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The Henry Sisters
3006 A fantastic group portrait showing the Henry sisters in Highland dress.
The figure on the near left is most likely a youthful Jeannie Henry (1869-1931) who married Walford Bodie and performed on the stage as Princess Rubie. She appears to have been known as Kitty when she was younger.
It is difficult to say for certain but top and bottom right could be Isabella and Mary Walford Henry respectively.
This image comes from a family photograph album, originally owned by Annie "Nan" Henry, held by Aberdeen City Libraries. The Aberdeen Free Press
3154 An Adelphi Series postcard showing the front page of The Aberdeen Free Press with a photograph of the Brig o' Balgownie on top of it.
The postcard was lent to Aberdeen City Libraries so that we could create a digital copy for public use. March Stone 13
3195 This stone is located in the picnic area north of Hillview Crescent, Cults. The area is perhaps best entered from Cairnlee Road East or at the top of Cults Avenue. The stone is marked "13 ABD".
The marker in 1525 was described as "ane gret grey stane standand on the top of the Blak Hill of Queyltis..." The 1698 description noted a sauser mark and four "witter holes...".
The 1929 Blue Book includes an image of the stone on top of a stone pediment.
The stone sits near the location of the disused Cults Quarry. These two pits were later used as refuse tips and then covered by the surrounding woodland.
The area as shown in this image looks less overgrown than it would later become. To the west is of the stone's location in 2020 is Cults Skatepark.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 15
3197 In 2020 this stone is located in a grassy area, just to the south, of the junction of Baillieswells Road and Springdale Road, in the northern part of Bieldside. It is marked "15 ABD".
In 1525 the marker was described as "ane gray stane with four hollis in the quhilk thar is irne zeit with laid..." In 1698 described as a large earthfast stone, marked on top by a saucer and on the side with three holes.
This image shows the 19th century stone, and another stone marked with a "2" behind it, prior to the development of the now present housing estate. The stones are here shown in a field between Woodbine Cottage to the south and Bellywells to the north.
The Blue Book describes the latter as Bailleswell House and explains that the stone shown to the rear was one of four marking the springs of the Cults Water Supply. There is no sign of the 2nd spring marker at the 2020 location of March Stone 15.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 22
3204 Contining on the same western line from 21, this stone is located in the same field south west of Westfield Cottage. It is marked "22 ABD".
In 1698 the marker was a saucer stone was on top of a hillock.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 24
3206 This stone is located at the top of a bank at corner of a fence, not far west of North Westfield farm. It is marked "24 ABD".
In 1698 and 1780 the marker is described as being located at a place called Brunie's, or Brownie's grave.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 39
3223 This stone is (likely) located at the north side of road, 50 metres east of No. 38. It is marked "39 ABD".
The road from Ashtown to the Newhills Homes has been substantially altered to make way for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR). This stone may have consequently been moved.
On a different matter, the Blue Book states "It appears that this stone marks the original extent of the Lands of Craibstone in the direction earlier known as the top of the folds of Craibstone. The portion of Craibstone now within the Freedom Lands was a subject of controversy with the Town Council for a century."
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. March Stone 61
3259 This stone is located adjacent to the gable wall of 35 King's Crescent, in the front garden of Viewton Cottage. It is marked "61 ABD CR".
It was described in 1698 as an earthfast stone with a saucer and key mark, this stone marks the junction of Inner and Outer marches on the north side. This stone is at the top of a steep path.
A slide of this image was kindly lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Colin Johnston so that we could create a digital copy for public use.
The image was taken in the early 1980s when Colin worked as a teacher at Bridge of Don Academy. He led several current and former pupils, and staff members in an investigation into the location, physical condition and public knowledge of Aberdeen's historic boundary markers. Masonic group
3351 A portrait of a group of Freemasons in around 1914. The photograph likely shows a gathering of a masonic group local to Aberdeen.
This photograph was lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Bill Cheyne so that we could create and preserve a digital copy for public use.
The man standing two in from the right, in the second row from the top is William Law, Bill's maternal grandfather. William Law lived in Torry. Pitglassie Group Portrait
3353 This photograph was one of three lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Mr William Finney of Banchory so that we could create and preserve a digital copy for public use. These three photographs were kept by Mr Finney's family and he hopes to find out more about the people shown in them. If you can shed any light on these images please get in touch using the comment button on the left. Mr Finney was born in Turriff and the images likely relate to that area of Aberdeenshire.
