34

Engraving of Northfield Mission Church and School, Gilcomston. Drawing by Andrew Gibb. Popularly known as 'Laing's Kirkie', Northfield Mission Kirk was opened in Leadside Road on 10 November 1850. The building was designed and funded mainly by Alexander Laing, coachbuilder, as part of the Free Church Mission in the Northfield area of Gilcomston. At that time the area had a bad reputation and poor housing conditions. In 1863, Mr Laing handed over the chapel to the charge of the Free East Church, and the school was transferred to the School Board. Although the new Rutherford Church opened in 1870, the Mission Kirk continued its work.

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.

697

The block of buildings in the centre of this photo are seen prior to their demolition about 1901. The site had been acquired by Aberdeen School Board for a new central higher grade school. It was to have a frontage along Schoolhill and Belmont Street of 145 feet. The Central School, renamed Aberdeen Academy, was closed in 1970, and has been converted into the Academy Shopping Centre (1999). The small building tucked in next to the tall gable end was not demolished. It was built in 1769 for James Dun, rector of Aberdeen Grammar School which was then situated opposite these buildings. The house was acquired by the School Board to house the caretaker and was later used as classrooms. In 1975, it was restored for use, initially as a children's museum and named James Dun's House. It was subsequently used as offices for Aberdeen City Council and later as a spa and shop.

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.

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.

4183

Looking north east from Lilybank Place towards Kittybrewster School in around 1905. The green of Kittybrewster & Woodside Bowling Club is in the foreground. A whale bone arch can also be seen in front of the school. In April 1897, the Aberdeen School Board submitted plans to erect a new school at the Old Boathouse on the west side of Great Northern Road. It was completed at a cost of over £12,000 in time for the commencement of the new school term on 15th August 1899. Built of granite, in the Renaissance style, it consisted of 3 floors, housing 16 classrooms and could accommodate up to 1,200 children. In addition, it was fully equipped with a gymnasium and rooms for cookery, manual instruction and science. The respected headmaster was George F. Duthie, an ex-president of the Educational Institute of Scotland. This image is from a postcard, no. 343, published by George Bow of Aberdeen.

4549

One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954 (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen. This photograph looks north west and shows the eastern, front elevation of the now demolished school building. It was located on the western side of Udny Green. The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40: "At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored. "A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835. "The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'." The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous. It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (Evening Express, 20th February 1953, page 5).

4550

One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954 (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen. As noted in the publication's errata, the caption visible here is missing the word "demolished" after "which was". This photograph looks north east and shows the western, rear elevation of the now demolished school building. It was located on the western side of Udny Green. The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40: "At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored. "A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835. "The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'." The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous. It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (Evening Express, 20th February 1953, page 5).

4551

One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954 (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen. This photograph looks south west and shows the now demolished school building on the far left. It was located on the western side of Udny Green. The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40: "At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored. "A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835. "The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'." The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous. It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (Evening Express, 20th February 1953, page 5).

4552

One of four images showing Udny Academy, or its former site, that featured in Progress Report of the Education Committee for the Years 1952, 1953, 1954 (1955) by the Council of the County of Aberdeen. This photograph looks south west and shows the site of the now demolished school building. It was located on the western side of Udny Green. The building shown in the background here is then current Udny Green School, which has since also been demolished. A new building, located north east across the Green, opened in 1965. The following information accompanies the four images in the abovementioned publication on page 40: "At Udny a temporary building had been erected some years ago on the school site, and very little playground space remained. To extend the playground it was proposed to take in an adjoining piece of ground on which stood a dilapidated building which had been offered free of charge to the Committee by Lord Belhaven and Stenton. The proposal to demolish this building proved unexpectedly controversial. It had no particular architectural merit, but some thought it a notable feature of the village and others wished it to be preserved because of its historical associations, as it was formerly the building of Udny Academy. It was found impossible to reconstruct the old building at reasonable cost either for school use or for housing, and after much debate it was demolished. The first two photographs show back and front views of the building, and well illustrate its derelict condition. The third shows the general untidiness of the site, the old building obscuring most of the present school behind it. The fourth shows the site from almost the same angle, but after the building had been removed, the area tarmacadamised, the trees felled, the wall rebuilt and the railings restored. "A historical note on the Academy is perhaps appropriate here. George Bisset was appointed in 1784 schoolmaster of the parish of Udny and in 1786 he added to the school a boarding establishment which he called the 'Udny Academy.' It became an important school and attracted to it many of the sons of the county gentlemen in the north of Scotland. George Bisset died in 1812 and was succeeded by his son James, then not quite 17 years old. In spite of his youth he ran the school successfully till 1826 when he became parish minister of Bourtie. Marischal College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1850 and he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862, the year in which he died. From 1826 the Academy was continued with success for some time by James's younger brother, Udny Bisset, but his health failing, the Academy was given up in 1834 or 1835. "The Academy seems to have been efficiently conducted during almost the whole of its fifty years of existence. The author of the New Statistical Account of the parish, writing in 1840, says, 'The Academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at Udny Academy, attended several sessions at the Aberdeen Universities. Some of the parishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the Academy, would have been in humble life'. He adds, 'There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write'." The 1955 County Council publication goes on to state that "several men of note received their education at the Academy" and gives Sir James Outram (1803-1863), an army officer in the East India Company noted for his actions against the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as being the most famous. It has been suggested the journalist and historian Joseph Robertson (1810-1866) also attended the Academy (Evening Express, 20th February 1953, page 5).

13

Engraving of Northfield Mission Church and School, Gilcomston. Drawing by Andrew Gibb. Popularly known as 'Laing's Kirkie', Northfield Mission Kirk was opened in Leadside Road on 10 November 1850. The building was designed and funded mainly by Alexander Laing, coachbuilder, as part of the Free Church Mission in the Northfield area of Gilcomston. At that time the area had a bad reputation and poor housing conditions. In 1863, Mr Laing handed over the chapel to the charge of the Free East Church, and the school was transferred to the School Board. Although the new Rutherford Church opened in 1870, the Mission Kirk continued its work.

305

In 1837 a small building presently known as the Burgh Hall was used as a parish school for the children of Woodside. The building also doubled as a venue for many social gatherings over the years. In 1876 a new school was built on the site of the current Woodside Primary and it was then that the old school became known as the Burgh Hall. The Burgh Hall continued to be use by the community for various events, clubs, sports and so on. It was also the meeting place for the Woodside Pensioners Club. The hall has recently fallen into disrepair and its future is uncertain. sadly it is not in such a good condition now.