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Statue of Queen Victoria
72 Statue of Queen Victoria at the junction of Union Street and St. Nicholas Street. The statue of Queen Victoria was sculpted by Alexander Brodie. The statue was inaugurated in 1866. The marble began to show weathering due to the frost and was moved to the vestibule of the Town House in 1888. The plaster model of the statue can still be seen in the Music Hall. 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. The Hardweird
126 The street known as the Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft. The last street in Aberdeen to show the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street.
This photograph looks east and is likely taken not far from the junction of Hardweird and Upper Denburn. These dwellings are those that stood on the south side of Hardweird. The land was later developed as utility type facilities with Skene Street School playing field above. 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. Woolmanhill looking towards Schoolhill
148 Photograph of Woolmanhill taken 1907, looking towards Schoolhill. This image is thought to show the house where Joseph Robertson (1810-1866), the journalist and historian, was born.
For more information on Robertson see the entry about him in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (available online with an active library membership) and an obituary for him can be found in the Aberdeen Journal of 19th December 1866, page 6.
Roberston was mostly likely born at 73 Woolmanhill. He and his family certainly appear to have lived at this address for some time. Robertson is listed at this number in the Aberdeen Directory 1833-34 (D. Chalmers & Co.), page 116. Additionally, a death notice for Robertson's mother, Christian Leslie, features in the Aberdeen Journal of 23rd March 1859, page 5, which gives her address as 73 Woolmanhill.
Exactly which of the shown buildings is Robertson's birthplace, or no. 73, is somewhat unclear. A Press & Journal article on "Historic Woolmanhill" from 6th June 1925, page 5, states "it was in the line of houses that separate Blackfriars Street from Woolmanhill that there was born in 1810 Joseph Robertson, who became the most noted antiquary of his day, the most accomplished that Aberdeen has produced." This would suggest that Robertson's birthplace is one of the buildings on the left.
This image featured in the Evening Express' 'Flashback' feature from 12th January 1985, page 12. The accompany information states "Joseph Robertson, an eminent historian and one time editor of the 'Aberdeen Observer' was born at 37 Woolmanhill - the tall building in the foreground of our picture - in 1810." This slightly vague description could refer to the building on the right of the image or perhaps to the first tall building on the left side of the road. The latter would accord better with other references. Additionally, the buildings on the right were known as Black's Buildings.
The above reference to "37 Woolmanhill" may initially suggest a confusion of 73 Woolmanhill, but the former is not without precedent. In Historical Aberdeen (1905), within an informative chapter on Woolmanhill, G. M. Fraser writes the following on page 149:
"Then hardly less remarkable, either in historical knowledge, or general scholarship, was Dr. Joseph Robertson, whose name appears so frequently in these pages, born in the unpretending house, still standing, No. 37 Woolmanhill. It is strange that in Aberdeen there is no public memorial of this distinguished man."
If 37 Woolmanhill is the correct address, 1950s Ordnance Survey mapping, which includes building numbers, suggests the relevant house may be the one in the centre of this image, of those on left, in the middle distance, just after the building marked as a tea warehouse. Demonstration in favour of the Franchise Bill
318 On the 16th August 1884, a great demonstration took place in Aberdeen in support of the Franchise Bill. Over 10,000 men including members of 33 different trades, assembled on the Esplanade and, to the music of 20 bands, paraded through the city street on way to the Links. This photograph shows the processions snaking down Guild Street.
The figures dressed in white towards the front of the procession are likely from the contingent of bakers and millers, of whom there were 300 in number. This may be the end of their group, with a band and the shore labourers behind them.
Describing the procession, the pamphlet The Franchise Bill Demonstration at Aberdeen, on Saturday, 16th August, 1884 states the following:
"The millers and bakers, who came next, presented, perhaps the best show in the whole procession. Dressed in white from head to foot, they made a strikingly conspicuous display amid the variegated draping of the other demonstrators." (Page 7).
The pamphlet goes on to describe the various banners and displays carried by the millers and bakers.
