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Gala and Heather Day in the Duthie Park
395 This Adelphi Series postcard shows the Gala Day taking place in Duthie Park on 21st August 1915.
The Gala in Duthie Park and the accompanying Heather Day were both organised to raise funds for the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The Gala Day is one of largest events ever to take place at the park. It was estimated that between 25,000 and 26,000 people attended. Tickets cost 6 pence (6d) for general admission and 2s 6d for carriages or motor cars.
Within the park there was an elaborate programme of entertainment and refreshments organised. Details of the programme were published in a 32 page booklet prior to the event. Upwards of 1,300 people took part in the programme.
Gates to the park opened at 3pm and the event officially commence at 3pm with a grand military parade. Lieut-Colonel A. H. Leith of Glenkindie, Garrison Commander, and Lord Provost James Taggart "took the salute" opposite the Hygiea statue.
The Gala and Heather Day were organised by a distinct committee; Taggart was its president and Alexander Findlay, Superintendent of Cleansing, was its chairman. Councillor H. J. Gray was the secretary and treasurer and Mr John Lints was his assistant. There were also conveners and secretaries for various sub-committees concerned with aspects like entertainment and refreshments.
There was a wide range of entertainment organised for within the park including singing, dancing, gymnastic displays, musical drill, motor cycle gymkhana and bayonet fighting. Various platforms saw performances from acts such as a company lead by D. M. Kinghorn, pierrots directed by Minnie Mearns, Dan Williams, and W. A. Craig's operatic choir. Charles Soutar lead a 500 strong choir of children from the city's public schools.
Practically all naval and military units present in the city were represented at the event and individuals from many of them took part in the sporting competitions. The day also included a 5-a-side football and tug of war competition. Preliminary matches for these took place prior to the day at Pittodrie Park.
The Gala Day was filmed and this was later shown as part of a special programme at the Picture House on Union Street from the 25th of the month.
Over £500 was taken at the gates for the event. Entertainment and refreshments within further increased the figure raised.
Heather Day itself generated another £474. This involved over 1,500 vendors going around all parts of the city selling sprigs of the plant. The sale started on the afternoon of the Friday and continued all through Saturday. Entertainment venues throughout the city were also visited.
The vendors were primarily young women and members of organisations like the boys brigade. Stores present in all areas of the city were replenished from a central depot at 173a Union Street. This in turn was supplied by the cleansing department buildings in Poynernook Road, where the preceding week had seen 200,000 sprigs prepared for sale. Peterhead, Inverurie, Ellon and Banchory organised their own Heather Days for the same fund.
The sum taken from both the Gala and the Heather Day was estimated at considerably over £1,000.
See the report in the Aberdeen Journal, Monday 23rd August 1915 page 8, for further details about the occasion. Horsemen at a farm at Hirn, Banchory
1026 Since farmwork was entirely dependent on horses and horsemen a great deal of pride was taken in them. It was common in the early 1900's for itinerant photographers to travel around to take photos of the farm workers. Here we see three horsemen with their pairs of Clydesdales. Farmworkers had a strict division of labour so that cattlemen did not work with horses and vice versa. Horsemen had their own hierarchy - the most experienced man would be first horseman and the other took their place down to the youngest and least experienced. The first horseman would lead out to the fields and the others followed in order and they would work the fields in the same manner. Even when all the workers were hoeing fields horseman would outrank cattlemen. Settmaker at Persley Quarry
1071 The Aberdeen area had many granite quarries, and there was a need for men who had the skill to reduce huge blocks of granite into manageable pieces by chipping it with a variety of hammers, and chisels to produce the required shape and size. In this 1920's photograph we see a settmaker at Persley Quarry on the north side of the River Don in Aberdeen, at his wooden shelter or 'skaithie'. These shelters provided some sort of wind break for these men who had to sit on blocks of granite patiently working on the hard stone. Settmakers made cassies for roads and Aberdeen setts were used to pave streets in London. On his left is a tripod structure which acted like a small crane to lift the bigger stones into position. Note the lack of protective safety equipment apart from some extra padding on his knees. Stop 11: Early Health Services at Aberdeen General Dispensary, Vaccine and Lying-in Institution, 1823
2310 We have to use our imagination a little as the street known affectionately by locals as the 'Gushie' no longer exists other than Provost Skene's House which has the address of 45 Guestrow. In 1823 The General Dispensary, Vaccine and Lying-In Hospital opened in Guestrow, a street that ran parallel to Broad Street from where approximately the Illicit Still is today to where it joined Upperkirkgate.
