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Statue of Queen Victoria
73 A photograph showing the statue of Queen Victoria at the junction of Union Street and St. Nicholas Street. The building in the background is the Clydesdale Bank that stands next to M&S today. This fine Italian renaissance style building was originally constructed for the Town and County Bank and opened for business in May 1863.
The statue of Queen Victoria was made from marble and was sculpted by Banff born Alexander Brodie (c.1829 - 1867). The origin of this statue is closely related to another Aberdeen monument, the 1863 memorial statue of Prince Albert by Baron Marochetti, now standing, or rather sitting, in the area in front of the Central Library.
Marochetti's statue was augurated by Queen Victoria herself on 13th October 1863 and this was said to the first time the Queen had appeared at a public demonstration following the death of Albert in 1861. The Marochetti statue was the subject of great local controversy and there were various plans for an alternative, superior, memorial to the late Prince Consort. It was at a related meeting that a chap called Alexander Donald, from the Royal Tradesman of Aberdeen, moved "That a colossal statue in marble, of Her Majesty, be erected at the corner of St. Nicholas Street."
The endeavour was taken on by a variety of prominent citizens and funding was raised by public subscription. Brodie, the selected sculptor, worked on an 11-ton block of Sicilian marble for two years to complete the statue. The finished piece is 8 foot 6 inches in height and, at the request of Queen herself, depicts Victoria in Scottish regal attire. The statue stands on a substantial plinth of pink Peterhead granite.
The statue was unveiled and inaugurated on 20th September 1866 by Albert-Edward Prince of Wales, later to be King Edward VII and the subject of another of Aberdeen's notable statues. During his speech at the ceremony, the Prince said "Gentlemen, it has afforded me the greatest satisfaction to attend here today, by the wish of Her Majesty, and at your invitation, for the purpose of inaugurating a statue of the Queen, my dear mother. Her Majesty has desired me to express to you how much she appreciates the motives which have led the people of Aberdeenshire to give this lasting evidence of their attachment and loyalty to her person, of which she has so many proofs, and whose sympathy in her great sorrow has touched her so deeply."
During his visit, the Prince of Wales also received the Freedom of the City and attended the Royal Horticultural Society's Autumn Show, which was then going on in the Music Hall. An extensive account of the unveiling, the Royal visit and the town's celebrations is given in the Aberdeen Journal of 26th September 1866.
After some time at this location, the statue's marble began to show weathering due to the frost and so it was moved to the vestibule of the Town House in 1888, where it remains to this day. It stands at the foot of the building's splendid main stairway. The plaster model of Brodie's statue has also been on display in the Music Hall for many years.
A new bronze statue of an older Victoria, by sculptor Charles Bell Birch, was erected at the St. Nicholas Street location on 9th November 1893 and "the Queen" became a regular meeting place for generations of Aberdonians. To make way for the extension of Marks & Spencer, the 1893 statue moved to its current site at Queen's Cross on 22nd January 1964. Victoria now stands looking east towards Balmoral. Beach Bathing Station
99 The interior of the Beach Bathing Station, where generations of Aberdonians learnt to swim in the fresh water pool. The Bathing Station was designed by City Architect, John Rust, and opened on 13th July 1898. A distinctive red brick chimney dominated the beach skyline. The Bathing Station was eventually filled in and demolished, the door having finally closed to the public on 11th July 1972. The 'Aberdeen' Bus 1930s
267 Bus driver with his Albion motor bus belonging to the Deeside Omnibus Service, 1930s. This coach was one of several in the fleet of the Ballater based Strachan's Company. For many years, these coaches regularly departed from the SMT depot in Bon Accord Square before journeying to Banchory and beyond. Strachan's Deeside Omnibus Service operated on the Royal Deeside route for many years with Alexanders. This particular 'Aberdeen' bus looks in good condition with gleaming bodywork. Note the roof-rack for any large pieces of luggage. H. Company, 7th Gordon Highlanders
281 H. Company, 7th Gordon Highlanders leaving Culter for War Service. August 6th 1914 The No2. Woodside Tram, 1900
430 The No2. Woodside Tram. Anderson Road, Aberdeen 1900.
A group of Aberdeen businessmen formed the Aberdeen District Tramways Company in 1871 and proposed a number of tram routes to run within Aberdeen. This was the beginning of the use of horse drawn trams within the city and a regular tram service started to run from St. Nicholas Street to Woodside.