Aberdeen City Libraries have a copy of The Franchise Bill Demonstration at Aberdeen, on Saturday, 16th August, 1884 in our Local Studies Reserve Stock (Lo 329) and this can be consulted at Aberdeen Central Library. The pamphlet states that it is compiled chiefly from local newspaper reports. St. Nicholas Street looking north
779 St. Nicholas Street looking north. Note the presence of the later statue of Queen Victoria that was installed in 1893.
It replaced a statue of a younger Victoria, erected in 1866, that began to show signs of deterioration and so was moved to the safety of inside the Town House in 1888.
This later statue of Victoria was subsequently moved to Queen's Cross in 1964. Flower show, Culter
1004 Flower show, Culter, 11th August 1945, with Lady Grant (later Lady Tweedsmuir). Herring gutters and packers
1105 A George Washington Wilson photograph showing herring being gutted, salted and packed in barrels for export to the Baltic. The image does not show Aberdeen, but another UK harbour, perhaps Stromness.
George Street
1194 This 1987 view of the east side of George Street show the premises at 12-16 and at 20-22 George Street in their last days before being demolished. The Rubber Shop had been in business in the city since 1890 when its founder, George Fowler opened premises at 16 St. Nicholas Street called the London Rubber Company, supplying waterproofs, sports goods, hosepipes, washers etc. This expanded into a wide variety of toys and leather goods. In 1945, they moved from St. Nicholas Street to these premises in George Street where they continued to sell toys, sports equipment, china and fancy goods until July 1986 when the impending development of the Bon Accord Centre forced their closure. Rosehill Farm
1485 A photograph, likely by James G. Kellas and from the early 1950s, showing Rosehill Hill Farm.
The large scale Ordnance Survey map surveyed in 1867, those revised in 1899 and in 1924 show the farm located on the north side of Cairncry Road. Rosehill Quarries were located to the north of the farm buildings.
The OS map surveyed in 1955 shows the farm surrounded by a modern housing estate. The buildings are then nos. 8, 10 and 12 Blackthorn Crescent.
The farm buildings later appear to have made way for new housing developments on Blackthorn Crescent and no remains of the farm can be seen today.
In the early 19th century the lands of Rosehill, along with Burnside and Ruthrieston, were acquired by Alexander Duthie, a successful advocate in Aberdeen, and later passed to his grandson Walter, a writer to the signet in Edinburgh. Walter was the uncle of Elizabeth Crombie Duthie, who donated Duthie Park to the people. See the latter's obituary in the Evening Express of 30th March 1885, page 3, for further detail. Unknown cricket team
1660 A portrait of an unknown cricket team, likely in the early 20th century.
The photograph may show a Aberdeenshire Cricket team at their Mannofield ground. Fishing boats
1871 Fishing boats ashore, Aberdeen.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests that the image "appears to show a part of Old Torry probably upstream from the Pocra to Torry ferry landing with old cottages in the background which may be Abbey Road". The beach north of Footdee
1943 This photograph shows Aberdeen beach north of Footdee. The image is dated as from 1906.
Construction of the beach esplanade began in 1898. The rocky dunes show it had not yet reached this point of Aberdeen's beach front.
In the early 20th century the esplanade only went as far south as slightly beyond the Bathing Station, the chimney of which can be seen in the distance.
The structure protruding above the dunes in the centre of the image may be a flagpole at the gun battery then located on Queen's Links. 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. A School of Dolphins: Pelorus Jack at Tillydrone Library
2178 The whole of Riverbank School voted on the design for Pelorus Jack. We wanted Jack to be colourful and show off the pupil's creativity. The leaf design was chosen to promote looking after the environment and being an eco-friendly school. Also included are the school colours and logo. Treasure 6: Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen
2275 Enthusiastic gardeners who have spent months, if not years, nurturing their plants have the opportunity to display their efforts at flower shows - usually held in August or September. These events for individuals happen all around the country and have a long history.
Britain in Bloom is the national flower show for whole communities. It was the brainchild of Roy Hay, a horticultural journalist. Following a holiday in France where he admired the "Fleurissement de France", he persuaded the British Travel and Holidays Association (later the British Tourist Authority) to organise a similar competition for communities in Britain.
