4439

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. On the left of this image part of the Aberdeen Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, also known as Alford Place Church, at 2 Alford Place is shown. The building was developed from an existing cottage in 1887 as a library and museum for Christ's College. Located across the road, Christ's College trained ministers for the Free Church. The library and museum were built to a Gothic Tudor design by Messrs Matthews & Mackenzie. Its construction was financed by Dr Francis Edmond of Kingswells. An account of the project can be found in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 23rd April 1887, page 5. The building was in use as a library until 1985 when it was put up for sale by the Church of Scotland (P&J, 21/05/1985, p.9). It was purchased by the Free Presbyterian Church who refurbished the building and opened it as a church in 1988 (P&J, 28/10/1988, p.3). 514-520 Union Street is a 3-storey and attic tenement. Historic Environment Scotland suggest that details of particular note include the shallow canted oriels (bay windows) through the 1st and 2nd floors, and the decorative scrolls flanking the pedimented centre bay of the attic floor. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008) suggests a notable historic occupant of 516 Union Street was a newsagent and stationer called MacKeggie. Newspaper notices indicate the business operated from 1897 to the mid-1980s. In this image the ground floor shops are occupied by Sovereign, a barber, Social Bite, a café outlet of the charity and social business tackling homelessness, and Falafel Delight, a takeaway specialising in the Middle Eastern delicacy.

4440

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image shows the buildings at the top of Union Street at Holburn Junction. On the far right, at nos. 478-484, is the former cistern designed by John Smith and built in 1830. It was reconstructed in 1900 as a functioning tenement. The smaller, 3-storey 492-494 sits to the left. It has a Sainbury's Local on the ground floor. Historically, this was the location of: A. & W. Alexander, until 1963, fishmongers and game dealer who were noted for striking window displays; William Low & Co., a supermarket famous for its part in the 1964 typhoid outbreak; Joe Harper's Bar; and Beluga, a bar and restaurant. It became a branch of Sainbury's in approximately 2012. The large 3-storey and attic, 3-bay, tenement in the centre of this image is 496-502 Union Street. Historic newspapers show both 498 Union Street and, earlier, 50 Union Place being referred to as Alford House. This may indicate the early history of this tenement. Union Place was the former name of this part of Union Street. Plans for alterations and additions at 48 and 50 Union Place are mentioned in the 'New buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Evening Express, 16/07/1887, p. 2. The plans have been submitted by a photographer called John McMahon. Later newspapers, such as the Evening Express, 01/02/1888, p. 3, feature to-let notices from MacMahon for flats at 50 Union Place. It is therefore suggested that 496-502 Union Street was built around 1887-88 for John McMahon. The continuity of occupation shown in old Post Office directories reinforces this suggestion. The architect of the building is unknown at present. Aberdeen City Council's Historic Environment Record describes the building as a tenement dating from the later 19th century. With classical detailing, it is built of coursed grey granite ashlar with a grey slate mansard roof with lead ridges, and coped stone skews with moulded skewputts. The main (southeast) elevation is symmetrical with a decorative doorpiece to the centre of the ground floor, the doorway flanked by Tuscan columns with modern shop fronts to either side. On the top floor, a pair of segmental-arched windows break the eaves with a curvilinear roof to the centre of attic floor, with Venetian dormers to the flanking bays. Fixture holes and marks for a tram rosette remain on the wall of 496 Union Street where metal brackets were fixed to the outside wall of the building. Their purpose was to support a tramway cable. In this image the ground floor shops are occupied by a branch of Starbucks, at no. 496, and the Enid Hutt Gallery at no. 500. Until at least the early 1980s, 496 was home to a outlet of the Mitchell & Muil bakery and from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century it was a McDonald's fast food restaurant. Prior to Enid Hutt, which opened in Aberdeen in 2013, no. 500 was occupied by Endsleigh Insurance from no later than 1991 until August 2008. In the 1970s and 80s it had been a Church of Scotland bookshop.

