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You searched for: More Like: 'Isaac Benzies' George Street Store'
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Bridge Street, Aberdeen. c.1890
201 Bridge Street, Aberdeen. This George Washington Wilson image shows a horse drawn bus on Bridge Street travelling towards Union Street. The stairs leading to the upper deck can be seen, and the iron wheels must have been very noisy on the cobbled streets. The bus is just passing the American Store whose premises were 'To Let', and Galloway and Sykes, cabinet makers - the latter firm are only listed at 50 Bridge Street between 1887 and 1889. The Wallace Tower
731 Wallace Tower, Nether Kirkgate. Originally known as Keith's Lodgings, it was supposed to have been the home of Sir Robert Keith of Benholm. After the construction of the Marks and Spencers store in George Street, the Wallace Tower was removed to a new site at Tillydrone (1965). Isaac Benzie's shop, Torry
1104 Isaac Benzie's shop on Victoria Road, Torry. Benzie is better known as being on George Street, or perhaps Union Street, but he also had a branch shop on Victoria Road. This indicates what an important part of town Torry was becoming after the late 19th century. George Street
1203 This photo from 1987 shows part of the west side of George Street prior to the demolition of the whole area for the massive shopping development which became the Bon Accord Centre, which opened in 1990. Jaspers Knitting Wools were at No.23, beyond it had been a Granada TV store and to its right at No.17 was Attitude, a clothes shop. Although the buildings had suffered some years of neglect because of the impending redevelopment, the intricacy of some of the original architecture is still obvious. The flats above the business premises were quite run down with some not even having hot and cold water at the sinks and only a shared toilet on the landings. Wallace Tower
1286 Wallace Tower, Netherkirkgate. Originally known as Keith's Lodgings, it was supposed to have been the home of Sir Robert Keith of Benholm. After the construction of the Marks and Spencers store in George Street, the Wallace Tower was removed to a new site at Tillydrone (1965). McKay's of Queen Street
2764 This photograph shows the exterior of McKay's clothing shop at 29-31 Queen Street in 2018. The business dates from around the 1910s and this large 2 floor outlet was opened on 25th March 1971.
A newspaper advert from the time describes their stock as "Workwear, Footwear, Leisurewear, Camping Equipment, plus our usual Government Surplus Lines".
The advert states that the business was a contractor to the Ministry of Defence.
Prior to this larger store, the business operated at 24-26 Queen Street. Ordnance Survey maps from the 1950s indicate that this address was on the opposite side of the road, across from Greyfriars Church.
Correspondent Alan Duthie has pointed out that McKay's was also located in the building on the southern side of the junction of Broad Street and Queen Street. This can be seen in old photographs. These were the same premises previously occupied by George and James Anderson, ironmongers, and later Ewen & Co., cabinetmakers and furnishers and had the address of 34 Broad Street and 2 Queen Street.
McKay's was likely at this location shortly prior to its demolition for the widening of Broad Street and the construction of the Town House extension. Alan remembers that the shop was entered from Queen Street and the door on Broad Street was not used.
This building at 29-31 Queen Street was demolished in the early months of 2021. McKay's had relocated to Great Northern Road. Aberdeen Cinemas: Casino
3410 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Casino cinema in around 1963.
The Casino cinema was opened on Wales Street on 7th February 1916 by John Peter Kilgour, a dealer in various waste materials. It had close competition with Bert Gate's Star Picture Palace just around the corner on Park Street. Michael Thomson in The Silver Screen in the Silver City describes the Casino as the second of Aberdeen's purpose-built picture halls. It and the "Starrie" served the population of the city's east end for many years.
The Casino was built on the site of Kilgour's factory yards. The architects for the project were George Sutherland and Clement George. The building's "Spanish villa" design is described by Thomson as unique for Aberdeen and highly unusual throughout Scotland. One distinctive feature was the low square tower at the Park Street side of the building that was topped by a red-tiled concave pyramidal roof. Thomson writes that features of the building combined to "bring a welcome splash of colour and gaiety to an otherwise drab corner of the city."
