40

The Hardweird. Part of old Gilcomston, it resembled a small "ferm toon" standing between the foot of Jack's Brae and Upper Denburn and it consisted of 18th and early 19th century artisan and labourers' housing - a product of the period when Gilcomston had a flourishing weaving industry. One of Aberdeen's worst slums, it was cleared during the early 1930s and the playground of Gilcomstoun Primary School now occupies part of the site.

106

A view of the southern aspect of the Castlehill in about 1850, with the Barracks featuring prominently. The Barracks replaced the Chapel of St. Ninian and an observatory erected in 1781. The foundation stone was laid on 24th June 1794 by the Marquis of Huntly and it was completed early in 1796, with accommodation for 600 men. The picture is interesting, as it shows the line of Hangman's Brae, which descended from the south west corner of the hill to Castle Lane and into Virginia Street. It was partly absorbed into the construction of Castle Terrace in 1864. The houses on the left of the illustration with the outside steps were incorporated into the first Hospital for Sick Children in 1877.

123

This photograph by George Washington Wilson, looking towards Union Bridge, shows the old red-tiled roofed houses in the Windmill Brae area in the 1850s. Most of these were swept away with the construction of the railway and the building of Bridge Street around 1865-1867. The house at the left, on the corner of Union Terrace, was owned by Harry Lumsden of Belhelvie and later by the Northern Club. Its site became part of that occupied by the Northern Assurance Company offices. The spire of the Triple Kirks and the tower of the South Parish Church are visible in the background.

126

The Hardweird. The street known as the Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft. The last street in Aberdeen to show the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street.

146

Local historian A. G. Duthie has been in touch to suggest that this photograph most likely shows a granite yard. Slabs of the rock can be seen by the wooden fence and the men are standing near small sheerleg cranes. Brian Kennedy has also contact us to identify the location of the image. It is looking north west along the thoroughfare that is identified as Duthie's Brae on early Ordnance Survey maps. The tenements in the background are those on Nellfield Place. The smaller house on the left in the background was known as Home Cottage and was one of the first built on the street that was then called Holburn Place. Maps indicate the buildings shown on the left were used as malt barns and later as storehouses. Duthie's Brae was just south of where Hardgate met Fonthill Terrace. This photograph was likely taken by James Ritchie in 1917. There is another image on this website by Ritchie that looks south from a nearby position.

425

Aberdeen Harbour with sailing ships. The Silver City Vault's user Ed Fowler comments: "The 2-Masted Brig Cheviot is moored in the centre of the Upper Dock and in the background on Trinity Quay stands the new Post Office (erected 1873-76 formerly the 2nd Fishmarket Site) opposite the added diagonal Quay Corner. The adjacent Quayside Site has been demolished revealing the dilapidated Tenement Houses of lower Shiprow (No.s 78-84) bounded by Brebners Court & Sutherlands Court which were seldom previously Photographed. A temporary hoarding has been erected for the demolition works to the old Quayside Premises and a 3 Masted Square Rigged -Ship is Moored at the remainder of Trinity Quay ending at Shore Brae."

436

St Nicholas Street looking up Flourmill Brae. The Equitable Building is on the right. These buildings were demolished in 1985 to make for for the St Nicholas Centre. Provost Skene House and St. Nicholas House are visible at the top of the road.

482

The Denburn and Mutton Brae from Bleachfields

493

The Denburn Valley and Mutton Brae prior to the construction of Rosemount Viaduct. The Triple Kirks are visible in the middle of the image and Union Bridge can seen in the background.

532

This image looks south over the suburban platforms of the old Aberdeen Joint Railway Station. Its large curved roof can be seen in the background. The covered walkway that can be seen on the right of the image, that joins the platforms, likely linked up with the Palace Hotel. Consulting The Joint Station: Aberdeen Station, 1867-1992 (c1992) tells us that this image probably dates from 1912 when, in additional to commencing the reconstruction of the Joint Station, the GNSR also laid new loading docks and carriage storage siding in the Hadden Mills site. This was to ensure that the main station buildings were used purely for passenger traffic. The walkway that linked Windmill Brae and the Green, known affectionately as the Puffing Briggie, can be seen in the centre of the image. It looks like a section has been temporarily demolished as part of the ongoing work.

704

Windmill Brae looking towards the Green and Hadden's textile mill.

710

Jack's Brae in Rosemount area, named after the owner of property there.

718

The Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft, is now the only street in Aberdeen showing the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street. Part of old Gilcomston, it resembled a small "ferm toon" standing between the foot of Jack's Brae and Upper Denburn and it consisted of 18th and early 19th century artisan and labourers' housing - a product of the period when Gilcomston had a flourishing weaving industry. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. One of Aberdeen's worst slums, it was cleared during the early 1930s and the playground of Gilcoumston Primary School now occupies part of the site.

732

This photograph shows Marischal Street at its junction with Regent Quay, looking north towards Castle Street. It was built to improve the connection between the harbour and the main part of the city, which had previously only been accessible via the steep incline of Shore Brae and the Shiprow. In 1766, the Town Council were successful in purchasing the unoccupied Lodging of the Earl Marischal of Scotland which stood on the south side of the Castlegate. It was then demolished to open up the way for the new street, named in the Earl's honour. It was the first street in Aberdeen to be paved with dressed granite setts. Houses were built and were occupied by prosperous professional men such as Dr William Dyce; Andrew Roberston, William Young and Alexander Fraser; both to become Provosts of Aberdeen. These properties were mostly converted to commercial use in later years. The buildings on the right were replaced by the long and narrow, neo-classical building, designed by Robert Gordon Wilson and built in 1901-02, that can still be seen today at 33 Regent Quay.