The General Dispensary, Vaccine and Lying-in Hospital gave free medical advice and treatment to all that required it. These early health services were provided for poorer families often living in the East End of Aberdeen who couldn't afford to pay for medicine, vaccines or to see a doctor. Although a team of doctors were employed at the Institution, young medical students from across the road here at Marischal College also undertook some of their training at the Institution.
The Lying-In part of the Hospital was for women who, once they had had their babies, would 'lie in' for a few weeks as they had such poor living conditions at home. In 1880 it was recorded that 3327 cases were dealt with in that one year alone. It wasn't until 1892 that midwives were employed, recognizing the need for specialist nursing care for pregnant women. This greatly improved the nursing care provided and understanding of the specific needs of mothers and babies.
A famous daughter of Aberdeen who has shaped midwifery throughout the world is Maggie Myles (1892-1988) who wrote her groundbreaking book Textbook for Midwives 'With Modern Concepts of Obstetrics and Neo-natal Care' in 1953, the year before she retired. Maggie produced a further nine editions, each kept up-to-date with the latest developments and best practice. The book has been translated into many languages and is recognized as the leading international textbook for midwives. The book is now in its 15th edition. Born in 1892 in Aberdeen the daughter of a housepainter and former domestic servant Maggie Myles life story is truly remarkable. Migrating to Canada soon after leaving school Maggie would rise to become the director of midwifery education in Philadelphia and Detroit before returning to Scotland in 1939 to be Midwifery Tutor at Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion in Edinburgh.
Memories:
Heather's memories of Billie Maver and the General Dispensary
Nora recounts her memories of Maggie Myles
Edith shares her memories of Maggie Myles Treasure 36: Aberdeen City Libraries' First Book Sale, 24 February 1979
2327 National Libraries Day has been held every February since 2011 to celebrate and raise awareness of libraries, library staff and their communities all over the UK. It is an opportunity for libraries to showcase and promote what they have to offer and to attract as many visitors as possible to local libraries.
This month our selection from the Library archive brings the focus to a Library event the likes of which has never been seen before or since in Aberdeen City Libraries. The photograph shows the queue for the first ever Library book sale held in the Ballroom of the Music Hall on Saturday 24 February 1979, when well over a thousand people swarmed through the doors to grab a bargain. The Press and Journal covered the event with the headline: "Bonanza Day for Bookworms; bargain hunters pack the Music Hall".
In September 1978 the Aberdeen District Council's library committee agreed to a recommendation from City Librarian Peter Grant to hold a sale of more than 30,000 books which had been withdrawn from stock for various reasons. There was also considerable duplication of stock following local government re-organisation in 1975 when Aberdeen inherited six former county branch libraries.
Books were divided into three categories: Children's, Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction (including reference books) and prices were kept low at 20p for fiction books and non-fiction titles slightly more at 50p.
Best sellers included children's books purchased by play groups, out of date encyclopaedias and Whittaker's Almanacs, and bound volumes of National Geographic Magazine. By the end of the day, the event was deemed an overwhelming success, selling over 13,000 books and raising more than £3645 for the purchase of new stock.
The hard work and dedication of the Library staff was recognised by the Convener of the Library Committee Councillor Henry Rae who said "It turned out to be a resounding success and this was achieved by the dedication of the staff".
Hamilton Place, Looking West
2732 A postcard of Hamilton Place likely dating from the early 20th century. The view looks west from the juntion with Westfield Road. The house on the left foreground appears to be 8 Hamilton Place. A small part of 3 Hamilton Place can be seen across the road.
