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Victoria Park
241 In 1871 Aberdeen Town Council decided to convert nearly 14 acres of Glennie's Parks, which had been used for cattle grazing, into a public recreation ground - Aberdeen's first public park.
Aberdeen's lack of a public park up to this point had become a contentious issue. For example, newspaper reports indicate that those opposed to the Municipality Extension Act of 1871 (which extended the boundary of the city, brought the functions of the Police Commissioners under the Council and incorporated the gasworks) repeatedly suggested that the expense involved in the new bill would be better used in the creation of a much wanted public park.
It is not unreasonable to suppose that this debate, and criticism of the Council, hastened the creation of Victoria Park. While work likely begun in 1871, it was not until March 1873 that the Improvements Committee of the Council recommended that the new park should be called "Victoria Park". At the same time, they also outlined a series of 13 rules and regulations for agreement by the full Council. There does not appear to have been an official opening for the new amenity.
Glennie's Park was not the only site considered for Aberdeen's first public park. Interest in such an undertaking was increasing at the same time as work was underway to divert the River Dee and improve the harbour. The new ground created in this latter project, encompassing the old, more northerly course of the river and the Inches, was a much proposed location for a park. Following the creation of Victoria Park this newly leveled ground was instead given over for buildings related to the expanding fishing industry.
A nurseryman called Robert Walker (1848-1930), originally from Perth, was chosen out of 450 candidates to be the city's first public park keeper and appointed to Victoria Park. He was likely largely responsible for the park's initial layout and appearance. His Press & Journal obituary (21/04/1930, p.6) suggests that prior to his appointment the site was "little better than a waste space".
Walker subsequently laid out Westburn Park, Stewart Park, Union Terrace Gardens and the Promenade. He also advocated and pioneered the planting of street trees. He served the Corporation for 46 years, retiring in 1919, and must be considered one of the unsung heroes of Aberdeen history.
This photograph, taken around 1900, shows one of the main paths leading to a large granite fountain, which was designed by J.B. Pirie. It is built of 14 different types of granite and was presented by the granite polishers and master builders of the city.
Since the park is almost in the city centre, it is an oasis of peace with its mature trees and, in spring, there are masses of flowering bulbs scattered through the grass. Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen
292 Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen with its alterations as proposed 1787 by Mr. Smeaton.
Demolition of Torry Brickworks chimney
310 A photograph of the demolition of the largest of the chimney stalks at the Torry brick and tile works that took place on Saturday 12th September 1903.
The photograph illustrates the method employed to fall the 175 foot structure, by the overseer Peter Tawse, as described in the Press & Journal:
"The preliminary work of cutting a gap in the chimney near the base was early accomplished by three of the skilled tunnellers employed by Mr Tawse at the Girdleness outfall sewer. As the gap widened, stout wooden props were put in to support the structure. The gap was carried to more than half the circumference of the chimney, and the sight of the weighty pile supported on one side by only a half-dozen wooden props was certainty sufficient to make one nervous. The gang was under the charge of a Lancashire foreman, and they worked away, pipe in mouth, quite unconcernedly.
"The gap having been completed, a charge of dynamite was inserted at the bottom of the props, and a time fuse attached to each.
"Excitement reached a high pitch among the spectators when the signal was given to fire the fuses, and the crowd began to edge further away when the smoke was seen curling round the props, and as the workmen bolted to get beyond the danger zone. First one charge and then the other exploded with a sharp report, but it was not until the props at the extreme ends of the half circles were blown to splinters, that the chimney showed any sign of moving. It then came down, as a spectator remarked, - 'Jist like a rum'le o' bricks.' It slid rather than fell straight down at first, but the top portion toppled over in a south-easternly direction, exactly on the line expected by the contractor. It was all over in a couple of seconds, and certainly it was a sensational sight - so quick, so clear, so safe."
P&J, 14/09/1903, page 6. Old bed of River Dee
314 This photograph looks east from the field below Devanha House, roughly where the street Devanha Gardens East stands today, towards the River Dee and Torry beyond. The image shows the old river bed prior to its diversion in 1869.