4441

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 24/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. The building shown here is 480-484 Union Street. It was originally built as the cistern for Aberdeen by architect John Smith (1781-1852). It was essentially a giant water tank designed to look like a tenement. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008), p. 178, explains that Parliament had permitted water to be extracted from the River Dee for the expanding city in 1829. This resulted in Smith being instructed to build the Waterhouse, as the cistern was known, to enable its storage and distribution. The opening of waterworks at Invercanny in 1866 rendered the cistern redundant. It subsequently served as a fire station and later as carriage and horse hiring premises for William Bain (1838-1901), post horsemaster. An obituary for Bain can be found in the Aberdeen Journal, 01/07/1901, p. 5. Circa 1900 the building was reconstructed into a functioning tenement. The upper floors were occupied by flats and offices. No. 484 at ground floor, became the West End Branch of the British Linen Bank. In 1937, the shopfront was remodelled by Dick Peddie, Todd and Jamieson. The ground floor was occupied by a succession of bank branches during the 20th century. Since around 2011, 484 has been a health and disability assessment centre associated with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Historic Environment Scotland describe 480-484 Union Street as a 4-storey, 3-bay coursed granite ashlar building with channelled rustication to the ground floor. Bipartite windows feature on the first, second and third floors. The 3rd floor has a band course, projecting cornice above its cill level, eaves cornice and a blocking course above.

4442

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image shows the street from the property shop of Gavin Bain & Co., a law firm, at no. 432, on the corner of Chapel Street, along to James & George Collie's property shop at no. 450. In 2024, Gavin Bain & Co., along with Taggart Meil Mathers, merged with Burnett Reid, another local law firm. Diane Morgan states that 432 had previously been the premises of Sim the Furrier, Jaffa Furs, and FastFrame (The Granite Mile, p. 175). At 434 in this image is the women's clothing boutique Sirene. It opened in approximately 2013 and was the company's second store after one in Brighton that first opened in 2002. Prior to Sirene, this had been the location of Falck Nutec's Offshore Training Portal. Further back in time, the building housed a shop called Abode that sold Mexican artefacts and before that it was clothing shop. 438-442 is the larger, ornate tenement towards the centre of this photograph. Morgan, describing the building as "handsome" and "timeless", notes its "interesting pilasters which shoot upwards in an attempt to become chimney pots". From 1992 to approximately 2018, 438-442 was owned and occupied by Bryant Personal Services and Bryant Engineering. They acquired and redeveloped the substantial building in around 1992 (Press & Journal, Business Journal, 09/09/1992, p. 1). Prior to Bryant, the building had housed a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland. This image shows the ground floor as latterly occupied by Fit & Skin Studio, a fitness and beauty clinic. This business operated at the location from around 2020 to 2024. Nos. 446-450, shown here vacant, was a small branch of the Co-operative supermarket until 2014. It then had successive short spells as a Costcutter and Greggs outlet. Window decals from the former are visible in this image. A 1936 photograph on this website (T03_20) shows this ground floor occupied by John Raffan, shoe fitting specialists, at 446 and Dugan & Mitchell, clothiers, at 448. The shop of James & George Collie, with Aberdeen Music Lessons above, on the far left is part of a block extending to the corner of Rose Street. Diane Morgan suggests these two cottages served as "model houses" while Union Place was being developed in the early 19th century. The ground floor was previously occupied by Bean's, with a sandwich bar on the right, later the site of James & George Collie, and a coffee and wine bar on the left. The latter became the site of a Caffè Nero coffee shop in around 2008. Morgan indicates that Archibald McKellar, a family grocer who sold whisky and "medicinal wines", was a historic occupant and it was later a branch of Burberry.

4443

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. The church towards the centre of this image is Gilcomston South. This was designed by architect William Smith (1817-1891). It was opened 1868 and served as the second, more elaborate premises of the United Free Church in Aberdeen. The first had been a more simple granite box-auditorium on Huntly Street. An illustration of this earlier building features in Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) on page 127. Historic Environment Scotland, in the entry for the building on their listed buildings portal, describe Gilcomston South as an interesting example of asymmetrical planning. This style had been advocated 30 years prior to its construction by the Camden Society and Ecclesiologists in England and continued to be advocated by the Aberdeen Ecclesiological Society into the late 19th century. The entry for the church on Aberdeen City Council's Historic Environment Record gives much detail of its history and development over the years. Across Summer Street is 402-406 Union Street. This building has been a Pizza Express since 1998 (Evening Express, 06/06/1998, p. 13). This was the fourth branch of the successful restaurant chain to open in Scotland after venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Before Pizza Express, a restaurant called Hobson's had occupied the building. A notable historic occupant of this site was William "Sweetie" Thomson's confectionery shop. It traded on the corner of Summer Street for more than half a century. This section of Union Street has unusual numbering. The block to the east of Gilcomston South, a branch of NatWest until 2022, is 262 Union Street. Pizza Express beyond Summer Street is 402-406 Union Street. To the west of Pizza Express is nos. 408-412. For a long time this has been the location of a branch of WHSmith. Diane Morgan explains that historically 412 was the West End Bookshop, known for actively encouraging children to read and having a lending library downstairs. Likely established in the 1930s, by the the mid-1950s, the West End Bookshop had become a branch of John Menzies, which was later owned by WHSmith (The Granite Mile, p. 175). The shop appears to have retained the West End Bookshop name until the late 1980s.

