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North of Scotland Bank, Aberdeen
7 In 1838, the North of Scotland Bank purchased the New Inn and other properties at the corner of Castle Street and King Street. The architect Archibald Simpson was invited to submit plans for the Bank's Head Office on the cleared site. This is a photograph of one of his designs which was not accepted. It shows a building with a curved corner topped with a dome and Corinthian columns running through the first and second floors supporting a pediment over an elaborate cornice. The plan which was adopted also had three storeys but the entrance was a Corinthian portico at the corner topped with an open platform with a terracotta sculpture group by James Giles, representing Ceres, goddess of plenty. Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen
292 Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen with its alterations as proposed 1787 by Mr. Smeaton.
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. Gala and Heather Day in the Duthie Park
395 This Adelphi Series postcard shows the Gala Day taking place in Duthie Park on 21st August 1915.
The Gala in Duthie Park and the accompanying Heather Day were both organised to raise funds for the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The Gala Day is one of largest events ever to take place at the park. It was estimated that between 25,000 and 26,000 people attended. Tickets cost 6 pence (6d) for general admission and 2s 6d for carriages or motor cars.
Within the park there was an elaborate programme of entertainment and refreshments organised. Details of the programme were published in a 32 page booklet prior to the event. Upwards of 1,300 people took part in the programme.
Gates to the park opened at 3pm and the event officially commence at 3pm with a grand military parade. Lieut-Colonel A. H. Leith of Glenkindie, Garrison Commander, and Lord Provost James Taggart "took the salute" opposite the Hygiea statue.
The Gala and Heather Day were organised by a distinct committee; Taggart was its president and Alexander Findlay, Superintendent of Cleansing, was its chairman. Councillor H. J. Gray was the secretary and treasurer and Mr John Lints was his assistant. There were also conveners and secretaries for various sub-committees concerned with aspects like entertainment and refreshments.
There was a wide range of entertainment organised for within the park including singing, dancing, gymnastic displays, musical drill, motor cycle gymkhana and bayonet fighting. Various platforms saw performances from acts such as a company lead by D. M. Kinghorn, pierrots directed by Minnie Mearns, Dan Williams, and W. A. Craig's operatic choir. Charles Soutar lead a 500 strong choir of children from the city's public schools.
Practically all naval and military units present in the city were represented at the event and individuals from many of them took part in the sporting competitions. The day also included a 5-a-side football and tug of war competition. Preliminary matches for these took place prior to the day at Pittodrie Park.
The Gala Day was filmed and this was later shown as part of a special programme at the Picture House on Union Street from the 25th of the month.
Over £500 was taken at the gates for the event. Entertainment and refreshments within further increased the figure raised.
Heather Day itself generated another £474. This involved over 1,500 vendors going around all parts of the city selling sprigs of the plant. The sale started on the afternoon of the Friday and continued all through Saturday. Entertainment venues throughout the city were also visited.
The vendors were primarily young women and members of organisations like the boys brigade. Stores present in all areas of the city were replenished from a central depot at 173a Union Street. This in turn was supplied by the cleansing department buildings in Poynernook Road, where the preceding week had seen 200,000 sprigs prepared for sale. Peterhead, Inverurie, Ellon and Banchory organised their own Heather Days for the same fund.
The sum taken from both the Gala and the Heather Day was estimated at considerably over £1,000.
See the report in the Aberdeen Journal, Monday 23rd August 1915 page 8, for further details about the occasion. Seaton House
573 The house was acquired by Aberdeen City Council in 1947 and was demolished in 1963 after being destroyed by fire.
Previous owners had been the Hay family since 1849. The house was of three periods. The oldest portions in the north-west wing, dating from the mid 17th century were built by James Gordon, a baillie of Old Aberdeen in 1661, who died 1714.
The most interesting part was the south block, built of brickwork with dressed work in sandstone, the piended roof slated; the main entrance doorway in the central section under the pediment and three-light window was grand classical architecture. It was built around 1715 for Gordon's son-in-law, Colonel John Middleton, MP for the Aberdeen Burghs and the architect was possibly Middleton's friend James Gibbs.
The north-east wing was early 19th Century in date. Grand Central Cinema, Aberdeen
1149 The Grand Central Cinema on George Street, Aberdeen.
The film being shown is Radio Parade of 1935. This starred Will Hay and dates the photograph to around 1934.
The photograph looks eastwards from Craigie Street towards the cinema on George Street.
