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The Wellington Suspension Bridge
67 The Wellington Suspension Bridge over the River Dee was built in 1829 by Samuel Brown and John Smith. It connects Ferryhill with the high bank of Craiglug to the south. Print dated 1850. The bridge, locally known as the 'Chain Bridge', was closed to traffic and pedestrians because of its poor condition before reopening after restoration in 2008. Castlehill Barracks
106 A view of the southern aspect of the Castlehill in about 1850, with the Barracks featuring prominently. The Barracks replaced the Chapel of St. Ninian and an observatory erected in 1781. The foundation stone was laid on 24th June 1794 by the Marquis of Huntly and it was completed early in 1796, with accommodation for 600 men. The picture is interesting, as it shows the line of Hangman's Brae, which descended from the south west corner of the hill to Castle Lane and into Virginia Street. It was partly absorbed into the construction of Castle Terrace in 1864. The houses on the left of the illustration with the outside steps were incorporated into the first Hospital for Sick Children in 1877. Denburn Valley
481 The Denburn, Aberdeen, in around 1865. The Triple Kirks are in the centre of the photograph with the Belmont Congregational Church in the foreground.
In 1850, the Aberdeen Railway Co. which later amalgamated with the Scottish Midland Junction Co. to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, brought the line from the south into the city. In 1864, after great debate, the Denburn Valley Junction Railway Scheme was adopted - forming a direct link between Kittybrewster and Guild Street.
This photograph shows the commencement of the work. The new Joint Station opened in 1867 The Denburn Valley
498 The Denburn, Aberdeen. The Triple Kirks are in the distance with the spires of St. Nicholas Congregational Church in the foreground. In 1850, the Aberdeen Railway Co. which later amalgamated with the Scottish Midland Junction Co. to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, brought the line from the south into the city. In 1864, after great debate, the Denburn Valley Junction Railway Scheme was adopted - forming a direct link between Kittybrewster and Guild Street. This photograph shows the commencement of the work. The new Joint Station opened in 1867. The Denburn, Aberdeen
500 The Denburn. In 1850, the Aberdeen Railway Co. which later amalgamated with the Scottish Midland Junction Co. to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, brought the line from the south into the city. In 1864, after great debate, the Denburn Valley Junction Railway Scheme was adopted - forming a direct link between Kittybrewster and Guild Street. This photograph shows the commencement of the work. The new Joint Station opened in 1867 Provost George Thompson
1895 A portrait of Provost George Thompson of Pitmedden (1804-1895). Thompson served as Provost of Aberdeen from 1847 to 1850. He also founded the shipping line called the Aberdeen Line and was a liberal MP for the city. March Stone 26
3208 This stone is located at the confluence of Brodiach and Silver Burns. Access is best achieved from Brotherfield Farm. The line of the marches has headed west from number 25. This stone is marked "26 ABD".
The Brodiach has flown here from the north and can be followed through the lands between Westhill, on the west, and Kingswells to the east. Stone number 28 also sits on the burn.
This stone marks the south west corner of the Freedom Lands. The boundary has travelled west, a west-south-westerly curve, from the Ferryhill Burn at the River Dee to this point and will now head north, with gentle zig-zag, to the Doupin' stone, number 31, at Wynford Farm.
In 1698 it was noted that there had never been a march stone here but the location had always been pointed out on ridings. A stone was recommended in 1780.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. Aberdeen Cinemas: Electric / Capitol
3401 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Capitol cinema at 431 Union Street in February 1980. At this time the Capitol was in more regular use as a concert venue than as a cinema. This image shows large numbers of people queuing to get tickets for a performance by the band Genesis.
The Capitol was built as a cinema back in 1933. A few days before its opening, it was advertised in local papers as "Aberdeen's wonder cinema". Opened to large crowds on Saturday 4th February 1933, the Capitol was then the largest venue of its kind in the north of Scotland and had a stage that could be adapted for both film and variety entertainment.
The Capitol was built by Aberdeen Picture Palaces Ltd. on the site of an earlier upmarket cinema called the Electric Theatre that dated from 1910. When the Capitol opened, it was regarded as the most up-to-date theatre in the country due to its complex lightning system, organ music and other modern features, some of them being introduced for the first time in Scotland.
The venue could accommodate more than 2,000 people. The building's plans were prepared by Aberdeen architects Alexander Marshall MacKenzie and Clement George. Local newspapers stressed the local ownership of the cinema and the local craftsmanship that went into its construction.
