54 tons of salt, 110 tons of wood, 51 tons of granite, 43 tons of livestock and 8 tons of whisky. Passenger traffic was catered for by two iron boats, which made the trip twice a day in summer and once a day in winter. It cost 2 shillings (10p.) for the full journey or 2d. (about a half pence) per mile.
As a result of the number of locks to be negotiated at the Aberdeen end, passengers disembarked at the Boathouse at Kittybrewster, having completed the journey in 2 and a half hours. Goods traffic was handled by various barges, some of which belonged to the canal company. It took them 10-14 hours to complete their passage to Aberdeen Harbour. There were facilities for changing the horses at Dyce and Kintore.
In his book The Annals of Woodside and Newhills Patrick Morgan remarks that the canal "was a great convenience to the inhabitants, and a luxury to the boys for bathing in summer and skating in winter." There is no mention of girls using the canal for leisure purposes - perhaps they were required to stay at home and help with housework instead.
The canal increased the prosperity of the area that it served but it was never a huge financial success for its owners. Also it was about to be overtaken by a much speedier rival. Its demise as in other parts of the country was largely brought about by the coming of the railways. The Aberdeenshire Canal was bought over by the Great North of Scotland Railway and finally closed in 1854. The company gave £1000 as compensation for depriving the inhabitants of Woodside of the privilege of the Canal and to assist in obtaining a supply of water from other sources.
There is very little physical evidence to remind us that the Aberdeenshire Canal ever existed. However there is one quite substantial remnant which lies close to Great Northern Road - Warrack's Bridge was one of the original canal bridges and looking over the west side of the bridge the curve of the canal bed can clearly be seen. Brae Farm
1790 This photograph was taken in 1951 by James Kellas and looks east showing, on the left, the rear of Brae Farm, located on Morningside Road, and part of 142 Morningside Avenue on the right.
There was originally a Brae Farm to the north west of this location that can be seen the Ordnance Survey map published in 1869 (Aberdeen Sheet LXXV.14). Just to the north of the old farm on the map is a single Aberdeen Water Works reservoir.
An article from The Leopard magazine by Diane Morgan (October/November 1985) explains that in 1885 an Aberdeen Corporation Water Act was passed to empower the Town Council to take eight million gallons daily from the River Dee and to build a second reservoir at Mannofield. This was to keep up with the city's rapid population increase.
To carry out the expansion, the council acquired the land adjoining the initial reservoir including the first Brae Farmhouse and its steadings. They then became known as Reservoir Cottage and Reservoir House and served as the home of the inspector of the water works. A relatively early inspector was called William Clark. On 28th February 1898 he died at the cottage aged 64. He was buried in the John Knox Churchyard (Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 02/03/1898, p.4).
Clark was likely succeeded as waterworks inspector by James Forsyth. The Forsyth family lived at the cottage well into the 20th century. James was married to Margaret (née Jaffray), who died after him on 28th July 1945, aged 85. Their second son, Sapper John Forsyth, died aged 26 at Oldmill Military Hospital on 20th April 1917. He was buried at Springback Cemetery.
The reservoirs continue to play a vital role in supplying water to Aberdeen. The cottage and house however were demolished in the late 20th century and replaced by modern water treatment buildings.
As shown on the 1901 OS map, sometime shortly after the passing of the 1885 act the Brae Farm we can see in this picture was built to the south east, where Morningside Road met Auchinyell Bridge. To the east, Aberdeenshire County Cricket Ground was also built around the same time.
This later Brae Farm was the home to the Kinnaird family for the first half of the 20th century. The heads of the family were Frank Kinnaird and Margaret Amelia Smith.
Their son Lance-Corporal A. G. Kinnaird, of the Royal Scots, was reported as a prisoner of war in Germany in June 1918. Prior to the war he had worked with the Clydesdale Bank (Evening Express, 03/06/1918 p.3).
Frank's eldest daughter, Jessie Sinclair, married James Smith Mathieson at Ruthrieston U.F. Church on 7th September 1927 (Evening Express, 08/09/1927, p.6).
