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13 Skene Square
792 A photograph showing 13 Skene Square in the late 19th century. This tenement is thought to be the birthplace of the genre and portrait painter John Phillip (1817-1867).
The image is included as a plate in Historical Aberdeen: the Castle and the Castle-hill, the Snow Church, the Woolmanhill and neighbourhood, the Guestrow by G. M. Fraser (1905).
Fraser indicates that the tablet that can be seen above the door was put up in memory of John Phillip by his friend William Brodie (1815-1881), the sculptor.
Fraser elaborates as follows:
"The first plate on the house, 13 Skene Square, was placed there by William Brodie, the sculptor. that house was pulled down six years ago, but fortunately Mr George Watt, architect, the proprietor of the house erected on the spot, has, with much public spirit, placed a bronze tablet on the new house telling that Phillip's house stood on that site. I wish we could be absolutely certain that Phillip was born here. There can be no doubt that he lived here as a child, but it suggestive that in the detailed notices of Phillip in the Aberdeen papers at the time of his death, it was said that he was born in Windy Wynd, where his father was a shoemaker. See Aberdeen Journal, 6th March, 1867; Aberdeen Free Press, 1st March, 1867. Belmont Street
798 This photograph shows the old corner of Belmont Street and Gaelic Lane.
The building on the far left is the Gaelic Free Church. It was opened for worship on 30th August 1795 and in time gave its name to the lane. It was used for the services of Aberdeen's Gaelic congregation until 1882.
The congregation moved and the building was sold to Messers G. and W. Fraser, printers, who owned adjoining premises. They replaced the old church frontage with the more business like façade that can be seen in this photograph.
See the entry for St. Columba United Free Church in Alexander Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) for more details.
A sign for George Cowie, a hairdressers, is prominently visible at number 4 around the corner on Belmont Street. Sandilands: aerial photograph
850 An aerial view of Sandilands Chemical Works looking east towards the sea. This image likely dates from around the mid-20th century.
Some of the houses on Garvock Wynd, the street on the right of this image, have disappeared compared to earlier aerial views. The next street along to the left, with "the Big Hoose" on its corner, is Baltic Street. Miller Street runs along the bottom of the image.
These chemical works began in 1848 when brothers John and George Miller of Paisley leased the land adjacent to gas works that had opened in 1844. Their intention was to process the by-products of coal gas manufacture. The business operated as John Miller & Company, known locally as "stinky Miller's", and went on to manufacture a range of products for North East agriculture.
An obituary for John Miller can be found in the Aberdeen Free Press of 6th March 1894, page 4. An obituary for George Miller featured on page 4 of the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 11th September 1889.
In around 1928, Miller & Co. became part of Scottish Agricultural Industries (SAI). In the 1930s, the first SAI manager, Mr. Bremner, was appointed and this marked the beginning of the end of the Miller era.
SAI was formed in 1928, part of ICI agricultural division (ICI owned 51%), by combining firms such as J. Miller & Co. in Aberdeen, Milne in Dyce and firms in Carnoustie, Ayr, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Beyond the chemical works can be seen Queen's Links and the Pleasure Beach across Wellington Street. The esplanade and North Sea are visible beyond. Culter Juniors Football Club, 1911
946 A team photograph of Culter Juniors Football Club in 1911.
Local historian Brian Coutts has been in touch with names of the individuals shown (all from left to right):
Back row - D. Guild, P. Low, J. MacDonald, W. Duncan, C. Dunbar, J. McAra, J. Milne and J. Ogilvie.
Middle Row (kneeling) - G. Insch, C. Allan and J. Milne.
Front row - J. Reid, Alastair Thomson, J. Agnew, G. McKenzie and J. Fraser.
