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Collison's Aisle, St Nicholas Church
46 This George Washington Wilson photograph shows the memorial stones inserted in the west wall of Collison's Aisle. Originally called Aisle of the Holy Blood, it formed part of the north transept between the East and West Churches of St. Nicholas and was renamed after 1594, although it probably dates from the 14th century. Members of the Collison family held important civic offices at various times, including Provost in 1521 and 1594, and their place of burial was in this aisle. The memorial stones commemerate Andrew Cullen, Thomas Menzies and his wife Mariene Reid, and Sir John Rutherford. Andrew Cullen was a merchant and Provost of Aberdeen in 1506 and 1535, and the stone shows a sculptered coat of arms above the words "Andrew Cullen Prepositus Abd". Thomas Menzies was Provost in 1525 and (for 40 of the next 50 years), only leaving office in favour of other members of his family. He married Mariane Reid of Pitfodels. The stone has two panels above a shield bearing the Menzies coat of arms, flanked by the initials T.M. The second panel has the initials M.R. and a shield with the Menzies and Reid coats of arms. Beneath is the motto 'Spero in Deo et ipse faciet' - Trust in God and he will perform'. The third stone commemorates Sir John Rutherford of Tarland, first elected Provost of Aberdeen in 1483 and every alternate year until 1492, and again between 1496-1500. He probably died about 1520. Brig o' Balgownie
55 The Brig o' Balgownie over the River Don. Built by Richard Cementarius, the first Provost of Aberdeen 1314-1318. It was largely rebuilt at the beginning of the 17th century, repaired in the 19th century and the approaches widened and buttressed in 1912. Until 1827, the ancient bridge was the only route into Aberdeen from the North. Brig o' Balgownie
68 The Brig o' Balgownie over the River Don. Engraving by P. Hazell, sculptor. Built by Richard Cementarius, the first Provost of Aberdeen 1314-1318. It was largely rebuilt at the beginning of the 17th century, repaired in the 19th century and the approaches widened and buttressed in 1912. Until 1827, the ancient bridge was the only route into Aberdeen from the North. Lochhead Hydropathic
91 Lochhead was a mansion situated near Westburn Park. It was said to be the first hydropathic establishment in Scotland and featured Turkish and Medicated Baths. By the 1890s the building was occupied by the George Washington Wilson optical lantern slide export department. The building was demolished in 1932, and the grounds became part of Westburn Park. Honeybrae House
96 Honeybrae House. This house stood in the middle of a market garden near Morningfield Hospital about one-and-a-half miles west of Aberdeen City Centre. The lands were part of the old royal hunting forest of Stocket, given to the town of Aberdeen by Robert the Bruce. In the 17th century, it came into the ownership of the Skenes of Rubislaw and, in 1875, it was owned by Aberdeen Land Association. This two-storeyed house is most famous for its connection with the poet Lord Byron. In 1798, as a boy of about 10, he was taken there to spend a summer holiday while he was a pupil at Aberdeen Grammar School. At that time, it was probably a fairly new house, standing in its own grounds in a rural situation. He stayed there with his mother and their maid, Isabella Mitchell, before going to visit his old nurse, Agnes Gray. His room was on the first floor. By the 1830s, it was the home of a Captain John Boyd and later of market gardeners. Above the main door, there was a window whose thirteen small designed panes led it to be called 'the thirteen' window. By the 1920s, it had fallen into disrepair and the house was demolished in November 1928. The site was redeveloped for modern housing. Deeside Hydropathic
209 Deeside Hydropathic at Murtle, five miles to the west of Aberdeen City Centre, was built for the Rev Dr Alexander Stewart in 1899. He had founded a similar establishment in 1874 at Heathcot, Kincardinshire, and the growth of business there led to the selection of this new site close to Murtle Station on the Deeside Railway. It was also seen as a convenient centre for visiting the Deeside area. The extensive grounds included a croquet lawn, bowling green and tennis courts, while the Deeside Golf Club was only a mile away. The building itself had 92 bedrooms, there were Turkish, Russian, vapour, electric and spray baths. Since hydropathy was a medical treatment consisting of the external and internal application of water, the proximity of an artesian well supplying abundant pure water was also a feature. After the first World War, the building was sold and converted into Tor-Na-Dee Sanatorium in August 1918, specialising in the treatment of tuberculosis. More recently it has been used as a convalescent hospital, but it is now being re-developed for housing. Dr Stewart was born in 1835 in Coupar, Angus and studied at Glasgow University and did the medical course at Aberdeen University. At his death in 1909, he was Minister of John Street Congregational Church in Aberdeen, having been ordained there in 1864. 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. Portrait of A. B. Hutchison
303 A portrait of A. B. Hutchison (1862-1928) wearing the medal and chain of office as convener of the Incorporated Trades in 1906.