This photograph by David Smith is a group portrait that appears to show five workers from the farm or area of Pitglassie in 1923. The image might have been taken at a local event or competition. This could well be a competitive ploughing team.
Pitglassie is an area with a number of farms located to the south of Turriff and north of the Kirktown of Auchterless. Ordnance Survey maps from the period show farms called Upper Pitglassie, Mid Pitglassie and North Pitglassie. There is also a Wood of Pitglassie and Crofts of Pitglassie.
The man in the middle of the lower row bears a resemblance to a figure from another of Mr Finney's images who is tentatively identified as a Fred Matthews. The man in the top left can be seen in the background of another of the three images. We do not have any knowledge about the other sitters.
Not a great deal is known about the photographer either. The card states David Smith is a "Photographic artist and picture frame maker" and that he is available for marriages and picnics. A search of old newspapers indicates there was a photographer called David Smith active in Inverurie in the 1910s. He appears to have lived in Souterford, a property that still stands today, though derelict, on the Oldmeldrum Road just after it crosses the River Urie, going out of the town. This may or may not be the David Smith who took this portrait. Aberdeen Cinemas: Electric / Capitol
3401 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Capitol cinema at 431 Union Street in February 1980. At this time the Capitol was in more regular use as a concert venue than as a cinema. This image shows large numbers of people queuing to get tickets for a performance by the band Genesis.
The Capitol was built as a cinema back in 1933. A few days before its opening, it was advertised in local papers as "Aberdeen's wonder cinema". Opened to large crowds on Saturday 4th February 1933, the Capitol was then the largest venue of its kind in the north of Scotland and had a stage that could be adapted for both film and variety entertainment.
The Capitol was built by Aberdeen Picture Palaces Ltd. on the site of an earlier upmarket cinema called the Electric Theatre that dated from 1910. When the Capitol opened, it was regarded as the most up-to-date theatre in the country due to its complex lightning system, organ music and other modern features, some of them being introduced for the first time in Scotland.
The venue could accommodate more than 2,000 people. The building's plans were prepared by Aberdeen architects Alexander Marshall MacKenzie and Clement George. Local newspapers stressed the local ownership of the cinema and the local craftsmanship that went into its construction.
Aberdeen City Libraries hold a souvenir brochure of the cinema's opening. One interesting feature of the brochure is the inclusion of specially created adverts for all the companies involved in the construction and furnishing of the new cinema. Some of the adverts provide rich information on the history of the companies and give an insight into how the companies saw themselves. The brochure details the companies behind every aspect of the buildings from the cinema seating and terrazzo work to the innovative lighting.
On the opening day, Mrs A. D. Hay, wife of the chairman of the Aberdeen Picture Palaces, unlocked the main entrance door with a gold key. This key is still held by the Hay family today. The cinema's first, busy evening featured a variety of entertainment. In addition to the showing of films, there was a ballet performance by the Henrietta Fuller Dancers and Mr Edward O' Henry played the theatre's new top of the line Compton organ.
During the opening ceremony, Bert Gates, another director of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, said: "It was a long lane that had no turning. They had built the Capitol not for to-day, but for the generations of Aberdeen people to come. The company had dedicated the Capitol to the people of Aberdeen, their children, and their children's children in the hope that in generations to come they might appreciate what had been given them."
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Drum Castle
4218 A photograph showing a historical pageant type event taking place in front of Drum Castle.
A figure with what might be a microphone can be seen in the background at the top of the stairs. Many young people and adults are watching the show from behind a cordon. Some of the figures on the grass are wearing what looks like 17th century costume.
The photograph comes from a collection of slides from the 1970s and 80s donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. Ferryhill Library
4237 A photograph showing Ferryhill Library in winter with a mobile library parked outside.
The image, which looks to date from the early 1990s, looks north east from the top of Great Southern Road towards Fonthill Road.
In the foreground this photograph shows the traffic island at the top of Great Southern Road.
Following the creation a four road roundabout on this section of Holburn Street in 1989-90 a pedestrian crossing was soon created on this island. Kennerty Mill, 1981
4290 Viewed from the south with Kennerty Road ascending to the old Deeside road, top left of image.
This image is one of fifteen from a photographic survey of the exterior of Culter Paper Mills and nearby Kennerty Mill undertaken by John A. Souter in the summer of 1981. John kindly donated colour slides of these photographs to Aberdeen City Libraries.