Silver City Vault visitor David Allan suggests that the C. Allan in the middle row looks like his uncle, Charlie Allan, who lived in Culter's Clayhills cottages. Isaac Benzies' George Street Store
1108 Isaac Benzies. This famous local retailer first started trading from a small shop at 185 George Street in 1894. As business flourished, other outlets were opened in the city. Mr Benzie finally brought his interests together under one roof in these premises on George Street in 1924. In 1955, the store was acquired by the House of Fraser and traded as Arnotts before closing down in 1986. The Library Committee
1403 The Library Committee (with G M Fraser City Librarian, extreme right). The first Library Committee was appointed in April 1884 and it continued as a separate committee until local government re-organisation in 1975 when it functioned as a sub committee of the Arts and Recreation Committee. Treasure 33: The Pedigree of the Cruickshanks of Stracathro
2321 Among the Local Studies collection of family trees is a chart from 1847 entitled Pedigree of the Cruickshanks of Stracathro. The title initially referred to the Cruickshanks of Langley Park but this has been scored out and replaced with Stracathro. A pedigree is a form of genealogical table. Collections of pedigrees were first made in the 15th century and, according to The Oxford Companion, were "a matter of aristocratic pride and of practical necessity for legal purposes". The term pedigree comes from the French 'pied de grue', meaning crane's foot, due to the resemblance of the genealogical lines to the thin legs and feet of the bird.
The pedigree of the Cruickshanks was compiled by E. G. G. Cruickshank, who features in the 10th generation detailed on the table.
The pedigree begins with the earliest ancestor at the top of the document with lines dropping down to succeeding generations. Each generation is given a Roman numeral and individuals within each generation are assigned Arabic numbers. The pedigree begins with "John Cruickshank first in Strathspey m. Mary Cumming of Elgin" and extends down to an incomplete 12th generation. The individuals in the 11th generation were mostly born in the 1870s.
The information listed on a family tree is dependent on the sources available and the purpose for which it was created. The information given on the Cruickshank's pedigree varies but typically includes an individual's date of birth, marriage details and date of death. Additional information is also supplied as is the case with the 7th generation of Cruickshanks - Margaret Helen is described as the daughter of Rev. Gerard of Aberdeen, author of a book whose title is unreadable, and sister to a Colonel Gerald. Details of army service are supplied for some individuals and many of the Cruickshanks were involved in the administration of India or served in the army there.
The tiny handwriting, use of abbreviations and sparse punctuation makes the document challenging to read so familiarity with the subject matter and names of places is useful. A later interpreter of the document has made a number of annotations in pencil. For example, one of the later additions points to an individual and reads "Is this W. Robertson of Auchinroath? Yes!"
In addition to a listing of descendants the pedigree is annotated with a number of original notes and a description of a coat of arms. The latin motto of Cavendo tutus translates as 'Safe through caution'. One note, quoting "an old paper", describes from where the family came prior to being in Strathspey. A note on the other side of the chart states that "distinguished Officer and Author the late Colonel Stewart of Garth" links the family to the Royal Family of Stewart and suggests the name of Cruickshank derives from "some deformity in the first cadet of the house."
Attached to the document is a letter dated 23 October 1927 from a Jim Bulloch to City Librarian G. M. Fraser. Bulloch explains that he got the pedigree from a Mr. Mackintosh of Elgin, thinks it is quite rare and that the library might like it for its collection. It has stayed in the Local Studies collection to this day.
The Gazetteer for Scotland website states that in 1775 Patrick Cruickshank, listed at No. 11 of the 7th generation, bought the estate of Stracathro in Angus. The property was subsequently inherited by his brother Alexander Cruickshank (1764 - 1846). Alexander hired the Aberdeen architect Archibald Simpson to build Stracathro House between 1824 and 1827. The Palladian Scottish country house still exists today.
University College London's Legacies of British Slave-ownership website indicates that Patrick and Alexander, and two other Cruickshank brothers, owned plantations on the Caribbean island of St Vincent that used slave labour. See Alexander Cruickshank's entry in the database here: 'Alexander Cruikshank of Stracathro', Legacies of British Slave-ownership database, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/8590 [accessed 9th June 2020]. In 1833 when Britain abolished the ownership of slaves the government granted £20 million in compensation to former slave-owners. Alexander Cruickshank made three claims for compensation, two of which were successful.
