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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. Interior of King's College Chapel
139 Interior of King's College Chapel, University of Aberdeen, Old Aberdeen, c.1900. King's College was founded by Bishop William Elphinstone under a Papal Bull issued by Pope Alexander VI on 10th February 1495. Marischal College was founded as an independent university in 1593 and the two became the University of Aberdeen in the Fusion of 1860. Work began on the College in 1500 and it took 6 years to complete the Chapel. This photograph shows the interior looking west, showing Bishop Stewart's pulpit on the right, through the nave and choir to the choir stalls and rood screen, with the antechapel behind it. Non-residents entered through the west door and occupied the antechapel, while students entered from the College Library via a special staircase within the rood screen. The central gallery of the screen is still used to house the organ. The 52 choir stalls, commissioned by Elphinstone, are "a unique survival as well as the finest of their king in Scotland". The finely panelled Renaissance pulpit of William Stewart (Bishop 1532-1545) bears his coat of arms and was originally in use in St. Machar's Cathedral. The timber ceiling was constructed soon after 1506 and was probably designed by John Fendour. It consists of a diagonal arrangement of ribs and widely spreading foliage sprigs radiating from centre bosses. The choir stalls and ceiling both show a strong Flemish influence. The Chapel is still in use today for University services and is a popular marriage venue for graduates. George Innes, Boot & Shoemaker
1965 A photograph of George Innes, Boot & Shoemaker with the proprietor standing in the doorway.
Correspondent Alan Duthie has identified the location of this photograph as on the Spital in Old Aberdeen. In the Aberdeen Post Office Directory for 1900-01 there is a entry for a bootmaker called George Innes with a shop at 49 Spital and a home address of 394 King Street.
Ordnance Survey maps from the period show buildings on in the area comparable to that in the photograph. SIR ALEXANDER CHALMER'S AUTHORATIVE CAREER IN WARSAW
2876 Alexander Chalmers (1645-1703) was born in Aberdeen and migrated to Poland in 1676. Alexander was given the Polish name of "Alexander Czamer". He served as a judge in the coronation parliament of King August II before becoming Warsaw's mayor 4 times.
He was first elected as mayor in 1691. He was subsequently elected in 1694, 1696 and 1702. His duties included levying taxes, collecting rents and sentencing local residents for crimes. It was also said he had:
"Remarkable energy and skill in the conduct of difficult business. He had been the greatest service to the city."
There is now a plaque commemorating his previous home in Warsaw, which now houses a leathercraft museum, at 10 Waski Dunaj Street.
The photograph on the left, of Warsaw's Old Town, is by Pixabay user Websi and is available to download here.
LUCRATIVE BUSINESS IN DANZIG
2878 With the substantial number of Scottish immigrants in Poland a reputation followed. "A Scots pedlar's pack" became a phrase used in Poland. The expression referred to the goods which the Scots had traded. Some of these goods were malt, flax, fruit, handkerchiefs, linen, woollen products, coal, fish and cloth.
As the Scottish minority made a visible contribution to the trade in Danzig, they earned another expression used among the Poles -"Szkot" (which means Scot in Polish). It was an epithet which referred to a business traveller.
The Scottish population in Poland increasingly grew in the 16th century due the career opportunities offered by the country. Areas of Poland consequently show the presence of these Scots. In 1576, Stefan Batory - the king of Poland at the time, designated a sector of Danzig to house Scots. "Nowe Szkoty" (New Scots) is an area in modern day Gdansk which has around 10 Polish villages with street names referencing the Scots who previously lived there.
The image on the left is of Cragievar Castle. This castle was owned by William Forbes. The funding for the property came from the riches he had made in Poland. The Green, 1995
2961 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
In this image we can see the R&B Music shop and The Old King's Highway pub. The Green, 1995
2978 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
This image shows the south west corner of the Green and includes The Old King's Highway pub and the R&B Music shop. A young chap with a guitar case sits outside the latter. The Green, 1995
2979 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
This image looks to the south west and shows The Old King's Highway pub and the R&B Music shop. The signs on the former's windows indicate that the pub was established in 1741. The Green, 1995
2981 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
This image shows work under way on the Green outside The Old King's Highway pub. The Green, 1995
2986 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
This image shows extensive work underway on the road surface outside The Old King's Highway pub. The Green, 1995
2993 This is one of a series of images kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by our colleagues in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team. The images show the Green in 1995 before, during and after a programme of environmental improvements.
This image shows the area outside The Old King's Highway and the R&B Music shop with work underway on its surface. Aberdeen Cinemas: Picturedrome / Cinema House
3411 The Cinema House was located at the corner of Union Terrace, Skene Terrace and North Silver Street. The building was designed by Arthur H. L. Mackinnon and originally built in 1897-1898 as a clubhouse for the Aberdeen Union Club. Mackinnon (1870-1937) was a local architect who also designed the Aberdeen Fire Station on King Street and Mile End School.
The building's first recorded use for cinematographic purposes was a New Year Holiday Carnival organised by the pioneering Aberdeen cinematographer and exhibitor William Walker in December 1901. Alongside an early picture show the extravaganza featured the popular fiddler James Scott Skinner and a conjurer called Harry Marvello.
It was a Londoner by the name of Henry N. Philips who came to Aberdeen and in June 1910 converted this building into Aberdeen's second permanent cinema: the Picturedrome. The enterprise was a great success and Philip's formed a company called British Animated Pictures to run the cinema.
The 'Drome's first manager was Harry Fenton. He also appeared on the cinema's stage as a singer. This was a time when cinemas would often show a mixture of films and variety performances. The venue had a pianist called Hal Scott who would accompany performances and provided musical ambience.
The Picturedrome was noted for showing the film productions of Thomas Edison's Edison Studios and for consistently good stage turns.
In 1923 the Picturedrome/Union Club block was sold to the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds. They were one of the 19th century friendly societies in which people would band together prior to the development of more comprehensive welfare provision. The Shepherds continued to run the cinema for a period. A sign for the society can be seen in the top left of this image.
In May 1924 the cinema was taken over by James F. Donald. He was the patriarch of the Donald family that played a prominent role in the history of cinemas and theatres in Aberdeen. Restored and improved, the venue reopened on the 11th August of that year as the Cinema House. Donald initially held the premises on a 20-year lease, but would go on to buy the property outright.
This photograph, taken from in front of the Central Library, dates from around 1934 and shows the cinema advertising Father Brown Detective and The Lemon Drop Kid. Also visible next door at 2 Skene Terrace is a branch of the successful grocer and provision merchants, Wilburn Ltd.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson] The Exchequer, Aberdeen
4238 A photograph by George Washington Wilson titled "The Exchequer, Aberdeen." It appears to show the rear of a tenement on Exchequer Row, or thereabouts, near the centre of Aberdeen.
This image was once displayed in a board frame alongside other old images in Aberdeen Public Library. The accompanying display note, likely written by G. M. Fraser, reads as follows:
"Photograph of an old building in Exchequer Row - cleared away under the Clearance Order of 1895 - that used to be spoken of as 'The Exchequer.' The 'Skakkarium,' or Exchequer, at which the King's dues were audited, was situated in Exchequer Row from the time of William the Lion, and gave the name to the street. The old house in the photograph may have replaced the actual 'Exchequer,' and was itself one of the very old houses of Aberdeen." |