Kennerty Meal Mills was a long established business in Culter. At the time of this photograph, it was operated by Messrs. Gavin & Gill Ltd., of 23-29 John Street, Aberdeen. Victoria Park
4323 A photograph of a walkway within Victoria Park in Aberdeen. A laburnum tree is visible at the top of the frame and a variety of colourful flowers are directly ahead.
This photograph comes from a collection of slides from the 1970s and 80s donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. Treasure 29: The Snow Queen and Hans Christian Andersen
202 Hans Christian Andersen wrote 'The Snow Queen' in 1844. Aberdeen City Libraries hold a number of interesting resources relating to the author. Perhaps the most notable is a 1926 reprint of his autobiography 'The True Story of My Life' translated by Mary Howitt and published by George Routledge & Sons.
Born in Odense, Denmark in 1805, Andersen wrote three autobiographies during his lifetime. 'The Book of My Life', written in 1832 aged 27, was for close friends, the Collin family, and was not intended for publication. 'The True Story of My Life' in 1846 was to accompany a German edition of his collected works and his final autobiography, 'The Fairy Tale of My Life', was published in 1855.
Mary Howitt (1799-1888) was an English author who came to prominence as a translator of Scandinavian literature, in particular eighteen volumes of the Swedish novelist Frederika Bremer (1842-1863) and many translations of Hans Christian Andersen. In the 1926 preface to 'The True Story of My Life' Scottish author and poet, Violet Jacob, claims that Howitt's "precise and innocence English" is the ideal vehicle for conveying Andersen's writing. It was through Howitt's translations that the English speaking world first came to know Andersen's work.
Howitt dedicates her translation of 'The True Story of My Life' to the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind (1820-1887). Lind was world famous for her immaculate voice, generosity and strong religious convictions. She and Andersen were good friends. When Lind rejected Andersen as a suitor she became the model for the Snow Queen with a heart of ice. Their friendship endured nonetheless and in 'The True Story of My Life' Andersen explains the central influence Lind had on his work: "Through Jenny Lind I first became sensible of the holiness there is in art; through her I learned that one must forget oneself in the service of the Supreme. No books, no men have had a better or a more ennobling influence on me as the poet, than Jenny Lind, and I therefore have spoken of her so long and so warmly here."
The autobiography also contains other glimpses into the inspiration behind 'The Snow Queen'. For example, Andersen's childhood surroundings are said to have inspired the roof top garden on which the story's heroes, Gerda and Kai, first meet and become friends: "Our little room, which was almost filled with the shoemaker's bench, the bed, and my crib, was the abode of my childhood; the walls, however, were covered with pictures, and over the work-bench was a cupboard containing books and songs; the little kitchen was full of shining plates and metal pans, and by means of a ladder it was possible to go out on the roof, where, in the gutters between and the neighbour's house, there stood a great chest filled with soil, my mother's sole garden, and where she grew her vegetables. In my story of the Snow Queen that garden still blooms." Treasure 42: Marischal College Ground floor Architectural Plan by Archibald Simpson
211 The highly-respected architect Archibald Simpson (1790 - 1847) designed many of our city's well-known landmarks and, along with architect John Smith (1781-1852), is widely regarded as transforming Aberdeen into the Granite City in the 19th Century.
At Aberdeen City Libraries, we hold a collection of Archibald Simpson's architectural plans. Many of the originals were destroyed by a fire in his house in 1826 but the copies we hold demonstrate his initial thoughts and first sketches of some of Aberdeen's most famous buildings.
An architectural plan is usually a drawing or a sketch used by an architect to develop a design idea. The document also includes a scale and precise measurements.
Marischal College, as it stands today, was designed by Simpson in the 19th Century and this image shows a floor plan he drew when working on the project in the 1820s.
The plan depicts the ground floor which occupied three sides of a courtyard opening towards Broad Street. The building proposed by Archibald Simpson formed a U-shaped quadrangle with symmetrical rooms. The exterior granite façade, the second largest granite faced construction in the world and enclosing the quadrangle, was built by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie between 1893 and 1905 which is why it is not represented on the plan. Originally, the entrance to the courtyard was by Guild's College gateway.