The Aberdeen Corporation purchased the District Tramways in 1898 and started to electrify the tram routes and the first route to be electrified was the Woodside line in December 1899. The trams were a popular and convenient mode of travel and the tramways competed with the railways by providing a similar suburban service.
By the 1950's plans were afoot to replace all of the trams with buses as Aberdeen Transport Committee decided that a modern fleet of buses could provide quicker and more regular services at cheaper running costs. The last tram to Woodside ran in 1955.
Castlegate
519 The Castlegate, Aberdeen showing the statue of the last Duke of Gordon in the foreground. The buildings in the background include the Record Office which was to be demolished in the 1890's for the construction of the Salvation Army Citadel (1896). The double gables on the right belonged to Rolland's Lodging - the town house of this family whose estate was at Disblair. This building was demolished in the 1930's and the site was later occupied by Voluntary Service Aberdeen. Rolland's Lodging, Castle Street
597 Rolland's Lodging, Castle Street. This 16th century twin-gabled building was the town house of the Rolland family of Disblair. It was demolished in 1935 and the headquarters of the Aberdeen Association of Social Services (now Voluntary Service Aberdeen) occupied the site. The photo shows McKenzie and Stephen, furniture store at No.36 Waterloo Station
641 This photograph shows the corner at the end of Regent Quay in the late 19th century. The building in the centre of the image, with pediment, is the offices of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company and to its left is the entrance to the Waterloo Railway Station.
The railway station was opened by the company on 1st April 1856. It was built to supersede an existing station at Kittybrewster. Waterloo was once the station for all railway passengers and goods going between the city and the north.
Trains coming and going from the south stopped at a nearby, but unconnected station on Guild Street. It had opened two years earlier in 1854 and was operated by rival railway company, the Scottish North-Eastern. Passengers with connecting trains would need to dash along Trinity and Regent Quay or wait for a bus. Connections were not guaranteed.
It took Parliament to settle the differences between the companies. This saw the construction of the Joint Station, opened in November 1867, and the creation of the Denburn Valley Railway. Both Waterloo and Guild Street subsequently became stations for the transport of goods only.
The buildings shown in this photograph were altered and eventually demolished in the 20th century. Remnants of the station can still be seen today in a small yard and the railway line following the old canal path and joining the main tracks heading north at Kittybrewster.
On the right of this image can also be seen an building, likely a goods shed, of the Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Company. This passenger ship service was founded in 1865 and had offices at 43 Marischal Street.
The building to the left of Waterloo Station, far left here, was the site of an establishment called Berry's Hotel and served as various pubs until the late 1960s. It looks like it was closed or being refurbished at the time of this photograph.
To the left of this image would be Commerce Street and Regent Quay. Waterloo Quay would begin to its right. Triple Kirks, Denburn
668 The Triple Kirks were built to the design of Archibald Simpson to house three separate Free Church congregations in 1843/44.
Due to lack of funds, second-hand building materials were used (reputedly the down takings from the old Dee Village), and the spire, which was modelled on that of the Katherinenkirche, Magdeburg, is of 18th century Ferryhill brick.
The church in the foreground was designed by James Souttar and opened in 1865 as Belmont Congregational Church, becoming known as St. Nicholas Congregational in 1910. Its final service was held in 1995. Gilbert Gerard's House
770 Gilbert Gerard's House 1787 in the Gallowgate. This photograph was taken just prior to demolition in c.1905. This building in the Gallowgate was bought by the managers of the Poors Hospital in the early 1800's as a home for the maintenance and education of orphan boys or boys of very poor parents, and was known as the Boys Hospital. In 1828, it was realised that there was a need for a similar home for girls. The managers decided to acquire another property in the Upperkirkgate to which the boys were transferred and this building became the Girls Hospital in 1829. The girls, aged 6-14 years, were instructed in the 3R's as well as sewing, knitting and household work, for the purpose of finding them positions in service. In 1871, a new building was erected in King Street, when the boys and girls hospital was place under one roof. This building in the Gallowgate was demolished in 1905 as part of the re-development of the area. Statue of General Charles George Gordon