Correspondent Urlan Wannop, a former resident at 41 Hamilton Place, shared his memories about this place:
"My family lived in Hamilton Place between 1935 and 1948. The trees have since been removed, but on warm summer evenings we played ball games in the street before cars became prevalent. The trees stood in for stumps for games of cricket. In wartime, snow clearance for the very few motor cars and steam powered coal delivery wagons meant walls of snow at the pavement edge. I still have weights cast from lead left when all garden railings were removed in an abortive attempt to build tanks and ships for the war effort. (...)
[The] photograph precedes the wartime removal of railings. For historical record, the photograph was possibly taken in the 1920's, judging by the motor car in the background, the presence of the railings and the trees being less fully grown than in the days when they stood in as wickets for street games of cricket.
No sign of the knife grinders, bicycles of visiting French onion sellers nor of the street singer that progressed down Hamilton Place. All disappeared except from my memory.
The wartime Lord Provost, Tommy Mitchell - of Mitchell and Muil, the bakers - lived in a house at the near left; my Headmaster at the Grammar School, JJ Robertson, lived in one at the near right. Like me, he would walk to school down Craigie Loanings". Pennan
2955 A photograph of Pennan by James Porter taken from Buchan Illustrated (1904). The book was one of a number of pictorial albums of Aberdeenshire published by the offices of the Aberdeen Daily Journal and the Evening Express. The book was bound for the publishers by W. J. Middleton, Adelphi Works.
All its 80 photographs were taken by James Porter, then based at 6 Schoolhill. He was a well-known and prominent photographer, considered to be one of the first in the City to work with newspapers.
Porter died aged 63 on 31st May 1937 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. His obituary can be read in the next day's Press and Journal.
Buchan Illustrated accompanies the photograph of Pennan with the following text:
"The beautiful bay of Pennan is the haunt of artists; its village stretches along the margin of the sea under the shadow of rugged cliffs which rise abruptly above the houses to the height of 200 feet. In storms the houses are occasionally flooded at high water. The view from the Red Head of Pennan (562 feet) is a notable one - to the westward, Troup Head; to the eastward, a long line of indented coast; across the Moray Firth, many of the great mountains of Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness." Bonnymuir Bowling Club
3106 A group portrait showing the management council of Bonnymuir Bowling Club in 1924. The photograph was taken by Alexander Ledingham, who ran a studio at 101a Rosemount Place for many years.
This print is attached to a larger board which identifies all the figures present:
Standing: W. H. Davidson, G. Cooper, C. B. Garrioch, J. S. Taylor, A. Craig, W. Allan, C. D. Davidson, A. Milne, J. Reid, W. Tocher, J. M. McFarlane, J. Rigg, J. M. Ross.
Sittings: J. Gordon, A. G. R. Weir, R. Cameron (Treasurer), J. M. Begg (Vice-President), G. H. Simpson (President), P. Scott, E. Swan (Secretary), H. Reid, A. Matthews.
The green is located to the west of Bonnymuir Place and was previously a garden area. The land was given to the community to serve as a bowling green in the early 1920s. This image was used in Old Rosemount (2015) by Patricia Newman and this book gives a short account of the formation of Bonnymuir Bowling Green Ltd. and its initial fundraising.
The bowling club closed down in 2015. A group of local residents have subsequently formed the Bonnymuir Green Community Trust with the aim to develop and use the site of the former green as an asset, owned by and operated for, the benefit of the community. March Stone 27 ("the Ringing Stone")
3209 This stone is located adjacent to Brodiach Burn. Parallel between Brotherfield Farm and Easter Ord Croft. Access is best achieved from Brotherfield Farm. The stone is marked "27 ABD".
The 1929 Blue Book explains that the Ringing Stone, which is mentioned in all the old descriptions, was sited near this location, but has since disappeared. The book also includes a photograph of the scene, showing the nearby foot bridge.
Origins of this intriguing name are unknown. There are 2 miles, in a northward direction, to the next stone, being the longest distance between stones. The Brodiach Burn was taken to provide a sufficient marker for the line of the marches.
