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Treasure 6: Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen
2275 Enthusiastic gardeners who have spent months, if not years, nurturing their plants have the opportunity to display their efforts at flower shows - usually held in August or September. These events for individuals happen all around the country and have a long history.
Britain in Bloom is the national flower show for whole communities. It was the brainchild of Roy Hay, a horticultural journalist. Following a holiday in France where he admired the "Fleurissement de France", he persuaded the British Travel and Holidays Association (later the British Tourist Authority) to organise a similar competition for communities in Britain.
Although the first competition in 1964 was won by Bath, Aberdeen received a "Special Mention". The city did even better in 1965 when it won the National Trophy. Although it did not win again until 1969, the city then continued its success each year until 1971. However, this achievement led to Aberdeen being debarred from the National Competition in 1972 although it still won the Scottish section. 1973 and 1974 saw Aberdeen winning the National award again, and its record 10th win was in 1998.
A slogan competition was held for the 1968 campaign when the winning entry proclaimed "Aberdeen - Garden City by the Sea".
In order to celebrate Britain in Bloom and Aberdeen's success in the competition we have chosen to highlight our collection of historic prize schedules for the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen's annual exhibition.
The Aberdeenshire Horticultural Society was founded in March 1824 when a meeting of "Practical Gardeners" was held in the New Inn for the "purpose of forming themselves into a Society". The Earl of Aberdeen graciously agreed to be Patron of the Society.
In November 1863, it was announced at the annual general meeting that HRH the Prince of Wales had now agreed to become Patron of the Society and that the Society's name was to be changed to the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen.
The Society's "Prize Schedule for Exhibition" gives details of each of the classes which can be entered, with the prizes which can be won - a sum of money or a cup or medal. In 1920, there were a total of 222 classes and those who exhibited were split into one of four Divisions - professional gardeners; nurserymen and florists; amateurs and working class.
The Schedules also contain the Rules of Competition, the Constitution of the Society and a list of Subscriptions and Donations received - these include names, addresses and amounts given. Our earliest copies of the booklets cover the period 1920 - 1937, although the file is incomplete.
The Society celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1999. To take a closer look at these, and many other Aberdeen historic documents, visit Aberdeen Central Library. Treasure 32: George Washington Wilson South Africa Photography Collection
2320 George Washington Wilson is one of the great names in 19th century photography, famous for capturing images of people, buildings and landscapes across Scotland. His photography drew attention to the beauty of his country, but his travels further afield are not as well known.
As an innovative pioneer in photography, George Washington Wilson's work reflected the reality and attitudes of society during his lifetime (1823-1893). In our collections we hold a vast selection of photographs and portraits taken by the G. W. Wilson Company in South Africa. These images were taken by his son, Charles Wilson, and Fred Hardie, a company photographer of George Washington Wilson & Co.
The company's photographs of South Africa captured scenes of the country which would have been perceived as unusual and exotic to British people at the time.
South Africa and its Treasures
The majority of British colonization was concentrated in South Africa during the 19th century. In the past, the country was colonized in order to control one of the main trade routes to India. Due to the abundance of resources such as spices and tea, European interest in Africa increased dramatically in the late 19th century, especially with the discovery of gold and diamonds in the 1860s-1880s.
On their return to Britain, George Washington Wilson & Co presented many photographs showing these natural resources, from the Robinson Gold mine in Johannesburg to De Beers Diamond Mines in Kimberley.
Tea was also a very valuable resource, and people in Britain were keen to learn more about its production and its use in South Africa.
Photography and Tourism
The collection held by Aberdeen City Libraries shows local places of interest in South Africa. These photographs capture Cape Town and Johannesburg, two of the biggest cities in the country. Many Europeans emigrated to these cities in the 19th century, due to the discovery of valuable resources in the surrounding area.
With the rapid rise of tourism in this period, George Washington Wilson & Co. looked for new ways to promote and sell their work. Around 1880-1890, they started to commercialize their photography via picture postcards, a relatively new concept in Britain. This new form of media met with huge success as it was easy to write and cheap to send. It soon became the standard way to communicate with friends and family when abroad, a holiday tradition which remains today.
