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Rubislaw Quarry
37 Rubislaw Quarry, c.1882. Granite was first taken from a 60ft hill on the site in 1875. Rubislaw Quarry was reputed to be the largest man-made hole in Europe. It came to the end of its active life in 1970 and is now filled with water. Tillyfourie Quarry
53 Granite quarrying at Tillyfourie Quarry. In action is one of the first steam boring machines in the country. Near the top of the picture are hand drillers and borers at work. Rubislaw Quarry, Aberdeen
885 This photograph of Rubislaw Quarry was probably taken some time in the 1880s. At the top of the image can be seen a variety of mechanical lifting devices, thus dating the illustration prior to the introduction of steam cranes and Blondins For over 200 years this quarry provided much of the granite evident in the city landscape of today. The granite was also used for tombstones, shop-fronts and street paving both within and outwith the city boundries. The quarry was nearly 500 feet deep and 900 feet by 750 feet at the top. Granite workers at Persley Quarry
1070 Aberdeen, famously the "Silver City", had many granite quarries with Persley and Sclattie next to Woodside among the largest.
Skilled men were required to break and the huge granite blocks into manageable sized pieces from which to work and many came from across Scotland to work in the Woodside area.
Granite from the local quarries was made into cassies used to pave the streets of London as well as Aberdeen.
The quarry industry came to an end in the area in the early 1900s with many of the quarrymen of Woodside emigrating to Redgranite, USA.
Settmaker at Persley Quarry
1071 The Aberdeen area had many granite quarries, and there was a need for men who had the skill to reduce huge blocks of granite into manageable pieces by chipping it with a variety of hammers, and chisels to produce the required shape and size. In this 1920's photograph we see a settmaker at Persley Quarry on the north side of the River Don in Aberdeen, at his wooden shelter or 'skaithie'. These shelters provided some sort of wind break for these men who had to sit on blocks of granite patiently working on the hard stone. Settmakers made cassies for roads and Aberdeen setts were used to pave streets in London. On his left is a tripod structure which acted like a small crane to lift the bigger stones into position. Note the lack of protective safety equipment apart from some extra padding on his knees. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1829 The wooded quarry rim, looking north west from the observation platform. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1830 The rock face halfway down as seen from the quarry's observation platform. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1831 The lower rock face and waterline of the quarry after pumping had ceased. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1836 A view of a granite gravel heap - colloquially known as "chuckies" - looking south east. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1837 The Paterson brothers, employees of the Aberdeen Construction Group, and a woman called Emma who was well known and well respected at the quarry. Rubislaw Quarry in 1970
1838 The elder Paterson brother completes his final job at the quarry - a granite sundial. Sclattie Quarry
2279 Granite worker, Robert Silver, dressing rocks in his wooden shelter (known as scaithies). Sclattie Quarry in the 1920s. Rubislaw Quarries, Aberdeen
2414 An Adelphi Series postcard showing the rock-face of Rubislaw Quarry and some of the machinery employed in excavating the granite. Rubislaw Quarries, Aberdeen
2415 A postcard showing the top of the quarry and some of the buildings and machinery on site. Rubislaw Quarries, Aberdeen
2416 A colourised postcard showing what looks like settmakers working outside to divide a large piece of granite. In Rubislaw Quarry, Aberdeen
2417 A colourised postcard showing workers on the floor of the quarry and the machinery and ladders extending up the rock-face. Interior of Granite Works, Aberdeen
2419 A James Valentine postcard showing a large number of masons at work on pieces of rock in a unnamed granite works. |