In 1874, Stracathro House and estate were sold to Sir James Bannerman, Lord Provost of Glasgow, and father of Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. The country house was later used as a World War II hospital and owned by Tay Health Board before being sold to private owners in 2003. Treasure 35: Notes and Jottings of G.M. Fraser
2323 George Milne Fraser had a lifelong interest and expertise in local history; delivering talks (as seen in the December 2015 Treasure), publishing books and numerous letters and articles in the local press. His 'Notes and Jottings' collection comprise over 70 volumes, mostly hand written (including a form of shorthand), which are a treasure trove of information about the local area.
Within these notebooks are newspaper articles and advertisements, photographs, personal correspondence, sketches and many other interesting bits and pieces. Library staff have compiled an index to this invaluable resource and consult it on a regular basis when researching enquiries. It is quite a challenge deciphering his handwriting sometimes!
As a journalist by profession, G. M. Fraser retained his talent for writing and contributed articles to the Aberdeen Free Press, Bon Accord and Northern Pictorial, Evening Gazette, and journals such as the Deeside Field.
His contributions to local literature began in 1904 with the publication of The Green. Historical Aberdeen appeared the following year and after Aberdeen Street Names in 1911 the Town Clerk Depute wrote to Fraser with the words "We must now regard you as our Principal Historian".
The Life and Work of G. M. Fraser
G. M. Fraser was appointed city librarian in 1899 and was the second public librarian in Aberdeen. He can be seen on the far right of this image from the library archive.
His name was known all over the north east and he was mentioned in the chorus of one of Harry Gordon's popular songs, The Auldest Aiberdonian: "I ken lots o' stories G. M. Fraser disna ken". On 30 October 1923 he gave a 15 minute talk on the radio about Castlegate, becoming the first librarian in Aberdeen to make a radio broadcast.
During his term of office there were many developments in the Library service:
- The Central Library was extended in 1905 to include a new reading room
- Branch reading rooms and delivery stations were established throughout the city
- The Juvenile Library in Skene Street opened in 1911
- Open access was introduced in the Lending Library 1925 (find out more about Open Access libraries in the October treasures!)
- Fraser's strongest legacy is the Local Studies collection, which still contains many of our treasures.
G. M. Fraser was remembered very fondly after his death on 7 June 1938. There were many tributes including one from the Library Committee. Perhaps one of the warmest tributes was paid by his successor as City Librarian, Marcus Milne:
"Somehow the Library and G.M. were one. You could not think of the Library without thinking of that kindly figure who was head of it; and one could not meet him without thinking of the building he graced for so long. Mr Fraser had 2 hobbies and work was both of them. He lived for nothing else. The library was ever uppermost in his thoughts and closely allied to his love for the Library was his great love for things Aberdeen".
Mr Fraser's funeral service was attended by many prominent city officials and floral wreaths included one from Lady Aberdeen with the inscription "In affectionate and grateful remembrance of a much valued friend". He is buried in Springbank Cemetery.
In 1955, Aberdeen's first post-war permanent branch library was opened at Northfield and named the G. M. Fraser Branch Library in his honour.
In further recognition of his contribution to the development of the Library service, a commemorative plaque can be found on the front of the Central Library building. Edward Hall
2389 In March 1885, the City Librarian, A.W. Robertson, reported to the Free Public Library Committee that he had examined all the volumes that were to be transferred from the Mechanics' Institution, "and a note taken of any injury or imperfections, or both, that may have been found therein". He discovered that, while many were unsuitable due to their poor condition, others required repairs including fixing leaves and plates, re-attaching books to their covers and mending corners, and believed that this work "could be done most economically and conveniently on the library premises".
Edward Hall worked for the William Jackson bookbinders at the time and was sent by the company to carry out this work, including all the gilt lettering.
After the first six months of the new public library, and the wear and tear on the books "being already large and accumulating from day to day", the library committee were considering the appointment of a library binder to maintain the stock and repair minor faults before the volumes needed total rebinding. In August 1886, Mr Hall was appointed at a wage of twenty-three shillings weekly. Although other binding work was still undertaken by local firms William Jackson and John Avery, the Librarian was pleased to note in his annual report for 1885-86 that "The results of the experiment so far have been satisfactory, justifying the expectation that it would effect a saving both of time and of cost of rebinding".