Prospect Terrace can be seen at the end of the field and beyond this lane are buildings of the Devanha Brewery and some nearby houses. The archways that can be seen on the left are part of the viaduct for the Caledonian Railway heading north towards the nearby Guild Street stations.
The open archway is likely where Wellington Road, now South College Street, passes under the railway. Much of this viaduct can still be seen today and remains how trains reach the city centre from the south. Diversion of the River Dee
323 A photograph in Aberdeen Harbour looking east from the Inches (near the later site of Commercial Road).
The image looks across the old course of the River Dee including its spillwater channel towards Old Torry and Balnagask in the distance.
The civil engineering works shown in this photograph are thought to be part of the river diversion, creation of Albert Basin and the associated reclamation of land.
The diversion of the River Dee took place roughly between 1868 and 1873. Old Torry
324 The prominent granite building in the centre of the image is the Torry Bar. It stands between the two leading lights.
A bucket dredger is shown on the right, while a number of scaffie fishing vessels are berthed on the Torry shore. St. Mary's Chapel, St. Nicholas Church
366 A photograph of St. Mary's Chapel at St. Nicholas Church in around 1898.
Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information suggests this lower church was built in 1438. It was part of the 15th century expansion of St. Nicholas and located to the east of the then existing building. The main church was subsequently expanded eastwards over it.
Work was completed on the crypt in around 1507 and it was dedicated to the Virgin as Our Lady of Pity, from which derives the various names it has been known over the years; Pity Vault, the Cell of Our Lady of Pity, and St. Mary's Chapel.
The space has served many purposes since its creation and seen a number of renovations. It has been a general storehouse for sundry municipal items, including the gibbet, a plumber's shop, a public soup kitchen, a meeting place of the presbytery of Aberdeen, and a regular church.
More can be read about the chapel in Old Landmarks of Aberdeen (1885) by G. Gordon Burr and Alex. M. Munro, The Story of St. Mary's Chapel: The Ancient "Lower Church" or Crypt of St. Nicholas (1935) by The Rev. J. G. Grant Fleming and in the history section of the St. Nicholas Church website. Old channel of the River Dee
505 The old channel of the River Dee. After years of discussion about the development of the harbour, the Aberdeen Harbour Act of 1868 allowed the Harbour Commissioners to divert the river to the south. The first turf was cut by Lord Provost Leslie on 22nd December 1869. Footdee From Balnagask
571 A George Washington Wilson image titled Footdee From Balnagask and numbered 139.
It shows Aberdeen Harbour Mouth photographed from the Torry side of the River Dee estuary, with Fittee in the background.
Across the water, the light, single storey building with the battlement style roof is the harbour's old custom house. In 1986 chef Didier Dejean converted this building into the Silver Darling restaurant.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests that the temporary structure behind the custom house was used to cast concrete blocks for an extension to the North Pier between 1869-77.
The image is also interesting for showing the industrial buildings around Footdee and Aberdeen Beach before much of its later development.
Futhermore, the tall structure on the far right looks like a taller version of the sewer ventilation shaft known as Scarty's Monument. The structure must have been shortened some time after construction. Torry
610 Looking west along Sinclair Road from where it meets Greyhope Road. The more easternly of the two leading lights is on the right.
Above the wall on the left of the image is the location of Campbell's Bar. It closed down on 28th August 2016. Public houses had operated on the site, under various names, since the 1860s. It was noted for its excellent views of the harbour mouth.
This photograph likely dates from the 1980s. Torry
614 An 1980s photograph looking west towards Torry Harbour, Sinclair Road and the River Dee channel from a grassy area off Greyhope Road.
Campbell's Bar and the more easternly leading light can be seen. The Harbour Mouth, Aberdeen
657 A George Washington Wilson photograph titled The Harbour Mouth, Aberdeen and numbered 505.
The image looks north east from the fields above Old Torry. Point Law, dividing the River Dee channel and the Tidal Harbour, is largely undevelopment. It looks like construction work may be going on over the water at Pocra Quay.