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 Theatres: Sweet Red Riding Hood
3357 By selecting Red Riding Hood for the opening pantomime, the director of His Majesty Theatre, Mr Robert Arthur, made a happy hit as the traditional children's story attracted many people, young and old.
As a pantomime, the story of Little Red Riding Hood got somewhat lost in the musical and operatic melange but the performance was well applauded by both the public and the press. The pantomime, written by Frank Dix and composed by Jullien H. Wilson, was divided into two acts - the first in four scenes and the second in five. This "Book of Words" programme contains the script, photographs of the actors and some local adverts.
For the first two nights of the pantomime, bookings were reserved for debenture and preference shareholders only, of which there were a considerable number, as nearly all the money for the new building had been raised locally.
The pantomime, which ran till the end of the year, was greeted with whole-hearted applause from start to finish. 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: Coliseum / New Kinema / Belmont
3437 The cinema on Belmont Street had operated as the Belmont from 24th June 1935. On 4th January 1938 it was announced that James F. Donald (Aberdeen Cinemas) Ltd. had acquired a controlling share in Caledonian Theatres, who ran the Majestic on Union Street and the Belmont. Michael Thomson credits Caledonian Theatres' financial difficulties at this time to their inability to book the best films.
An organisation known as the Ship Contractors' and Ship Wrights' Association had a right to sell bond on the Belmont Street property that included both the cinema and the headquarters of the Aberdeen Trades Council. From 1946 onwards the aforementioned association tried to sell the property and this was contested by the Trades Council. This fight went all the way to the House of Lords but the Trades Council's appeal was dismissed in January 1949.
Caledonian Theatres had attempted to purchase the building outright from the Ship Contractors' and Ship Wrights' Association but this sale was interrupted by the Aberdeen Sheriff Court following an appeal from the Trades Council. In the end the building was sold to the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) in February 1952 to be converted into their new Aberdeen headquarters.
Following this sale, the Belmont cinema closed on down 29th March 1952. Its final film was The Steel Helmet an American film, directed by Samuel Fuller, about the Korean War.
In mid-1956 NAAFI moved its accounts operations out of Aberdeen and put the block up for sale. On 22nd April 1958 the Clydesdale Supply Co. Ltd. moved from premises at 111/2 Rose Street to the former Trades Hall and cinema at 49 Belmont Street. The large premises were employed as the warehouse for the company's wide range of clothing, household goods, furniture, radios, televisions and radiograms. Clydesdale appear to have occupied the building until around 1962.
This Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph from 1966 likely shows the building when it was unoccupied.
During the early 1980s the building was used as a carpet showroom. In October 1994 plans were announced by Aberdeen City Council to create a media centre at 49 Belmont Street. This included three cinema screens, educational facilities and a café bar. The building was converted for this purpose but funding could not be secured for its operation.
The revamped cinema finally opened as The Belmont Picturehouse in September 2000 and was operated by the Picturehouse company. This firm was later bought by Cineworld and had to relinquish the lease on The Belmont in adherence with competition law. In 2014, the Centre for the Moving Image was selected to take on its management and the much-loved cinema became the Belmont Filmhouse.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Treasure 2: The Edinburgh Journal of Natural History and the Physical Sciences
169 In the library's historic reference collection we have a slim bound volume of 'The Edinburgh Journal of Natural History and the Physical Sciences'.
The journal is credited as being "conducted by Captain Captain Thomas Brown, F.L.S. M.W.S. M.K.S., President of the Royal Physical Society" with the assistance of "eminent scientific and literary men."
The collected issues date from the 1830s and include articles on all manner of scientific topics of the day such as "the chemical composition of native gold" and "porcupine men".
One of the most striking features of the volume is the beautifully illustrated zoological plates that accompanied each issue.
We have chosen to highlight a colourful plate of lepidopterans engraved by James Mayson in order to celebrate the wonderful butterfly book sculpture visiting Aberdeen Central Library throughout July as part of the 'Butterflies on the Move' national tour.