Following the death of John Peter Kilgour in 1920, the running of the Casino and his waste business was taken over by his son, Ormande L. Kilgour.
In the silent era the venue was a stronghold of cine-variety, showing all manner of performances in-between film screenings. In February 1936 the cinema celebrated its 20th birthday and a cake was cut by Kilgour and one the Casino's oldest patrons, a Mrs Stewart.
In November 1939 Bert Gates and Aberdeen Picture Palaces bought a controlling interest share in the Casino. The Beach Boulevard, which opened on 25th May 1959, ran directly outside the cinema and gave the Casino a prominent location. In March of that year the cinema was given a thorough renovation.
Despite its new prominent location and recent renovation, the Casino closed down as a cinema on Saturday 3rd October 1959. A spokesperson for the Donald Cinemas Group stated in the Evening Express at the time that the closure was due to the housing in the area being pulled down and people moving to new estates. Michael Thomson suggests that the proximity of the relatively new first-run Regal in Shiprow might also have drawn away the hoped-for holiday crowds from the Casino.
In 1961 the empty Casino was sold to local bookmakers James Rennie and Arthur Forbes to be used as a bingo hall. This was at the height of bingo's popularity and the Casino proved too small. The bingo operation was moved to the Kingsway Cinema which had showed its final film, Warlord of Crete on 3rd February 1962.
The area around the Casino was earmarked for redevelopment by Aberdeen Town Council. The cinema building was compulsorily purchased and, after spending some time as a store, was demolished at the same time as the Star in 1971. The site is now occupied by a residential development.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. George Street
3852 A photograph from around 1986 looking north west, showing numbers 119 to 167 George Street.
The large building that ends with a turret at the corner with St. Andrew Street (143-167) was the premises of Isaac Benzies, the well known local department store. This shop was bought by House of Fraser in 1955 and latterly traded as Arnotts, before closing down in 1986. The building stands today, though has been considerably altered.
On the other side of the junction with St. Andrew Street can be seen a branch of the Bank of Scotland and beyond it the sign and canopy of Aberdeen Bowl. George Street
3854 A photograph from around 1986 showing Alex Scott & Co., Fine Fare, House Proud, the Central Bakery building, and the old Isaac Benzies premises. The junction on the far right is with St. Andrew Street. 83-87 George Street/26-28 Loch Street
4301 A photograph showing the upper floors of the buildings at 83-87 George Street and 26-27 Loch Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
A branch of the The Hosiery Shop can be seen at 83 George Street. Clydesdale Electrical Store occupies the ground floor at the corner and Bruce Miller's is on the right at 22 Loch Street.
These buildings were demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre. At the time of writing in 2023, this area is occupied by the George Street entrance to the shopping centre and the Phase Eight ladies' clothes shop on the ground floor. Harriet Street (rear of)/Donald's Court
4311 A photograph looking south showing the rear of Harriet Street and Donald's Court in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
The shown area was located behind Schoolhill, between George Street and Harriet Street. It was later the site of the western end of the shopping centre and the Harriet Street Car Park.
In this image a number of parked cars can be seen, including two red company cars for the television and VCR rental store D.E.R. Domestic Electric Rentals had a nearby shop at 51 George Street. 44-80 George Street
4337 A photograph, looking east, showing 44-80 George Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
From left to right, the image shows Home Charm, a DIY store at 56 George Street, Just Pants Plus at 52 George Street and Maxwells shop at 48 George Street, a general store that span five floors.
These shops and the surrounding buildings were shortly to be demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre. 26-42 George Street
4338 A photograph showing buildings at 26-42 George Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
In order of left to right there is a shop called Aberdeen Records & Tapes, a clothes shop called Charisma, a shoe store called Timpson and a unit to let which was previously occupied by a shop called Doldrums or similar.
These buildings were demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre. 85-87 George Street (upper floors)
4349 A photograph showing the building at 85-87 George Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
This image shows the upper floors above a branch of Clydesdale, the electrical store, at 85-87 George Street. The corner of the building has a notable curved design which extends to the roof with a decorative chimney stack and dormer window.
These buildings were demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre. |