The postcards, in colour and having a standard size, featured many different scenes from South Africa and were viewed as an innovative way to publicize the country - and the works of photographic firms such as George Washington Wilson & Co. Treasure 34: A Selection of Original Scots Songs in Three Parts
2322 Although the union of the Parliaments between Scotland and England had taken place almost a hundred years before, as the 18th century was drawing to a close there was still much fascination regarding the differing cultures. In time, Victorian society would give this fascination a renewed vigour, helped by Queen Victoria's passion for Scotland - including the establishment of Balmoral Castle as her residence North of the border. Before that time though, in the late 1790s, books were produced offering English readers an insight into their neighbours' traditions.
One such book was entitled 'A selection of original Scots songs' edited by Franz Haydn and published between 1790 and 1794. The book is designed to introduce the reader to the music and lyrics of traditional songs in Scotland. Haydn's book reproduced the songs along with corresponding music, and also offered a glossary to help with the more obscure language.
Burns' song 'My Heart's In The Highlands' - more popularly regarded today as a poem - makes an appearance in the selected works by Franz Haydn. With the collected works produced between 1790 - 1794, this was at a time when Burns began to suffer from the illnesses which would eventually end his life just a couple of years later.
Robert Burns
Celebrated across Scotland every year, Robert Burns Day takes place on 25 January and is an opportunity to remember Scotland's Bard and his work. Known the world over as the National Poet of Scotland, Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) was born in Alloway, Ayrshire. Burns' early life was one of balance; he toiled on his family's farm by day, and was taught reading and writing by candlelight at night. He conversed in Scots, while learning passages from English texts to further his studies. Although regarded by history largely as a poet, Burns also composed many songs - perhaps his most famous work 'Auld Lang Syne' being one of the few traditionally remembered in song form. One of our treasures this month celebrates Robert Burns' work and that of many other traditional Scottish musicians. 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 25: Alexander Ogg, Land Surveyor: Inverurie, Aberdeen and New Zealand
196 November 27th 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of the land surveyor Alexander Ogg. Local historian, and Central Library user, Dr Douglas Lockhart made the excellent suggestion that we celebrate this anniversary by displaying Ogg's rare Map of New and Old Aberdeen (1855) as a treasure for November.
The tremendous level of detail; annotation of residential and business occupants and the inclusion of various proposed city developments, make the map a particularly interesting historical item.
This version of the map was corrected to 1855 and published by J. Gellatly, 26 George Street, Edinburgh.
There is a brief description of the map in the bottom right of the sheet that reads:
"This map, continued from the Original Survey made in 1809, by John Smith Architect; has been revised and corrected to 1848, by Alexr. Ogg Land Surveyor; the Railways and Approaches by Alexr. Gibb, C.E. and the Harbour Improvements by James Abernethy, Harbour Engineer."
The National Library of Scotland hold a version of the map corrected to 1847 and published by D. Wyllie & Son, 111 Union Street, Aberdeen. It features a similar description to the one above, the only difference being it states it is corrected by Ogg to 1847.
There are visible differences between the two versions, particularly around the railway areas. How much these amendments are due to Ogg in 1848 or a later cartographer is unclear. 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 50: Heroines of Shakspeare
221 Celebrating 400 years since the death of the literary great, one of our April treasures looks at an unusual publication concerning the works of William Shakespeare.
Published in the mid-19th Century, this wonderful volume was donated to Aberdeen Public Library by Miss Emily Jane Duthie, a retired teacher living on Skene Terrace.
Born in India in 1868 Miss Duthie was the daughter of Robert Duthie, Superintendent of the Scottish Orphanage in Bombay during the days of the British Empire. The school was founded in 1847 by Scottish Christian Missionaries to educate the daughters of Scottish Presbyterian Soldiers based in India. Since then, the school has continued to thrive and is now one of the most prestigious in Mumbai.
It is highly likely that Miss Duthie's early years based at the institution, followed by her own studies and subsequent career would have introduced her to the world of Shakespeare and perhaps piqued an interest in the many female characters depicted therein. The kind donation clearly demonstrates her continuing desire and passion to educate others in later life, once her career as a teacher had come to an end.
"The heroines of Shakspeare" is chiefly an art book; a means to showcase the forty-eight imagined portraits of the Bard's fictional characters. The attempt to capture a visual representation of the prominent female characters provides a neat bridge between Shakespeare's contemporary audiences (who would have seen female roles assigned to young boys), and our modern age of television and film which is frequently dominated by physical appearance.
