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Old Aberdeen
71 A reproduced engraving showing the skyline of Old Aberdeen. The image looks north from around the lands of Sunnyside Farm.
In the foreground can be seen two agricultural labourers. On the skyline, going left to right, is the circular Powis Hermitage, on a hill, with its small spire, the twin spires of St. Machar Cathedral in the far distance, the tower of the Old Town House at the end of the High Street, which is protruding above the southern elevation of St. Mary's United Free Church.
Moving back along the High Street, the south facing front elevation, with bow windows, of Powis Lodge can be seen above the line of trees. The crown tower of King's College is across the street. The two minarets of the Powis Gateway are just next to it. Further along are the crenelations of Cromwell's Tower.
The tower on the far left of the image may be Dunbar's Tower.
The minaret gateway was finished in 1834 and this image likely dates from around that period. United Free Church, Cults
210 United Free Church, North Deeside Road, Cults. Designed by the architect Duncan McMillan, the church was dedicated in April 1903, and became Cults East Church in 1929. In the early hours of 19 January 1941, a disastrous fire destroyed the building leaving only the spire and stair tower. These remained standing until 2012 when the whole site was cleared for the development of the Cults Kirk Centre. United Free Church, Culter
262 United Free Church, Culter, which became Kelman Memorial Church, and more recently has amalgamated with St. Peter's to form Peterculter Church. Gaelic Chapel, Belmont Street
322 The Gaelic Chapel was founded in the 18th century in response to the increasing numbers of Highlanders who came to the city in search of work.
At first, they held services in the East Church of St. Nicholas but, in the 1790s, they obtained ground in the area between Belmont Street and Back Wynd, now known as Gaelic Lane.
The opening services in the new church were conducted on 30th August 1795. In 1843, at the Disruption, the whole congregation followed their minister, Rev. Hugh Mackenzie, into the Free Church.
By 1882, the church had become old and dilapidated and needed so much renovation that the congregation decided to move. The property was disposed of and was used as a printing office by G. & W. Fraser for a number of years.
The congregation moved to a church on Dee Street which had become vacant on the disbanding of the United Free Methodists and it was named St. Columba United Free Church.
In 1907, they amalgamated with the High United Free Church and moved to their church at the junction of Belmont Street and Schoolhill.
Comparing the scene shown here and large scale historic maps suggests that this is likely a view of the rear of the Gaelic Chapel buildings, looking north, potentially taken from the back of a building on Union Street. Queens Cross Free Church
369 Queens Cross Free Church, Aberdeen. This photograph taken by G.W. Wilson whose house was almost adjacent. In 1877, the Free Church discussed the possibility of a church to cater for those who lived in the increasingly popular west end of the city. They secured a triangular site at the junction of Albyn Place and Carden Place at Queens Cross. Competitive designs were sought and John Bridgeford Pirie, of Pirie and Clyne, architects, were successful with his French Gothic design in granite. The steeple is 150 feet high and the grand entrance doorway is flanked by massive pillars leading into the nave where there was space for around 800 worshipers. There is a circular window in the east end, stained glass windows having been gifted by members of the congregation. The building was opened for worship on 17th April 1881, and the popularity of its first Minister, the Rev Dr George Adam Smith brought large audiences to the church. Smith was later to become Principal of Aberdeen University. The church became the only one of the city's free churches to have instrumental music when it acquired an organ built by Henry Willis. Queens Cross became Church of Scotland in 1929 when the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church merged. Various extensions have taken place, including a new hall and vestry in 1939, and the building was extensively restored in 1980. 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. Kelman Memorial Church, Culter
996 Kelman Memorial Church, Culter - in 1843 at the Disruption, the Rev. Robert Thomson set up a Free Church congregation in Culter. They worshipped at a building at Contlaw, 3 miles from the village. In 1893, the congregation, under the Rev. John Kelman, agreed that a more central site was required. The foundation stone was laid on 28 April 1894 and the church, designed by John Rust, was opened on 16 February 1895. This snowy scene shows the Norman style of architecture of the church, which was constructed of granite from Rubislaw Quarry, Aberdeen. After the reunion of the Free Church with the Church of Scotland in October 1929, the decision was taken to rename this church the Kelman Memorial Church in remembrance of Rev. Dr. Kelman, who had died only a few months earlier. This left 2 Church of Scotland churches in Culter but, in March 1999, St. Peter's and Kelman Memorial were amalgamated to form Peterculter Parish Church, with this building chosen to continue for the future. St. Peter's may become a heritage museum. Carden Place Church
1113 Carden Place Church, originally known as Carden Place United Free Church 1880 was designed by Robert Wilson. The church was converted into offices and studios in 1990. Albert Street
1114 Albert Street looking towards the junction with Skene Street. Melville Carden Place Church, originally known as Carden Place United Free Church 1880 was designed by Robert Wilson. The church was converted into offices and studios in 1990. Old Bon-Accord United Free Church
1491 A photograph of the old Free Bon-Accord Church on Union Terrace. Old Bon Accord United Free Church
1526 A photograph of the Bon Accord Church that was located on Union Terrace. The building was previously known as Union Terrace Chapel.