A younger daughter, Edith Kinnaird, married a man from Portsmouth called Andrew Livingstone in July 1936. The marriage took place in Ruthrieston West Church and the reception was at the Caledonian Hotel (Press & Journal, 06/06/1936 p.8).
Daughters Amelia Elizabeth and Margaret Kinnaird both left Brae Farm in the 1920s (1924 and 1920, respectively) to reunite with fiancés who had travelled ahead to Canada.
Frank Kinnaird died on 12th August 1950, aged 84.
At some point during the 1930s-1950s the residential streets we know today, Morningside Avenue, Terrace and Place were constructed between the reservoir and the new farmstead. These streets take their name from Morningside Farm to the east. As can be seen in this photograph, the farm stood into the 1950s. It was eventually demolished when Morningside Avenue was extended to meet Morningside Road. The newer bungalows can be distinguished by their tiled, rather than slated roofs. A School of Dolphins: Endangered Don the Dolphin at Airyhall Library
2175 Endangered Don the Dolphin was the winning design by two pupils at Mile End School. He was divided up into 6 sections representing different endangered animals - the leopard, tiger, snow leopard, turtle, red admiral butterfly and the blue throated macaw. We chose these as they have distinctive patterns or give colour to the design. Clearing the Line to Aberdeen in a Snowstorm
2202 A postcard image showing workers clearing railway tracks of snow. This scene is likely following the great snowstorm of 1908.
In the last week of December of that year, Aberdeen had such severe snowfall that it was cut off from the rest of the country by rail, and residents had shortages of bread and milk as carts were unable to make their usual deliveries.
Snow built up in the streets in banks of up to 6 feet in height. The council engaged over 600 men in the city-wide task of clearing the snow. Treasure 6: Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen
2275 Enthusiastic gardeners who have spent months, if not years, nurturing their plants have the opportunity to display their efforts at flower shows - usually held in August or September. These events for individuals happen all around the country and have a long history.
Britain in Bloom is the national flower show for whole communities. It was the brainchild of Roy Hay, a horticultural journalist. Following a holiday in France where he admired the "Fleurissement de France", he persuaded the British Travel and Holidays Association (later the British Tourist Authority) to organise a similar competition for communities in Britain.
Although the first competition in 1964 was won by Bath, Aberdeen received a "Special Mention". The city did even better in 1965 when it won the National Trophy. Although it did not win again until 1969, the city then continued its success each year until 1971. However, this achievement led to Aberdeen being debarred from the National Competition in 1972 although it still won the Scottish section. 1973 and 1974 saw Aberdeen winning the National award again, and its record 10th win was in 1998.
A slogan competition was held for the 1968 campaign when the winning entry proclaimed "Aberdeen - Garden City by the Sea".
In order to celebrate Britain in Bloom and Aberdeen's success in the competition we have chosen to highlight our collection of historic prize schedules for the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen's annual exhibition.
The Aberdeenshire Horticultural Society was founded in March 1824 when a meeting of "Practical Gardeners" was held in the New Inn for the "purpose of forming themselves into a Society". The Earl of Aberdeen graciously agreed to be Patron of the Society.
In November 1863, it was announced at the annual general meeting that HRH the Prince of Wales had now agreed to become Patron of the Society and that the Society's name was to be changed to the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen.
The Society's "Prize Schedule for Exhibition" gives details of each of the classes which can be entered, with the prizes which can be won - a sum of money or a cup or medal. In 1920, there were a total of 222 classes and those who exhibited were split into one of four Divisions - professional gardeners; nurserymen and florists; amateurs and working class.
The Schedules also contain the Rules of Competition, the Constitution of the Society and a list of Subscriptions and Donations received - these include names, addresses and amounts given. Our earliest copies of the booklets cover the period 1920 - 1937, although the file is incomplete.