777 Statue of General Charles George Gordon outside entrance to Robert Gordon's College, Schoolhill.
The inscription on the base reads "Charles George Gordon, R.E.C.B., Major General, born 28 January 1833, fell in his country's service at Kartoum, January 1885, dedicated to his memory by members of the Gordon Clan "I have done my best for the honour of our country", Kartoum 14 December 1884"
The statue was sculpted by T. Stuart Burnett, ARSA, and unveiled by the Marquis of Huntly on Saturday 16th June 1888. Culter
876 This image was taken around 1909 from a hill at the west end of Culter - 7 miles west from Aberdeen looking down on the North Deeside Road towards Banchory. The image shows the cottages known as Clayhills with the houses of Malcolm Road beyond. Hidden in the trees at the right hand side is the statue of Rob Roy overlooking the Leuchar Burn which runs through the wooded valley. H Company, 7th Gordon Highlanders
968 H Company, 7th Gordon Highlanders mobilised for war service, 6th August 1914. Culter War Memorial
994 A photograph showing the unveiling of a new panel at Culter War Memorial on Sunday 19th June 1949.
The article 'Tribute to War Dead of Culter' from the Press & Journal of 20th June 1949, page 6, describes the ceremony as follows:
"A panel containing the names of 29 men from the parish who lost their lives in the recent war was unveiled at Culter War Memorial yesterday.
"Relatives of the fallen and representatives of the Boys' Brigade, Girl Guides, Brownies, and the Territorial Army were grouped round the memorial as Mrs Tough, Hillside Road, Culter, who lost two sons in the war, unveiled the tablet.
"The panel was dedicated by the Rev. J. R. Dey, Kelman Memorial Church, who, along with the Rev. T. W. Howie, St Peter's Church, conducted the service"
Culter War Memorial is a tapering, crenelated tower located on a hillock to the west of the village. It is accessed by a footpath that leaves North Deeside Road not far beyond the bridge over the Culter Burn.
Correspondent Brian Coutts has been in touch to inform us that one of the representatives of the Brownies present at the ceremony was Elizabeth McNab.
The abovementioned sons of Mrs Jane Tough of Hillside Road were Driver Frank Tough, Royal Corps of Signals, formerly an employee of Culter Paper Mills, who was killed by enemy action in the Middle East on 24th September 1942, aged 24, and Private Ernest "Ernie" Tough, 2nd Gordons, who died on 5th October 1943, aged 26, while a prisoner-of-war in Thailand. (Source: Press & Journal, 26th September 1946, page 3.)
The former, Frank Tough, is buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial in Egypt and Ernest is buried Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar. (Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.) Tilling-Stevens petrol electric bus
1050 In 1901, Aberdeen Suburban Tramway Company proposed a system of tram routes running from the city to the suburban areas of Bucksburn and Bieldside. These came into operation in 1904. In 1914, the Company decided to acquire three Tilling-Stevens petrol electric buses to augment their tram service. These vehicles had a petrol engine which was used to drive a dynamo which, in turn, fed an electric motor driving the wheels. It was claimed that they were cheaper to use and easier for tram drivers to learn to operate. They were double deck open top rear entrance vehicles with benchseats inside for 20 passengers and slatted wooden seats for 18 passengers on the upper deck. Their maximum permitted speed was 12 mph. All three buses were converted to charabanc bodies in 1921, and were sold in 1927. Bydand Motor Transport Co. Ltd
1051 Bydand Motor Transport Co. Ltd. were one of a number of small bus companies which sprang up in the 1920's, and were based at the Western Garage on Great Western Road, Aberdeen. Many service men had learned to drive in the army during the First World War, and vehicle manufacturers were keen to supply new markets. Bydand announced in the 'Aberdeen Press and Journal' on 23rd May 1925 that they were to introduce a 'Deeside Motor Bus Service'. They offered a regular weekday half hourly service of buses between Aberdeen (Wallace Statue) and Bieldside with less frequent late buses and a Sunday service between Mannofield and Bieldside only. Buses were also to run between Aberdeen, Culter and Banchory. The fare from Aberdeen to Bieldside was 4p; Aberdeen to Culter was 8p; Aberdeen to Banchory was 1 shilling and sixpence. Within a few weeks, Bydand were extoling the virtues of their service in an advert headed 'Safety First'. The company made much of the fact that their buses started from His Majesty's Theatre and passed other theatres enroute. It was even possible to reserve a seat on the Banchory Bus when booking seats at His Majesty's Theatre. During the summer months Sunday Mystery Tours were advertised - a 60-70 mile trip for 5 shillings return. The 1930 Road Traffic Act introduced various restrictions and many small companies were taken over by the expanding company of W. Alexander and Sons Ltd. The 13 Bydand buses were transferred on 3rd October 1932. George Street Electric Tram Service
1069 A photograph of the inaugural procession on 23rd December 1899 for the electrification of the Woodside tram route, the first in Aberdeen to be modernised.