Aberdeen City Libraries hold a souvenir brochure of the cinema's opening. One interesting feature of the brochure is the inclusion of specially created adverts for all the companies involved in the construction and furnishing of the new cinema. Some of the adverts provide rich information on the history of the companies and give an insight into how the companies saw themselves. The brochure details the companies behind every aspect of the buildings from the cinema seating and terrazzo work to the innovative lighting.
On the opening day, Mrs A. D. Hay, wife of the chairman of the Aberdeen Picture Palaces, unlocked the main entrance door with a gold key. This key is still held by the Hay family today. The cinema's first, busy evening featured a variety of entertainment. In addition to the showing of films, there was a ballet performance by the Henrietta Fuller Dancers and Mr Edward O' Henry played the theatre's new top of the line Compton organ.
During the opening ceremony, Bert Gates, another director of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, said: "It was a long lane that had no turning. They had built the Capitol not for to-day, but for the generations of Aberdeen people to come. The company had dedicated the Capitol to the people of Aberdeen, their children, and their children's children in the hope that in generations to come they might appreciate what had been given them."
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Aberdeen Cinemas: Astoria
3430 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Astoria in around 1943. This super-cinema in Kittybrewster was opened in 1934 and was located at the end of Powis Terrace, at the start of Clifton Road and at its junction with Great Northern Road. This photograph looks towards Clifton Road from this location.
The film being shown at the time is Air Force with John Garfield. The premises of Birrell, confectioners, and George A. Davidson, provision merchant, can also be seen in the image.
Michael Thomson in Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) tells the story of the cinema. The Astoria was primarily the brainchild of Bert Darley who had quit Poole's, proprietors of the Palace and Regent, and started up a new company called the Aberdeen Astoria Cinema Ltd. with various local businessmen and financial backers.
The giant cinema, designed by Thomas Scott Sutherland, was intended to serve the growing population of Kittybrewster, Powis, Woodside and Hilton. Construction on the £45,000 building proceeded quickly and it was opened on 8th December 1934 with screenings of a film called I Give My Love.
Thomson states that the Astoria's emphasis was on "spaciousness, relying upon simplicity of form to create a pleasing impression of clean-lined functionality." The space of the site allowed Scott Sutherland to enlarge on ideas first used at the Regent. The concept was again a tall central section, incorporating three main windows, with smaller side portions on either side.
The Astoria, along with the Capitol, was one of only two Aberdeen cinemas with a theatre organ. Both were equipped with top-of-the-line Compton organs at the time of their opening.
In March 1936 James F. Donald (Aberdeen Cinemas) Ltd. acquired a controlling share interest in the Aberdeen Astoria Cinema company. Richard Donald replaced Bert Darley as the manager at the Kittybrewster venue.
The programmes of the Astoria and the Kingsway on King Street were regularly linked, both being Donald cinemas. In the 1950s they showed Cinemascope films such as King of the Khyber Rifles and Beneath the Ten Mile Reef.
The cinema's last film was The Moving Target, with Paul Newman and Lauren Becall, shown on 13th August 1966. On the 29th of that month the venue reopened as a bingo hall. This was at the height of the game's popularity, however not even it could save the Astoria. At the end of the year the Donalds the site for redevelopment as a shopping complex. Demolition on the cinema was begun in April 1967.
Michael Thomson explains that all removable fittings and materials were salvaged. Additionally, the Compton organ was transferred to the school hall of Powis Academy. It served the school well for many years before unfortunately being destroyed in a fire during the night of 20th November 1982.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Aberdeen Market 16 - Beauty Salon
4392 The subject of this Roddy Millar photograph is unit 10 in the Aberdeen Market building as occupied by the Beauty Salon.
This busy establishment was located in the eastern end of the building next to the main Market Street entrance (to the left of this image).
As indicated by the price list on the window, Beauty Salon offered an extensive array of nail treatments, alongside other cosmetic treatments such as eyebrow tinting and shaping. A large number of nail polishes and products can be seen within the premises.
A line of seats is available outside for those waiting for appointments.
At the edge of the photograph a small plaque with opening times for the Market building can be seen attached to the wall. This would have been for visitors as they entered from Market Street.
