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Flourmill Brae
354 This image shows at the left hand side, a massive stone coffin which stood for many years at the back of tenements at Flourmill Brae. It was brought to the public's attention in 1926 when the area was subject to the Town Council's slum clearance scheme. The coffin consisted of granite slabs blackened and cracked through time. It was 5 and a half feet long, two feet wide and two feet deep. The sides and ends were held together by iron clamps and the lid was cemented on. The belief was that the coffin contained the remains of Mary Bannerman, one of the Bannermans of Elsick and married to George Leslie, Laird of Findrassie, near Elgin who died in 1692. However when the coffin was eventually opened it was empty apart from black earth. It was suggested that the slabs may have protected her coffin at some time and that the actual coffin and her remains had been removed to one of the city's graveyards.
Correspondent Ed Fowler has researched its location using historic maps and suggests that the stone sarcophagus was likely at the end of Quaker's Court near the Friends Meeting House, to the rear of the tenements looking onto Flourmill Brae. The Guestrow, Aberdeen
365 This photograph shows a rather delapidated house in the once fashionable area of the Guestrow in the centre of Aberdeen. The word "Guestrow' may derive from 'Ghaistrow' because of the street's proximity to St. Nicholas Churchyard where 'ghaists', ie ghosts might be thought to roam. The tiled roofs and outside stairs were typical of these early houses. Note the handcart propped up outside. The Guestrow area was part of a slum clearance initiative by the Town Council in the late 1920s and 30s when most of the buildings there were demolished.
Correspondent Ed Fowler plausibly suggests that this is the dwelling house in the T-shaped Mitchell Court. Post Office directories and old maps tell us that the entrance to the court was just beside a public house at number 41 on the Guestrow. If this is correct then the large building in the background is likely to be Provost Skene's House, then probably known as the Victoria Lodging House. Dyer's Hall Lane
685 A photograph looking north-west across Dyer's Hall Lane in 1904.
This lane and row of cottages were situated south of Union Street near the Hardgate at what was soon to become Willowbank Road.
Some of these cottages were thought to date to before 1789. Though some would be more recent than that. The lane's name derives from when the old Dyers' Association met there.
The houses were roofed with red pantiles which were replaced with asbestos when the roofs began to leak. They had outside stairs to the upper floors and water taps outside the door.
The Town Council felt that it would be too costly to preserve the cottages despite their historic interest. They were among the few remaining examples of 18th century houses in the city.
They were demolished in 1956 to make way for extensions to the Station Garage.
The tall chimney in the background likely belonged to the nearby North of Scotland Distillery (formerly known as the Bon-Accord Distillery).
Dyer's Hall Lane was replaced by Willowbank Road in around 1906. This was the first part of a new thoroughfare, incorporating Springbank Terrace, that would connect Holburn Street to Wellington Road (later South College Street).
An article detailing the improvement scheme can be found in the Aberdeen Daily Journal of 21st March 1906 on page 4. Marischal Street
732 This photograph shows Marischal Street at its junction with Regent Quay, looking north towards Castle Street.
It was built to improve the connection between the harbour and the main part of the city, which had previously only been accessible via the steep incline of Shore Brae and the Shiprow.
In 1766, the Town Council were successful in purchasing the unoccupied Lodging of the Earl Marischal of Scotland which stood on the south side of the Castlegate. It was then demolished to open up the way for the new street, named in the Earl's honour.
It was the first street in Aberdeen to be paved with dressed granite setts. Houses were built and were occupied by prosperous professional men such as Dr William Dyce; Andrew Roberston, William Young and Alexander Fraser; both to become Provosts of Aberdeen. These properties were mostly converted to commercial use in later years.