The library bookbinders' wages and working hours were regulated by agreement with their trade union and in the 1890-91 Library Committee Minutes, it is noted that the Bookbinders and Machine Rulers' Consolidated Union had agreed a reduction in the bookbinders' working week from 54 to 51 hours.
After the Town Council made a resolution that all staff should retire when they reached the age of 65 years, the Library Committee had to ask Mr Hall to retire in May 1935. At this time his wages were £3.15. 6 per week.
In an interview with the People's Journal reporter, he expressed his disappointment that he was unable to complete his 50 years' service, even though he was then 72 years old. The Library Committee agreed that he would receive a weekly allowance of 16/8 (sixteen shillings and eight pence) in recognition of his long and efficient service.
At his retiral presentation, he was presented by the City Librarian, G.M. Fraser, with "a beautiful chiming clock with Westminster and the new Jubilee chimes". Executive of Trades Council, 1939
2404 A collection of portraits of the Executive of Trades Council taken from William Diack's History of the Trades Council and the Trade Union Movement in Aberdeen (1939).
Top Row - James Hunter, Bakers ; Burnett Gordon, Shop Assistants ; David Roger, Unemployed Association ; Andrew Gray, Unemployed Association.
Second Row - Alexander Brown, N.U.G.M.W ; Robert A. R. Fraser, Shop Assistants ; David G. Campbell, Printing, Book-binding and Paperworkers (Vice-President) ; Gilbert W. Duthie, N.U.R.
Third Row - Veda Maitland, Shop Assistants (Assistant Secretary) ; James J. Stewart, N.U.D.A.W. (President) ; William McLean Brown, N.U.D.A.W (Secretary).
Fourth Row - George Munro, Plasterers ; William Walker, A.E.U. ; Margaret McGregor, Printing, Book-Binding and Paperworkers ; Neil Howie, Scottish Painters ; James Milne, A.S.W.
Fifth Row - Alexander T. Lumsden, Vehicle Builders ; William George Ingram, A.S.L.E. & F. ; William K. Park, E.T.U. ; George Miller, Boilermakers. 446 and 448 Union Street
2615 This photograph of Union Street was taken in 1936 and shows the premises of John Raffan, shoe fitting specialists, at 446 and Dugan & Mitchell, clothiers, at 448 Union Street.
James Dugan and Duncan Mitchell entered into partnership around 1919. Mitchell had previously been in the former's employment as a cutter.
Dugan had worked as a tailor on his own account since about 1907 in premises in Bon Accord Street, Rose Street and 443 Union Street. Prior to this he was a commercial traveller representing two local tailoring firms; Messers Milne and Low and Messers Kenneth McLean and Sons.
He became a well respected figure in the tailoring and clothing trade in Aberdeen and the North East. He was the son of a china merchant in George Street called Hugh Dugan. James was married and had a daughter. He died suddenly at his residence at Glen-Shiel, Bieldside on 10th May 1927.
Duncan Mitchell was a native of Largs, Ayrshire and served his apprenticeship in Glasgow. He was a keen golfer and was a member of the Deeside Golf Club. He died aged 73 after a short illness in January 1955.
John Raffan died on Sunday 10th June 1906 after suffering an apoplectic seizure in his Union Steet shop the preceding Friday. He was 52 years old at the time of his death. He was born in the parish of Ordiquhill and his father was a shoemaker named James Raffan.
He served his apprenticeship in Portsoy with a draper called James Guthrie before coming to Aberdeen. He worked with Messers J. & A. Gibb and Mr James Saint, warehousemen and silk mercers, prior to starting his own business as a boot and shoe merchant in Market Street and then Union Street.
Beyond his business, Raffan was deeply involved in religious and philanthropic work. He was a force in the establishment of Union Grove Baptist Church and was connected to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, as a life member, the Aberdeen Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, the Seabank Home, and Stronach's Close Mission. He was married and had a daughter and two sons.