The building at 286 George Street had previously been a furniture branch of Allan's Public Supply Stores and was on the site of an old Baptist Chapel.
(Many thanks to correspondent Ed Fowler for the additional information). His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1167 The prompt corner at His Majesty's Theatre prior to renovations. The old Rank Strand Grand Master Lighting Board was once housed behind the brass rails above the corner. His Majesty's Theatre during renovations
1174 The Prompt Corner at His Majesty's Theatre prior to reconstruction. The ladder on the left once led to the Rank Strand Grand Master Lighting Board. Provost William Leslie
2051 A portrait of Provost William Leslie (1802-18/02/1879). He served as Provost of Aberdeen from 1869 to 1874.
Leslie was born in New Deer and worked as an architect and builder. Notable projects included the construction of the North Church in Aberdeen to John Smith's designs in 1829-30 and Castle Newe in 1831 to designs by Archibald Simpson.
He also worked as a railway contractor and granite merchant. More information about Leslie can be read on the Dictionary of Scottish Architects website and in Memorials of the Aldermen, Provosts, and Lord Provosts of Aberdeen, 1272-1893 (1897) by Munro. 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. A School of Dolphins: The Douglas Dolphin at Ferryhill Library
2155 Wild Dolphins was chosen by the pupils as part of an annual charity event. Designs were selected by a panel of pupils following a competition to be part of the final paint work, school clan colours were chosen as part of the design. Pupils aged 9-15 were involved. A School of Dolphins: Aberfin at Central Library
2164 The inspiration came from the children's designs which included a wide selection of colour and line patterns inspired by the movement of water. Many of their designs included conservation themes and the children felt it was important to communicate the impact they are having on dolphins in the wild with others. A School of Dolphins: Derek at Mastrick Library
2166 The children listened keenly to the presentation given by WDC and wanted to incorporate some of the messages into their designs. To ensure that all children were involved, Heathryburn School held a vote to name the dolphin Derek. Decoupage was used to decorate Derek so all of the children could be involved. A School of Dolphins: Splashy Walker at Torry Library
2188 Mia and Fern's designs won the school competition but both were so good that the girls got together and merged their winning designs. This spectacular and talented piece of team work shows us as we are - a school that works together to be the best we can be! Union Terrace
2498 A postcard showing Union Terrace from its junction with Union Street. The sign for the Grand Hotel is visible on the left. The Central Library and St. Marks Church are visible at the end of the street. The statue of Edward VII is on the right. Aberdeen Sailors' Mission and Home
2685 A photograph of the Aberdeen Sailors' Mission and Home on Mearns Street and James Street. This image was taken from the organisation's annual report from 1935. See the 1900 Guide to the Bazaar and Grand Nautical Exhibition and Aberdeen Sailors' Mission and Home Jubilee Retrospect, 1862-1912 (1912) by Alexander Gammie for information on the history of the organisation. Aberdeen Cinemas: Electric / Capitol
3402 A photograph showing the Capitol façade in January 2021.
By the 1960s and 70s the Capitol was increasingly being used as a venue for live events. Michael Thomson credits its survival over the Majestic, closed down in September 1973, as due to the Capitol's superior stage facilities. The Donald family, the venue owners, had the stage enlarged in 1975.
Appearances by popular groups like the Bay City Rollers in 1974 suggested the future for the venue at the time. The Capitol also saw performances by the Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison, Queen, Boyzone and Chuck Berry among many others. The Capitol ceased showing films in 1995.
The Capitol contained a restaurant, and subsequently bar, in the cinema's former café area around this period. 1993 saw the opening of the Art Deco and cinema themed bar Oscars in this space.
The Capitol functioned as a wonderful venue giving North-East audiences the chance to see top performers for many years. It became increasingly uneconomic to run and the curtain finally came down on the venue on Monday 15th December 1997.
The building was later converted into a nightclub and restaurant called Jumping Jaks and the Chicago Rock Café that opened in around 2003. These closed down in 2008 and the Capitol laid empty for some time.
In 2013 Knight Property Group began plans to redevelop the site as a modern office complex. The £30m project retained and restored the cinema's original façade and employed an Art Deco style in its foyer entrance to reference the history of the building. The venue's auditorium that had been much altered and had fallen into disrepair was demolished. The launch of the new office complex was held on 10th June 2016. Aberdeen Cinemas: Queen's
3421 This Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph shows the Queen's cinema in 1972. The film being shown is Up Pompeii, a film version of the British sit-com of the same name.