The buildings on the right were replaced by the long and narrow, neo-classical building, designed by Robert Gordon Wilson and built in 1901-02, that can still be seen today at 33 Regent Quay. Flourmill Brae
1930 This image (c. 1920) shows at the left hand side, a massive stone coffin which stood for many years at the back of tenements at Flourmill Brae. It was brought to the public's attention in 1926 when the area was subject to the Town Council's slum clearance scheme. The coffin consisted of granite slabs blackened and cracked through time. It was 5 and a half feet long, two feet wide and two feet deep. The sides and ends were held together by iron clamps and the lid was cemented on. The belief was that the coffin contained the remains of Mary Bannerman, one of the Bannermans of Elsick and married to George Leslie, Laird of Findrassie, near Elgin who died in 1692. However when the coffin was eventually opened it was empty apart from black earth. It was suggested that the slabs may have protected her coffin at some time and that the actual coffin and her remains had been removed to one of the city's graveyards. 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. Powis House
2692 Powis Estate evolved from an area of rough land which was bought in the late 17th century by Alexander Fraser, Sub-Principal of King's College. Powis House itself was designed in 1802 by George Jaffrey, architect, in the classical style. It has a porch with 4 Roman Doric columns under a triple window with a centre arch.
The house was the home of John Leslie, Professor of Greek at King's College. It was subsequently owned by the Burnett Family. In 1936, J.G. Burnett sold most of the estate to Aberdeen Town Council who built a housing estate in the area comprising over 300 residences.
Powis House itself reopened in 1942 as the area's Community Centre and for a while housed a branch of Aberdeen Public Library. Hazlehead House
2907 A photograph of Hazlehead House taken from The Freedom Lands and Marches of Aberdeen 1319-1929 compiled by Donald B. Gunn (1929).
The house was demolished in 1959 by the Town Council to make way for a café restaurant in Hazlehead Park.
The new restaurant was officially opened by Lord Provost George Stephen in June 1960 during a Town Council tour of the city parks. Burnbanks
3012 An image from a postcard showing Burnbanks, a small coastal settlement near Cove, on 11th May 1921. A group of children are sitting around with houses in the background.
Local historian Joe McLeod informs us that this photograph shows the Beattie family, who lived in Burnbanks. The child on the right is Frederick Beattie. He died in WW2 from wounds received fighting in the Middle East. He was 29 years old and left a widow and a son.
The young girl in the middle of the group on the right is Jean Ingram. An article concerning her memories of Burnbanks features in the Evening Express of 25/02/1991, p. 4.
This article was published after plans were announced for the restoration of the village's remaining 10 cottages. These had been in a semi-derelict state since the last resident left in the early 1970s. The development was a collaboration between Scotia Homes of Ellon and the North-East Scotland Preservation Trust.
The project, which also saw the construction of 12 new cottages, was concluded with an official opening ceremony on 07/11/1991, to which past residents of the village were invited (Press & Journal, 05/11/1991, p. 3).
Prior to their redevelopment, from the 1970s onwards, the cottages had been used as stores for Aberdeen City District Council and possibly also as a small agricultural museum. Aberdeen Theatres: Aberdeen Arts Centre
3386 In 1960 the education committee of Aberdeen Town Council proposed the conversion of the empty North and Trinity Parish Church into an adult education and civic arts centre. The plan was given final approval in February 1961, much to the delight of Aberdeen's art enthusiasts.
The Evening Express detailed the need for such a venue at the time by describing the difficulties faced by the William Gavin Players, a local drama group, in staging a play earlier that week in the ballroom of the Music Hall. They had to overcome the roar of a nearby wrestling audience, the incessant ringing of an unanswered telephone, a cramped stage and poor acoustics.
A temporary restriction on capital expenditure and a particularly severe winter caused delays for the conversion. Work began in late 1961 and was concluded by the autumn of 1963. The work cost around £33,000 and saw the reconstruction of the interior and a thorough re-vamp for the building's exterior. At one point the new centre was going to be called Longacre, but this idea was scrapped in favour of Aberdeen Arts Centre.