Above the shop fronts is a sign for Imperial Typewriters. The buildings in this photograph were across the road, just west, from the Capitol Cinema. They are still visible today. In more recent times they have been occupied by general food shops such as the Co-operative and Costcutters. New Market
2706 An Adelphi Series postcard (no. 49) showing the interior of Aberdeen's indoor market. It is referred to as a the New Market as it was rebuilt in 1883 following a serious fire in the original Archibald Simpson building.
A large "Good Wishes" sign can be seen hanging from the ceiling. In addition to stalls selling flowers and fresh produce, the book and art print stands that made the market a much loved venue for collectors are also in evidence.
The premises of the American Restaurant can be seen at the far end of the hall. It served "good dinners" for 6d and promised "prompt attention" in newspaper adverts from 1895. It's frontage indicates it was a company with offices in London and Newcastle.
There is a sign for the Ellon Stall towards the back. Correspondent A. G. Duthie informs us that this outlet, which existed for much of the 20th century, specialised in country produce like eggs, cheese and butter. The company that ran the stall was George Milne & Son (Ellon Stall) Ltd, grocery and provision merchants, and they can be found recorded in the old Post Office Directories. Coronation procession, Aberdeen, scenes from historical pageant
2711 An Adelphi Series postcard showing the procession to mark the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary passing through the Union Bridge section of Union Street on 22 June 1911.
The postcard shows the historical pageant section of the procession. A viking appears to be at present and a banner reads "Sir William Wallace". Newspapers from the time report that the procession and pageant was three miles long in total and traversed six miles of the city's streets after starting at the Links.
This image shows the junction with Union Terrace and Union Street and the bridge extensively decorated for the event. The image also shows interesting businesses of the time such as the Union Bridge Billiards Saloon at the back of Belmont Street and John Fraser's auction rooms at 140 Union Street. Northfield Library
3836 This photograph from 1967 shows children reading books in Northfield Library, Aberdeen.
Northfield Library opened in October 1955 as part of a plan formulated by the Library Committee to extend the provision of branch libraries into new housing areas.
In January 1950, building began on the Northfield estate, the first major housing development in post war Aberdeen. By June 1952, 800 families had moved to the area and were served by the mobile library which made evening visits to Marchburn Drive and Deansloch Terrace. These sites were very busy with over 9,000 books issued and people often queued to use the service.
At a meeting of the Public Library Committee in January 1953 it was agreed to ask Aberdeen Corporation to erect a library building on a site in Northfield.
The construction of a new branch library began in the autumn of 1954. On 12th October 1955, the G. M. Fraser Branch (named in memory of the late City Librarian) was officially opened on Byron Square by Mr. Thomas Johnston, former Scottish Secretary.
The success and popularity of Northfield Library inspired the committee to open a similar unit on the adjacent housing estate of Mastrick. The first section of the new Mastrick Branch Library opened on Greenfern Road on 18th October 1957, with the second section opening in 1961. George Street
3852 A photograph from around 1986 looking north west, showing numbers 119 to 167 George Street.
The large building that ends with a turret at the corner with St. Andrew Street (143-167) was the premises of Isaac Benzies, the well known local department store. This shop was bought by House of Fraser in 1955 and latterly traded as Arnotts, before closing down in 1986. The building stands today, though has been considerably altered.
On the other side of the junction with St. Andrew Street can be seen a branch of the Bank of Scotland and beyond it the sign and canopy of Aberdeen Bowl. The Exchequer, Aberdeen
4238 A photograph by George Washington Wilson titled "The Exchequer, Aberdeen." It appears to show the rear of a tenement on Exchequer Row, or thereabouts, near the centre of Aberdeen.
This image was once displayed in a board frame alongside other old images in Aberdeen Public Library. The accompanying display note, likely written by G. M. Fraser, reads as follows:
"Photograph of an old building in Exchequer Row - cleared away under the Clearance Order of 1895 - that used to be spoken of as 'The Exchequer.' The 'Skakkarium,' or Exchequer, at which the King's dues were audited, was situated in Exchequer Row from the time of William the Lion, and gave the name to the street. The old house in the photograph may have replaced the actual 'Exchequer,' and was itself one of the very old houses of Aberdeen." Gallowgate in 1932
4274 A photograph showing a no. 20 bus driving up Gallowgate in around 1932. The image looks south towards Marischal College from outside no. 121, James T. Scott's Shepherd's Bar, later the Blue Lamp.