4444

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. On the ground floor of the building on the far right of this image is a clothing shop called Signature 2 at 256 Union Street. The website for Signature Meanswear, who also have a store at 349 Union Street, indicates the business started in 1988. (Website accessed on 17/04/2025). The ground floor of 258-262 Union Street, in this photograph, is a vacant bank premises. From 1977 to 2023 this site was a branch of NatWest (National Westminister Bank). The branch at 262 Union Street opened on 10th November 1977. The branch was the bank's third to open in Scotland, following ones in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The manager of the new branch was W. G. Yule (Evening Express, 15th October 1977, p. 8). In September 1989, the branch reopened to the public following a major refurbishment (Evening Express, 19th September 1989, p. 8). Prior to occupation by NatWest, the building had previously been a branch of the Clydesdale Bank.

4445

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. On the far right of the image at 232-234 Union Street is Caledonian House. This office complex, with shop units on the ground floor, opened in February 1976. The building replaced The Majestic Cinema, which closed in 1973, and an ornate building at the junction with Union Row that was latterly a branch of the Clydesdale Bank. In this image, the ground floor units of Caledonian House are occupied by Pret a Manger and a British Heart Foundation Furniture & Electrical Store. The Mortgage and Property Centre is at the ground floor of 238 Union Street. Next to this is Amicable House at 250 Union Street. This large, art deco style office block was constructed in around 1934, at a cost of £16,000, and consists of three floors of offices, two flats above, and three shop units at the ground level. Prior to Amicable House, this was the location of the last private residences on Union Street. These were demolished to make way for the office development. In this image, the ground floor shops are occupied by Grampian Credit Union, The Print Room (a gallery space for Peacock & the worm, which opened in August 2022), and GSLP Financial Management. Next door at no. 254 part of Vovem, a bar and steakhouse can be seen.

4446

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. 220 Union is the tall building in the centre of this image. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information indicates that it was built in around 1841 and was raised to 4-storeys and an attic circa 1900. The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1906 to a design by architects Messrs Sutherland and Pirie for the General Accident Insurance Company (ADJ, 17/09/1906 p. 7). George Sutherland (1861-1927) and James Masson Pirie (1877-1929) were in partnership between 1902 and 1907. The 1st to 3rd floors of no. 220 each feature 3 ornate window bays. The first floor windows feature consoled cornices. The 2nd feature keystone cornices and the 3rd keystone pediments. The windows of the 2nd and 3rd floors are divided by pilasters. The building is topped by a decorative attic dormer window, a 'broken' pediment with balustrade and finials. The cornice above the 1st floor runs through 212-228 Union Street, providing a unity to this block. In this image, the ground floor of 220 is occupied by an office of the Scotland-wide solicitors, Digby Brown. This office was opened in around 2015. Before that, from 2003, a property sales outlet of George & James Collie, an Aberdeen law firm which traces its history back to 1841, occupied the space (P&J, 06/05/2003, p.15). This company can now be found further west along Union Street at no. 450. James & George Collie succeeded another local solicitors firm, Ledingham Chalmers, who occupied the ground floor of 220 from 1993 onwards (P&J, 13/01/1993, p. 15). The Granite Mile (2008) by Diane Morgan indicates that the upper floors of 220 once housed a number of offices, including those of advocates, G. H. Bower & Gibb (p. 137). Newspapers indicate they were at this address from the 1910s to the 1960s. The Bowers were a prominent family in Aberdeen business. George Haddon Bower (1871-1950) founded the above firm in partnership with Edward Gibb (1879-1939) in 1917. Bower was married to Amy Garden (1875-1963), one of three sisters of the noted opera singer, Mary Garden (1874-1967). To the left of no. 220 is 222-224 Union Street. This image shows the ground floor occupied by Molly Malone's, an Irish themed pub owned by the Belhaven Group. Diane Morgan indicates that this property was once the townhouse of Patrick Bannerman (1796-1854) and later housed the office of John Rust (1853-1919), city architect (p. 138). From around 1975 to 1986, 224 was the site of The Other Record Shop. This was replaced by The Nile, a Egyptian themed cafe-bar, which operated from 1988 to around 2001. It was followed by The Yard in 2001, which became Stadia, a sports bar, in 2003. Directly prior to Molly Malone's, from around 2011 to 2019, the building housed The Abercrombie Bar. Nos. 224-226 is the only building on Union Street to retain its railings, steps and open basement.