To view more of the zoological plates please download the PDF file located in the Document section of this record or come see the volume displayed in the library throughout July 2015. Treasure 8: Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management
178 During 2015, Scotland celebrates the year of Food and Drink and this theme is continued as part of the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend in August. Keeping the theme in mind we would like to reveal "The Book of Household Management" by Mrs Isabella Mary Beeton, one of the most famous cookery books ever published.
Isabella Mayson was born on 12 March 1836 in London and it was whilst studying in Heidelberg she took to pastry making which she continued to practice at a local confectioners upon her return to England. In 1856, she married Samuel Beeton, a well-known editor and publisher and began to write articles on cooking and household management for the English Woman's Domestic Magazine.
In 1861, Beeton's Book of Household Management' was published. It was an immediate success, selling over 60,000 copies in its first year of publication and nearly two million by 1868.
Isabella died young at the age of 28 on 6 February 1865 of an infection following the birth of her fourth child but Samuel Beeton went on to publish a 2nd edition in 1869. In 1888 there was a major revision, with 27 new sections which included menus, table decorations, directions for using tinned meats and a section on American, Colonial and Continental cookery.
Aberdeen City Libraries hold a copy of this entirely new edition and it is numbered "five hundred and fifty-eighth thousand". It is 1644 pages in length with 13 beautiful colour plates and 68 full page illustrations. It includes a section on menus for all seasons with menus in both English and French. It is an absolute treasure and a tribute to Mrs Beeton that a version is still reproduced today. Treasure 26: Sweet Red Riding Hood, His Majesty's Theatre, 1906
199 Monday 3 December 1906, 7.30pm. His Majesty's Theatre opens its doors to a brilliant audience and a grand production of the pantomime "Red Riding Hood". Our month's treasure features the pantomime's "Book of Words" printed to promote the event. Few things have been more intimately associated with Christmas than the popular family entertainment known by the name of pantomime.
The word, borrowing of Latin pantomimus (mime, dancer) and coming from the Greek pantóminos ("imitator of all") took the meaning of a drama or play performed without words at the beginning of the 18th Century. Later traditionally performed at Christmas, it incorporates colourful costumes, slapstick comedy, songs and audience participation...
Plots of pantomimes include a number of stock character types: the "principal boy" (the central young male figure, who is sometimes played by a female actor), the "pantomime dame" (always played by a male actor in drag), the villain and other comic characters. In "Sweet Red Riding Hood" at His Majesty's Theatre in 1906, loud calls were directed at the players; Miss Lyuba Lova, a reportedly fascinating Red Riding Hood, Miss Winifried Harbord as Boy Blue and Mr Willie Garvey who made a most amusing Mother Hubbard.
By selecting "Red Riding Hood" for the opening pantomime, the director of His Majesty Theatre, Mr Robert Arthur, made a happy hit as the traditional children's story attracted many people, young and old. Because it was a pantomime, the legend got almost lost in the musical and operatic melange but the performance was well applauded by both the public and the press. The pantomime, written by Frank Dix and composed by Jullien H. Wilson, was divided into two acts - the first in four scenes and the second in five scenes. The "Book of Words" contains the script, photographs of the actors and some local adverts.
For the first two nights of the pantomime, bookings were reserved for Debenture and Preference shareholders only, of which there were a considerable number, as nearly all the money for the new building has been raised locally. The pantomime, which ran till the end of the year, was greeted with whole-hearted applause from start to finish.
Treasure 41: Mary Garden Record Collection
210 We hold a number of original vinyl records in our collections, including those of Mary Garden, a local girl who found global fame as an opera singer in the early 20th Century.
Born at 35 Charlotte Street on 20 February 1874, Mary Garden left her native Aberdeen around the age of nine when the family moved to America in search of better opportunities and a new life.
After a period of uncertainty and several moves, a young Mary accepted a role as a childminder in Chicago, with payment taking the form of singing lessons to further her obvious interest. By 1896, Mary had shown sufficient progress that she accompanied her tutor to Paris in a quest to pursue a career in opera.