This photo is taken from the Aberdeen Bon-Accord and Northern Pictorial 1932 annual, page 46. It is one of a number illustrating an article by G. M. Fraser (1863-1938), city librarian, titled 'The gates of Aberdeen: intimate study in street nomenclature.'
The caption accompanying the photograph reads as follows:
"The spacious Gallowgate - older citizens have hardly yet accustomed themselves to the adjective "spacious" as applied to the Gallowgate. 'Old crabbed ways' are rapidly disappearing, and the transformation of this area has undoubtedly been stimulated by the setting of the new buildings of Marischal College in their midst." Netherkirkgate in 1932
4275 A photograph looking west along Netherkirkgate towards the Wallace Tower in around 1932. On the right, the businesses H. Cordiner, joiner, Petrie & Co., plumbers and electricians, and Lewis Smith & Son, stationers, are shown. There is also the sign of three hanging balls for a pawn shop beyond.
The buildings on the left remain at the time of writing in 2023. Those on the right were demolished to make way for the new Marks & Spencer building.
This photo is taken from the Aberdeen Bon-Accord and Northern Pictorial 1932 annual, page 46. It is one of a number illustrating an article by G. M. Fraser (1863-1938), city librarian, titled 'The gates of Aberdeen: intimate study in street nomenclature.'
The caption accompanying the photograph reads as follows:
"The Netherkirkgate - This was one of the most noted thoroughfares in Aberdeen, leading from the heart of the town to the city kirks. Like other streets in this vicinity, its glory has departed, and the city improvers will soon have it transformed, if not blotted it out." 31-45 George Street
4304 A photograph showing buildings at 31-45 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 shopping centre.
On the far left, at 31 George Street, is a branch of K Shoe Shop; along from it at no. 33 is John Martin, the butchers, this is followed by premises called I-D, then Edwards Sir, a menswear shop at no. 39. The latter was one of a number of shops owned by Sir Hugh Fraser. This is followed by a women's clothing shop called Mackays.
These buildings were demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre.
George Walker
4371 A photographic portrait by George Washington Wilson of Baillie George Walker (1821-1910). It comes from an album of photographs by Wilson of the Aberdeen Town Council of 1883. This is held in the collection of Aberdeen Local Studies at Aberdeen Central Library.
Walker, a good friend of Wilson, was a well-known bookseller, councillor and local cultural figure. He hailed from Huntly before moving to the Granite City.
At a meeting at the Music Hall on on 25th March 1884 Walker seconded the motion of Professor Alexander Bain (1818-1903), a philosopher, early psychologist and independent thinker, for the adoption of the Public Libraries Act by the Town Council. The motion passed with 891 voters in favour and 264 against.
Walker was one of a number of speakers at the opening of Aberdeen's first free public lending library in March 1886, then located in the Mechanics' Institute on Market Street. Praising the preparatory work done by the town's first librarian, Andrew W. Robertson, Walker stated that Robertson had "turned night into day in his efforts and that it was absolutely necessary that he takes a well-deserved holiday during the summer."
Walker remained a champion of the library service for the rest of his life. He donated his extensive 21 volume journal to the library and these remain in the Local Studies collection. These idiosyncratic volumes are a unique cornucopia of local history and culture. John Duguid Milne
4372 A photographic portrait of John Duguid Milne (1822-1889), an Aberdeen advocate.
On 20th March 1883 Milne read a paper titled The success of free public libraries in industrial towns, and the necessity for a free public library in Aberdeen to the Philosophical Society of Aberdeen. The paper was also published by the society as a pamphlet shortly afterwards. A copy of this paper is held by Aberdeen Local Studies.
Milne draws together the experiences of free public libraries from England and around Scotland. He also points to the example and popularity of John Anderson's library in Woodside, which had opened in 1881.