The Society celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1999. To take a closer look at these, and many other Aberdeen historic documents, visit Aberdeen Central Library. Treasure 32: George Washington Wilson South Africa Photography Collection
2320 George Washington Wilson is one of the great names in 19th century photography, famous for capturing images of people, buildings and landscapes across Scotland. His photography drew attention to the beauty of his country, but his travels further afield are not as well known.
As an innovative pioneer in photography, George Washington Wilson's work reflected the reality and attitudes of society during his lifetime (1823-1893). In our collections we hold a vast selection of photographs and portraits taken by the G. W. Wilson Company in South Africa. These images were taken by his son, Charles Wilson, and Fred Hardie, a company photographer of George Washington Wilson & Co.
The company's photographs of South Africa captured scenes of the country which would have been perceived as unusual and exotic to British people at the time.
South Africa and its Treasures
The majority of British colonization was concentrated in South Africa during the 19th century. In the past, the country was colonized in order to control one of the main trade routes to India. Due to the abundance of resources such as spices and tea, European interest in Africa increased dramatically in the late 19th century, especially with the discovery of gold and diamonds in the 1860s-1880s.
On their return to Britain, George Washington Wilson & Co presented many photographs showing these natural resources, from the Robinson Gold mine in Johannesburg to De Beers Diamond Mines in Kimberley.
Tea was also a very valuable resource, and people in Britain were keen to learn more about its production and its use in South Africa.
Photography and Tourism
The collection held by Aberdeen City Libraries shows local places of interest in South Africa. These photographs capture Cape Town and Johannesburg, two of the biggest cities in the country. Many Europeans emigrated to these cities in the 19th century, due to the discovery of valuable resources in the surrounding area.
With the rapid rise of tourism in this period, George Washington Wilson & Co. looked for new ways to promote and sell their work. Around 1880-1890, they started to commercialize their photography via picture postcards, a relatively new concept in Britain. This new form of media met with huge success as it was easy to write and cheap to send. It soon became the standard way to communicate with friends and family when abroad, a holiday tradition which remains today.
The postcards, in colour and having a standard size, featured many different scenes from South Africa and were viewed as an innovative way to publicize the country - and the works of photographic firms such as George Washington Wilson & Co. Treasure 33: The Pedigree of the Cruickshanks of Stracathro
2321 Among the Local Studies collection of family trees is a chart from 1847 entitled Pedigree of the Cruickshanks of Stracathro. The title initially referred to the Cruickshanks of Langley Park but this has been scored out and replaced with Stracathro. A pedigree is a form of genealogical table. Collections of pedigrees were first made in the 15th century and, according to The Oxford Companion, were "a matter of aristocratic pride and of practical necessity for legal purposes". The term pedigree comes from the French 'pied de grue', meaning crane's foot, due to the resemblance of the genealogical lines to the thin legs and feet of the bird.
The pedigree of the Cruickshanks was compiled by E. G. G. Cruickshank, who features in the 10th generation detailed on the table.
The pedigree begins with the earliest ancestor at the top of the document with lines dropping down to succeeding generations. Each generation is given a Roman numeral and individuals within each generation are assigned Arabic numbers. The pedigree begins with "John Cruickshank first in Strathspey m. Mary Cumming of Elgin" and extends down to an incomplete 12th generation. The individuals in the 11th generation were mostly born in the 1870s.
The information listed on a family tree is dependent on the sources available and the purpose for which it was created. The information given on the Cruickshank's pedigree varies but typically includes an individual's date of birth, marriage details and date of death. Additional information is also supplied as is the case with the 7th generation of Cruickshanks - Margaret Helen is described as the daughter of Rev. Gerard of Aberdeen, author of a book whose title is unreadable, and sister to a Colonel Gerald. Details of army service are supplied for some individuals and many of the Cruickshanks were involved in the administration of India or served in the army there.
The tiny handwriting, use of abbreviations and sparse punctuation makes the document challenging to read so familiarity with the subject matter and names of places is useful. A later interpreter of the document has made a number of annotations in pencil. For example, one of the later additions points to an individual and reads "Is this W. Robertson of Auchinroath? Yes!"