In 1827 a number of the Trinity Chapel congregation split off after unsuccessfully supporting Rev. Gavin Parker, then working in Dundee, as a candidate for the then vacant ministry.
The new congregation and Parker purchased Union Terrace Chapel from a struggling Baptist congregation in 1828. It opened as a Presbyterian place of worship with a service on 27th July 1828.
For some years it operated as a chapel of ease before an reformist Act of the General Assembly was passed that erected chapels of ease into parishes quoad sacra. The building then became known as Bon Accord Church.
During the ministry of Rev. Hector M. Adam, the Bon Accord United Free Church congregation sold this Union Terrace building to the Aberdeen School Board and had new church buildings constructed on Rosemount Viaduct. These new buildings opened on 3rd September 1896 and still house an active congregation today.
The building on Union Terrace appears to have served as School Board, and possibly Aberdeen County Council, offices before being demolished at an unknown date during development to the street.
For more details on this building and the Bon Accord congregation, please see The Churches of Aberdeen by Alexander Gammie (1909, page 92) and Bon-Accord United Free Church, Aberdeen: a Retrospect of 100 Years 1828-1928 (1928). Both books are available to consult at Aberdeen Local Studies. Rothienorman Church
1730 Rothienorman is a village about 25 miles north of Aberdeen and 10 miles from Inverurie. The church began as a mission station in 1935, under Inverurie, before being raised to full status in 1947. In 1958, it became a joint charge with Culsalmond but it is now linked with Fyvie. Rev. Alexander Noble has recently been inducted to the charge but, at the time of this photo, the minister was Rev. Rodney Milligan, who had the charge from 1958. The church was designed by the Aberdeen architect, George Bennett Mitchell, in 1936. The roof is supported by arched oak beams which are painted black, as is the bell tower, in contrast to the grey harled walls. The pews came from the United Free Church in Rayne, while the communion table and chains in light oak were gifted by James Dalgarno, in memory of his wife. At first glance, its unusual design makes the passerby think that it is a private house but most visitors regard it as a beautiful building. Brae Farm
1790 This photograph was taken in 1951 by James Kellas and looks east showing, on the left, the rear of Brae Farm, located on Morningside Road, and part of 142 Morningside Avenue on the right.
There was originally a Brae Farm to the north west of this location that can be seen the Ordnance Survey map published in 1869 (Aberdeen Sheet LXXV.14). Just to the north of the old farm on the map is a single Aberdeen Water Works reservoir.
An article from The Leopard magazine by Diane Morgan (October/November 1985) explains that in 1885 an Aberdeen Corporation Water Act was passed to empower the Town Council to take eight million gallons daily from the River Dee and to build a second reservoir at Mannofield. This was to keep up with the city's rapid population increase.
To carry out the expansion, the council acquired the land adjoining the initial reservoir including the first Brae Farmhouse and its steadings. They then became known as Reservoir Cottage and Reservoir House and served as the home of the inspector of the water works. A relatively early inspector was called William Clark. On 28th February 1898 he died at the cottage aged 64. He was buried in the John Knox Churchyard (Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 02/03/1898, p.4).
Clark was likely succeeded as waterworks inspector by James Forsyth. The Forsyth family lived at the cottage well into the 20th century. James was married to Margaret (née Jaffray), who died after him on 28th July 1945, aged 85. Their second son, Sapper John Forsyth, died aged 26 at Oldmill Military Hospital on 20th April 1917. He was buried at Springback Cemetery.
The reservoirs continue to play a vital role in supplying water to Aberdeen. The cottage and house however were demolished in the late 20th century and replaced by modern water treatment buildings.
As shown on the 1901 OS map, sometime shortly after the passing of the 1885 act the Brae Farm we can see in this picture was built to the south east, where Morningside Road met Auchinyell Bridge. To the east, Aberdeenshire County Cricket Ground was also built around the same time.
This later Brae Farm was the home to the Kinnaird family for the first half of the 20th century. The heads of the family were Frank Kinnaird and Margaret Amelia Smith.
Their son Lance-Corporal A. G. Kinnaird, of the Royal Scots, was reported as a prisoner of war in Germany in June 1918. Prior to the war he had worked with the Clydesdale Bank (Evening Express, 03/06/1918 p.3).
Frank's eldest daughter, Jessie Sinclair, married James Smith Mathieson at Ruthrieston U.F. Church on 7th September 1927 (Evening Express, 08/09/1927, p.6).