In the section 'Who should move for a free library?' Milne writes:
"The Free Library is not especially for the wealthy, nor even for the well-to-do, but for the people, for the industrial classes; and it is for the industrial classes themselves to say if they want it. They have also the power in their hands, as they form a majority of the ratepayers." (page 17).
Milne was the director and legal advisor of Aberdeen's Mechanics' Institute. He ends his paper by stating that should the Public Libraries Act be adopted by Aberdeen, the Mechanics' Institute was prepared to hand over to the Free Public Library their whole stock of books and their substantial premises on Market Street.
Milne's paper, and the offer within, was likely a determining factor in the initiation, and ultimate success, of Professor Alexander Bain (1818-1903) and Baillie George Walker (1821-1910) putting forward a motion for the adoption of the Public Libraries Act at a meeting in the Music Hall on 25th March 1884. This meeting took place around a year after the first reading of Milne's paper.
Opening in March 1886, the Mechanics' Institute building did become the first location of Aberdeen's new Free Public Library and its collection of books formed the core of its stock. If you look at some of the older items in the collection of Aberdeen City Libraries today, stamp marks for the Mechanics' Institute can still be seen. Treasure 37: George Kemp Lantern Slides Collection
206 2016 is the year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in Scotland and we will be highlighting some innovative items from our archive and collections throughout the year. This month we are showcasing Aberdeen City Libraries' unique collection of George Kemp lantern slides.
Lantern slides were manufactured in the mid-19th Century and were small pieces of glass featuring a painted image and measuring 3 ¼ inches square. A suitable light source and a combination of lenses created the 'magic lantern', also known as an optical lantern.
Dating back to the 17th Century, optical lanterns enlarged small images painted on glass and projected them onto a screen or wall, just as the slide projector does today.
Our lantern slide collection belonged to George Kemp, a native of Aberdeen and Town Council member at the turn of the 20th Century. Mr Kemp served in the council for 25 years from 1890 and as Governor of Robert Gordon's College from 1892. Upon his death in 1914, George Kemp's extensive collection of lantern slides was donated to the public library and is currently stored in Aberdeen Central Library. His obituary, published in the Aberdeen Journal, 26 October 1914, mentions the collection:
"[He] did much to preserve memories of ancient Aberdeen landmarks by his industry in collecting views, which he used in illustrating his admirable lecture on "Vanished and Vanishing Aberdeen", a lecture which has given delight to many audiences. He spent a good deal of money in making this interesting collection which he publicly stated his intention of leaving to the library for public purposes, and never to be broken up. The collection extends to over 500 slides."
The minutes of the Public library Committee from 1914-15 references the donation:
"The slides are now available in separate boxes in the Reference Department, and may be borrowed by any one who wishes to lecture on the subject. It may be expected that the value of the collection will increase with time, and although they may not be borrowed much for the present the possession of these historical slides by the Library will be a real educational asset to the city." (In Aberdeen Public Library. Thirsty-first annual report of the Committee for the year 1914-1915. Aberdeen: Central Press (John Milne), [1915], pages 8-9).
Treasure 42: Marischal College Ground floor Architectural Plan by Archibald Simpson
211 The highly-respected architect Archibald Simpson (1790 - 1847) designed many of our city's well-known landmarks and, along with architect John Smith (1781-1852), is widely regarded as transforming Aberdeen into the Granite City in the 19th Century.
At Aberdeen City Libraries, we hold a collection of Archibald Simpson's architectural plans. Many of the originals were destroyed by a fire in his house in 1826 but the copies we hold demonstrate his initial thoughts and first sketches of some of Aberdeen's most famous buildings.
An architectural plan is usually a drawing or a sketch used by an architect to develop a design idea. The document also includes a scale and precise measurements.
Marischal College, as it stands today, was designed by Simpson in the 19th Century and this image shows a floor plan he drew when working on the project in the 1820s.
The plan depicts the ground floor which occupied three sides of a courtyard opening towards Broad Street. The building proposed by Archibald Simpson formed a U-shaped quadrangle with symmetrical rooms. The exterior granite façade, the second largest granite faced construction in the world and enclosing the quadrangle, was built by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie between 1893 and 1905 which is why it is not represented on the plan. Originally, the entrance to the courtyard was by Guild's College gateway.
