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Diversion of the River Dee
157 The Dee originally flowed northward from Wellington Bridge close by the railway arches eastwards to the sea. After years of discussion about the development of the harbour, the Aberdeen Harbour Act of 1868 allowed the Harbour Commissioners to divert the river to the south. The first turf was cut by Lord Provost Leslie on 22nd December 1869.
This photograph shows the dam built to allow the excavation of the new channel. Most of the work was carried out by hand with men using picks and shovels. There was no official inauguration of the new channel but the river was following its new course by the beginning of 1873. Diversion of the River Dee
2250 The Dee originally flowed northward from the Wellington Suspension Bridge close by the railway arches then eastward to the North Sea.
After years of discussion about the development of the harbour, the Aberdeen Harbour Act of 1868 allowed the Harbour Commissioners to divert the river to the south.
The first turf was cut by Lord Provost Leslie on 22nd December 1869 and when he had filled a wheelbarrow full of earth it was wheeled along and dumped on the site of the new development.
This 1870 image from the south, Torry side of the river, shows the dam built to allow the excavation of the new channel. Most of the work was done by hand with men digging with picks and shovels and filling horse drawn wagons with the excavated soil.
This laborious work continued for a few years. There does not seem to have been a formal inauguration of the new channel but the river was running in its new channel at the beginning of 1873.
After the slopes of the new channel had been built up with granite, the uneven ground left by the old course of the river was leveled and the area filled with fish curing works and other industrial premises. Triple Kirks Site
2663 Construction work at the Triple Kirks site in January 2018.
The site has had a long history of redevelopment. The churches largely fell into disuse and disrepair in the 1970s and 80s. Since that time there has been a number of proposed development plans.
One of the original three churches, the East Kirk, continues to house a popular pub, nightclub, and a dance studio.
Through the years there have been a number of companies involved in work on the site: Barrett Commercials, William Cowie Partnership, Esson Properties Ltd, Stewart Milne and, most recently, Dandara.
In around 2014 the remaining walls of the North Kirk were demolished and significant excavation, visible in this image, was begun.
This photograph shows work underway to reinforce the church spire. Town House Extension Foundation Stone
2757 The foundation stone of the Aberdeen Town House extension on Broad Street.
As stated on the stone, it was laid by Lord Provost Robert S. Lennox on 17th November 1975.
The city architects responsible for the extension were I. A. Ferguson and T. C. Watson. It was built by Taylor Woodrow Construction (Scotland) Ltd.
The stone also makes reference to a casket buried five metres below the foundations to commemorate the dissolution of the Corporation of the City of Aberdeen as part of local government reform.
The casket ceremony was held on 15th May 1975 shortly after the last meeting of the Aberdeen Town Council which was being replaced by the City of Aberdeen District Council.
The casket ceremony was the final act of John Smith as lord provost. The official switch over of councils was marked by the "Bon-Accord" bell of the West Church of St Nicholas tolling from 11:50pm to midnight on 15th May. Earlier in the day saw a fireworks display at the Queens Links, pipe bands and a special lunch and church service for members and officials of the corporation. See local newspaper coverage from the time for more details on the occasion.
Around 80 people, including councillors, family and Taylor Woodrow employees watched Lord Provost John Smith place 29 items of interest into the copper clad box. Smith joked, "About the year 3048, an unsuspecting archaeological digger may come upon this box and he will no doubt remark on my genius."
Among the buried items were copies of the Press & Journal and the Evening Express, local books, records and cassettes of Scottish music, local government data, sets of coins of the realm and postage stamps, local stones, a phial of North Sea oil and plans for the Town House extension.
The casket was placed on a crane hook by Aberdeen Town House project manager Tom Nisbet and guided into the ground by foreman Andrew Benzies.
The ceremony was reported in local newspapers and the July 1975 issue of the construction company's magazine, Taywood News. |