Hutchison was one of the most successful bakers in Aberdeen of his time. He was born in the district of Crimond near Peterhead and he learnt his trade in Dundee. His first of many bakeries was opened at 62 Broad Street.
Following considerable success, he opened the Central Bakery at 123 George Street in 1893. This served as the producing centre for a large number of retail shops.
The business was successfully continued by his family well into the later 20th century. An obituary for Hutchison can be found in the Press & Journal of 18th February 1928, page 8.
In addition to running his business, and involvement in the Incorporated Trades, Hutchison was a town councillor, including being made a baillie, served as a Justice of the Peace and was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Gaelic Chapel, Belmont Street
322 The Gaelic Chapel was founded in the 18th century in response to the increasing numbers of Highlanders who came to the city in search of work.
At first, they held services in the East Church of St. Nicholas but, in the 1790s, they obtained ground in the area between Belmont Street and Back Wynd, now known as Gaelic Lane.
The opening services in the new church were conducted on 30th August 1795. In 1843, at the Disruption, the whole congregation followed their minister, Rev. Hugh Mackenzie, into the Free Church.
By 1882, the church had become old and dilapidated and needed so much renovation that the congregation decided to move. The property was disposed of and was used as a printing office by G. & W. Fraser for a number of years.
The congregation moved to a church on Dee Street which had become vacant on the disbanding of the United Free Methodists and it was named St. Columba United Free Church.
In 1907, they amalgamated with the High United Free Church and moved to their church at the junction of Belmont Street and Schoolhill.
Comparing the scene shown here and large scale historic maps suggests that this is likely a view of the rear of the Gaelic Chapel buildings, looking north, potentially taken from the back of a building on Union Street. Aberdeen Fire Brigade
352 Aberdeen Fire Brigade 1875. By the end of the 19th century the brigade was run on a part time basis. Firemen were paid a retaining fee but continued in their normal jobs being called out to fires either by the ringing of the Town House bell in daytime, or being woken by the Town Nightwatchman / Policeman. Assistance with major fires was often sought from soldiers stationed in the Castlehill Barracks and from men from the Royal Naval Training Ship Clyde. Prior to 1885, when the city acquired its first steam fire engine (horsedrawn) fires were fought with a manual fire engine. It required water to be pumped by hand by about 24 men - 12 on each side. The men in the photograph appear to be posed in front of such a machine. It can also be noted that they did not have a full uniform, being only provided with a helmet and belt until 1887. It was not until 1896 that the Fire Brigade was put on a more professional footing when William Inkster was appointed as the City's Firemaster and firemen became fulltime. 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. Union Bridge c. 1863
373 Union Bridge c. 1863 before the construction of Bridge Street in 1865/7, looking north.
Correspondent Ed Fowler has provided the following further information on the image:
The pantiled cottages in the left foreground were occupied by handloom weavers who in the early 19th century worked for the cotton factory of Gordon Barron and Company. This was sited until 1830 on the corner of Belmont Street and Schoolhill.
The site of the factory was subsequently used for the construction of Archibald Simpson's three Free Churches, which nestled under the prominent red brick spire. Bricks for the spire were salvaged from the Dee Village demolition.
To the right of the image is the Denburn entrance to the Trinity Hall. This memorial doorway to Dr William Guild was salvaged from the gateway to the first 'Tarnty Ha'. Sadly it was later lost during demolition work for the Trinity Shopping Centre. Brig o' Balgownie
530 The Brig o' Balgownie over the River Don. Built by Richard Cementarius, the first Provost of Aberdeen between 1314-1318. It was largely rebuilt at the beginning of the 17th century, repaired in the 19th century and the approaches widened and buttressed in 1912. Until 1827, the ancient bridge was the only route into Aberdeen from the North. Waterloo Station
641 This photograph shows the corner at the end of Regent Quay in the late 19th century. The building in the centre of the image, with pediment, is the offices of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company and to its left is the entrance to the Waterloo Railway Station.
The railway station was opened by the company on 1st April 1856. It was built to supersede an existing station at Kittybrewster. Waterloo was once the station for all railway passengers and goods going between the city and the north.
Trains coming and going from the south stopped at a nearby, but unconnected station on Guild Street. It had opened two years earlier in 1854 and was operated by rival railway company, the Scottish North-Eastern. Passengers with connecting trains would need to dash along Trinity and Regent Quay or wait for a bus. Connections were not guaranteed.