Mary's first big break came in 1900, when she performed in the new opera, Louise after the main star became unwell. A series of leading roles followed in 1901, including Thaïs, Manon and Madame Chrysanthème. For the next decade, Mary courted both limelight and controversy as she portrayed leading characters on stage, while being romantically linked to various composers and directors off-stage. Adding fuel to these fires of speculation, Claude Debussy chose Garden to create the title role of his new play, Mélisande, overruling the preference of his own librettist.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Mary attempted to enlist in the French army - but with her identity discovered, she instead turned to nursing at a hospital in Versailles. When she returned to America, she continued to raise funds for the French Red Cross. Her efforts during both war and peacetime generated awards from Serbia and France.
Mary appeared in two silent films - the first released in 1918 - but she found difficulty adapting to the new medium and this separate career never took off. She returned to her first passion and continued to perform in opera until the mid-1930s.
In 1921, Mary was offered the role of director of the Chicago Opera Association, and as she was still performing - undertook both roles with fervour. Under her tenure, the Association took on many new and exciting artists and works.
At the outbreak of war in 1939, Mary chose to remain in Paris, until the German invasion forced her to escape, leaving all of her possessions behind. In June 1940, she returned to Aberdeen but the lure of teaching the next operatic generation proved too strong and she once again travelled to America to coach young stars and give lectures in 1949-1950.
By this time, it appears that Mary's memory had started to suffer - evidenced by the 1951 autobiographical publication Mary Garden's Story which was riddled with factual errors. The book received disastrous reviews and possibly led to her decision to reside permanently in Aberdeen from 1954.
Mary died in 1967 in the House of Daviot, a country hospital near Inverurie, aged 92. Fifty friends attended a small ceremony. A small commemorative plaque is located at 41 Dee Street where the Garden family lived, and a small garden is dedicated to her memory in Craigie Loanings.
Although she remains relatively little known in her native Aberdeen, Mary's legacy is considerable in the United States - particularly in Chicago where her stewardship of the Opera Association is still remembered fondly.
Treasure 44: Historic Children's Literature Collection
213 This month we feature beautifully illustrated children's literature from our historic collections to mark World Book Day on 3 March 2016.
World Book Day is a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and - most importantly - it is a celebration of reading. It is designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. The main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.
Little Ann and Other Poems illustrated by Kate Greenaway is a first edition, published by George Routledge & Sons c. 1883. It contains 42 poems all illustrated in her charming style of dainty children dressed in typical Greenaway costume.
Catherine "Kate" Greenaway (17 March 1846 - 6 November 1901) was an English artist and children's book illustrator
Online resources Britannica Encyclopaedia provides a brief biography of Kate Greenaway:
"The daughter of John Greenaway, a draftsman and wood engraver, Kate Greenaway grew up in various residences, including a farmhouse in Nottinghamshire, and studied art in various places, including London. She began to exhibit drawings in 1868, and her first published illustrations appeared in such magazines as Little Folks. In 1879 she produced her first successful book, Under the Window, followed by The Birthday Book (1880), Mother Goose (1881), Little Ann (1883), and other books for children, which had an enormous success and became very highly valued".
Greenaway's work was praised by John Ruskin, a dear friend who said "her drawings are blissful just in the degree that they are natural; the fairyland that she creates for you is not beyond the sky nor beneath the sea but near to you, even at your doors. She does but show you how to see it and how to cherish".
In our collections we also hold a copy of 'Kate Greenaway Pictures: from originals presented by her to John Ruskin and other personal friends' from 1921.
"In 1890 Greenaway was elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, and in 1891, 1894, and 1898 she exhibited watercolour drawings, including illustrations for her books, at the gallery of the Fine Art Society (by which a representative selection was exhibited in 1902). From 1883 to 1897, with a break only in 1896, she issued a series of Kate Greenaway's Almanacs."
The Kate Greenaway Medal, established in her honour in 1955, is awarded annually by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in the UK to an illustrator of children's books.