The completed venue was opened on 18th October 1963 by Sir Herbert Read (1893-1968), an art critic, poet and anarchist philosopher. In his speech Read criticised the main political parties of the day for neglecting the development of the arts and the human imagination in favour of a blind drive for scientific and technological efficiency.
In addition to the 385-seat auditorium, the venue had an exhibition space, a lounge, and a tea bar. The Arts Centre has remained the focal point for local arts groups and arts education to this day. It has also served as a meeting place and provided a useful stage for theatrical productions of all types.
In 1998, facing the need to cut £17.5 million from their budget, Aberdeen City Council withdrew their funding from the Arts Centre. This left the future of the venue in danger. A popular campaign to avoid its closure was led by Annie Inglis MBE (1922-2010), Aberdeen's first lady of theatre.
This led to the Aberdeen Arts Centre Association taking over the venue on a voluntary basis and the eventual formation of the Castlegate Arts Limited, a company with charitable status who continue to run the venue today.
Over the years the Arts Centre has played host to many noted local theatre groups like the Attic Theatre Co., The Revue Group, the aforementioned William Gavin Players, Phoenix Theatre, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Aberdeen Opera Company, Confederate Theatre, Dragongate Theatre, and no doubt many more. It remains a much-loved venue for performers and audiences of all ages. Aberdeen Cinemas: Picture House / Gaumont
3404 Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson explains that by 1950 the Picture House was owned by the Rank Organisation. The British entertainment conglomerate had acquired various cinema exhibition companies: British-Gaumont, Odeon, and the Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (successor company to Associated Provincial Picture Houses). As part of business rationalisation, on 22nd March 1950 the Picture House was rebranded as The Gaumont.
Thomson's Silver Screen indicates that the Gaumont's vertical neon sign dates from the time of the rebranding. In 1956 the design of the cinema was further updated. This saw the introduction of the illuminated canopy and use of the beech design shown here in the redeveloped interior and exterior, replacing the pillars of the Picture House era. A new marble backed fireplace replaced the old one that had been a well-known feature of the cinema since its opening in 1914. The projection equipment and seating were also modernised. This night-time image from the Aberdeen Journals Archive accompanied an article about the Gaumont's new look in the Evening Express of 19th April 1956.
The image shows promotion for a number of films on the cinema's updated exterior: The Rose Tattoo with Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani, Flight from Vienna and Aberdeen Photographic Service's presentation of A Photographic Review of the Royal Tour of Nigeria.
The manager at the time of the Gaumont's redesign was Mr. R. E. Miller. He had managed the cinema since January 1948. In early 1951 Miller converted the upstairs restaurant area, which had laid empty since 1928, into a gallery space. Known as the Gaumont Gallery, it was ideal for photographic exhibitions and was in frequent use well into the 1960s.
Thomson states that during this period Mary Garden, the retired opera singer who returned to Aberdeen in 1939, was something of a regular at the Gaumont. This well-known and much-loved figure would be escorted to her seat by the cinema's commissionaire George Repper, who was also a popular and familiar figure. Repper worked at the Gaumont from 1940 to 1964 and his job was to shepherd queues, attend to patrons and ensure all progressed smoothly.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Aberdeen Cinemas: Picture House / Gaumont
3406 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph showing the exterior of the Gaumont Cinema at 181 Union Street in October 1972. Promotion for Doomwatch, the British science-fiction film, Cabaret, starring Liza Minelli and The Concert for Bangladesh can all be seen.
This image dates from when the Rank Organisation, the cinema's owners, applied to Aberdeen City Council for permission to demolish the venue and redevelop the site for shops and office space.
As detailed in Michael Thomson's book Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) the Rank Organisation had a special department that considered cinema sites they owned that could be profitably redeveloped by the company. Aberdeen was experiencing a pre-oil property boom and the early 1970s saw the closure and redevelopment of a number of cinemas.