Tiny lines were drawn to represent the walls between each room and the often curving stairways can be clearly seen. The rooms dedicated to classes of divinity, mathematics, moral philosophy or Greek and Latin were constructed like semi-circular amphitheatres. To the top of the plan, we can see classrooms connected by the science department, including the Anatomical Museum and Dissecting Rooms.
The building contained sixteen classrooms in addition to lodgings for porters and sacrists, the museum, the chemical laboratory and rooms for the professors. Other sources from the period suggest that the public hall, the museum and the library were spacious and magnificent rooms.
The small entrance via an archway, called 'Vestibule' on the plan, is represented at the courtyard side of the building. It is surrounded by two octagonal towers. A grand staircase, contained in the tower, rose to a height of nearly 100 feet.
The architect added the measurements for each room. As suggested by the scale, the unit of measurement is the foot. More information is given by the city librarian G. M Fraser in his 1918 study into Aberdeen's architecture:
"A centre building, 150 feet long, 50 feet wide, 60 feet high. 450,000 cubic feet at 6d: £11,250 Two side buildings, each 80 feet by 40, and 40 feet high. 128,000 cubic feet at 6d: 6,400 Medical class-rooms at end of garden: 1,500 Allowance for porticoes: 2,000 ______ £21,500" [From G. M. Fraser. Archibald Simpson, Architect and his times. A study in the making of Aberdeen. Published in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal between April and October 1918] Architectural plans are a fascinating insight into days gone by. Although at first glance appearing fairly basic, on closer inspection the plan allows us to view one of the Granite City's best loved landmarks through the eyes of the students learning in amphitheatre-style lecture rooms, anatomical museums and dissecting rooms in 19th Century Aberdeen. Exhibition of the City Plan (Incoporating Housing, Health & Welfare) - Explanatory brochure
464 This is the front cover of an explanatory brochure that was made to accompany the public exhibition of the City Survey and Plan prepared for the Corporation of Aberdeen by W. Dobson Chapman & Partners, town planning consultants.
The exhibition, which also included exhibits by the Housing and Health & Welfare Departments, was held in the Music Hall from 6th to 27th July 1951. As indicated at the top of the cover, the exhibition was tied into the city's celebrations of the Festival of Britain that took place shortly afterwards, from 29th July to 11th August.
This brochure was produced by W. Dobson Chapman with text by Charles F. Riley. It was printed by the Aberdeen University Press. It measures 28 x 19 cm and has 36 pages.
The front cover features an aerial photograph looking up Union Street from Holburn Junction to the Castlegate. The back cover shows a section of a city model showing proposed plans for the same area. The model was created by J. B. Thorp, London.
The brochure has the following contents: Title page, Foreword by Lord Provost William D. Reid, Description of Exhibition of City Plan, Description of Exhibition of Housing, Description of Health & Welfare Exhibits and Description of Film Display.
It also features the following illustrations: Summerfield Residential Neighbourhood Unit Model Photograph, Tullos Industrial Estate Model Photograph, Colour Plate South Market Street, Colour Plate Sea Beach.
W. Dobson Chapman and Charles F. Riley published their proposals the following year as a large hardback volume entitled Granite City: A Plan for Aberdeen (1952). Copies of this volume are available to consult at Aberdeen City Libraries.
The city plan included a number of ambitious proposals that intended to be accomplished over the course of generations. The Mearns Leader - 1933 annual
529 The illustrated front cover of The Mearns Leader and Kincardineshire Mail 1933 special number.
Like many newspapers, The Mearns Leader published special annuals around December of each year. These would feature articles looking back at the events from the past 12 months.
This issue was published on 21st December 1933 and features an Art Deco style illustration of Stonehaven's Open Air Swimming Pool, which would have been been under construction at the time.
The pool was officially opened on Saturday 2nd June 1934 by Charles Malcolm Barclay-Harvey (1890-1969), member of parliament for Kincardine and Aberdeenshire West at the time.
On the skyline can be seen two of Stonehaven's major landmarks: the war memorial on its hill-top location and the Bay Hotel, built in 1903 and now a care home known as Clashfarquhar House.
As indicated at the bottom of the page, The Mearns Leader was then published by The Kincardineshire Press, Ltd. of 22-24 Evan Street, Stonehaven.
Aberdeen City Libraries hold a bound copy of this special number in our Local Studies Reserve Stock. |