Tiny lines were drawn to represent the walls between each room and the often curving stairways can be clearly seen. The rooms dedicated to classes of divinity, mathematics, moral philosophy or Greek and Latin were constructed like semi-circular amphitheatres. To the top of the plan, we can see classrooms connected by the science department, including the Anatomical Museum and Dissecting Rooms.
The building contained sixteen classrooms in addition to lodgings for porters and sacrists, the museum, the chemical laboratory and rooms for the professors. Other sources from the period suggest that the public hall, the museum and the library were spacious and magnificent rooms.
The small entrance via an archway, called 'Vestibule' on the plan, is represented at the courtyard side of the building. It is surrounded by two octagonal towers. A grand staircase, contained in the tower, rose to a height of nearly 100 feet.
The architect added the measurements for each room. As suggested by the scale, the unit of measurement is the foot. More information is given by the city librarian G. M Fraser in his 1918 study into Aberdeen's architecture:
"A centre building, 150 feet long, 50 feet wide, 60 feet high. 450,000 cubic feet at 6d: £11,250 Two side buildings, each 80 feet by 40, and 40 feet high. 128,000 cubic feet at 6d: 6,400 Medical class-rooms at end of garden: 1,500 Allowance for porticoes: 2,000 ______ £21,500" [From G. M. Fraser. Archibald Simpson, Architect and his times. A study in the making of Aberdeen. Published in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal between April and October 1918] Architectural plans are a fascinating insight into days gone by. Although at first glance appearing fairly basic, on closer inspection the plan allows us to view one of the Granite City's best loved landmarks through the eyes of the students learning in amphitheatre-style lecture rooms, anatomical museums and dissecting rooms in 19th Century Aberdeen. Treasure 43: Lending Department Catalogue (1886)
212 To commemorate Aberdeen's first free lending library opening 130 years ago this month we have selected a bound copy of the catalogue as one of our treasures. The hard back volume was presented to the library by the late Robert Anderson. An inscription tells us Anderson received the volume in 1917 from Catherine W Duncan after the death of her brother, James W Duncan, in whose library it had previously resided.
The catalogue was printed by the Aberdeen University Press and comprises of a single continuous alphabetically sequence including authors names, subjects of works and miscellaneous headings. Additionally, the catalogue includes the bye-laws of the Library, a preface, an "Explanations and Directions" section, a key to the indicator system and adverts for many Aberdeen businesses. In his preface, Robertson states "In the preparation of the following Catalogue, the chief aim has been to provide a compendious and easy guide to the contents of the Lending Department of the Library, which readers can take to their homes. No particular system has been rigidly followed, but recourse has been had to whatever device seemed calculated to promote the desired objects."
Baillie Walker and Dr Alexander Bain, Lord Rector of the University, also spoke at the opening of the Lending Department. Bain discussed the make-up of the book stock and the efforts undertaken to create this new development. He gave particular mention to the application of Library Committee member Duguid Milne. Baillie Walker stressed the preparatory work and said that Robertson, the Librarian, turned night into day in his efforts and that it was absolutely necessary that he takes a well-deserved holiday during the summer.
Even at the opening of the new Lending Department there was an awareness that the current building was inadequate. Efforts by the Library Committee to secure new premises had already been underway for some time. At the opening, A O Gill, Chairman of the Sub-Building Committee, stated that "they ought to have something better for the public than the present building, and he hoped that they would be able soon to provide a building suitable for the requirements of this large and populous city."
After much discussion of sites, gathering of funds, and construction work, the purpose built Aberdeen Central Library on the new Rosemount Viaduct was officially opened on 5th July 1892 and remains the home of Aberdeen's Public Libraries to this day. The old Mechanics' Institution has since primarily housed a mixture of hotels and pubs. A reminder of its brief time as Aberdeen's Public Library was found in 1950 when painters decorating the then Bon Accord Hotel uncovered a hidden sign showing the library's old opening times.
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