270

Pittodrie House. This photograph shows Pittodrie House which stands on the east slopes of Bennachie - the Mither Tap is visible in the background - near the village of Pitcaple about 20 miles from Aberdeen. Although it stands over 680 feet above sea level, it is surrounded by trees which provide shelter from the wind. It is a complex house of several dates and was on the estate of the Knight Erskine family for centuries, before being sold in 1903 to George Smith, a Glasgow shipping magnate who founded the City Line of Steamers. The Smith family still own the property which has been run as a luxury hotel since 1977 and the 3000 acre estate is leased for agriculture. The original house probably dated from around 1490, and a wheel stair from that period still survives, athough the house was burnt by Montrose during the Covenanting Wars. A date stone commemorates the re-building by the Erskines in 1675, and in 1841, the architect Archibald Simpson created the large neo-Jacobean extension with three storey balustraded tower on the east side - seen here covered in ivy. A billiard room was added in the early 1900's and further extensions took place in 1990. The word 'Pittodrie' is thought to be derived from the Gaelic 'todhar' which can mean either manure or bleach. Aberdeen Football Club's ground is known as Pittodrie Stadium, because the Knight Erskines also owned the lands in the city where the stadium was built.

342

Aberdeen Football Club League Champions 1979/80 parade down Union Street

395

This Adelphi Series postcard of 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.

643

Aberdeen Football Club parade down Union Street in an open topped bus after winning the European Cup in 1983.

644

Aberdeen Football Club parade down Union Street after winning the European Cup in 1983.

645

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade up Union Street in 1983.

646

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade up Union Street in 1983

647

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade up Union Street in 1983

648

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade up Union Street in 1983

649

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade in 1983

652

Aberdeen Football Club European Cup parade in 1983

662

Aberdeen Football Club parade on Union Street with European Cup, 1983

883

Culter Football Club. Team Photograph 1931-32.

946

Culter Juniors Football Club. 1911. Alastair Thompson 2nd left Front Row.

1195

Aberdeen Football Club 1928-9.

1656

The large crowds visible in the photograph suggest that this may be the Scottish Cup semi-final of 21st March 1908. Reaching the semi-finals for the first time, Aberdeen played Celtic at Pittodrie before a record 20,000 attendance (this was prior to the introduction of neutral crowds). The Aberdeen players, seen here in their black and gold stripes of the time, lost 1-0 to the visitors.

2432

 

182

This booklet is a reminder of a troubled period in city's past. In 1964 Aberdeen suffered one of the largest outbreaks of Typhoid in recent British history. Over 500 people were admitted to city hospitals for treatment of the infectious disease. The majority of patients were quarantined for at least four weeks before being discharged. The outbreak was traced back to a contaminated tin of corned beef which was imported from Argentina, then chopped up and sold in the William Low grocer on Union Street. Thankfully the outbreak was successfully contained and there were no fatalities. The all clear was given on 17th June 1964, 28 days after the first notification. Public health announcements played a significant part in the city's approach to tackling the outbreak. Dr Ian A. G. MacQueen, Aberdeen's Medical Officer of Health, became a well-known figure with regular appearances in print and on television and radio on the importance of good hygiene. The How to Stamp out Typhoid booklet was the initiative of Aberdeen business R. A. Williamson. He was director of a wholesale firm that supplied small grocers in the north east and received many enquiries from his clients on how best to combat the outbreak. Williamson asked Macqueen who was unable to provide guidelines so, in collaboration with the health and welfare department, they created this 11 page health information booklet. It had a print run of 45,000 copies, was supported by Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce and illustrated by the Evening Express. The illustrations feature the paper's character 'Wee Alickie', a die-hard supporter of Aberdeen Football Club. In the introduction MacQueen wrote: "The Stopping of the typhoid outbreak is principally a matter of good personal hygiene by everyone, and particularly of good personal hygiene by all food handlers. In an effort to assist every section of the community in our area a short question and answer brochure has been hurriedly compiled, together with a Hygiene Check List, which should prove most useful to all establishments. Members of the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, food wholesalers, bacteriologists, health education officers and journalists have collaborated to rush this through. This brochure is therefore backed by their combined knowledge and experience. Please read it, study it and try to follow the advice that it gives." The outbreak adversely affected Aberdeen's reputation in the UK and around the world. This in turn had an economic impact for the city, particularly on tourism. After the all clear was given the Queen came to the city to demonstrate plainly that Aberdeen was a safe place to visit and that life had returned to normal.

308

Opened in 1894, Stewart Park was named after the then Aberdeen Lord Provost, David Stewart. The area was land acquired from the Hilton Estate and was designed to be used by all ages. Three disused quarries were filled in and landscaped as small lakes stocked with fish. Mrs Taylor, a widow of a Woodside merchant, left £500 to the park, especially for the purpose of becoming the Taylor Playground for children, in memory of her husband. Mrs Taylor was honoured with the memorial fountain by the Aberdeen Town Council. Although the park may not have the small lakes, and fewer flower beds than when it first opened, it is still widely used, and as stated by the Lord Provost at the opening ceremony 'It would be a thing of joy and beauty forever' to the people of Woodside. Soon after the opening of Stewart Park, cricket clubs were formed. The park was home to many clubs, and memories of the park suggest that as many as twenty games of cricket would be in play at any one time. These games obviously paid off because Woodside Cricket Club won the Aberdeenshire Cup in 1957. Other popular pursuits were the Woodside Football Club, the Grandholm Choir and the Woodside and District Cycling Club. The Cycling Club began in the early 30's, but had to disband during the Second World War. After the war, Joe Dunn, a cycle shop owner and a previous member, tried to restart the club. This image is a James Valentine postcard.

107224

 

 

109805

 

 

137433

 

 

137434

 

 

137435