Photograph taken on 27/02/2019. The Wellington Suspension Bridge
19 The Wellington Suspension Bridge over the River Dee was built in 1829 by Samuel Brown and John Smith. It connects Ferryhill with the high bank of Craiglug to the south. Print dated 1850. The bridge, locally known as the 'Chain Bridge', was closed to traffic and pedestrians because of its poor condition before reopening after restoration in 2008. Castlehill Barracks
22 A view of the southern aspect of the Castlehill in about 1850, with the Barracks featuring prominently. The Barracks replaced the Chapel of St. Ninian and an observatory erected in 1781. The foundation stone was laid on 24th June 1794 by the Marquis of Huntly and it was completed early in 1796, with accommodation for 600 men. The picture is interesting, as it shows the line of Hangman's Brae, which descended from the south west corner of the hill to Castle Lane and into Virginia Street. It was partly absorbed into the construction of Castle Terrace in 1864. The houses on the left of the illustration with the outside steps were incorporated into the first Hospital for Sick Children in 1877. Treasure 17: A souvenir of Aberdeens Cinema
188 This excellent brochure was a souvenir from the opening of the Capitol cinema on Union Street. It was opened on Saturday 4th of February 1933. Despite inclement weather a large crowd gathered for the launch of perhaps the grandest cinema in the history of the city. The ambition of the new establishment is reflected in the design and extent of this brochure.
The Press and Journal reports: "The Capitol was opened to the public in the early evening, and for over two hours before the opening there was a queue in Union Street, while in the heavy rain in the evening hundreds of people were content to wait in the street queues."
The newspaper article stresses the local ownership of the cinema and the local craftsmanship that went into its construction. The Capitol was the undertaking of Aberdeen Picture Palaces Ltd., and was designed by A. G. R. Mackenzie and George Clement.
In the introduction to the souvenir brochure the chairman of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, A. D. Hay, writes "Here then stands the 'Capitol,' a proud, vital and stately landmark in the World of Entertainment. The 'Capitol' was built for you, it is your Theatre, an Aberdeen enterprise incorporating every known value of comfort, and every modern device for the presentation of 'Super Entertainment,' in the interests of Aberdeen patrons whom we feel confident will ever remain, loyal patrons of the 'Capitol.'
The cinema was official declared open by Baillie Watt and he echoed the above sentiments, stating that the Capitol was "the last word in the cinema world, and reflected greatest credit on all concerned in its design and construction."
One interesting feature of the brochure is the inclusion of specially created adverts for all the companies involved in the construction and furnishing of the new cinema. Some of these adverts, such as that for S. B. Russell, bricklayer and contractor on Affleck Street, provide rich information on the history of the companies and give an insight into how the companies saw themselves. The brochure details the companies behind every aspect of the buildings from the cinema seating and terrazzo work to the innovative lighting.
"With a gold key, presented by Mr G. A. Wilson, advocate, one of the directors of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, Ltd., the proprietors of the new cinema, Mrs A. D. Hay, wife of Mr A. D. Hay, chairman of the directors, unlocked the main entrance door, and the Capitol, an Aberdeen-owned and Aberdeen-built hall of entertainment, was opened to the people of Aberdeen and the North of Scotland."
The opening day of the new cinema featured a varied evening of entertainment. The Press and Journal states "All the magnificent possibilities of the new theatre were embraced by the items of the opening programme. There was ballet, cinema and organ playing, each of notable worth." The ballet performance by the Henrietta Fuller Dancers was particularly praised. Mr Edward O' Henry played the theatre's new top of the line Compton organ.
At the opening ceremony, B. H. Gates, a director of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, said: "It was a long lane that had no turning. They had built the Capitol not for to-day, but for the generations of Aberdeen people to come. The company had dedicated the Capitol to the people of Aberdeen, their children, and their children's children in the hope that in generations to come they might appreciate what had been given them." Treasure 46: The Aberdeen Herald
217 When the first weekly issue of The Aberdeen's Journal was published by James Chalmers in January 1748 who would have guessed it would still be in production today (admittedly with several changes of title and ownership) as The Press and Journal.
The monopoly of The Aberdeen Journal, as it soon became, remained almost unchallenged throughout the eighteenth century but the nineteenth century saw the publication of several competing newspapers. Most of these were short-lived but included The Aberdeen Herald, and General Advertiser for The Counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, and Kincardineshire, which was published between 1832 and 1876.
We hold the first copy of this weekly newspaper in our collections. It was printed and published by George Cornwall, and was issued on Saturday 1 September 1832. It succeeded an earlier paper called The Aberdeen Chronicle which had been in production since 1806. The Aberdeen Journal was seen then as politically neutral but the Herald is described as Whig-Radical and its opening advertisement states "In fact, the chief object of The Aberdeen Herald will be to obtain a cheap, efficient, and patriotic system of Government".