The final night of the Gaumont was Saturday 6th October 1973. The last film to be shown as The Lovers with Paula Wilcox and Richard Beckinsale. This photograph was used in the preview of the cinema's final night in the Evening Express of the day before.
The majority of the cinema was demolished not long after. The façade of the upper floors was retained as it was listed as of architectural and historic interest. The site laid empty for some time due to the financial recession of 1974-75 and subsequent uncertainty over its occupancy. In 1976 the site was redeveloped as a Job Centre and shops.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. 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. Castle Fraser
4208 A photograph showing an interior within Castle Fraser, near Sauchen in Aberdeenshire.
The property belongs to the National Trust for Scotland who describe it on their website as "one of Scotland's largest tower houses, with an impressive portrait collection." A couple of portraits can be seen in this image.
This image likely dates from the 1970s. It comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. Tourist information caravan
4216 A photograph of the City of Aberdeen tourist information caravan at the lay-by on the Stonehaven Road, across the A92 from the foot of Nigg Way, as the road approaches Aberdeen from the south. The caravan was sited here between approximately 1978 and 1985. The houses on Clerk Maxwell Terrace can be seen in the background.
The image also shows public toilets that have been made available for travellers heading towards the city. In the foreground is a Ducati motorcycle loaded for travelling. The riders stand near the entrance to the caravan. In another image they are being shown information by a council employee.
Aberdeen City Council appear to have used a caravan like this from at least 1978. Its purpose was to provide information for visitors and would also have been able to assist with accommodation and activity bookings.
The photograph comes from a collection of slides from the 1970s and 80s donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. Another image of the caravan suggests these ones may date from 1980. Main Street Ballater
4222 This photograph looks north west along Bridge Street in Ballater.
The Coach House Hotel, with its Scots baronial style turret, can be seen at the junction with Netherley Place. Since 1994 this property has been the Balmoral Bar.
The hill visible in the background of this image is Craigendarroch, which is Gaelic for "hill of oaks".
This image likely dates from the 1970s. It is a part of a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's Publicity department. Collieston
4228 A photograph looking north across Collieston Harbour towards houses on the road known as The Cliff.
Collieston is approximately 18 miles north of Aberdeen. Not far up the coast from Newburgh and the River Ythan.
As suggested by the crustacean cages, Collieston was once a fishing village. It has remained a popular tourist destination.
This image likely dates from the 1970s or 80s. It is a part of a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's Publicity department. Stonehaven
4234 A photograph looking west into Stonehaven Harbour from the Breakwater.
A number of small boats can be seen moored alongside the Old Pier. Among them are fishing boats with Aberdeen registration numbers: A745 and A240. Cars, including a red Volkswagen Beetle, are parked around the harbour.
On the right side of the shore can be seen the Old Tolbooth, a listed 16th century former courthouse and prison. It now houses a local museum and a restaurant.
The road that curves around the harbour is called Shorehead. The three storey white building in the centre of this image is the Ship Inn. The Marine Hotel can be seen three buildings to the left.
The spire of Stonehaven Clock Tower, or Old Town Steeple, can be seen behind the Shorehead buildings.
The photograph comes from a collection of slides from the 1970s and 80s donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. 16 Schoolhill
4308 A photograph looking north at 16 Schoolhill 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 was a historic building located in the area to the north of Schoolhill, through a pend, between George Street and Harriet Street. Historic maps suggest it may have dated from the late 19th century. It appears to have survived while much of the surrounding buildings on Donald's Close were demolished in the mid-20th century.
Historic newspapers suggest the building may have once served as the premises of Messrs. Wordie and Co., carting contractors. Stables were once located to the north east of this building, to the rear of George Street. The wall partially shown on the right here would have been the entrance to the stables.
A for sale notice for whole area from the Wordie Property Company can be found in the Press & Journal of 12th September 1933, page 1.
