43

Shop frontage of T. C. Smith and Co., Electrical Engineers T.C. Smith & Co. first appear in the Aberdeen Directory for 1913/14 when they are listed as electrical, automobile and power engineers. They had garage space for over 200 cars and eight private lockups, and were open day and night, including Saturday. The garage, showrooms and office were at 21-25 Bon-Accord Street; their repair and body building shops were at 20-32 Gordon Street. In 1921-22, they had other premises at 18 Bon-Accord Street, and these are shown in the photograph. The windows have a display of all sorts of electrical equipment including lamps, heaters, radios and Hoovers. The company would appear to have gone out of business around 1943, because in 1946, Scottish Motor Tractor Co. Ltd had taken over their Bon-Accord premises.

60

An early photograph of Allenvale Cemetery, taking shape in the middle distance, as seen from Kincorth, with Abbotswell Farm in the foreground. A limited company called the Aberdeen Cemetery Company was established for the purpose of creating this new graveyard. A prospectus inviting public investment was published in the Aberdeen Journal of 29th January 1873. It reads as follows: "It is well known that in Aberdeen cemetery accommodation is limited and insufficient, and it is generally admitted that its extension is necessary, and cannot much longer be delayed. It is therefore desirable to acquire additional space for that purpose, and to treat it in accordance with modern ideas and practice. "This company has been formed for the purpose of providing an extensive Cemetery, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, suitable in all respects for the purposes of internment, and of easy access - but sufficiently removed from town to preserve its suburban character." The new cemetery opened in late 1874 and, as we know, was a big hit. It was officially known as the Aberdeen Cemetery but quickly became known as Allenvale Cemetery, after the property on which it was built. Allenvale saw major extensions in 1912 and 1932. A London syndicate purchased control of the graveyard from the Aberdeen Cemetery Company in 1958. Aberdeen Town Council subsequently took control of the cemetery in 1965 following the then owners going into liquidation and worries about Allenvale's future. Allenvale remains a fine example of a planned Victorian cemetery to this day. Notable residents of Allenvale include John James Rickard MacLeod (1876-1935), co-discoverer of insulin, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), fiddler and composer, and Mary Esslemont (1891-1984), the influential doctor. Though, of course, many interned at Allenvale would have their own interesting stories to tell. In this photograph, Duthie Park, later created on the right, has yet to be landscaped. St. Machar Poorhouse, Fonthill House and Devanha House can all be seen in the distance.

86

Union Terrace at the junction with Union Street. The imposing building on the left is the Northern Assurance Building (Commercial Union Assurance), designed by A. Marshall Mackenzie and known locally as "The Monkey House". The statue of Prince Albert was relocated to the other end of Union Terrace to make space for the new statue of King Edward VII in 1914.

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.

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.

369

Queens Cross Free Church, Aberdeen. This photograph taken by G.W. Wilson whose house was almost adjacent. In 1877, the Free Church discussed the possibility of a church to cater for those who lived in the increasingly popular west end of the city. They secured a triangular site at the junction of Albyn Place and Carden Place at Queens Cross. Competitive designs were sought and John Bridgeford Pirie, of Pirie and Clyne, architects, were successful with his French Gothic design in granite. The steeple is 150 feet high and the grand entrance doorway is flanked by massive pillars leading into the nave where there was space for around 800 worshipers. There is a circular window in the east end, stained glass windows having been gifted by members of the congregation. The building was opened for worship on 17th April 1881, and the popularity of its first Minister, the Rev Dr George Adam Smith brought large audiences to the church. Smith was later to become Principal of Aberdeen University. The church became the only one of the city's free churches to have instrumental music when it acquired an organ built by Henry Willis. Queens Cross became Church of Scotland in 1929 when the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church merged. Various extensions have taken place, including a new hall and vestry in 1939, and the building was extensively restored in 1980.

458

The school was opened 14th August 1899 on Great Northern Road with space for 1,100 eager to learn pupils! This photographs shows the school, and the junction with Lilybank Place, looking north west from Great Northern Road. The school was built by a popular Aberdeen builder named John Morgan who amongst other things also built the Caledonian Hotel, King Street School, various churches and the statue of William Wallace which stands opposite His Majesty's Theatre. In the early days, students would have had to learn in a building with no heating and only outdoor toilets.

537

This photograph shows the eastern side of the original 1867 Aberdeen Joint Station. The railway buildings can be seen at the front with the roof rising behind. The history of the station can be discovered in the Great North of Scotland Railway Association's publication The Joint Station: Aberdeen Station, 1867-1992 (c1992). In reference to the 1867 station, on page 18 it states: "Designed by the City Architect, Mr Smith, various offices and rooms occupied the east side of the station, extending in a symmetrical manner along the entire frontage, in front of which ran a macadamised roadway eighty feet broad. The building's facade was of dressed ashlar granite quarried from Kenmay, surrounded by a balustrade of dressed freestone. The arched doors were also faced with finely dressed ashlar granite, again surrounded by freestone. The remainder of the buildings was of rustic granite interlined with courses and belts of ashlar freestone from Bannockburn. The main walls, which were thirty feet high, were finished off at the ends by square turrets about twenty feet high 'built of granite rustic work which gave the whole structure a most imposing appearance'. At its highest point the roof, designed by Mr Willet the Civil Engineer for the project, was about seventy feet above ground level and was stated as being modelled on Victoria Station, London." The cranes and construction work that can be seen on the left side of this image suggest that it might date from the beginning of the 1913-1916 construction of the new Joint Station, overseen by GNSR Chief Engineer J. A. Parker. Foundations for the new station were laid in the cab yard to the east of the old structure on 28th May, 1913.

