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Glenburnie Distillery
5 Glenburnie Distillery stood near to the Denburn, about 100 yards east of the dam in Rubislaw Den, and was reached from Spademill Road. It was in operation until 1857 when the buildings were taken over by Mr G. W. Wilson for photographic printing until 1875. They were later demolished to make way for the construction of Forest Road. This photograph dates from the 1860s. North of Scotland Bank, Aberdeen
7 In 1838, the North of Scotland Bank purchased the New Inn and other properties at the corner of Castle Street and King Street. The architect Archibald Simpson was invited to submit plans for the Bank's Head Office on the cleared site. This is a photograph of one of his designs which was not accepted. It shows a building with a curved corner topped with a dome and Corinthian columns running through the first and second floors supporting a pediment over an elaborate cornice. The plan which was adopted also had three storeys but the entrance was a Corinthian portico at the corner topped with an open platform with a terracotta sculpture group by James Giles, representing Ceres, goddess of plenty. Northfield Mission Church
34 Engraving of Northfield Mission Church and School, Gilcomston. Drawing by Andrew Gibb.
Popularly known as 'Laing's Kirkie', Northfield Mission Kirk was opened in Leadside Road on 10 November 1850. The building was designed and funded mainly by Alexander Laing, coachbuilder, as part of the Free Church Mission in the Northfield area of Gilcomston. At that time the area had a bad reputation and poor housing conditions. In 1863, Mr Laing handed over the chapel to the charge of the Free East Church, and the school was transferred to the School Board. Although the new Rutherford Church opened in 1870, the Mission Kirk continued its work. Collison's Aisle, St Nicholas Church
46 This George Washington Wilson photograph shows the memorial stones inserted in the west wall of Collison's Aisle. Originally called Aisle of the Holy Blood, it formed part of the north transept between the East and West Churches of St. Nicholas and was renamed after 1594, although it probably dates from the 14th century. Members of the Collison family held important civic offices at various times, including Provost in 1521 and 1594, and their place of burial was in this aisle. The memorial stones commemerate Andrew Cullen, Thomas Menzies and his wife Mariene Reid, and Sir John Rutherford. Andrew Cullen was a merchant and Provost of Aberdeen in 1506 and 1535, and the stone shows a sculptered coat of arms above the words "Andrew Cullen Prepositus Abd". Thomas Menzies was Provost in 1525 and (for 40 of the next 50 years), only leaving office in favour of other members of his family. He married Mariane Reid of Pitfodels. The stone has two panels above a shield bearing the Menzies coat of arms, flanked by the initials T.M. The second panel has the initials M.R. and a shield with the Menzies and Reid coats of arms. Beneath is the motto 'Spero in Deo et ipse faciet' - Trust in God and he will perform'. The third stone commemorates Sir John Rutherford of Tarland, first elected Provost of Aberdeen in 1483 and every alternate year until 1492, and again between 1496-1500. He probably died about 1520. 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. Allenvale Cemetery from Kincorth
60 An early photograph of Allenvale Cemetery, taking shape in the middle distance, as seen from Kincorth, with Abbotswell Farm in the foreground.
A limited company called the Aberdeen Cemetery Company was established for the purpose of creating this new graveyard. A prospectus inviting public investment was published in the Aberdeen Journal of 29th January 1873. It reads as follows:
"It is well known that in Aberdeen cemetery accommodation is limited and insufficient, and it is generally admitted that its extension is necessary, and cannot much longer be delayed. It is therefore desirable to acquire additional space for that purpose, and to treat it in accordance with modern ideas and practice.
"This company has been formed for the purpose of providing an extensive Cemetery, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, suitable in all respects for the purposes of internment, and of easy access - but sufficiently removed from town to preserve its suburban character."
The new cemetery opened in late 1874 and, as we know, was a big hit. It was officially known as the Aberdeen Cemetery but quickly became known as Allenvale Cemetery, after the property on which it was built.
Allenvale saw major extensions in 1912 and 1932. A London syndicate purchased control of the graveyard from the Aberdeen Cemetery Company in 1958. Aberdeen Town Council subsequently took control of the cemetery in 1965 following the then owners going into liquidation and worries about Allenvale's future. Allenvale remains a fine example of a planned Victorian cemetery to this day.
Notable residents of Allenvale include John James Rickard MacLeod (1876-1935), co-discoverer of insulin, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), fiddler and composer, and Mary Esslemont (1891-1984), the influential doctor. Though, of course, many interned at Allenvale would have their own interesting stories to tell.
In this photograph, Duthie Park, later created on the right, has yet to be landscaped. St. Machar Poorhouse, Fonthill House and Devanha House can all be seen in the distance. King's College
75 The University of Aberdeen's King's College Chapel in Old Aberdeen during winter.
King's College, named for King James IV, was founded in 1495.
