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Aberdeen Savings Bank, Union Terrace
11 Engraving of the New Aberdeen Savings Bank, Union Terrace. Designed by William Kelly, 1896. Thomson and Duncan, collo-type, Aberdeen W. and J. Smith and Kelly, architects Denburn Valley
48 The Denburn Valley Railway, shown here on the right, was constructed in 1865-67. It runs from the Joint Station at Guild Street north through the valley. To the left of the railway lines is Union Terrace Gardens which were opened to the public on 11th August 1879.
The closeness of the railway led to the gardens being nicknamed the "Trainie Park". The bandstand shown here in the centre of the park was removed in around 1931.
The iron footbridge visible in this image allowed access over the Denburn and railway between Rosemount and the city centre. It was replaced by the Denburn Viaduct which was built in 1886, at the same time as Rosemount Viaduct, by engineer William Boulton. Part of the footbridge was moved and reassembled in the newly created Duthie Park.
This image also predates the construction of significant buildings on Rosemount Viaduct such as the Public Library and the Free South Church (both dating from 1892). In the background, on the left of the image can be seen the houses at the foot of a then longer Skene Terrace. These are on the site later occupied by the library and church.
To the right of those houses are Black's Buildings. Local historian Diane Morgan explains that they were "a small curving crescent of tall tenements, four and five storeys high, [and] sat below the Royal Infirmary, Woolmanhill, just west of the apex of the Woolmanhill triangle. (...) The houses were built in stages between 1789 and 1830, by the wine merchant James Black." (Lost Aberdeen: Aberdeen's lost architectural heritage, 2004). The tenements were pulled down in 1957.
Woolmanhill Hospital, designed by Archibald Simpson and built 1832-1838, can be seen in the background. Chimneys of Broadford Works, the textile factory located between Ann Street, Maberly Street and Hutcheon Street, are also visible. Gateway to Bridewell Prison
54 Gateway to Bridewell Prison, Rose Street, c.1880 - this massive gateway was the impressive entrance to the Bridewell in Rose Street, situated off the west end of Union Street. The Bridewell was opened in 1809 as a House of Correction and became known as the West Prison. It was in use till 1868, when it was closed and later demolished. For a short while, the site was laid out as the West End Pleasure Gardens and Recreation Grounds. The gateway had a porter's lodge and a guardhouse attached and it remained until 1883, when it was demolished to allow Rose Street to be extended northwards to link with Henry Street which in turn led on to Skene Street. Henry Street had been named after George Henry, Provost of the City between 1850-53 but the whole street then became known as Rose Street. Union Bridge
58 The Denburn looking southward towards and beyond Union Bridge, with the old Bow Brig in the distance and the houses adjacent. The Bow Brig featured largely in the social life of the inhabitants of the area. Note the bleaching green on the right of the print. Illustration taken from a plate drawn by Sir John Carr, 1807 Union Bridge
77 Union Bridge, on Union Street was built around 1800 and straddled the Denburn. The large building is the Palace Hotel, built in 1874, which burnt to the ground on the 31st October 1941 and was subsequently demolished after the end of the Second World War. Union Terrace Gardens
85 Union Terrace showing Union Terrace Gardens. The gardens were laid out between 1891 and 1893. Union Terrace
86 Union Terrace at the junction with Union Street. The imposing building on the left is the Northern Assurance Building (Commercial Union Assurance), designed by A. Marshall Mackenzie and known locally as "The Monkey House". The statue of Prince Albert was relocated to the other end of Union Terrace to make space for the new statue of King Edward VII in 1914. Union Terrace Gardens
89 Union Terrace Gardens looking towards the Union Bridge. The spires of Belmont Congregational Church are on the left. The gardens were laid out in 1891-3. The chimney belonged to Hadden's textile factory in the Green. Doorway of the second Trinity Hall
110 This photograph shows the Denburn entrance to the second Trinity Hall, home of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen. The first Trinity Hall was located on Shiprow and was originally a monastery. The second Trinity Hall was opened on Union Street on 6th March 1847, while the third was opened on Holburn Street in October 1967.