4447

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 03/06/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. The image looks north east and shows the ornate upper storeys of 208-220 Union Street. The furthest left building, with the dome, is 208-210 Union Street. This was built 1910-1911, to a design by George Bennett Mitchell.

4448

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 21/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. The 3 storey and attic building to the left of Starbucks at 208-210 is 212-216 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information suggests this building was erected circa 1841 and that its upper storey and attic were added in the late 19th century. The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1901 to a design by architects Messrs Jenkins and Marr for Messrs William Coutts and Son, a firm of painters (ADJ, 03/09/1901 p. 7). George Gordon Jenkins (1848-1923) and George Marr (1846-1899) went into partnership in 1878. Following the death of the later, Harbourne Maclennan became a significant architect in the firm and he became the sole partner in 1921 after the retirement of Jenkins. The five bays of 2nd floor windows are decorated with keystoned architraves. The building culminates in twin, highly decorated, curving gables at its attic level. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008) indicates that this building was previously known as the Central Chambers and was home to George Watt & Stewart, architects, and W. Balfour Robb, advocates (p. 137). From the early 1990s to the mid 2000s, the first two floors were occupied by Paull & Williamson, estate agency. The building was known as New Investment House during this period and had a decorative façade featuring a fountain pen nib, the logo of Paull & Williamson, above its entrance. Paull & Williamson merged with Edinburgh and Glasgow based firm Burness to become Burness Paull in 2012. Since about 2014, this building has been occupied by serviced office businesses. First i2 and from around 2019, Centrum, as shown in this image. The smaller building to the left is 218 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland indicate that this 2 bay, 2 storey and attic building was also built around 1841. No. 218 was constructed in 1841 as new, purpose built premises for the West-End Academy, an elementary school for boys and girls, which had opened the previous year in 1840 (P&J, 22/04/1940 p. 2 and P&J, 11/09/1941, p. 2). Aberdeen post office directories suggest that the school, which was initially at 201 Union Street West, operated from 216 Union Street until about 1875. A for sale notice for the property can be found in the Aberdeen Journal of 08/03/1876 on p. 4. Morgan suggests one notable 20th century occupant of nos. 216-218 was William Garden, a gunsmith and fishing-tackle maker, who had an impressive array of weaponry in their front window (p. 137). From circa 1993 to 2009, the ground floor premises were occupied by a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland (Evening Express, 18/10/1993, p. 13). By 2012, this was replaced by Smile Dental Care, shown in this 2024 photograph.

4449

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 24/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. The building on the right, at the west corner of Huntly Street, is 208-210 Union Street. This ornate building, which extends 100 feet along Huntly Street, was built for the Royal Insurance Company between 1910 and 1911 to an Italian Renaissance design by architect George Bennett Mitchell (1865-1941). The original house that stood on the site was demolished in the summer of 1910 to make way for this building. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008) states that it cost £20,000 to construct and describes the style as that of a "magnificent Venetian palazzo" (p. 136). Detail of the exterior and interior of the building can be read in the Aberdeen Daily Journal within articles on the plans for the construction being approved (ADJ, 20/05/1910 p. 4), a preview on the day of its opening (ADJ, 08/06/1911 p. 6) and a report on a celebratory luncheon that took place at the Palace Hotel the following day (ADJ, 09/06/1911 p. 5). The latter article states that 3,514 blocks of dressed white Kemnay granite were provided for the building from the yard of John Fyfe, Ltd. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information highlights a number of the building's significant architectural features. The arched, cavetto moulded and keystoned ground floor main entrance. The cornice over the ground floor. The giant four Ionic engaged columns framing the angle and neighbouring bays with pedimented windows on the first floor. The pilasters flanking the outer bays with all remaining windows keystoned. Above the columns is the entablature with its prominent cornice. Scrolled brackets support an octagonal cupola with Ionic order framing arched openings, supporting the granite dome and finial. Morgan states that after the Royal Insurance left, the building stood empty for some time but was eventually handsomely restored. Since 2001 the ground floor has been occupied by a Starbucks coffee shop, which remains the case in this 2024 image.