The Chapel is considered, along with the Ivy Tower, to be one of the oldest surviving parts of the university. It dates from about 1498 - 1509. Villa Franca
109 Villa Franca, built by Mr. Peacock, dancing master, who died in 1806. The name has been transferred to No. 156 Hamilton Place, which partly stands on the site of the former house, a little east of Morningfield. 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." Marischal College, University of Aberdeen
131 Marischal College, Broad Street, as it was between 1740 and 1840, when it was demolished for re-development. It had been designed by William Adam, architect, of Edinburgh. This drawing is by James Skene of Rubislaw, c.1820. Woodside electric tram
137 The inaugural procession on 23rd December 1899 for the electrification of the Woodside tram route, the first in Aberdeen to be modernised.
Lord Provost John Fleming is at the helm, with Tramways Convener Alexander Wilkie standing next to him, and Councillor Alexander Glass has his foot on the platform.
Next to Fleming and Wilkie, and above Glass, appears to be Alexander Lyon, provost between 1905-1908. Baillie James Taggart, also later to be provost, is the right-most figure in the back row on the roof of the car. Two to the left of Taggart may be James Walker, provost between 1903-1905.
James Alexander Bell, City Electrical Engineer for Aberdeen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is the bowler hatted figure on the stairs above Lord Provost Fleming.
This inauguration is detailed in an article titled 'Electric tramways in Aberdeen: Opening of Woodside section' in the Aberdeen Journal of 25th December 1899, page 7. It details the celebratory tram trip shown here and a luncheon in the Town and County Hall that followed. Park Street
140 View of Park Street with an Aberdeen Corporation Bus and the Eastern Star pub visible. The pub occupied the corner of Park Street and East North Street.
The Aberdeen Pub Companion (1975) states that it was built in 1890 and that James Hill was the first licensee. It was familiarly known as Jimmy Hill's and was a popular local pub. It was demolished around 1960 to make way for the large roundabout at the foot of the Beach Boulevard.
(Many thanks to local historian A. G. Duthie for getting in touch and identifying the pub.) Granite yard
146 Local historian A. G. Duthie has been in touch to suggest that this photograph most likely shows a granite yard. Slabs of the rock can be seen by the wooden fence and the men are standing near small sheerleg cranes.
Brian Kennedy has also contact us to identify the location of the image. It is looking north west along the thoroughfare that is identified as Duthie's Brae on early Ordnance Survey maps. The tenements in the background are those on Nellfield Place. The smaller house on the left in the background was known as Home Cottage and was one of the first built on the street that was then called Holburn Place.
Maps indicate the buildings shown on the left were used as malt barns and later as storehouses. Duthie's Brae was just south of where Hardgate met Fonthill Terrace.
This photograph was likely taken by James Ritchie in 1917. There is another image on this website by Ritchie that looks south from a nearby position. Old Deeside Road
147 Local historian A.G. Duthie has been in touch to identify this image as the most easterly point of the Old Deeside Road.
The photograph is taken from the position of the modern day junction of Great Southern Road and Holburn Street. The house in the background is still visible today.
In his book The Old Deeside Road, G.M. Fraser writes, "The commencement of the old road at Hardgate is still, fortunately, to be seen, near Fonthill Road, at the group of ruinous houses connected with what was long known as Palmer's Brewery. The 'lie' of the old houses at the back of the brewery shows the run of the old road, two of the small, dilapidated buildings being clearly the eastmost houses of the old road just where it touched the Hardgate." (p. 19)
This scene was photographed for Aberdeen Public Library on 6th July 1917 by Mr. James Ritchie. Bridge of Grandholme
160 An engraving showing Grandholm Bridge over the River Don from a drawing by James Giles. The inscription in the bottom right indicates that the engraving was printed at the Deaf and Dumb Institution.
This drawing likely looks west up the river and in the middle distance shows the Cruive Dikes, a complex of weirs and sluices across the River Don built for the purpose of fishing. Remains of these are located not far to the east of the modern Diamond Bridge.
Some information on the ownership and operation of the cruives is given in the book The Annals of Aberdeen (Volume II, 1818) by William Kennedy, on pages 207-209.
In the far distance is Grandholm Bridge. Aberdeen City Council's Historic Environment Record states that the bridge was built by the firm of Leys, Masson and Company in 1810 to improve access to its Granholm Works. It was a wooden bridge with a small lodge and was known locally as the "White Bridge."
The 1810 bridge was replaced by the present steel structure, built by the Motherwell Bridge Company, in 1922. Brig o' Balgownie over the River Don
168 An engraving showing the Brig o' Balgownie over the River Don from a drawing by James Giles. The inscription in the bottom right indicates that the engraving was printed at the Deaf and Dumb Institution.
The title of this engraving describes the Brig o' Balgownie as the Bridge of Don. This is due to it serving as the main bridge over the river until the construction of the bridge known today as the Bridge of Don in 1827-30 by engineers John Smith and Thomas Telford.