540

This image most likely shows the demolition of the original roof of the 1867 Joint Station. This work was begun in August 1913. The Joint Station was significantly reconstructed from 1912-16 to meet increasing traffic demands and to improve facilities. The project was overseen by GNSR Chief Engineer, J. A. Parker. Remarkably, the reconstruction was completed with very little disturbance to the station's operation. See the Great North of Scotland Railway Association's publication The Joint Station: Aberdeen Station, 1867-1992 (c1992) for the full story.

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.

773

A photograph looking south east down Jack's Brae, past March Lane, towards upper Denburn in 1927. The Ordnance Survey town plan from 1866-67 indicates that the buildings at the foot of Jack's Brae, beyond March Lane, and shown in the centre here, had a tannery to their rear. All these buildings on Jack's Brae were demolished and the land is now a green space. The substantial granite building in the background on the left is Skene Street School, later known as Gilcomstoum Primary School. The wall that can be seen at the junction of Upper Denburn remains at the time of writing in 2022. A city royalty boundary stone, marked "CR" can be seen underneath the March Lane street sign.

1129

Duthie Park was given to the city of Aberdeen in 1881 by Miss Elizabeth Crombie Duthie as she wanted to create a public space in memory of her brother and uncle. Its 44 acres comprised wide open spaces, ponds, fountains, bowling greens and tennis courts, various monuments and sculptures, the Winter Gardens and masses of magnificent flower displays.

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.

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.

1415

A view of the Children's Library in 2011 when the split level floor had been removed partly due to health and safety reasons and to create more open space for events and activities.

1418

The Reserve Stock was housed in the former 'Juvenile' Library in the basement. From 1953-58 mobile steel shelving replaced the original wooden bookcases providing space for storing 80,000 books.

1421

As part of a modernisation programme during the mid 1970s, a new mezzanine floor was created linking the galleries shown here to provide 800 square feet of extra space. Image copyright of Aberdeen Journals.

1432

Compared to the shelving of earlier times, the units here are much lighter in both weight and colour. The ability to easily move the shelving also allows for a greater use of the space, helping to cater for special events. The staircase to the mezzanine floor, added during the modernisation of 1978-82 can be seen in the background.

1434

This plan from March 1974 shows the proposed extension to the Adult Lending Library with the insertion of an extra mezzanine floor. This ultimately resulted in extra space for additional shelving and a display area with improved accommodation for the audio visual section of records, cassettes and framed prints.

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.

1648

Correspondent Ed Fowler has been in touch with the following information concerning this image: "Bathing Machines were temporary changing rooms that were wheeled down to the beach strand. They allowed sea swimmers a ready facility of changing into bathing costumes or out of wet costumes after swimming in the sea. The facility was spartan - just 2 bench seats - wet and dry sides perhaps and a small round vanity mirror at head level. They were soon outmoded and removed from the beach and stored behind the Banner Mill for 1940's children, such as the writer, to explore and vandalise. The well-built gentleman in this photograph was likely a self-appointed lifeguard of the era and maybe Scotland's champion swimmer and diver - Aberdeen's Mr Willie 'Moosie' Sutherland. He was famed for his rescue successes at Aberdeen Beach, Walkers Dam and the River Dee and was an active member of the Dee Swimming Club and Bon Accord Club since 1865. 'Moosie' saved well over 100 Lives and was given a recognition of Rescue service award by Lord Provost Leslie in 1871 at the age of 27 years. He died aged 42 on the 20th September 1886 his last competitive race was the first ever Dee to Don Estuaries swim in the same year."

1899

A portrait of Provost James Hadden (1758-1845) by Pickersgill. He served as Provost of Aberdeen a number of times; 1801-03, 1809-11, 1813-15 and 1830-32. Sometimes known as "the father of the city" in recognition of his work opening up and beautifying the city. He is buried in St Nicholas churchyard.

1994

The Victoria Bridge as seen from across the River Dee on the shores of Torry. Victoria Bridge was erected following the Dee Ferry Boat Disaster, which claimed the lives of 32 people on 5 April 1876. The ferry had for centuries took people from Pocra Quay, near Fittie, to Torry and back again. The 5th April was a feastday so the ferry was particularly busy when it went down and 32 people lost their lives. There had long been plans to build a bridge here but the Ferry Boat disaster was the final impetus needed for the project. When the bridge opened finally in 1881 it enabled direct access for carriages from Torry into the heart of Abedeen via Market Street. The new bridge facilitated the rapid expansion that Torry would see in the following years. By 1969 it was clear to Aberdeen Corporation that Victoria Bridge was no longer coping with the amount of traffic using it to cross the Dee. A report in 1965 showed that traffic was 20% above the level for which the bridge had been designed. This overload and the deteriorating state of The Wellington Suspension Bridge saw the opening of the nearby Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in 1981.

2022

A photographic portrait of Provost James Walker. He served as Provost of Aberdeen between 1903-1905. He entered the Town Council in 1870 and acted as their representative on the Endowments Board for many years. In 1907 Walker was presented with an oil portrait painted by Sir George Reid, R.S.A., in recognition of his extensive public service.