Although educated Victorian audiences would have been familiar with the written words, the illustrations attempt to capture a definitive image of each character, including approximate age, costume, physical features and demeanour as revealed by the playwright.
The images are portraits of Hamlet's Ophelia, Othello's Desdemona, Romeo and Juliet's Juliet and of course - Lady Macbeth (from the Scottish play!)
The illustrations are printed on thick paper from original engravings by portrait artists including Augustus Egg, John Hayter and John William Wright. The book is bound with gilt edges and also contains sturdy decorated endboards.
The curious spelling of Shakespeare in the title reflects the fact that during the Bard's own lifetime there was no single accepted form - the man himself spelling his own name differently in various editions of his work. Although this may seem strange to modern readers the tradition harks back to an era when language was much more fluid, and established forms of spelling simply did not exist in the way that we know today.
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 63: Scenes and Characters from the work of Charles Dickens (1908)
239 This treasure from our collections features 866 drawings illustrating the novels of Charles Dickens. The work of eleven artists is featured - many depicting the poverty, crime and oppression of Victorian Britain.
The volume was re-published after the death of Charles Dickens in 1870 and enjoyed great success, with many viewing the illustrations as an accurate depiction of Dickensian characters.
The artists who contributed to the publication were well respected in Victorian London and included Charles Green, 'Phiz' (also known as Hablot Knight Browne), and Fred Barnard - best known for his illustrations of Dickensian characters Bill Sikes and Little Nell.
This treasure features in our exhibition for July 2016 to coincide with our Celebrating Dickens programme of free events and activities in Aberdeen Central Library. The programme features readings of Dickens' work in English and Doric, a talk on the author's early work and free creative workshops for teens. Speak to a member of staff or pick up a leaflet in the library. Treasure 65: Beach Pavilion Programmes
241 For more than 30 years Harry Gordon, one of Scotland's most talented comedians of the 20th Century, dominated Aberdeen's entertainment industry and prompted local historian Fenton Wyness to describe him as "possibly the only real attraction Aberdeen beach has ever had". Aberdeen Local Studies hold a collection of bound volumes of Beach Pavilion programmes, published between 1924 and 1940.
The Beach Pavilion opened in 1905 and later became the home of Harry Gordon, the 'Laird of Inversnecky' and one of Aberdeen's most popular comedians. He entertained visitors at the Beach Pavilion throughout the 1920s and 1930s helped to make the Beach Pavilion one of the brightest and best places of entertainment in town, bringing many world-famous artists to Aberdeen.
The final curtain came down with the Second World War. Due to its vulnerable location, many people were reluctant to go the Beach and the Pavilion was closed during the war years. It was re-opened in 1946 (although Harry Gordon had given up his tenancy by then) and continued as an entertainment venue. In 1962 the Pavilion was re-named the Gaiety and became a licensed restaurant, public bar and lounge. It then functioned as a restaurant in the Queens Links leisure complex but the remaining remnants of the original building were sadly destroyed by fire in May 2014. Treasure 68: Select Views of Edinburgh, from original paintings by Lieutenant Colonel Batty, 1831
268 To coincide with the Edinburgh International Festival, we are showcasing our collection of engravings and etchings of the city by early Victorian artists.
The engravings are extracted from Select views of some of the principal cities of Europe. From Original paintings by Lieutenant Colonel Batty which was published in January 1831 by Moon, Boys and Graves, known as the "printsellers [sic] to the King" and initially sold for £7.
Robert Batty (1789-1848) was an army officer and an artist who recorded and illustrated his many experiences of active service. Select Views are compiled of etchings and notes from his time spent serving abroad in cities such as Gibraltar, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels and Antwerp. In total, seven plates of Edinburgh were presented in the volume. Each plate is accompanied by a descriptive text published both in English and in French.
Many local and London-based artists contributed to the volume including Edward Goodall (1795-1870), W.R. Smith (active 1826-1852), George Cooke (1781-1834), and William John Cooke (ca. 1796-1865). The plates portray Edinburgh from different viewpoints with many featuring the city's iconic castle and skyline.
The collection depicts Scotland's capital through the eyes of 19th Century artists, residents and visitors to the city of Edinburgh and reflects the artistic style and techniques of Victorian Britain.