4450

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 06/09/2021, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image is of Aberdeen's Music Hall. Managed by Aberdeen Performing Arts, the venue is at the forefront of the city's cultural events. It hosts music concerts featuring local talent and internationally acclaimed artists across various genres. It also serves as a venue for comedy shows, exhibitions, and community events making it a hub of social activity in the city. Looking north across Union Street, the section of the building shown here was constructed 1820-21 to the design of Archibald Simpson and was originally known as the Assembly Rooms. The neo-Greek style Union Street entrance comprises a raised portico with six Ionic columns and a plain tympanum within a triangular pediment above. A large 2-leaf panelled timber main door is flanked by two tall windows on either side. The main auditorium, to the rear of the original Assembly Rooms, was added to a design by James Matthews in 1858-59. Further history and architectural detail about the building can be found in its entry on Historic Environment Scotland's Listed Building Portal. Aberdeen's Music Hall was renovated between August 1984 and May 1986 and again from October 2016 to 8th December 2018. For the most recent renovation, the architects were BDP, the contractor was Kier and it was project managed by Axiom.

4451

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image shows nos. 156-166 Union Street. These buildings are located between Diamond Street to the east and South Silver Street to the west. The building on the far right of this image, with a vacant ground floor shop unit, is 156 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland suggest this three-storey and attic building was constructed between 1824 and 1833. For many years the shop at 156 was occupied by Scottish Hydro Electric, which sold electrical household goods. This closed down in approximately 2016. These premises were first laid out as an electrical showroom by Aberdeen Corporation Electricity Department in the 1920s. The Granite Mile (2008) by Diane Morgan, page 113, states that prior to commercial use no. 156 was the townhouse of Miss Ogilvie of Auchries, who was succeeded by W. J. Lumsden of Balmedie and later Francis Ogston, first professor of jurisprudence at Aberdeen University. By the 1890s, Peter Clark's Shetland Warehouse and the Sixpenny Bazaar replaced the Ogston family at 156. To the left is no. 158. Compared to the original 1823-33 townhouses on either side, it underwent a complete transformation around the later 19th century. Morgan states "an asymmetrical pile emerged, restrained but quite chic, with a slim campanile-like staircase tower on the east side. This features a delightful oriel window, complete with mini-battlement, on the first floor and is topped by an onion-style dome." (The Granite Mile, p. 115). The ground floor premises in this image are occupied by a branch of the Caffè Nero coffee shop. This was formerly Strathdee's Restaurant, which was renamed the Palace Restaurant in the 1950s. With function rooms upstairs, it was popular meeting place and site for celebrations.

4452

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 19/05/2023, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. Prior to the ornate building shown in this image, no. 154 was an earlier 19th century townhouse. In the 1850s and 60s, it was occupied by the Hon. David Oglivie of Clova. By the 1870s, it was the home of David Fiddes, M.D. The building was rebuilt, as shown here, in the early 20th century. Diane Morgan writes "On the first and second floors there are two solid storeys of bay windows, topped by balustrades, while on the third and fourth, two fantastical storeys have flown in, straight out of The Thousand and One Nights." (The Granite Mile, p. 114). The ground floor was occupied by the West End Café, a favourite haunt of newspapermen. It later became a branch of Mitchell & Muil's, the bakers and takeway. This 2023 image shows Lakeland, the household shop, occupying the premises, with many details of the original frontage reinstated.