A younger daughter, Edith Kinnaird, married a man from Portsmouth called Andrew Livingstone in July 1936. The marriage took place in Ruthrieston West Church and the reception was at the Caledonian Hotel (Press & Journal, 06/06/1936 p.8).
Daughters Amelia Elizabeth and Margaret Kinnaird both left Brae Farm in the 1920s (1924 and 1920, respectively) to reunite with fiancés who had travelled ahead to Canada.
Frank Kinnaird died on 12th August 1950, aged 84.
At some point during the 1930s-1950s the residential streets we know today, Morningside Avenue, Terrace and Place were constructed between the reservoir and the new farmstead. These streets take their name from Morningside Farm to the east. As can be seen in this photograph, the farm stood into the 1950s. It was eventually demolished when Morningside Avenue was extended to meet Morningside Road. The newer bungalows can be distinguished by their tiled, rather than slated roofs. John Knox Church
1823 An illustration looking south along Mounthooly, with John Knox Church in the centre, from near the bridge opposite Canal Street. The bridge was initially over the Aberdeenshire Canal and later the Great North of Scotland railway.
This drawing shows the old John Knox Church. It was built as an extension church in the parish of Greyfriars. Building commenced in 1833 and finished in 1835.
Demolition of the old church and construction of its replacement began in 1910. A larger building was needed to accommodate an expanding congregation. Alexander Gammie, in his Churches of Aberdeen (1909), credits the increase in attendance to the popularity of Rev. George A. Johnston, who served as the church's minister from 27th September 1905 to 1909.
At the rear of the original church there was a boys and girls school that can be seen on the Ordnance Survey map from 1869 (Aberdeenshire LXXV.11). The 1902 OS map suggests this school was replaced by the congregation's church hall, finished in October 1885. The 1926 map indicates the hall was in turn demolished during construction of the new church.
Summarizing the progress of the church up to 1909, Gammie writes:
"The congregation of John Knox is composed almost entirely of the working classes, and the church is situated in what is practically an east-end district. Yet it has not been lacking in the enterprise and ability to undertake and complete important schemes solely by its own efforts. The erection of a church hall, the introduction of a pipe organ, and the erection of a handsome new oak pulpit are instances of what it has accomplished in this respect."
The soon to be undertaken construction of the new church building would perhaps remain the greatest accomplishment in the congregation's history. In 1997 John Knox Church united with Greyfriars Church on Broad Street, ceasing to be a seperate congregation. The 1910 church building was later converted for residential use.
The kirk session records of the church are held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives. John Knox Church
1824 An illustration looking south down Mounthooly, with the Gallowgate rising in the distance. The image shows a good view of the back of the old John Knox Church, built in 1835. This image likely dates from the late 19th century. John Knox Church
1825 An illustration looking south down Mounthooly and across to the Gallowgate, which can be seen rising in the distance. The flank of the old John Knox Church, built 1835 and demolished in 1910, looms over the nearby houses.
Comparing the large scale Ordnance Survey maps from 1869 and 1902 we can see that these houses made way during the intervening years for a drying green located between Mounthooly and the church's graveyard. This suggests this illustration is the oldest of the three, showing broadly the same vista, that can be viewed on the Silver City Vault.
Comparing these illustrations with others in our collection suggests all three may be sketches by Andrew Gibb Jr.
The chimney far off on the Gallowgate is likely that of the Spring Garden Iron Foundry. Sir Alexander Lyon
2035 A portrait of Sir Alexander Lyon (1850-1926) in Lord Lieutenant's uniform. Alexander Lyon served as Provost of Aberdeen from 1905-1908. He died 26th April 1926 at his residence on Queen's Road, Aberdeen.
The Provost made the arrangements for the visit of King Edward and Queen Alexandra to Aberdeen in September 1906 for the opening of the extension of Marischal College. He was knighted during this royal visit. Lyon was also involved in the beach esplanade between the Rivers Dee and Don.
He held many public posts including; Deputy Lieutenant of the City and County of Aberdeen, a Justice of the Peace, president of the Aberdeen Territorial Army Association, a prominent office bearer in the Aberdeen Seven Incorporated Trades, a member of the West United Free Church, a member of the Cairngorm Club and the director of a number of important local businesses.
In August 1925 Alexander and Lady Lyon celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Alexander Lyon
2056 A portrait of Sir Alexander Lyon (1850-1926). Alexander Lyon served as Provost of Aberdeen from 1905-1908. He died 26th April 1926 at his residence on Queen's Road, Aberdeen.
The Provost made the arrangements for the visit of King Edward and Queen Alexandra to Aberdeen in September 1906 for the opening of the extension of Marischal College. He was knighted during this royal visit. Lyon was also involved in the beach esplanade between the Rivers Dee and Don.