773

The corner of Jack's Brae and March Lane.

780

The corner of Jack's Brae and March Lane.

884

To the left can be seen the Wallace Tower, formerly known as Benholm's Lodging, in its original location at the junction of the Netherkirkgate and Carnegie's Brae. The Wallace Tower was a 15th. century fortified house, the residence of Sir Robert Keith of Benholm. For a large part of its life in the 20th. century, it functioned as a public house before being re-sited at Seaton Park, Tillydrone, in 1963. In the centre can be seen the clock tower of St. Nicholas Kirk

1025

Culvert washed out by flood, Milltimber Brae, August 1923.

1036

This image taken in 1902 shows a horsedrawn coach full of people ready to go on an outing. It had been organised by James MacPherson, joiner in Cults and the photo is taken at the east side of Kirk Brae. Such outings were commonplace at this period when firms organised day trips into the country for their employees.

1037

Cults Free Church on Kirk Brae. The foundation stone was laid by Mr Shirra Gibb on 4th September 1843, and the church was opened in 1844. The sketch is dated July 1956.

1275

Wallace Tower, Netherkirkgate (also known as Benholm's Lodging and Keith's Lodging) . In the background is the old East Church of St Nicholas, whose spire was destroyed by a fire on 9th October 1874 and rebuilt in 1876. Carnegie's Brae is at the left of the photograph. The building is now re-sited at Tillydrone.

1515

This photo was taken from the bottom of Jack's Brae, looking eastwards. The road in middle of the photo is the Hardweird and the road to the left of the V-junction is Upper Denburn. (Brian Kennedy, Aberdeen)

1668

Mutton Brae and Lower Denburn, Aberdeen. Mutton Brae ran from Schoolhill to Lower Denburn. Many of the houses there were occupied by handloom weavers who worked in a large cotton factory at the corner of Belmont Street and Schoolhill. The missionary Mary Slessor lived here. After the factory closed in 1830, the buildings were demolished and the site was developed for the three Free Churches, designed by Archibald Simpson, which opened in 1843/44. These are now referred to as the Triple Kirks. Many of the other houses were demolished to allow the building of the Denburn Valley Junction Railway which opened in 1867.

1790

This photograph was taken in 1951 by James Kellas and looks east showing, on the left, the rear of Brae Farm, located on Morningside Road, and part of 142 Morningside Avenue on the right. There was originally a Brae Farm to the north west of this location that can be seen the Ordnance Survey map published in 1869 (Aberdeen Sheet LXXV.14). Just to the north of the old farm on the map is a single Aberdeen Water Works reservoir. An article from The Leopard magazine by Diane Morgan (October/November 1985) explains that in 1885 an Aberdeen Corporation Water Act was passed to empower the Town Council to take eight million gallons daily from the River Dee and to build a second reservoir at Mannofield. This was to keep up with the city's rapid population increase. To carry out the expansion, the council acquired the land adjoining the initial reservoir including the first Brae Farmhouse and its steadings. They then became known as Reservoir Cottage and Reservoir House and served as the home of the inspector of the water works. A relatively early inspector was called William Clark. On 28th February 1898 he died at the cottage aged 64. He was buried in the John Knox Churchyard (Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 02/03/1898, p.4). Clark was likely succeeded as waterworks inspector by James Forsyth. The Forsyth family lived at the cottage well into the 20th century. James was married to Margaret (née Jaffray), who died after him on 28th July 1945, aged 85. Their second son, Sapper John Forsyth, died aged 26 at Oldmill Military Hospital on 20th April 1917. He was buried at Springback Cemetery. The reservoirs continue to play a vital role in supplying water to Aberdeen. The cottage and house however were demolished in the late 20th century and replaced by modern water treatment buildings. As shown on the 1901 OS map, sometime shortly after the passing of the 1885 act the Brae Farm we can see in this picture was built to the south east, where Morningside Road met Auchinyell Bridge. To the east, Aberdeenshire County Cricket Ground was also built around the same time. This later Brae Farm was the home to the Kinnaird family for the first half of the 20th century. The heads of the family were Frank Kinnaird and Margaret Amelia Smith. Their son Lance-Corporal A. G. Kinnaird, of the Royal Scots, was reported as a prisoner of war in Germany in June 1918. Prior to the war he had worked with the Clydesdale Bank (Evening Express, 03/06/1918 p.3). Frank's eldest daughter, Jessie Sinclair, married James Smith Mathieson at Ruthrieston U.F. Church on 7th September 1927 (Evening Express, 08/09/1927, p.6). A younger daughter, Edith Kinnaird, married a man from Portsmouth called Andrew Livingstone in July 1936. The marriage took place in Ruthrieston West Church and the reception was at the Caledonian Hotel (Press & Journal, 06/06/1936 p.8). Daughters Amelia Elizabeth and Margaret Kinnaird both left Brae Farm in the 1920s (1924 and 1920, respectively) to reunite with fiancés who had travelled ahead to Canada. Frank Kinnaird died on 12th August 1950, aged 84. At some point during the 1930s-1950s the residential streets we know today, Morningside Avenue, Terrace and Place were constructed between the reservoir and the new farmstead. These streets take their name from Morningside Farm to the east. As can be seen in this photograph, the farm stood into the 1950s. It was eventually demolished when Morningside Avenue was extended to meet Morningside Road. The newer bungalows can be distinguished by their tiled, rather than slated roofs.