Find out more about the Victorian artists behind the engravings in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on our touchscreens. Treasure 76: Aberdeen Film Society Programmes, 1949-1954
287 From 17 to 26 October 2016, the Aberdeen Film Festival takes place in ACT Aberdeen and Woodend Barn. The schedule includes an array of independent movies from Aberdeen and around the globe, a 48-hour filmmaking challenge and two free screenings of classic films for school students.
To celebrate the festival and all things cinematic this month we are taking another trip into Aberdeen City Libraries' film related material. The Local Studies collection contains programmes for the Aberdeen Film Society from the period of 1949 to 1954. These programmes offer a fascinating glimpse into the historic film culture of the city outside standard commercial cinema exhibition.
Our first programme is from the 16th season of film exhibition which took place in 1949-50.
Find out more about the history of the Society and its pioneering work in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreens in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries. Treasure 79: Cosmo Mitchell Collection
290 Adam "Cosmo" Mitchell was born at Kennethmont in 1860. Raised on a croft, little is known of his early childhood but by the age of 21, he had become a dancing master teaching in several areas near his home.
By the end of 1881, Mitchell had brought his dance classes to Aberdeen. Using rooms in the Music Hall for instruction, he taught children and adults in increasingly popular classes.
His professional associations with local schools, as well as local, regional and international societies, also helped strengthen his professional reputation and furthered his integrity as an authority on dancing and, by 1895-6, he was creating his own dances.
Mitchell joined the newly-formed Imperial Society of Dance Teachers in 1904. By the following year, he had been elected as vice-president and continued to be re-elected in that post for many years.
In 1915, Mitchell published A Guide to Ballroom Dancing. In 1919, Mitchell's wife died. A key part of his business life, the loss of his wife led to the immediate cessation of his teaching in schools. By 1924, he had retired from teaching altogether. Mitchell died in 1932 and bequeathed his entire professional library of dance textbooks, notebooks and ephemera to Aberdeen City Libraries.
Our Treasure showcases some of the items from this collection. Patricia Ballantyne produced a thesis on the development of Scottish dance, utilising much of the Cosmo Mitchell collection. Her thesis Regulation and Reaction is available to view in the Information Centre. It is largely due to her research that we are able to explore the life of this little-known local celebrity.
Find out about the marketing ploys adopted by Mitchell, and the origins of his middle name, in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreens in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries. Treasure 80: The Great Wizard of the North's Hand-Book of Natural Magic by John Henry Anderson
291 Ninety years since the Aberdeen Magical Society was founded, we feature a rare edition of the Hand-book of Natural Magic written and published by the famous 'Wizard of the North', John Henry Anderson, one of the best magicians of the 19th Century.
The book reveals 128 experiments "adapted for performance at the parlour or drawing-room table or fire-side? practicable without expensive chemical or mechanical apparatus".
The book features tricks such as The Conjuror's Table, The Gun Trick, and The Self-Balancing Pail, in addition to a number of card tricks and ruses.
For nearly forty years of his life, John Henry Anderson baffled appreciative audiences with his popular performances, which often featured advanced and intricate props. The 'Wizard of the North' travelled around the world delighting audiences in many countries, including Australia and America.
John Henry Anderson died in February 1874 and was buried alongside his mother Mary Robertson, in Mither Kirk graveyard in Aberdeen. He had many imitators and the great Houdini himself said he was one of his mentors. Houdini paid his respects to John Henry Anderson when he visited the Granite City in 1909.
In 1930, the Aberdeen Magical Society arranged to have the gravestone of Professor Anderson restored "as a mark of respect to this past-master in the art of conjuring entertainment" (Press and Journal, 8 August 1930).
Explore the life and work of the great wizard, and find out more about Aberdeen Magical Society in our interactive exhibition on the touchscreens in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries. Treasure 97: Aberdeen Grammar School Art Club
316 The work of the Aberdeen Grammar School Art Club can be seen in the collection of sketch books held in Local Studies for the years 1920 - 1923 and 1926 & 1928, and as supplements in some of the school magazines which also describe the early activities of the club.
The Art Club was started by the enthusiastic Art Master, C.R. Leslie Millar, in 1917. There was an initial membership of 25 boys with H. Morgan acting as Secretary, who was later complemented for his delightful posters and sketches on the notice boards. The club would go out sketching on Saturdays from mid-May and throughout June, working in pencil, oils, water-colours and pastels.