This image likely looks south east along the river, towards the bridge, from between Tam's Hole and Black Nook. This was an important salmon fishing area in the past. Some information on the catching of fish on the river is given in the book The Annals of Aberdeen (Volume II, 1818) by William Kennedy, on pages 206-211. Union Street looking West
191 Union Street looking West with the pillars of the Assembly Rooms on the right. This building, more commonly referred to as the Music Hall, was designed by Archibald Simpson in 1820, while the actual Music Hall within, was designed by James Matthews in 1858. The spire belongs to Gilcomston South Church. Aberdeen Grammar School
196 Facade of Aberdeen Grammar School on Skene Street, designed by James Matthews in 1861-63. The statue of Lord Byron who attended the school for a short time may be seen on the left of the photograph. Rubislaw Terrace
236 James Skene of Rubislaw was responsible for this fine row of town houses situated in the west end of the city. The houses, now mostly all offices, alternate in pairs. The original plan of design in 1852 was by James Giles, artist, and Messrs. MacKenzie and Matthews, architects. The street still retains a dignified appearance with some attractive architectural features and elevations. Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen
292 Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen with its alterations as proposed 1787 by Mr. Smeaton.
Trinity Hall Gateway, Aberdeen.
299 Trinity Hall Gateway, Aberdeen. This ornamental gateway was erected at the original Trinity Hall in the Shiprow - the meeting place of the Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen - and dates from 1632. The left of the three panels contained the Guild family coat of arms and the initials D.W.G - Dr William Guild who gifted the building to the Trades. The central inscription reads: 'To ye glorie of God and comfort of the Poore, this Hows was given to the crafts by Mr William Guild, Doctor of Divinitie, Minister of Abdn:1633'. The inscription on the right hand panel reads: 'He that pitieth the poore lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he repay' Prov. 19.17. The gateway was removed in the 1850's when the new hall was erected in Union Street in 1846, and was rebuilt into a side wall. However, later reconstruction work in the 1890's led to the demolition of the gateway although fragments were preserved in the hall. Portrait of James Macbeth
304 Portrait of James Macbeth wearing medal and chain of office as Convener of Incorporated Trades in 1904. Torry Brickworks chimney
309 A photograph showing the largest of the three substantial chimneys stalks that were located at the brick and tile works in Torry, located between Sinclair Road and Victoria Road.
This is one of three photographs on the Silver City Vault taken during the demolition of this Torry landmark on Saturday 12th September 1903. A full account of the demolition can be read in the Aberdeen Daily Journal from 14/09/1903, page 6.
The report tells us that the hexagonal stalk was 175 feet in height, consisted of 155,00 bricks and weighed 500 tons. The demolition was overseen by Mr Peter Tawse, a well known contractor.
Two years previously in 1901, the Seaton Brick and Tile Company had relocated their works from the site in Torry to Balgownie.
Seaton Brick and Tile Company was formed in 1884 after taking over the Northern Patent Brick and Tile Co., which operated a works at Seaton Links. They moved to the Torry works shortly afterwards.
The company continued operation at Balgownie until going into voluntary liquidation on Friday 1st August 1924. This was reported, with a short history of the company, in the next day's Press & Journal (page 6). Demolition of Torry Brickworks chimney
310 A photograph of the demolition of the largest of the chimney stalks at the Torry brick and tile works that took place on Saturday 12th September 1903.
The photograph illustrates the method employed to fall the 175 foot structure, by the overseer Peter Tawse, as described in the Press & Journal:
"The preliminary work of cutting a gap in the chimney near the base was early accomplished by three of the skilled tunnellers employed by Mr Tawse at the Girdleness outfall sewer. As the gap widened, stout wooden props were put in to support the structure. The gap was carried to more than half the circumference of the chimney, and the sight of the weighty pile supported on one side by only a half-dozen wooden props was certainty sufficient to make one nervous. The gang was under the charge of a Lancashire foreman, and they worked away, pipe in mouth, quite unconcernedly.
"The gap having been completed, a charge of dynamite was inserted at the bottom of the props, and a time fuse attached to each.
"Excitement reached a high pitch among the spectators when the signal was given to fire the fuses, and the crowd began to edge further away when the smoke was seen curling round the props, and as the workmen bolted to get beyond the danger zone. First one charge and then the other exploded with a sharp report, but it was not until the props at the extreme ends of the half circles were blown to splinters, that the chimney showed any sign of moving. It then came down, as a spectator remarked, - 'Jist like a rum'le o' bricks.' It slid rather than fell straight down at first, but the top portion toppled over in a south-easternly direction, exactly on the line expected by the contractor. It was all over in a couple of seconds, and certainly it was a sensational sight - so quick, so clear, so safe."
P&J, 14/09/1903, page 6. |