This copy of the image has been labelled as the "Opening of George Street Electric Car Service - 1899." The trams would have travelled from Aberdeen city centre to Woodside along St. Nicholas Street and George Street.
Lord Provost John Fleming is at the helm, with Tramways Convener Alexander Wilkie standing next to him, and Councillor Alexander Glass has his foot on the platform.
Next to Fleming and Wilkie, and above Glass, appears to be Alexander Lyon, provost between 1905-1908. Baillie James Taggart, also later to be provost, is the right-most figure in the back row on the roof of the car. Two to the left of Taggart may be James Walker, provost between 1903-1905.
James Alexander Bell, City Electrical Engineer for Aberdeen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is the bowler hatted figure on the stairs above Lord Provost Fleming.
This inauguration is detailed in an article titled 'Electric tramways in Aberdeen: Opening of Woodside section' in the Aberdeen Journal of 25th December 1899, page 7. It details the celebratory tram trip shown here and a luncheon in the Town and County Hall that followed.
Another, clearer version of this image can be found on this website (image reference: A43_14). Aberdeen Fire Brigade (Torry Branch)
1213 Aberdeen Fire Brigade (Torry Branch). This was a voluntary service. Robert Fergus Abercrombie (Second from left) was firemaster. c.1940.
Local historian, Ed Fowler, has been in touch to suggest this image shows the part-time firemen of the Torry Auxiliary Fire Station. Ed states the station was based in Cordiner's Garage on Menzies road and was one of nine set-up around Aberdeen in 1939, just prior to the outbreak of WW2.
The firemaster in this image is sitting on one of the trailer pumps that was issued to the auxiliary stations. North Parish Church
1253 The North Parish Church on King Street. It was designed by John Smith in the Greek Revival Style and is thought to have been inspired by St. Pancras Church in London. The building cost £10,300 and could accommodate 1700 to 1800 people.
The church was constructed after the parish of St. Nicholas was split into six distinct parishes in around 1828 due to population growth. The six parishes were East, West, North, South, Greyfriars and St. Clement's.
The church was officially opened on 19th June 1831 and its first service was attended by the Lord Provost and the town's Magistrates. The first minister was Rev. John Murray.
The church became home to the North and Trinity Parish in 1929 when Trinity Church on Marischal Street closed and its congregation was merged with the North Parish.
Due to declining attendance numbers the North and Trinity congregation was itself merged in 1954 with the East Church of St. Nicholas. The church building on King Street was converted to become the Aberdeen Arts Centre in 1963. Aberdeen Central Library Staff 1892
1388 When the Central Library opened in 1892, the staff consisted of the Librarian and Sub-Librarian plus 9 Assistants, a Reading Room Keeper, a Janitor and 2 staff in the Binding Department. A total of 15 compared to 70 in 2012 (120 across the service). Aberdeen Central Library, Local Studies Department
1440 Aberdeen Local Studies moved to a new home in the extension following the refurbishment of 1978-82. It was integrated back on to the main reference floor in 1990 and the extension area has since been used for a variety of purposes including study facilities, Aberdeen College Learning Centre outreach and the Business Information Service. Aberdeen Central Library, opening of Information Centre
1441 The refurbished Reference Library was opened as the "Information Centre" on 16 May 2006 by Sir James Milne, Chairman of the Balmoral Group. He is seen here with Neil Bruce (Service Manager, Culture and Sport, Aberdeen City Council) and Councillor John Stewart (extreme right). 1467 This image has not yet been indexed. Use the Comments button below the image to enter information about the photograph.
Please note: we will not include any personal information provided unless you indicate that you wish to be acknowledged. The standard form for crediting your information is (name, place) e.g. (John Smith, Aberdeen). 1468 This image has not yet been indexed. Use the Comments button below the image to enter information about the photograph.
Please note: we will not include any personal information provided unless you indicate that you wish to be acknowledged. The standard form for crediting your information is (name, place) e.g. (John Smith, Aberdeen). |