Since the Herald was published on a Saturday while the Journal appeared on Wednesday, it was able to include articles which would have been old news by the following Wednesday and could also provide updates to news from earlier in the week.
The newspaper cost 7d which was far beyond what an ordinary person could pay and restricted readership to the wealthy. This high cost was a result of taxes imposed by the Stamp Act of 1712 which was not abolished until 1855. Papers could then be bought for 1d and there was freedom to produce mass-circulation newspapers with improved text layout.
The front pages of newspapers, even as recently as the early 1900s, did not contain news stories but were filled with adverts - business, theatrical events, shipping, property and public notices. The issue of The Aberdeen Herald for 21 April 1866 contained an advert explaining the change of name for the town of Inverurie. Local historian, Dr Douglas Lockhart, provides the following account of the town's name change.
The market town of Inverurie was one of the fastest growing places in Aberdeenshire during the mid-nineteenth century when its population increased from 735 in 1821 to 2524 in 1871. Many factors contributed to rapid growth at this time including good communications, initially by turnpike roads and the Aberdeenshire Canal to nearby Port Elphinstone, and from the mid-century it lay astride the railway line between Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness.
Further advantages were the extensive agricultural surroundings, markets and successful local businesses. Surprisingly Alexander Smith in A New History of Aberdeenshire, which was published in 1875, has little to say about the transformation of the town. However, he wrote a lengthy paragraph to describe how 'INVERURIE was, in former times, written Inneraury, Ennerawrie, and Hennerawie, and latterly Inverury' and he notes that the name meant "the confluence of the river of the margin".
On 5 February 1866 the Council met to discuss what appears to have become a growing problem - mail was being sent to Inveraray in Argyllshire because Inverury was not listed by the Post Office as a Post Town. The solution was simple: "return to the ancient spelling of the Burgh as Inverurie and to memorialise the Postmaster General to have it set down on the Lists as a Post Town". The Postmaster agreed to the name change and the scene was set on 19 April for the Council to discuss advertising the new arrangements. The wording of an advertisement was approved and it was decided to place it in the Edinburgh Gazette, Aberdeen Journal, Aberdeen Free Press, Aberdeen Herald and Banffshire Journal and "to endeavour to get the Railway Company to alter the spelling of the Station in their Tables".
Inverury officially became Inverurie the following day and on 21 April The Aberdeen Herald announced the change of name in the advertising columns of its front page. The Banffshire Journal in addition to printing the advertisement also published a glowing report on building activity in the burgh and noted that "within the memory of living inhabitants [the town] has been thoroughly regenerated".
Aberdeen Local Studies holds files of many local newspapers on microfilm, including the Aberdeen Herald and the Free Press. A digitised partial file is also available on the British Newspaper Archive which can be freely consulted online in the Central Library using your library card. Treasure 90: Torry and Ferryhill libraries
302 Both Torry and Ferryhill Branch Reading Rooms opened on 19 December 1903 as part of the General Extension Scheme to provide a library presence in what were regarded as outlying areas of the City.
In November 1901 the Council Finance Committee sanctioned the acquisition of a piece of ground at the corner of Victoria Road and Grampian Road where Torry Library would be built. A site was secured at the corner of Fonthill Road and the Hardgate in August 1901 for Ferryhill Library.
Both libraries were supported by Andrew Carnegie who, having previously donated money for the building of the Central Library, promised £1750 for each of the Branch reading rooms.
It was the aim of the Library Committee that the Branches should be "educative and attractive in every sense" and with this in mind the walls were hung with reproductions of works by artist such as Constable, Turner, Joseph Farquharson and others.
The success of the new branches was very apparent from the statistics. In the first nine months of opening, attendance at Torry numbered 31,567 with 63,711 at Ferryhill. Once the delivery stations were set up, book issues (including those for Old Aberdeen) totalled 13,530 volumes of which over 10,000 were fiction. By 1939, Torry and Ferryhill were well on their way to becoming fully established branch libraries.
Take a look at the early history of the libraries in the Treasures exhibition on the interactive screen. Plan by James Henderson dated 1850
359 This plan shows proposals for a through station taking access from Union Street.
In 1854 The Great North of Scotland Railway after years of struggle to raise capital opened between Kittybrewster and Huntly; from 1858 this became part of a through route to Inverness. In April 1856 it extended passenger services from Kittybrewster to Waterloo Quay using a line built on the bed of the old Aberdeenshire Canal. Connecting the two Aberdeen termini, which were about a half mile apart, were railway tracks laid along the quayside and suitable for horse-haulage only. |