In addition to a listing of descendants the pedigree is annotated with a number of original notes and a description of a coat of arms. The latin motto of Cavendo tutus translates as 'Safe through caution'. One note, quoting "an old paper", describes from where the family came prior to being in Strathspey. A note on the other side of the chart states that "distinguished Officer and Author the late Colonel Stewart of Garth" links the family to the Royal Family of Stewart and suggests the name of Cruickshank derives from "some deformity in the first cadet of the house."
Attached to the document is a letter dated 23 October 1927 from a Jim Bulloch to City Librarian G. M. Fraser. Bulloch explains that he got the pedigree from a Mr. Mackintosh of Elgin, thinks it is quite rare and that the library might like it for its collection. It has stayed in the Local Studies collection to this day.
The Gazetteer for Scotland website states that in 1775 Patrick Cruickshank, listed at No. 11 of the 7th generation, bought the estate of Stracathro in Angus. The property was subsequently inherited by his brother Alexander Cruickshank (1764 - 1846). Alexander hired the Aberdeen architect Archibald Simpson to build Stracathro House between 1824 and 1827. The Palladian Scottish country house still exists today.
University College London's Legacies of British Slave-ownership website indicates that Patrick and Alexander, and two other Cruickshank brothers, owned plantations on the Caribbean island of St Vincent that used slave labour. See Alexander Cruickshank's entry in the database here: 'Alexander Cruikshank of Stracathro', Legacies of British Slave-ownership database, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/8590 [accessed 9th June 2020]. In 1833 when Britain abolished the ownership of slaves the government granted £20 million in compensation to former slave-owners. Alexander Cruickshank made three claims for compensation, two of which were successful.
In 1874, Stracathro House and estate were sold to Sir James Bannerman, Lord Provost of Glasgow, and father of Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. The country house was later used as a World War II hospital and owned by Tay Health Board before being sold to private owners in 2003. The House of Schivas
2393 The House of Schivas was built around 1585 and was the work of Thomas Leper. The lands were originally held by the Scheves family and successive families made many alterations to this architecturally complex L-plan tower house. Located just east of Methlick, it is a catagory B listed building. Springhill House
2600 A photograph of Springhill House taken from The Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen 1319-1929 (1929). This book was compiled by Donald B. Gunn (1891-1946), town clerk depute at the time, and James Cruickshank (1869-1956), the local historian.
This house stood on the piece of land in the Mastrick/Sheddocksley area between Springhill Road and Deveron Road that is now a public park.
The book states that the lands were feued in 1764. These lands were once the home of Provost and architect James Matthews. Whitemyres House
2601 A photograph of Whitemyres House taken from The Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen 1319-1929 compiled by Donald B. Gunn (1929). These lands were feued in 1786.
The house stands to the north of the road known as the Lang Stracht and was built in the late 18th century. It was once semi-derelict but has since been restored. The neighbouring Whitemyres Farm was purchased by the Cockers Roses company in 1960. Craigiebuckler House
2602 A photograph of Craigiebuckler House taken from The Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen 1319-1929 compiled by Donald B. Gunn (1929). The lands surrounding this house were sold by the town council in 1817.
The house was built in the 1820s by Provost James Blaikie. The James Hutton Institute, then the The Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, later built their Aberdeen campus on the estate, incorporating the house. Burnieboozle House
2603 A photograph of Burnieboozle House taken from The Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen 1319-1929 compiled by Donald B. Gunn (1929).
This was a country house located to the north west of Craigiebuckler House, at the end of what is now Burnieboozle Crescent. The house could be accessed by a road going south from Burnieboozle Farm on Hazledene Road.
Judging by Ordnance Survey mapping, the building looks to have been demolished as the area was developed for housing in the late 1950s. The house's location is now a children's play area in the centre of a modern housing development.
There is an excellent plan by surveyor James J. Beattie of the lands and house of Burnieboozle in 1848 available on the National Library of Scotland website here. It features a detailed illustration of the house's exterior, showing an extended conservatory and gabled entrance, a floorplan of its two floors and a map of the estate's land. |