The first sketch book was produced for Christmas 1919 with introductory club notes. It's a tribute to the art masters that they did much to develop the appreciation of art and encourage individual talent among the pupils. The work of the club was favourably commented on by His Majesty's Inspectors and at the Aberdeen Artists Society Exhibition in December 1921 two club members were successful in having pictures accepted.
Have a look at some fine examples of the art club's sketches in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreens.
Treasure 98: Kissing postcards
317 To celebrate Valentine's Day, we have chosen to display four historic postcards from our collections conveying messages of love and friendship.
The postcards are slightly smaller than those in circulation nowadays and they all have a different title, written in capital letters and in colour on the top of the cards. Up until the end of the 19th century, most postcards presented an undivided back; England was the first country to divide the back of the postcards in 1902, before France in 1904, Germany in 1905 and the United States in 1907. It allowed people to write both the message and the address of their recipient on the same side. The front side was then mainly used for the picture or artwork. Postcards can be a useful tool for learning more about society and people's interests and sense of humour.
The text on the postcard entitled 'The Science of Kissing' is from a publication called The People. It first appeared in British newspapers in 1866 and has been republished many times since. Amusingly, the author of the text gives some tips to improve a kissing performance and describes in detail what a proper kiss on the lips should feel like: "People will kiss, yet not one in a hudred [sic] knows how to extract bliss from lovely lips, any more than he knows how to make diamonds from charcoal. And yet it is easy, at least for us. First know whom you are going to kiss. Don't make a mistake, although a mistake may be good."
Want to find out more about the art of kissing in time for St. Val's Day? Check out our interactive exhibition on the touchscreen! Treasure 101: Advice to Women
322 In recognition of International Women's Day (March 8th), we offer a selection of books for this month's treasure which highlight the role of women in society, and how attitudes and approaches have changed over time. One of our Treasures this month includes a work entitled "The Five Talents of Woman" in which the author (a male) proposes the five main talents as:
- Pleasing people
- Feeding them in dainty ways
- Clothing them
- Keeping them orderly
- Teaching them
With the exception of the final "talent", the author proposes a rather limited view of a woman's capabilities! However, this is from the same author who writes that "Shakespeare's mother could not have written Hamlet, but she - perhaps she alone - could and did produce Shakespeare".
Offered as a contrasting view for our Treasures, is another work: "Pearls for Young Ladies", in which the author (female) rightly comments that "we scarcely ever, in our study of education, ask this most essential of all questions about a man - What patience had his mother or sister with him?" Regardless of the viewpoints proposed, the truth remains that even at the close of the Victorian period, one key symbol of equality - that of the parliamentary franchise - was still denied to women. All later developments towards equality - including the Suffragette movement, and the right to vote - can trace their origins to the early Victorian writers who began to propose, argue and question how society should treat women. While it may be claimed that these writers did very little to progress the situation, it can also be proposed that the conversation they started is one that remains with us today.
Find out more about Victorian attitudes towards women in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen. Treasure 104: Suffragette Newsletters
325 We celebrate International Women's Day in March and it is a chance to remember the monumental struggle of the women who fought for suffrage or the right to vote.
A featured treasure this month is the Handbook of the Conference of the National Union of Women Workers which was held in Aberdeen on the 13th, 14th and 15th of October 1908. Women began to demand the vote around the middle of the nineteenth century and suffragist groups sprang up all over Great Britain. In 1897 Millicent Fawcett founded the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies - this organisation campaigned peacefully for the right to vote for women. Also In our collection we hold a copy of a newsletter named Jus Suffragii Alumnae from Jan 1909. It was the magazine of the Queen Margaret College Suffrage Society (Glasgow) and the society was a member of the Scottish University's Women's Suffrage Union.
Queen Margaret College was a women only establishment and became part of Glasgow University in 1892. Also featured this month, The Suffragette magazine was the organ of the Aberdeen University Woman Suffrage Association and this particular issue was published in 1908. The front cover features an eye-catching design which is typical of the kind of symbolism used by suffragettes to promote their cause. The colours we associate with the Woman's Social and Political Union - one of the major suffragette groups - are green, purple and white and they appeared on badges, jewellery and banners. Purple stood for freedom and dignity; green for hope and white for purity.