Although the first competition in 1964 was won by Bath, Aberdeen received a "Special Mention". The city did even better in 1965 when it won the National Trophy. Although it did not win again until 1969, the city then continued its success each year until 1971. However, this achievement led to Aberdeen being debarred from the National Competition in 1972 although it still won the Scottish section. 1973 and 1974 saw Aberdeen winning the National award again, and its record 10th win was in 1998.
A slogan competition was held for the 1968 campaign when the winning entry proclaimed "Aberdeen - Garden City by the Sea".
In order to celebrate Britain in Bloom and Aberdeen's success in the competition we have chosen to highlight our collection of historic prize schedules for the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen's annual exhibition.
The Aberdeenshire Horticultural Society was founded in March 1824 when a meeting of "Practical Gardeners" was held in the New Inn for the "purpose of forming themselves into a Society". The Earl of Aberdeen graciously agreed to be Patron of the Society.
In November 1863, it was announced at the annual general meeting that HRH the Prince of Wales had now agreed to become Patron of the Society and that the Society's name was to be changed to the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen.
The Society's "Prize Schedule for Exhibition" gives details of each of the classes which can be entered, with the prizes which can be won - a sum of money or a cup or medal. In 1920, there were a total of 222 classes and those who exhibited were split into one of four Divisions - professional gardeners; nurserymen and florists; amateurs and working class.
The Schedules also contain the Rules of Competition, the Constitution of the Society and a list of Subscriptions and Donations received - these include names, addresses and amounts given. Our earliest copies of the booklets cover the period 1920 - 1937, although the file is incomplete.
The Society celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1999. To take a closer look at these, and many other Aberdeen historic documents, visit Aberdeen Central Library. St Rognvald Crew
2700 This is one of two images copies of which were kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies in 2015.
We believe the photographs show different crews of the St Rognvald that was built in Aberdeen in 1901 by Hall, Russell & Company. It was a steel construction steamship that carried passengers and cargo and sailed routes that included Leith, Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland. The ship was owned by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company.
If you can provide any information on the individuals in this photograph we would be delighted to hear from you. Please use the comment button on the left. St Rognvald Crew
2701 This is one of two images copies of which were kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies in 2015.
We believe the photographs show different crews of the St Rognvald that was built in Aberdeen in 1901 by Hall, Russell & Company. It was a steel construction steamship that carried passengers and cargo and sailed routes that included Leith, Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland. The ship was owned by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company.
If you can provide any information on the individuals in this photograph we would be delighted to hear from you. Please use the comment button on the left. Union Street, Aberdeen
2775 A Davidson Bros. "Real Photographic" Series postcard looking east up Union Street. The image likely dates from the early 20th century. Before the junction with Back Wynd can be seen the Queen's Restaurant at 120 Union Street and R. Hunter, Chemist at 118.
The building at the junction of Union Street and Back Wynd was initially built in 1837 to a design by John Smith. It was the first purpose built home of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen.
Doreathea Bruce, in her history of the Society, explains that they sold the building in 1870 after construction of the the new, James Matthew designed, Advocates' Hall in Concert Court.
The old hall was bought by Lockhart & Salmond, confectioners, and later functioned as a restaurant and as a cinema. Bruce suggests the building became known as Queen's after it was decorated by City Architect John Smith shortly after Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.
Her full history of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen can be read in Aberdeen University Review, LVI, no. 195, Spring 1996. INTRODUCTION
2873 Aberdeen is home to an estimated 1,020 Poles. This number is gradually growing every year. Although the Polish community has integrated well with the Scots, there is still prejudice lingering. Statistics from 2017 show that Poles were the ethnic minority group in Aberdeen which had received the most racial discrimination. 70% of a total 144 incidents of discrimination consisted of verbal abuse.
It is important to demolish any type of discrimination towards any race to maintain peace within Aberdeen's communities. I believe that in order to do so, we all have to look back at our history together.
Significant relations between Scotland and Poland date back to at least the 16th century. From that time onwards, whether it was fighting together in WW1 and WW2 or making lucrative trades, our relationship has remained fruitful. In this article I shall be writing about our countries' most cardinal points in history. 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. |