Correspondent Ed Fowler suggests that the large temporary looking building that can be seen across the water, past the round house on the New Quay, is of particular interest. He posits it was used to cast concrete blocks for an extension to the North Pier between 1869-77. Lemon Tree Hotel, Huxter Row
679 Lemon Tree Hotel, Huxter Row, off Castle Street, which was demolished to make way for the Town House in the 1870s. The title was transferred to a house in St. Nicholas Street and more recently to the Lemon Tree arts venue in West North Street.
Huxter Row was a narrow street running from Broad Street, parallel with Union Street, to the old Town House and then joining Union Street at right angles. The street derived its name because of the booths of hucksters - small traders. Dyer's Hall Lane
685 A photograph looking north-west across Dyer's Hall Lane in 1904.
This lane and row of cottages were situated south of Union Street near the Hardgate at what was soon to become Willowbank Road.
Some of these cottages were thought to date to before 1789. Though some would be more recent than that. The lane's name derives from when the old Dyers' Association met there.
The houses were roofed with red pantiles which were replaced with asbestos when the roofs began to leak. They had outside stairs to the upper floors and water taps outside the door.
The Town Council felt that it would be too costly to preserve the cottages despite their historic interest. They were among the few remaining examples of 18th century houses in the city.
They were demolished in 1956 to make way for extensions to the Station Garage.
The tall chimney in the background likely belonged to the nearby North of Scotland Distillery (formerly known as the Bon-Accord Distillery).
Dyer's Hall Lane was replaced by Willowbank Road in around 1906. This was the first part of a new thoroughfare, incorporating Springbank Terrace, that would connect Holburn Street to Wellington Road (later South College Street).
An article detailing the improvement scheme can be found in the Aberdeen Daily Journal of 21st March 1906 on page 4. Old Grammar School
795 This rather plain building which stood in Schoolhill and was demolished about 1882/3 was the old Grammar School. It was closed as a school in 1863 when the new school in Skene Street was opened. The Grammar School seems to date back to the 13th century with successive buildings on this site. Pupils were taught Latin, Greek and English grammar with the aim of preparing them for entry to university. One of the more famous pupils here was Lord Byron, who attended from the age of 7 in 1795 for 4 years. The site is now partly occupied by buildings occupied by The Robert Gordon University. Belmont Street
798 This photograph shows the old corner of Belmont Street and Gaelic Lane.
The building on the far left is the Gaelic Free Church. It was opened for worship on 30th August 1795 and in time gave its name to the lane. It was used for the services of Aberdeen's Gaelic congregation until 1882.
The congregation moved and the building was sold to Messers G. and W. Fraser, printers, who owned adjoining premises. They replaced the old church frontage with the more business like façade that can be seen in this photograph.
See the entry for St. Columba United Free Church in Alexander Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) for more details.
