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Statue of General Charles George Gordon
777 Statue of General Charles George Gordon outside entrance to Robert Gordon's College, Schoolhill.
The inscription on the base reads "Charles George Gordon, R.E.C.B., Major General, born 28 January 1833, fell in his country's service at Kartoum, January 1885, dedicated to his memory by members of the Gordon Clan "I have done my best for the honour of our country", Kartoum 14 December 1884"
The statue was sculpted by T. Stuart Burnett, ARSA, and unveiled by the Marquis of Huntly on Saturday 16th June 1888. ROBERT GORDON'S REMUNERATIVE RELATIONS WITH DANZIG
2874 In 17th century Poland, business was at its peak. At the time the country had the same population as Russia. The port town of Danzig - now known as Gdansk - was a worldwide trading centre to which many people migrated in order to make their riches.
It may be a shock to you, but in 1570 the number of Scottish immigrants in Poland was estimated to be 30,000. This is an immense number of immigrants when compared to the relatively small population of Scotland in the 16th century. One of these migrants was Robert Gordon (1668-1731), later to be the founder of Gordon's Hospital; which is now known as Robert Gordon's College and the Robert Gordon University.
Robert Gordon was a merchant trader during his time in Poland and he was successful from early on in his career. With a fortune of £10,000 amassed in Poland he invested in the rebuilding of Marischal College, lent money to estate owners and funded Robert Gordon's School for Boys.
In his Founder's Day oration of 1935, former Gordonian, Sir Alexander Roger, described presenting to the Polish government a photograph of the letter Robert Gordon wrote in 1700 from Warsaw to the people of Aberdeen, describing his plans to set-up up his hospital, and the reaction from the recipients:
"My Polish audience were more than ordinarily interested to learn what the writer of that letter, with a fortune strenuously acquired from Poland two hundred years ago, had been enabled to found a college in Scotland which today offered inestimable benefit balanced and liberal education to a thousands boys." Aberdeen Press and Journal, 27th April 1935
The image to the left is a reproduction of a painted portrait of Robert Gordon taken from The History of Robert Gordon's Hospital Aberdeen 1729 - 1881 (1896) by Robert Anderson. CONCLUSION
2880 Sadly, my report ends here. It has been a great pleasure researching the relationship between two countries with which I strongly identify. I was born in Poland and moved to Scotland when I was 6 months old along with my family. I can relate to both parts and consider myself a citizen of both countries. I hope you have enjoyed reading this report and are encouraged to research into your own family ancestry. Maybe you'll find some Polish heritage. Who knows? But most of all I hope you have become more knowledgeable on the matter, possibly making our community more aware of racism and prejudice and helping to tackle these very important issues in Aberdeen.
Sources and References
'Scots in Poland, Poles in Scotland' from The Krakow Post
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Aberdeen Press and Journal, Saturday 27th April 1935
Aberdeen Press and Journal, Friday 13th September 1931
Wikipedia entry for Alexander Czamer
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'Scotland and Poland' from #ScotlandIsNow
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'Polish "most targeted group" in prejudice in Aberdeen' from BBC News
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'Alexander Chalmers, Scottish Mayor of Warsaw' by Ross 'Teddy' Craig
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'History of Gordon's' from Robert Gordon's College website
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'Scots Diaspora' by Andrew Elliott
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'Did you know?' from Mapa Scotland: the Great Polish Map of Scotland
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'Papers Relating to the Scots in Poland (1576-1798)' from Electric Scotland
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Provost Robertson's House
89 Drawing by G. Gordon Burr of Provost Robertson's House in Ross's Court, off Upperkirkgate. The drawing looks along Ross's Court, south east, towards Upperkirkgate, which can be seen through the pend in the centre.
Alexander Robertson of Glasgoego was Provost 1740-41. Above the building's doorway was an oblong panel with the inscription "Alexander Robertson - Jean Strachan - 1730". Over this was another panel with the remains of a representation of the Robertson coat of arms.
The house was removed in 1899 for new premises, designed by R. G. Wilson, for Aberdeen University Press. To the working classes of Aberdeen
495 This broadside addresses the working class of Aberdeen and attacks the Parliamentary record of Alexander Bannerman (1788-1864). It refers to Whig MP for Lanarkshire John Maxwell's (1791-1865) bill on handloom weavers (textile workers) and appears to date from the run-up to the 1837 general election.
The above-mentioned bill was intended on relieving the distress of such workers, and was supported by the Tory MP for Aberdeenshire, William Gordon (1784-1858), amongst others.
The broadside criticises Bannerman, Whig MP for Aberdeen since 1832, for the absence of his support for the bill. The broadside implores the working class not to take up invitations of the masses to join a procession for Bannerman.
Bannerman was a colonial governor as well as an MP. The wider Bannerman family were mill owners. These mills were comparatively well equipped and had higher standards than most others in the 1830s. (Aberdeen 1800-2000: A New History, ed. by W. Fraser and Clive Lee (2000), pp. 155-156.)
The broadside also claims that Bannerman showed disregard for sailors who were stuck in ice the previous winter. It argues that he put saving money above sending government help to those in danger.
The squib refers to Mr. Ross standing as an opposing candidate for the Aberdeen City constituency, comparing him favourably to Bannerman. This would be Horatio Ross of Rossie (1801-1886), a noted sportsman and later photographer. Ross initially stood against Bannerman in the 1837 election before withdrawing before the vote. Bannerman won the election unopposed.
Ross, also formerly a captain in the army, had previously been elected as MP for the pre-reform Aberdeen Burghs constituency in 1831. Additionally, he served as the MP for the Montrose Burghs between 1832 and 1835.
The broadside was printed by J. Davidson & Co. of Aberdeen. Captain Gordon "A Practical Reformer"
501 This broadside likely dates to 1832 due to referencing events from that year. The broadside regards William Gordon (1784-1858), who was a Royal Navy officer and Member of Parliament for Aberdeenshire between 1820 and 1854. In the 1832 election, Gordon stood against the Whig candidate Sir Michael Bruce, and won by a margin of 181 votes.
The broadside ridicules the Journal for attempting to convey Gordon as a 'reformer' in order to make him appeal to the masses. The broadside says that, if the paper was being honest, they would convey Gordon as the same Tory as he ever was.
The Reform Bill of 1832 was a major step towards democratising Britain, giving voting rights to far more people and changing constituency boundaries. The separate Scottish Reform Act was seismic, enlarging the electorate from 5,000 to 65,000.
Debates as to the nature of the reform were ongoing through 1831-1832. The Herald, a rival paper to the Journal and printer of this broadside, was reformist. The broadside cites several instances of Gordon's Tory and non-reformist tendencies.
Interestingly the broadside points out that Gordon's Tory tendency meant he also voted against 'the removal of Jewish disabilities', amongst other issues.
Other broadsides referring to Gordon can be found here. |