The above company no doubt inspired the name, and carting themed signage, of the pub Wordie's Ale House which opened on Schoolhill proper, at no. 16, in around 1989 (Evening Express, 15th November 1995, page 29).
This photograph shows two liveried cars parked outside the building. This space is now occupied by the south west corner of the Bon Accord Centre. 70-80 George Street
4334 A photograph looking south east towards 70-80 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 Centre.
The Buttery, a bakery of the A. B. Hutchison firm, can be seen on the left. The bakery appears to have been emptied ahead of demolition. The units further along the street also stand empty.
From 1893 onward, A. B. Hutchison was based in the nearby Central Bakery at 123 George Street. Their shop The Buttery was known for afternoon teas and morning coffee.
The business was started by Alexander Burnett Hutchison (1862-1928), with an initial bakery at 63 Broad Street. The business was carried on by his family throughout much of the 20th century. An obituary for the founder can be found in the Press & Journal of 18th February 1928, page 8.
Approximately where these buildings stood is now the George Street pedestrian entrance to the Bon Accord Centre. 62-70 George Street
4335 A photograph looking east towards 62-72 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 Centre.
The Scorpio Boutique, can be seen in the centre of the shot. The boutique appears to be having a sale prior to its closure. By contrast, the units adjacent already stand empty.
The Scorpio Boutique frequently took out advertisements in the Evening Express offering a complimentary bottle of wine with any purchase over £25.
Approximately where these buildings stood is now within the Bon Accord Centre. 34-38 Loch Street (Swan Bar)
4343 A photograph looking south towards the Swan Bar at 34-38 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 Centre.
The Aberdeen Pub Companion (1975) by Archibald Hopkin describes the Swan Bar as "a small old pub just off George Street. It consists of a small lounge and public bar where darts figure prominently - the manager for many years was George Baxter who founded the Aberdeen Darts Association. The Lounge has its own door on Loch Street but not a separate bar counter. The range of drinks is unexceptional even for a brewer's bar but the pints of Tennant's lager or Bass special will not need any forcing down." (Page 108).
An account of the final night of service in this popular pub is given in the Press and Journal of Wednesday 15th April 1987, page 3.
All the buildings along this part of Loch Street were replaced with the north elevation of the new shopping centre. The Foundry
4409 A photograph of The Foundry pub and restaurant at 41-43 Holburn Street taken on 21st March 2024.
43 Holburn Street, today The Foundry, was built in around 1915/16 as a motor showroom and workshop for Mr. John Harper, engineer of Bournemouth, to a design by architect George B. Mitchell (Aberdeen Daily Journal, 20th September 1915, p. 4).
In November 1916, during the First World War, the Harper Motor Company put their new garage, at the junction of Holburn Street and Justice Mill Lane, at the disposal of the Red Cross. The commodious building, ideal for transport work, became the headquarters of the Aberdeen Transport Section of the Red Cross Society (Evening Express, 21st November 1916, p. 5).
43 Holburn Street was occupied and in use by the Harper Motor Company until at least 1979. In 1986, George Dowdles, who had ran a roller skating rink called Rollerland Disco in Bon-Accord Terrace, proposed to turn the premises into a leisure centre for teenagers (Press & Journal, 19th June 1986, p. 3).
The new venture at 43 Holburn Street was to be a soda and burger café modelled on the TV show Happy Days and called Up The Junction. It opened in October 1986 (P&J, 10th October 1986, p. 3).
Up The Junction appears to have struggled financially and 43 Holburn Street was remodelled and opened as Rollerland Mark II in August 1987 (EE, 22nd February 1988, p. 8). The original Rollerland skating rink had been on the second floor of 5 Bon-Accord Terrace and operated from 26th June 1981 to mid-1986.
Rollerland on Holburn Street was briefly owned by Cove Rangers football club and was temporarily renamed Wheels Leisure Centre. George Dowdles remained its manager (P&J, 1st April 1989, p. 1). The venue was reopened as Rollerland under the ownership of Aberdeen District Council in July 1989. DJs Robin Galloway and Gary Stein provided music for a reopening gala night (EE, 27th July 1989, p. 5).
