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Aberdeen Beach
45 A George Washington Wilson photograph (no. 4045) showing Aberdeen beach in the late 19th century.
Bathing machines (also called bathings huts) can be seen at the water's edge. These were drawn to and from the sea by horses, as can be seen in the image.
There were about 30 machines on the beach at any one time and male and female bathing areas were segregated.
In 1933 the horses were retired and the machines served as static changing huts until 1954. They were then kept in storage and later offered for public sale as mementos of a bygone bathing era. Demolition of Torry Brickworks chimney
310 A photograph of the demolition of the largest of the chimney stalks at the Torry brick and tile works that took place on Saturday 12th September 1903.
The photograph illustrates the method employed to fall the 175 foot structure, by the overseer Peter Tawse, as described in the Press & Journal:
"The preliminary work of cutting a gap in the chimney near the base was early accomplished by three of the skilled tunnellers employed by Mr Tawse at the Girdleness outfall sewer. As the gap widened, stout wooden props were put in to support the structure. The gap was carried to more than half the circumference of the chimney, and the sight of the weighty pile supported on one side by only a half-dozen wooden props was certainty sufficient to make one nervous. The gang was under the charge of a Lancashire foreman, and they worked away, pipe in mouth, quite unconcernedly.
"The gap having been completed, a charge of dynamite was inserted at the bottom of the props, and a time fuse attached to each.
"Excitement reached a high pitch among the spectators when the signal was given to fire the fuses, and the crowd began to edge further away when the smoke was seen curling round the props, and as the workmen bolted to get beyond the danger zone. First one charge and then the other exploded with a sharp report, but it was not until the props at the extreme ends of the half circles were blown to splinters, that the chimney showed any sign of moving. It then came down, as a spectator remarked, - 'Jist like a rum'le o' bricks.' It slid rather than fell straight down at first, but the top portion toppled over in a south-easternly direction, exactly on the line expected by the contractor. It was all over in a couple of seconds, and certainly it was a sensational sight - so quick, so clear, so safe."
P&J, 14/09/1903, page 6. Aberdeen Grammar School
407 Aberdeen Grammar School , 1861-3 architect James Matthews, sited on the edge of the Denburn, before the installation of its illuminating tower clock (popularly known at one time as "the Grammar moon"). In 1990, a distastrous fire gutted the building destroying the library. Famous pupils include Lord Byron. Aberdeen Grammar School
1282 Aberdeen Grammar School, 1861-3 architect James Matthews, sited on the edge of the Denburn, before the installation of its illuminated tower clock (popularly known at one time as "the Grammar moon"). In 1990, a disastrous fire gutted the building destroying the library. Famous pupils include Lord Byron. Stonehaven-Bervie Bus
4272 A photograph showing a busy Stonehaven-Bervie horse drawn bus about to start its journey. It is taken from the Aberdeen Bon-Accord and Northern Pictorial coronation souvenir number published on 12th May 1937, page 87. This special issue was published to commemorate the crowning of George VI (1895-1952) and Queen Elizabeth (1900-2002).
This photograph is one of a number illustrating an article titled '"One Hundred and Six Years - Six Sovereigns - Four Coronations - One Lifetime" Mrs. Caird's Great Record'. The article is about the life of a long-lived resident of Stonehaven called Grace Caird, nee McPhail (1831-1937), who was known as the "Grand Old Lady of the North East." At the time of her death late in the year, she was reputed to be the second oldest woman in Scotland (The Scotsman, 27th November 1937, page 16).
The caption accompanying the photograph reads as follows:
"In Granny Caird's young days the horse bus and stagecoach called regularly at the mill in Stonehaven. Here we have the Stonehaven-Bervie 'bus' about to take its departure. It passed nearby Granny's home in Kinneff daily, but in those days Mrs Caird thought nothing of walking 20 miles a day. The 'bus' was a luxury that could be only indulged in at frequent intervals." Treasure 121: Annals of the Road by Captain Malet (1876)
344 One of our final treasures is a very rare book dating from 1876 which tells us about the history of the stage and mail coaches in Britain. A subject that perhaps, on first glance, would appear to be rather dry and uninteresting, becomes significantly more dramatic when you consider the limitations and risks inherent in a journey by coach in the days before rail, car and plane. Indeed, with many of us venturing out on a journey for the summer holidays, a lot of us will take for granted the ease and speed with which we may reach our destinations. Journeys such as these would have been nigh on impossible in the days of the stage coach in terms of time and expense.
Our book is entitled Annals of the Road, or Notes on Mail and Stage Coaching in Great Britain. By Captain Malet, XVIIIth Hussars, to which are added Essays on the Road by Nimrod, published by Longmans, Green, and Co., London 1876. According to Capt. Malet, stage coaching came into general use between 1662 and 1703. However, travel on horseback was still considered preferable by many due to the discomfort of the early coaches, the bad state of the main roads (which were few) and the constant danger of highway robbery. Coaches were an easy, slow-moving target for highwaymen as they carried more baggage and the passengers would be unable to ride away at speed. Mail coaches began in the 1780s from Edinburgh and by 1835, 27 coaches were running to various places from Aberdeen.
To see some beautiful illustrations of coaches and coach travel - and find out just how expensive it was (very!) - have a look at the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition.
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