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The Aberdeenshire Canal
1789 This drawing shows a barge being pulled by two horses along the Aberdeenshire Canal, with the twin spires of St. Machar Cathedral in the background.
The Aberdeenshire Canal was opened in 1805 and ran for 18 miles from Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone, near Inverurie. It was first proposed in 1795 by various landed proprietors as a means of providing better transport connections for the rural interior of Aberdeenshire.
The new waterway was fed by the River Don and various streams and springs. Barges transported goods and fly boats or gig boats carried passengers.
In 1840, the goods transported included nearly 4000 tons of lime, 5000 tons of coal, 1124 tons of meal, 54 tons of salt, 110 tons of wood, 51 tons of granite, 43 tons of livestock and 8 tons of whisky. Passenger traffic was catered for by two iron boats, which made the trip twice a day in summer and once a day in winter. It cost 2 shillings (10p.) for the full journey or 2d. (about a half pence) per mile.
As a result of the number of locks to be negotiated at the Aberdeen end, passengers disembarked at the Boathouse at Kittybrewster, having completed the journey in 2 and a half hours. Goods traffic was handled by various barges, some of which belonged to the canal company. It took them 10-14 hours to complete their passage to Aberdeen Harbour. There were facilities for changing the horses at Dyce and Kintore.
In his book The Annals of Woodside and Newhills Patrick Morgan remarks that the canal "was a great convenience to the inhabitants, and a luxury to the boys for bathing in summer and skating in winter." There is no mention of girls using the canal for leisure purposes - perhaps they were required to stay at home and help with housework instead.
The canal increased the prosperity of the area that it served but it was never a huge financial success for its owners. Also it was about to be overtaken by a much speedier rival. Its demise as in other parts of the country was largely brought about by the coming of the railways. The Aberdeenshire Canal was bought over by the Great North of Scotland Railway and finally closed in 1854. The company gave £1000 as compensation for depriving the inhabitants of Woodside of the privilege of the Canal and to assist in obtaining a supply of water from other sources.
There is very little physical evidence to remind us that the Aberdeenshire Canal ever existed. However there is one quite substantial remnant which lies close to Great Northern Road - Warrack's Bridge was one of the original canal bridges and looking over the west side of the bridge the curve of the canal bed can clearly be seen. Woodside Congregational Church from Annals of Woodside and Newhills, by Patrick Morgan (1886)
303 The churches in Woodside have always provided a strong community base where various clubs and social groups could gather. From bible classes to indoor bowling and a wide range of youth clubs, these locally designed buildings remain an important part of the area.
The Woodside Congregational Church building shown in this image was built in the year 1867. It replaced the congregation's previous building on the same site that was known as the Cotton Chapel. The construction of the later church is usually credited to the liberality of Provost William Leslie.
The congregation temporarily closed down in around 1994. It started meeting again after about three years but unfortunately the congregation could no longer use the church building on Great Northern Road.
Woodside Congregational Church currently meet in the nearby Printfield portable cabin and the church building is derelict. United Presbyterian Church, from Annals of Woodside and Newhills, by Patrick Morgan (1886)
304 The churches in Woodside have always provided a strong community base where various clubs and social groups could gather. From bible classes to indoor bowling and a wide range of youth clubs, these locally designed buildings remain an important part of the area.
The United Presbyterian Church was built around 1881. It was renamed in 1900 to St Johns United Free Church so that it would not conflict with Woodside Free Church nearby. The building is currently being used as offices. Burgh Hall from Annals of Woodside and Newhills by Patrick Morgan (1886)
305 In 1837 a small building presently known as the Burgh Hall was used as a parish school for the children of Woodside. The building also doubled as a venue for many social gatherings over the years.
In 1876 a new school was built on the site of the current Woodside Primary and it was then that the old school became known as the Burgh Hall. The Burgh Hall continued to be use by the community for various events, clubs, sports and so on. It was also the meeting place for the Woodside Pensioners Club.
The hall has recently fallen into disrepair and its future is uncertain. sadly it is not in such a good condition now. Woodside Library from Annals of Woodside and Newhills, by Patrick Morgan (1886)
307 Sir John Anderson gave the credit for his success to his upbringing in Woodside. To pay tribute, he decided to gift a library to people of the area. The library was initially retained in the Woodside School, before the present day building was opened in 1883.
On its initial opening the library was used to great success, however after ten years the library was in trouble. The small income the library made on the selling of cheque books and catalogues did not allow for many new books to be purchased, leaving the people of Woodside with the same stock.
The library was saved in January 1932, when it became the largest Branch Library in Aberdeen. This helped to boost the stock available to the people, and the next twenty years was the library's most successful, averaging at 70,000 books borrowed every year.
The beautiful building itself was designed by architect, Arthur Clyne, under the strict instructions of Sir John. Sir John was determined the building should stand sure for generations.
Treasure 105: Sir John Anderson Library Medal
326 The story of Sir John Anderson and his Woodside Library is told in "The Admirable Mechanic by Moira Anderson", published by Aberdeen City Libraries in 1983.
On the back cover is a photograph of the Anderson Library Medal given to every pupil at Woodside School to mark the inauguration of the Woodside Library and the Scholar's Library in 1881, both of which were housed temporarily in the Headmaster's Room at the school until a purpose-built library could be constructed.
The medal was presented to the Library in August 1983 and now forms part of the Anderson Library Archive held in Local Studies. We can take a look at the history of Woodside Library through some of the other items held in the collection.
Woodside Library opened on 15 October 1883 and was described By Patrick Morgan in The Annals of Woodside as "the most beautiful and valuable institution in the Burgh of Woodside, containing a wealth of literature, which is difficult to estimate". The library was a gift to the people of Woodside by the noted engineer, Sir John Anderson.
Over the years there was a noticeable decline in the use of the library with lack of funds to purchase new stock, no room for expansion and no separate Reading Room. Eventually, ownership of Woodside Library was transferred to the City Council and The Sir John Anderson Branch Library Woodside comprising a Lending Library, Reading Room with games tables, Juvenile Library and Reading Room was opened by Lord Provost Rust on 19 January 1932 and regarded as the largest and most complete Branch in the System.
To learn more about the interesting history of this unique library, have a browse in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition. |