It took Parliament to settle the differences between the companies. This saw the construction of the Joint Station, opened in November 1867, and the creation of the Denburn Valley Railway. Both Waterloo and Guild Street subsequently became stations for the transport of goods only.
The buildings shown in this photograph were altered and eventually demolished in the 20th century. Remnants of the station can still be seen today in a small yard and the railway line following the old canal path and joining the main tracks heading north at Kittybrewster.
On the right of this image can also be seen an building, likely a goods shed, of the Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Company. This passenger ship service was founded in 1865 and had offices at 43 Marischal Street.
The building to the left of Waterloo Station, far left here, was the site of an establishment called Berry's Hotel and served as various pubs until the late 1960s. It looks like it was closed or being refurbished at the time of this photograph.
To the left of this image would be Commerce Street and Regent Quay. Waterloo Quay would begin to its right. 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. Exchequer Row
687 This view shows the narrow congested Exchequer Row, around 1900. It is a photograph of a watercolour painting by Alexander J. Murray that is in the collection of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums (AAGM).
The Balmoral style tower of the Salvation Army Citadel, opened in 1896, is seen in the distance with the Market Cross surrounded by an ongoing market.
Exchequer Row (first mentioned in 1350) was a short street connecting the Shiprow to the Castlegate, and on its right side, were a number of courts leading into an area crammed with insanitary dwellings which were later demolished.
It was popularly supposed that the name Exchequer Row derived from the Aberdeen Mint which stood in the area. However, it comes from the name of the Royal Customs House - the Skakkarium, dating back to the 14th century. Watson Street Lodge
733 A photograph of the Watson Street Lodge in Victoria Park.
The figures standing in the doorway are most likely to be Robert Walker (1848-1930), the Keeper of Victoria Park, and his family; his second wife Christina Walker and daughters Elizabeth and Ann. Judging by the 1891 census and Robert's eventual obituary, the family also had at least five sons.
Walker was previously married to Isabella Robertson. She died on 24th November 1877. This photograph likely dates from the later 19th century.
Robert Walker was originally from Perth and was himself a son of a gardener. He came to Aberdeen as a nurseryman and in around 1871 was chosen out of 450 candidates to be the city's first keeper of parks.
He oversaw the creation of Victoria Park, Aberdeen's first public park, before going on to lay out Westburn Park, Stewart Park, Union Terrace Gardens and the Promenade. Walker was also an early advocate and pioneer of the planting of street trees.
For a number of years Aberdeen had two superintendents of parks, Walker and a Mr Peter Harper at Duthie Park. When Harper retired in 1914 Walker was appointed general superintendent.
Post Office directories indicate that Walker and his family lived at the Watson Street Lodge, also known as the Victoria Park Lodge, from its construction in around 1872 to his retirement in 1919. His residence at the lodge was part of the job. On retirement Walker moved to the relatively nearby 111 Westburn Drive.
He was succeeded as general superintendent of parks by William B. Clark, who resided at the West Lodge of Duthie Park. A man called Robert Duncan replaced Walker as the keeper of Victoria and Westburn Park.
Over the years Aberdeen has had substantial success and renown as an attractive, green city. A considerable portion of the credit for this success must reside with the pioneering and dedicated work of Robert Walker. Old St. Paul's Church
761 Old St. Paul's, Loch Street/Gallowgate - Archibald Jaffray, of Kingswells, produced a design for the first Episcopal Chapel on this site in 1720. In 1865, it was superseded by a later church building, which faced onto Loch Street but with entrances from the old site in Gallowgate. Old St. Paul's had a long and distinguished history, numbering among its worshippers a young Lord Byron. St. Paul's closed down as a place of worship in 1966. Quaker Meeting House
771 A photograph of the the Quaker meeting house that was located between Gallowgate and Sea Mount Place. This image shows the front elevation of the building that faced south east on to Port Hill.
The large scale Ordnance Survey town plan of Aberdeen (sheet LXXV.11.8., surveyed in 1867) indicates that their associated burial ground was located to the west of the building, towards Gallowgate. The plan also states that the meeting house had seating for 350 people.
The Quaker Meeting Houses Heritage Project (link here) states that the group first established their meeting house and burial ground on this site in 1672 and they continued to meet there until moving to a new location in 1800.
This building was later acquired by John Watt & Sons, leather merchants. The upper part had louvre windows which made it suitable for drying leather. Later OS maps suggest the building may have stood as a ruin into the mid-20th century.