He held many public posts including; Deputy Lieutenant of the City and County of Aberdeen, a Justice of the Peace, president of the Aberdeen Territorial Army Association, a prominent office bearer in the Aberdeen Seven Incorporated Trades, a member of the West United Free Church, a member of the Cairngorm Club and the director of a number of important local businesses.
In August 1925 Alexander and Lady Lyon celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Queen's Cross Church
2116 Queens Cross Church in the snow. In 1877 the Free Church discussed the possibility of a church to cater for those who lived in the increasingly popular west end of the city. They secured a triangular site at the Queen's Cross junction of Albyn Place and Carden Place.
Competitive designs were sought and John Bridgeford Pirie, of Pirie and Clyne, architects, were successful with his French Gothic design in granite. The steeple is 150 feet high and the grand entrance doorway is flanked by massive pillars leading into the nave where there was space for around 800 worshipers. There is a circular window in the east end, stained glass windows having been gifted by members of the congregation.
The building was opened for worship on 17th April 1881, and the popularity of its first Minister, the Rev Dr George Adam Smith brought large audiences to the church. He was later to become Principal of Aberdeen University.
The church became the only one of the city's free churches to have instrumental music when it acquired an organ built by Henry Willis. Queens Cross became Church of Scotland in 1929 when the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church merged. Various extensions have taken place, including a new hall and vestry in 1939, and the building was extensively restored in 1980. Smoking Haddies
2614 A James Valentine postcard entitled Smoking Haddies, Aberdeen. Rows of gutted and split haddocks are seen drying in the sun with a row of smoke houses in the background.
Ed Fowler has been in touch to very plausibly suggest that these smokes houses were located to the west of Old Torry. The building that can be seen on the far right, beyond the last chimney, is likely the Torry United Free Church built in the 1860s.
The church was located on Sinclair Road, which was previously known as Church Road. The congregation's history can be read in Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909).
Old local newspapers indicate that there was fish curing works in this area going back to at least the late 19th century.
There are a row of buildings to the east of Seaton Brickworks, between Sinclair Road and Crombie Road, shown on the 1901 Ordnance Survey map series that could be these smoke houses. Victoria Road
2670 A photograph of Victoria Road, Torry in around 1934.
On the left can be seen the hairdressing shop of Bert Wilson. He was a former mill worker who ran this shop from 1932 to 1946. He later became a hotelier.
He and his wife bought their first hotel in Angus in 1951. They subsequently returned to Aberdeen to take over the Waverley Hotel, known later as the Guild Hotel. During this time they also converted a house on Riverside Drive into the Park Hotel.
Wilson went on to run the Prince Regent Hotel, from which he retired in May 1977.
Next door at 119 Victoria Road is the premises of James McPherson, a radio and cycle dealer. He also operated from number 65 on the same street. He lived at 53 Mile-End Avenue.
Also visible in this photograph is a number of adverts on the side of a tenement. The products shown include Johnnie Walker whisky, Ovaltine and Capstan cigarettes. The back of a bus, a horse and cart carrying what looks like agricultural produce and the spire of Torry United Free Church can be seen too. John Knox United Free Church group portrait
2905 A group portrait believed to show some of the congregation and officials of John Knox United Free Church on Gerrard Street.
This church was formed after the Disruption of 1843 when Rev. John Stephen, the then minister of John Knox Parish Church, located nearby at Mounthooly, left the established Church to join the Free Church of Scotland. The first John Knox U. F. Church on Gerrard Street was opened for worship by Stephen on 31st March 1844. The later church on the same site was opened in January 1900, during the ministry of Rev. Robert Macleod. It is in this later building that this photograph is believed to have been taken. Likely during the late 1920s or 1930s.
This print was kindly donated to Aberdeen Local Studies by David Parkinson. His grandfather, David Charles Kelly Parkinson, is the tall, left most chap in the back row. Craigiebuckler Church
3104 John Cardno Couper, now known as John Couper of Craigiebuckler, purchased Craigiebuckler Estate in 1863 and "decided that, as a laird, it was now his duty to provide for the spiritual welfare of the community". As such, an "iron church" was first erected on the estate and was known as the "Iron Kirkie" from its opening in 1873. However, John Couper wanted a more durable and permanent structure, which resulted in the erection of a new church.
This new structure was built by the highly-respected architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie in 1883. "John Couper gave a free site and paid for fully half the cost of the erection of the stone and lime church (...). When Craigiebuckler church, on Walker Dam Road, opened on the second Sunday in February, 1883 it was completely free of debt, a position of envy to many churches".
All citations are from Craigiebuckler Parish Church, 125th Anniversary Magazine (1883-2008), published in 2008. |