Want to learn about a shocking incident involving a famous suffragette at Aberdeen Railway Station? - Check out our interactive exhibition on the touchscreen! Treasure 115: Rules of the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
336 As the days get longer and the weather becomes fairer (we hope), many of us will look to the outdoors for leisure pursuits, and the sport of golfing is one such activity that has long been enjoyed in Scotland. To celebrate the sport, one of our treasures this month is a copy of a Book of Rules from the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, dated 1921. Originally known as the Society for Golfers in Aberdeen, most sources give 1780 as the date that the Aberdeen Golf Club first came into existence. The first official golf tournament in Aberdeen, organised by the Golf Club was held in April 1880, with 44 amateur participants, however the Aberdeen Journal records that a tournament 'with professionals' took place on Aberdeen Links on October 16 1872; and it was stated that even before this date the course was famous for golfers. Treasure 119: Aberdeen shops
342 The Local Studies collections in Aberdeen City Libraries include a number of interesting booklets about some of the city's shops such as Esslemont & Mackintosh; Falconer's; The Rubber Shop; and Collie's, which were once so well-known to local customers. The information and illustrations contained in them is enhanced by advertisements which appeared in guidebooks and other publications.
One such booklet was produced by John E. Esslemont Ltd. in 1964 to mark the centenary of their business in King Street. It contains a detailed description of the history and development of the company with photographs of the directors, the staff, and the machinery involved in tea blending and in the manufacture of sweets, which were their specialities. The remainder of the booklet gives their wholesale trade list of teas, sweets and other items. These shops are only a selection of those which once lined Aberdeen's streets. Many other names are now only an historical memory - Isaac Benzie (Arnotts), Reid and Pearson, Watt and Grant, Watt and Milne, Equitable, McMillan's, Strathdee, Mitchell and Muil, A. B. Hutchison, Kennaway, Pegler, Bruce Miller, Northern Co-operative Society (Co-opie), Woolworths, Wilburns, Shirras Laing. Everybody had their own favourites.
Did you work in any of these shops? Do you have memories or printed items you'd like to share? The Local Studies department at the Central Library would love to hear from you!
To learn more about the interesting history of our local shops, have a browse in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition. Treasure 120: Walford Bodie
343 In the late-Victorian and Edwardian periods, at the height of music hall variety, Dr Walford Bodie M.D. was one of the most famous and highly paid entertainers in Britain. He remains an enigmatic and charismatic figure in the history of the North East. Born Samuel Murphy Bodie at 33 George Street, Aberdeen on 11 June 1869, he went on to become a leading showman, hypnotist, ventriloquist, controversial 'bloodless surgeon', and was billed variously as The Electric Wizard, The Modern Miracle Worker of the North, and The Most Remarkable Man on Earth.
Our treasure is a photograph album held by Aberdeen City Libraries that offers an insight into the life and times of Bodie and his amazing family. Walford Bodie was for much of his career the headline performer of an extended and shifting company of artists. Members of his family, and in particular those of his wife, often played important roles in the Bodie Show. In 1890 Bodie married Jeannie Henry (1869-1931), who performed with Walford as an illusionist and mind-reader called Princess Rubie, until her retirement in 1930. Jeannie and 3 of her sisters went on to play important parts in the Bodie show. One of her sisters was Annie "Nan" Henry (1880-1970) and it is her album that we now hold in the library.
The album is a large volume, bound in dark green leather. Within floral endpapers there are around 101 pages each containing approximately 3 photographs. The images are a mixture of postcards and photographic prints. Most appear to have been sent to Nan Henry while she was living in the Bodie family home in Macduff. Many have signed endearments on the front and carry short messages on the reverse.
To learn more about this unique character, have a browse in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition. Treasure 125: Tivoli Posters
348 In 2017, we celebrate 145 years since the Tivoli Theatre was built. Known at that time as Her Majesty's Theatre, this place of entertainment delighted generations of Aberdonians with its shows by artists well known on local and national scales. Many companies used to come back season after season, receiving a warm welcome every time from an enthusiastic audience. Over the years, Aberdeen City Libraries has built up a varied collection of many posters and ephemera of this extraordinary theatre.
Showcasing these posters allows us to look closer into the history of one of Aberdeen's most famous cultural venues.
To see some more posters from the Tivoli and learn about its rich history, check out our interactive exhibition on the touchscreen! |