The Queen's had been a popular cinema throughout much of the 20th century. Due to increasing costs and competition from home entertainment, it finally closed down, along with George Street's Grand Central, on 17th October 1981. Michael Thomson explains that this brought an end to James F. Donald (Aberdeen Cinemas) Ltd.'s long history as picture hall proprietors.
The building laid empty for some years before the company converted it into a nightclub that opened in 1987.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Aberdeen Cinemas: Grand Central
3432 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Grand Central cinema at 286 George Street in September 1981. This photograph is taken from the end of Craigie Street.
The Grand Central was first opened on 3rd April 1922. The building at 286 George Street had previously been a furniture branch of Allan's Public Supply Stores. It was converted into a cinema by James F. Donald.
Michael Thomson explains that the Grand Central was initially very small and quite plain. In the late 1920s Donald acquired the property to the north of the cinema, plus the hall at its rear, and planned for its extension. In 1927 architect George Watt drew up plans for the enlarged cinema and these were enacted in the autumn of 1929.
The enlarged cinema reopened on 30th December 1929 with a ceremony led by Provost James Rust. The Grand Central's capacity had been increased from its original 730 to 1,640. Thomson states this was a good 400 more than any other hall in town.
Michael Thomson also states that the enlarged cinema was decorated in an "atmospheric" style and that it pointed the way to the super-cinemas that would soon arrive in the city. Bulldog Drummond was the cinema's first talking picture in 1930.
The Grand Central, after 59 years as a cinema, finally closed down on the same day as Union Street's Queen's Cinema on 17th October 1981. The latter showed Watership Down as its final film, whereas the Grand Central showed the more adult orientated double bill of Love, Lust and Ecstasy and More Danish Blue.
The Press and Journal reporting on the final screenings at both cinemas, records the staff at the Grand Central, led by manager Mr Anthony Veal, closing the cinema for the last time before heading to a nearby pub for a drink.
The Grand Central cinema was demolished in 1984 and replaced by a block of flats.
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. His Majesty's Theatre: Grand Master Lighting Board
3475 The Grand Master Lighting Board in the prompt corner. It was removed in the mid 1970s. The wooden ladder on the left of the image led to the fly floor. [Image from the Aberdeen Performing Arts Archive.] His Majesty's Theatre: The Prompt Corner
3486 The Prompt Corner, which had held the Grand Master lighting board, was demolished during the renovations of 1980/82. [Image from the Aberdeen Performing Arts Archive.] Pitmedden Garden
4207 A photograph showing three boys admiring the fountain at Pitmedden Garden.
Pitmedden Garden is a Natural Trust for Scotland property. Their website describes it as a "re-created Scottish Renaissance walled garden with vibrant floral designs and Museum of Farming Life."
Concerning its history, the website states "the Great Garden dates back to 1675 when it was originally laid out by Sir Alexander Seton." [...] "In the 1950s Pitmedden was gifted to the Trust who re-created the garden based on 17th-century plans after it was ploughed up to grow vegetables during the Second World War and used as a kitchen garden for over 100 years."
This fountain is detailed in an entry on Historic Environment Scotland's CANMORE website (CANMORE ID: 338622). Quoting a guide pamphlet by Dr James Richardson, designer of the garden restoration, it states "In the re-creation of the Great Garden of Pitmedden, the National Trust for Scotland not only has established once again the site of the original fountain but it has erected a further fountain as a focal point in the centre of the Great garden. The sculptured stones that compose this second fountain have an interesting history as seven of them formed, at one time, part of the Cross Fountain of Linlithgow designed and executed by Robert Milne, King's Master Mason, to commemorate King Charles II's Restoration. These detached fragments were given by the Ministry of Works. Three fragments of the original Pitmedden construction have also been worked into the composition of the fountain."
Looking west, a stairway up to Pitmedden's terrace garden and Pitmedden House can be seen in the background.
This image likely dates from the 1970s. It comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department. 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." 10-16 George Street (upper floors 10-12)
4345 A photograph showing buildings at 10-16 George Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord shopping centre.
This shows the parts of the buildings that are on top of the shops, their exact purposes unknown but they could be residential.
The column type designs of the granite building, featuring mini-pediments at the ground floor, are topped with decorative urn shaped finials.
These buildings were demolished to make way for the Bon Accord Centre. |