Treasure 49: Popular Fallacies Book
220 In 1924 Alfred Seabold Eli Ackermann (1867-1951), member of the Society of Engineers in London, published his book Popular Fallacies Explained and Corrected to explore common beliefs among the people of his time.
Filled with useful information and interesting facts, the book proved to be very popular and was republished many times afterwards. This month's treasure features the third edition, published in 1924, and held in our Reference Collection.
Only 460 fallacies were listed in the first edition. Our copy of the book features 890 new myths and analyses 1,350 in total. In an article published in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Ackermann provides details about the book, and describes what he considers to be a fallacy:
"A popular fallacy or error is something which is generally thought to be true, but which in fact is not, and it is remarkable for how long error may continue. It is a fallacy, for example, that a thick glass tumbler can stand hot water better than a thin one" (5 May 1924).
The book explores a diverse range of topics concerning animals, minerals and vegetables, science and technology, domestic environment, statistics, music, the human body, law, weather, and many other subjects.
Popular Fallacies remains interesting even today and reflects the popular myths of the era. In an amusing tone, it "explains in a new way entirely not a few of our long-cherished fads and freaks" (Dundee Courier, 9 November 1907). It also provides an important insight into societal views and scientific and engineering discoveries of the 19th and 20th Century.
British newspapers were very enthusiastic when the book was first published in 1907. The Framlingham Weekly News in Suffolk, England reported that: "[it] is remarkable to a student to notice how false notions gain currency and become unquestionably accepted as though they had behind them all the weight of the law, natural or man-made as the case may be." (26 October 1907).
Ackermann revised the book between the first and the third version. He also added new categories, such as astronomy, geography, etymology and a biography of famous people.
Treasure 53: An Account of Pedestrianism
228 National Walking Month takes place in May and is promoted by the UK charity Living Streets. Their aim is to encourage people to see walking as a natural choice and they hope to see a reduction in health problems, congestion and pollution, and social isolation while boosting local communities by bringing high streets to life. Specific events such as Walk to School Week and Walk to Work Week are also held during this month.
One of the books in our Local Studies collection describes the exploits of walkers in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1813, Walter Thom published 'Pedestrianism; or, An account of the performances of celebrated pedestrians during the last and present century; with a full narrative of Captain Barclay's public and private matches; and an essay on training.'
Pedestrianism was the term used for competitive walking races which were extremely popular as a spectator sport in the 18th and 19th centuries, both in indoor and outdoor venues, not only in Britain but also in America, Canada and Australia. Large sums of money could be won and betting on the results was prolific.
Walter Thom came from Bervie in Kincardineshire but moved to Aberdeen in the early 1800s where he published The History of Aberdeen in 1811. He then moved to Edinburgh for a short time before travelling to Ireland where he became editor firstly of the Dublin Correspondent and later of The Dublin Journal. He died in Dublin in 1824.
In his preface to Pedestrianism, Thom explains that his choice of subjects treated in the volume will deserve attention of all classes "as exercise conduces so much to the strength and soundness of both body and mind".
He discusses the Olympic Games and gymnastic exercises as practised by the ancient Greeks before moving to "modern pedestrianism" which he claims "affords the best species of exercise, and may be said to include much that is valuable to mankind". He describes feats of pedestrianism from the 1700s and 1800s, which included races over a period of days or those which only lasted one or two hours.
Treasure 58: Princess Mary's Gift Book, 1914
234 One of our treasures this month was a wartime endeavour of Princess Mary (25 April 1897 - 28 March 1965), the third child and only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary.
Princess Mary's Gift Book was a fundraising volume published on 27 November 1914 by Hodder & Stoughton. All profits from its sale went to the Queen's 'Work For Women' Fund, which was created to secure paid employment for women whose livelihood was threatened by the war.
The volume features stories and poems by some of the most popular authors of the day such as J. M. Barrie, Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling. The stories are accompanied by black and white illustrations and colour paintings by famous artists like Arthur Rackham and all the artwork was created specifically for the book.