At the time of writing in 2022, the site is now an elevated outdoor space surrounded by blocks of flats, to the south of Porthill Court, that go from Gallowgate around Seamount Road
A more recent, late-Victorian Quaker meeting house can be found at 98 Crown Street, Aberdeen.
To find out more about Quakers in Aberdeen, in addition to the above mentioned Quaker Meeting House Heritage Project, there is information on a relevant collection of books held by the University of Aberdeen, including a list of associated publications, here. 13 Skene Square
792 A photograph showing 13 Skene Square in the late 19th century. This tenement is thought to be the birthplace of the genre and portrait painter John Phillip (1817-1867).
The image is included as a plate in Historical Aberdeen: the Castle and the Castle-hill, the Snow Church, the Woolmanhill and neighbourhood, the Guestrow by G. M. Fraser (1905).
Fraser indicates that the tablet that can be seen above the door was put up in memory of John Phillip by his friend William Brodie (1815-1881), the sculptor.
Fraser elaborates as follows:
"The first plate on the house, 13 Skene Square, was placed there by William Brodie, the sculptor. that house was pulled down six years ago, but fortunately Mr George Watt, architect, the proprietor of the house erected on the spot, has, with much public spirit, placed a bronze tablet on the new house telling that Phillip's house stood on that site. I wish we could be absolutely certain that Phillip was born here. There can be no doubt that he lived here as a child, but it suggestive that in the detailed notices of Phillip in the Aberdeen papers at the time of his death, it was said that he was born in Windy Wynd, where his father was a shoemaker. See Aberdeen Journal, 6th March, 1867; Aberdeen Free Press, 1st March, 1867. Honeybrae House
816 Honeybrae House. This house stood in the middle of a market garden near Morningfield Hospital about one and a half miles west of Aberdeen City Centre. The lands were part of the old royal hunting forest of Stocket, given to the town of Aberdeen by Robert the Bruce. In the 17th century, it came into the ownership of the Skenes of Rubislaw, and in 1875, it was owned by Aberdeen Land Association. This two storeyed house is most famous for its connection with the poet Lord Byron. In 1798, as a boy of about 10, he was taken there to spend a summer holiday while he was a pupil at Aberdeen Grammar School. At that time, it was probably a fairly new house, standing in its own grounds in a rural situation. He stayed there with his mother and their maid Isabella Mitchell, before going to visit his old nurse, Agnes Gray. His room was on the first floor. By the 1830's, it was the home of a Captain John Boyd and later of market gardeners. Above the main door, there was a window whose thirteen small designed panes, led it to be called 'the thirteen' window. By the 1920's, it had fallen into disrepair and the house demolished in November 1928, and the site redeveloped for modern housing. Sandilands: aerial photograph
850 An aerial view of Sandilands Chemical Works looking east towards the sea. This image likely dates from around the mid-20th century.
Some of the houses on Garvock Wynd, the street on the right of this image, have disappeared compared to earlier aerial views. The next street along to the left, with "the Big Hoose" on its corner, is Baltic Street. Miller Street runs along the bottom of the image.
These chemical works began in 1848 when brothers John and George Miller of Paisley leased the land adjacent to gas works that had opened in 1844. Their intention was to process the by-products of coal gas manufacture. The business operated as John Miller & Company, known locally as "stinky Miller's", and went on to manufacture a range of products for North East agriculture.
An obituary for John Miller can be found in the Aberdeen Free Press of 6th March 1894, page 4. An obituary for George Miller featured on page 4 of the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 11th September 1889.
In around 1928, Miller & Co. became part of Scottish Agricultural Industries (SAI). In the 1930s, the first SAI manager, Mr. Bremner, was appointed and this marked the beginning of the end of the Miller era.
SAI was formed in 1928, part of ICI agricultural division (ICI owned 51%), by combining firms such as J. Miller & Co. in Aberdeen, Milne in Dyce and firms in Carnoustie, Ayr, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Beyond the chemical works can be seen Queen's Links and the Pleasure Beach across Wellington Street. The esplanade and North Sea are visible beyond. Provost Skene's House
1099 Built in the 16th century, Provost Skene's House is now one of Aberdeen's few remaining examples of early burgh architecture. The house, also sometimes known as Cumberland House has a long and chequered history. Our illustration was taken prior to the restoration of the building in the early 1950's. It was opened to the public by the Queen Mother in 1953. To the left of the illustration can be noted a Bedford bus, indicating that this area was formerly a bus stop for tourist coaches. To the right can be seen the buildings in the Upperkirkgate. 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. |