A sign for George Cowie, a hairdressers, is prominently visible at number 4 around the corner on Belmont Street. Sandilands Chemical Works
845 Foundation work for the new granulation plant, Sandilands Chemical Works. In the background are the old lodge buildings which became laboratory and office buildings in the later history of Sandilands. The granular fertiliser produced by the new plant was based on ammonium phosphate and as such was a more concentrated chemical fertiliser than that produced on superphosphate base. The batch mixer was replaced by a continuous mixer and the plant produced approximately 20 tons per hour, 24 hours a day, every day. Cults Primary School
1042 Cults Primary School was opened in 1897 to replace Cults Endowed School which had opened in 1866. Cults had grown from a small farming community to a residential area with an increasing population, so a larger school was required. It was built of Rubislaw granite on a two acre site beside the North Deeside Road just west of the centre of the village. The building was replaced in 1974 when a new school was opened in the area where the newer housing in Cults had been built. This old school was put up for sale and was converted into flats with more being built in the playgrounds and at either side of the building. The Fountain at Woodside
1066 The small square containing the Woodside Fountain at the junction of Hadden Street and Don Street has often been recognised as the centre of the burgh. The fountain was used as a place for animals to stop and drink from. The fountain also was used in more of a communal sense as teenagers were often seen "walking the mat", which meant walking from the fountain to the old tramway terminus at and back again. Astoria Cinema, Aberdeen
1152 The exterior of the Astoria Cinema, Clifton Road, Kittybrewster, Aberdeen, c.1960. In 1934, a new cinema was built on part of the old Central Park, just north of Kittybrewster Auction Marts. It was designed by the architect, T. Scott Sutherland, and was opened on 8th December 1934, with space for more than 2000 people. Its proximity to the relatively new housing areas of Kittybrewster, Powis, Woodside and Hilton should have ensured its success. It was made of concrete over a steel framework, with the roof sloping in a series of steps to produce the best acoustics. It had a colour scheme of light pink, invory and brown with walnut panelling and 2 miles of Wilton carpet. It closed on Saturday 13th August 1966, re-opening later that month as a Bingo Hall but that only lasted a few months and it finally closed in January 1967. In April 1967, it was being demolished and the site redeveloped as a shopping complex. The cinema had had one of the latest Compton theatre organs, which had been removed piece by piece and restored to be placed in the hall of Powis Academy. In November 1982, an arson attack destroyed the organ. Trinity Lane
1208 Trinity Lane, Aberdeen, c.1975, from Exchange Street.
The Trinity place-name comes from the area once being the site of a Trinitarian Friary.
The building to the right in this photograph was once known as Trinity Chapel, or Trinity Parish Church. It was opened for public worship on Sunday 27th April, 1794.
For a number of years, the chapel was an important centre of religious life and activity. The Disruption of 1843 significantly diminished the congregation. The building was subsequently sold by the Presbytery and became the Alhambra Music Hall.
See Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) for more information on the history of this congregation and building.
A large part of the exterior still stands and the building currently houses Wagley's public house. In this photograph Alex. McKay, electrical appliance showroom, is in occupation. Newspaper notices indicate that the business moved here, from 41 The Green, in 1966.
The building in the centre of the image is best known, as shown here, as a banana warehouse for Knowles & Sons, fruiterers and later as a restaurant and art gallery. It was originally built as a church for Aberdeen's Catholic Apostolic congregation.
MUSA was a restaurant and art space, with a focus on music, throughout the first two decades of the 21st century. It closed down in October 2018.
8th March 2019 saw the opening of a new bar in the building called The Hop & Anchor, specialising in craft beer. It is owned by a company called the Draft House and this is their first pub outside London. The Draft House is owned by Brewdog, the North East beer company. Harbour entrance
1243 Aberdeen Harbour entrance in around 1979 with the North Pier on the left and the old and the current South Breakwaters on the right. The photograph was taken from the Torry side of the River Dee. Westerton Farm
1474 A photograph, likely by James G. Kellas and from around 1951, showing one of either two farms known as Westerton. Both have since been demolished.
It could be the Westerton Farm that was located on the old road that preceded Provost Fraser Drive. Near where Provost Fraser Drive now meets Springhill Road, in the space between Provost Fraser and Springhill Terrace.
This Westerton Farm was demolished shortly after this photograph was taken to make way for the development of the Northfield housing estate.
Across the old road from this farm was the lands of Springhill House and Farm.
The other Westerton Farm was just to the north east of Northfield Farm and a bit south of Dancing Cairns Quarry. This farm was also previously known as Midtown.
Like Northfield Farm (demolished late 50s/early 60s), this Westerton survived the initial development of Northfield as a housing estate. Ordnance Survey maps suggest the farm made way for the construction of Marchburn Court, and the extension of Smithyhaugh Road, in the mid-to-late 1960s.
It is difficult to say for certain which farm this photograph shows. The hills in the background perhaps suggest we are looking west towards the more northernly Westerton, the one nearer Northfield Farm. |