4453

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 05/06/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image looks north east across Union Street towards the southern elevation of 146 Union Street and 1-3 Union Terrace. This building was constructed 1882-85 by master mason John Morgan (1844-1907), to a design by A. Marshall Mackenzie (1848-1933), of Messrs Matthews & Mackenzie, for the Northern Assurance Company. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile states that the Northern Assurance Company building replaced the townhouse of Harry Lumsden of Belhelvie, which had stood at 1 Union Terrace for approximately 80 years (p. 107). An article from the Aberdeen Journal of 08/11/1882, p. 5, indicates that, in addition to the house at 1 Union Terrace, the following buildings were purchased and demolished to make way for this office block: the corner house, formerly occupied by the Northern Club, and latterly by Watson's West End Restaurant, and no. 237 Union Street, which was occupied by Messrs Reid & Wilsone, advocates. The ground floor Union Street side of the building features four tall windows capped by triangular pediments. To the left of them is an ornate side entrance with a semi-elliptical pediment. Diane Morgan describes the channelled stonework (banded pulvination) of the ground floor as "quite spectacular" (p. 109). Morgan also highlights the myriad of detail on the building's façade, including the carved garlands decorating the frieze above the first floor's coupled Ionic columns. Note also the egg-and-dart carving on the capitals of these columns. Both features are used across the building. High on the 1st floor façade of the building are four medallions, two shown here. The one on the right shown here, closer to the main entrance, features a representation of the three castles from the heraldic shield of Aberdeen. One depicting the shield from London's coat of arms, a cross of St. George with a sword in the 1st quarter, is on the other side of the portico. These two medallions represent the Aberdeen and London boards of the company. The outer two medallions, located at either end of the building feature the lion rampant that was the logo of the Northern Assurance Company. The office space on the 3rd floor, at the very top of the building, was expanded with the addition of a new modern roof structure between 2012 and 2015. This can be seen at the top of this image. Diane Morgan states that the Royal Insurance Co. merged with the Commercial Union in 1968, with other mergers and takeovers following. The building ceased being an insurance office around 100 years after its construction. In December 2003 the ground floor reopened as a bar and restaurant called The Monkey House, taking its name from the building's traditional nickname. Much of the interior of the historic building was retained in its conversion. The Monkey House, which was run by Epic Group, closed in May 2016 following its owner agreeing to lease the premises to a Thai restaurant operator. The Leeds-based Thai Leisure Group opened Chaophraya Aberdeen later that year and it can be seen in this 2024 image.

4454

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/05/2023, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image looks north across Union Street directly towards the southern elevation of 146 Union Street and 1-3 Union Terrace. This building was constructed 1882-85 by master mason John Morgan (1844-1907), to a design by A. Marshall Mackenzie (1848-1933), of Messrs Matthews & Mackenzie, for the Northern Assurance Company. Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile states that the Northern Assurance Company building replaced the townhouse of Harry Lumsden of Belhelvie, which had stood at 1 Union Terrace for approximately 80 years (p. 107). An article from the Aberdeen Journal of 08/11/1882, p. 5, indicates that, in addition to the house at 1 Union Terrace, the following buildings were purchased and demolished to make way for this office block: the corner house, former occupied by the Northern Club, and latterly by Watson's West End Restaurant, and no. 237 Union Street, which was occupied by Messrs Reid & Wilsone, advocates. The ground floor Union Street side of the building features four tall windows capped by triangular pediments. To the left of them is an ornate side entrance with a semi-elliptical pediment. Diane Morgan describes the channelled stonework (banded pulvination) of the ground floor as "quite spectacular" (p. 109). Morgan also highlights the myriad of detail on the building's façade, including the carved garlands decorating the frieze above the first floor's coupled Ionic columns. Note also the egg-and-dart carving on the capitals of these columns. Both features are used across the building. High on the 1st floor façade of the building are four medallions, two shown here. The one on the right shown here, closer to the main entrance, features a representation of the three castles from the heraldic shield of Aberdeen. One depicting the shield from London's coat of arms, a cross of St. George with a sword in the 1st quarter, is on the other side of the portico. These two medallions represent the Aberdeen and London boards of the company. The outer two medallions, located at either end of the building feature the lion rampant that was the logo of the Northern Assurance Company. Diane Morgan states that the Royal Insurance Co. merged with the Commercial Union in 1968, with other mergers and takeovers following. The building ceased being an insurance office around 100 years after its construction. In December 2003 the ground floor reopened as a bar and restaurant called The Monkey House, taking its name from the building's traditional nickname. Much of the interior of the historic building was retained in its conversion. The Monkey House, which was run by Epic Group, closed in May 2016 following its owner agreeing to lease the premises to a Thai restaurant operator. The Leeds-based Thai Leisure Group opened Chaophraya Aberdeen later that year and it can be seen in this 2024 image.

4455

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 05/06/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street. This image looks north west towards 146 Union Street and 1-3 Union Terrace. Known as the Monkey House, originally the headquarters of the Northern Assurance Company, this building was designed by architect A. Marshall Mackenzie and built by John Morgan, master mason. Built in 1885 of finely-axed Kemnay granite, Diane Morgan describes it as "a superlative showcase for the granite trade" and considers it one of the finest buildings on Union Street. (The Granite Mile, p. 109). This photograph shows the main entrance to the building, dominated by enriched Doric columns, and its curved corner design. The present photograph brings this survey of the north side of Union Street up to the junction with Union Terrace and Union Bridge, and concludes its first part.