Many thanks to correspondent Ed Fowler for correcting the location of this image and supplying the following information on the door:
"This portal was constructed using the salvaged Memorial Inscription and Arms panels from the old Bequestor's Gateway to the 1st Tarnty Ha' which stood on Trinity Corner/Putachieside. The Trades had built this fine ornamental gateway with the following inscription: "To ye glorie of God and comfort of the poore this hows was given to the Crafts by Mr. William Guild, Doctour of Divinitie, Minister of Abd: 1633". The buildings were removed when the area was redeveloped in the 1840s but the gateway was built into the Lower Denburn wall of the 2nd Trinity Hall which was opened in Union Street in 1847." Union Terrace Gardens
116 This photograph was taken from the Union Terrace Gardens, in the city centre. The building in the background is the Palace Hotel in Union Street. The building burnt on the 31st October 1941 and was subsequently demolished after the WW2, which give us a solid lead to date the photograph. The building on the corner is the Monkey house. The Cowdray Hall War Memorial
122 The Cowdray Hall, War Memorial and Art Gallery taken from Union Terrace Gardens. The Hall was opened by King George V and Queen Mary on 29th September 1925. Union Bridge from Windmill Brae
123 This photograph by George Washington Wilson, looking towards Union Bridge, shows the old red-tiled roofed houses in the Windmill Brae area in the 1850s. Most of these were swept away with the construction of the railway and the building of Bridge Street around 1865-1867.
The house at the left, on the corner of Union Terrace, was owned by Harry Lumsden of Belhelvie and later by the Northern Club. Its site became part of that occupied by the Northern Assurance Company offices.
The spire of the Triple Kirks and the tower of the South Parish Church are visible in the background. Rosemount Viaduct
154 Union Terrace looking towards Rosemount Viaduct. On the left is St. Mark's Church and on the right His Majesty's Theatre. In front of the theatre is the statue of William Wallace with Prince Albert at the left. Aberdeen Savings Bank, Union Terrace
178 Aberdeen Savings Bank, Union Terrace, 1894. Aberdeen Savings Bank was established in May 1815 "for receiving such small sums as may be saved from the earnings of tradesmen, mechanics, labourers, servants etc". As the bank became more successful, they moved from premises in the Guestrow to a new building in Exchange Street. By the 1890s, the directors decided that a new site was necessary, especially as the population in the city was moving westwards. This illustration, by the architect William Kelly in 1894, shows the building that was to be constructed at the junction of Union Terrace and Diamond Street at a cost of £11,000. The design is of Renaissance style, with the central entrance leading to an inner porch lined with red and grey granite, then a short flight of steps led to the main telling office. This office had a deeply panelled ceiling and dome partially filled with painted and decorated glass. Coats of Arms of the City and Lord Provosts were also displayed. The counter and desks were made of mahogany and oak with wrought iron and wrought copper grills. In the 1960s, a large extension was built on an adjacent site and, in 1983, the bank became part of the Trustees Savings Bank in Scotland and in 1999 became part of Lloyds TSB. Union Terrace
222 Union Terrace, with statue of King Edward VII which was erected in 1914, after the statue of Prince Albert was re-located to the other end of Union Terrace. Union Terrace Gardens
229 Union Terrace Gardens in the winter, looking across from Union Terrace towards the Belmont Congregational Church. Union Bridge and the Trinity Hall from Union Terrace Gardens
238 Union Bridge and the Trinity Hall from Union Terrace Gardens. Trinity Hall was the home of the Incorporated Trades until they moved to their new Hall at the junction of Holburn Street and Great Western Road. This building, designed by John and William Smith in 1846, was incorporated into Littlewoods Store and the Trinity Shopping Centre. Rosemount Viaduct at night
239 The illuminated facade of His Majesty's Theatre and St. Mark's Church from Union Terrace Gardens. 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. Union Terrace and Gardens, with the statue of King Edward VII
260 Union Terrace and Gardens with the statue of King Edward VII Union Terrace Gardens
268 Union Terrace Gardens looking towards the War Memorial at the Cowdray Hall. 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. |