Princess Mary's Gift Book was designed to appeal to all members of the family. It opens with a piece by J. M. Barrie on how best to enjoy a holiday in bed and includes many other stories and poems including Magepa the Buck and Out of the Jaws of Death: A Pimpernel by H. Rider Haggard and Baroness Orczy.
The gift book was sold for 2s. 6d. and half a million copies were sold within a month of its publication.
View the Treasures from our Collection interactive exhibition on the touchscreen to find out more about Princess Mary and her gift book - and discover the coincidence linking the book to one of the biggest supernatural scandals of the 20th Century.
Treasure 72: George MacDonald Victorian Children's Books
274 In our Local Studies collection we hold a number of works by Victorian author George MacDonald. He wrote extensively over his lifetime in a variety of genres yet it is probably for his fantasy writing that he is most highly regarded. He is sometimes referred to as the founding father of modern fantasy writing and subsequent renowned writers C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration from his work.
MacDonald's novels "At the Back of the North Wind" (1871); "The Princess and the Goblin" (1872) and its sequel "The Princess and Curdie" (1882) are titles that we are still familiar with today and, as a result of their enduring popularity, they continue to be reprinted and sold nearly 150 years after they were first published.
In common with other popular fiction from the Victorian period, they were originally serialized and instalments appeared in Good Words for the Young - a magazine which aimed to provide wholesome literature for children to read.
The editions of George MacDonald's children's books in our collection are all printed by Glasgow firm Blackie & Son Ltd whose business activities included bookselling, publishing, printing and book production. Their children's publications are notable for their colourful covers and striking illustrations.
View the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on our touchscreens to find out more about the Victorian author and his varied works.
Treasure 89: Queen Mary's Dolls' House Books
301 Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a highly extravagant and detailed piece of miniature architecture and design built on a scale of 1:12 that comprises over 40 rooms, four elevations, two staircases, two working lifts, hot and cold running water in all five bathrooms, water closets that flushed, electric light, a cellar, a garage and a garden designed by the famous landscape gardener Gertrude Jekyll. It was commissioned by a friend of the Queen and cousin of King George V, Princess Marie Louise. The idea came about in Spring 1921, and at the private viewing of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Princess Marie Louise approached the noted architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, with the proposal to design and build a dolls' house fit for a queen. The house was to be a gift from the nation - recognising Queen Mary's charitable works throughout the Great War.
In our collections we hold a concise two-volume account of the dolls' house, gifted to the library by Queen Mary in 1930. The first volume, The Book of the Queen's Dolls' House, was edited by the poet A. C. Benson and noted architectural writer, Sir Lawrence Weaver. The second volume is focused entirely on one room of the dolls' house and its contents - the Library. The Queen's Dolls' House Library is edited by the essayist and biographer E.V. Lucas.
View our Treasures exhibition on the interactive screen to peek inside the dolls' house and find out more about the nation's gift to Queen Mary. Treasure 117: Estate Sale Catalogues
340 On display is a collection of local estate sale catalogues. During the 20th century many large estates were sold and the pattern of land ownership in Scotland changed. The division of estates at the time of sale lead to an increase in the ownership of smaller areas. Economic depressions and increased taxation were among the reasons behind the break up and sale of estates, particularly the imposition of death duties, also known as inheritance tax.
The catalogues typically include the following information:
1) The location of the estate and area that it covered in acres
2) The details of the sale of the estate
3) A description of all the properties and other assets on the estate
4) Descriptions of sporting activities usually shooting and fishing taking place on the estate which could be rented out
5) A list of individual properties on the estate; the current tenants and the rents that were paid
6) A list of burdens - these were often financial responsibilities shouldered by the owner of an estate that were transferred to the buyer at the time of sale
7) Photographs of properties and sometimes individual rooms within the main country house on the estate
8) Maps of the estate showing the lots if the estate was to be sold in parts
These catalogues provide a fascinating resource for anyone interested in family or local history as they provide detailed information about individual estates and the people that lived and worked on them.
Learn more about these fascinating documents - including the catalogue relating to the mysterious Slains Castle - in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen. |