Rollerland finally closed in February 1991 on safety grounds. Water leaks had warped the floor making it unsafe for skating. The venue had struggled financially and the estimated cost of repair was too large (P&J, 18th September 1991, p. 3). In June 1995, there was a significant fire in the building (EE, 19 June 1995, p. 2).
In September 1995, the company Alloa Pubs and Restaurants, who had leased the building from the District Council, unveiled plans for a £500,000 transformation of the run-down property. It was to be turned into a prestige bar-diner called The Granary, with a lay-out based on the company's Glasgow venue of the same name (EE, 16th September 1995, p. 7).
With a final redevelopment cost of £600,000, The Granary opened to the public on 6th February 1996 (P&J, 7th February 1996, p. 11).
A search of Aberdeen City valuation rolls indicates that by April 2005 The Granary had changed its name to The Foundry. At the time, The Foundry was operated by Mitchell & Butlers, one of the largest restaurant and pub businesses in the UK.
Mitchell & Butlers own the O'Neill's chain of Irish pubs, the first branch of which opened at 9-10 Back Wynd, Aberdeen on 22nd September 1994. This was formerly the premises of the Tappit Hen pub (P&J, 16th September 1994, p. 3).
In 2010, Mitchell & Butlers disposed of 333 of their town and community pubs to the Stonegate Pub Company. This likely included The Foundry ('Our history' page on Mitchell & Butlers website: https://www.mbplc.com/about-us/our-history/: accessed 22/03/2024).
In November 2023, The Foundry reopened to the public following a brief closure for a significant redevelopment. Backed by a £277,000 investment from the Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub company, the work aimed to shift the venue from a sports-focused pub to a more family-friendly food destination. The exterior design changed from a black and gold colour scheme to the red and gold of Aberdeen Football Club (Aberdeen Business News, 23rd November 2023, https://aberdeenbusinessnews.co.uk/the-foundry-unveils-stylish-transformation-after-major-investment/: accessed 22/03/2024).
Treasure 9: Sketch of Proposed Denburn Gardens
179 The future of Union Terrace Gardens has been the subject of much debate over the years and its original development also led to much discussion in Town Council meetings and in the local newspapers.
In 1868, the architect James Matthews suggested that the area of Union Terrace should be turned into a pleasure ground for the people and the following year this "Sketch of the Proposed Denburn Gardens", drawn by the land surveyor James Forbes Beattie, was published. It includes the area between Belmont Street to Union Terrace and from Union Street to the Royal Infirmary, Woolmanhill.
The gardens are shown laid out with paths and shrubbery but Beattie has also depicted the buildings in the surrounding streets, including the recently completed Belmont Street Congregational Church. Further to the north can be seen the spire and complex of the three churches built for the West, South and East Free Church congregations in 1843-44. The buildings which remain are currently known as the Triple Kirks.
A pedestrian bridge crosses the railway towards Union Terrace and the row of houses known as Denburn Terrace. These were demolished under the City Improvements Scheme of 1883 which eventually led to the construction of Rosemount Viaduct and would have stood on the site of the ornamental plot opposite the Central Library.
This plan acts as a snapshot of the area and provides an interesting comparison with the modern layout of the streets surrounding the Gardens.
After much discussion and negotiation with neighbouring proprietors, the Town Council sanctioned work on laying out the Gardens on the land between the wooded bank at Union Terrace and the railway. Work began in November 1877 and, when the gates were finally opened to the public on 11 August 1879, the band of Gordon's Hospital (forerunner of Robert Gordon's College) played a "selection of pleasing airs" prior the opening ceremony. The official name was now Union Terrace Gardens but it was more popularly known to generations of visitors as the "Trainie Park". |