10

The Palace Hotel, Union Street. Built 1874 for Messrs Pratt and Keith, milliners, who occupied the street level area, it operated as one of a chain of LNER hotels. Its upper stories were destroyed by fire on 31 October 1941 with loss of life, and the building was entirely demolished after the war.

12

A George Washington Wilson photograph showing Aruacarias (monkey puzzle trees) outside what is likely South Stocket Cottage. This building was located about 100 metres to the west of the junction of Moray Place and South Stock Road, on the north side of the latter. The upper part of South Stocket Road, on which this building stood, was also known as High South Stocket Road. As Aberdeen developed to the west, the street name of South Stocket Road was progressively replaced by Beechgrove Terrace, from Rosemount Place to Fountainhall Road, and, to the west of that, by King's Gate. The beginning of this development and the renaming of the street is detailed in the article 'Extension of the city' in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 25th April 1877, page 4. See also G. M. Fraser's book Aberdeen Street Names (1911) for further discussion of streets named in reference to the Stocket Forest. This photograph likely dates from the latter half of the 19th century. Since this time, South Stocket Cottage has been demolished. The 25 inch to a mile Ordnance Survey map sheet revised to 1923/24 indicates that the building stood until at least then. Ordnance Survey maps show a house initially called Kingsgate having been built around 60 metres to the north west of this cottage between roughly 1867 and 1899. By the 1920s mapping, this house was named Kingshill and it remains under this name at 160 King's Gate at the time of writing in 2024. This image looks west across the southern elevation of South Stocket Cottage.

36

A postcard image showing Aberdeen Harbour. The photograph appears to be looking north west along Victoria Dock. It might have been taken from the swing bridges at the bottom of York Place. HMS Clyde is faintly visible in the distance and various fishing boats are moored along the quaysides.

40

The Hardweird. Part of old Gilcomston, it resembled a small "ferm toon" standing between the foot of Jack's Brae and Upper Denburn and it consisted of 18th and early 19th century artisan and labourers' housing - a product of the period when Gilcomston had a flourishing weaving industry. One of Aberdeen's worst slums, it was cleared during the early 1930s and the playground of Gilcomstoun Primary School now occupies part of the site.

99

The interior of the Beach Bathing Station, where generations of Aberdonians learnt to swim in the fresh water pool. The Bathing Station was designed by City Architect, John Rust, and opened on 13th July 1898. A distinctive red brick chimney dominated the beach skyline. The Bathing Station was eventually filled in and demolished, the door having finally closed to the public on 11th July 1972.

108

Site of Mar's Castle, Gallowgate after its demolition in 1897. The building in the background was for many years the meeting place of the Society of Friends (Quakers). They also had a burial ground in this area in the 1670s. The building was acquired by John Watt and Sons, leather merchants. The upper part had louvre windows which made it suitable for drying leather. The two doorways that remain standing in the centre of the image were part of the tenement located just north of Mar's Castle. Above the one on the left can be seen a sign indicating that this was once the pend leading to Logan's Court. In the late 19th century the address of this tenement would have been 150 Gallowgate. The demolition of Mar's Castle, and likely this tenement too, began in January 1897. The Town Council bought the property and ordered its demolition so that the street could be widened.

126

The street known as the Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft. The last street in Aberdeen to show the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street. This photograph looks east and is likely taken not far from the junction of Hardweird and Upper Denburn. These dwellings are those that stood on the south side of Hardweird. The land was later developed as utility type facilities with Skene Street School playing field above.

182

A 20th century postcard image looking north west along Victoria Dock in Aberdeen Harbour. Various trawlers and steamers are shown. A steam paddle tug is towing a steamer in the foreground.

201

Bridge Street, Aberdeen. This George Washington Wilson image shows a horse drawn bus on Bridge Street travelling towards Union Street. The stairs leading to the upper deck can be seen, and the iron wheels must have been very noisy on the cobbled streets. The bus is just passing the American Store whose premises were 'To Let', and Galloway and Sykes, cabinet makers - the latter firm are only listed at 50 Bridge Street between 1887 and 1889.

212

An Adelphi Series postcard looking north west along Victoria Dock in Aberdeen Harbour. A steam paddle tug is towing a steamship in the foreground.

216

Union Street looking west from Union Bridge, showing the Palace Hotel on the left. The hotel was built in 1874 for Messrs Pratt and Keith, milliners, who occupied the street level area. In the 1930s the hotel had one of the most famous restaurants in Aberdeen and could boast of a Gleneagles trained French chef. It operated as one of a chain of LNER hotels. Its upper stories were destroyed by fire on 31st October 1941, with loss of life. Six female servants, including two sisters died in the fire. The building was entirely demolished after the war and C&A clothing shop was built on the site.

226

Looking north west along Albert Quay and Albert Basin. Sailing smacks, traditional fishing boats, are moored along the quayside. This is before the days of steam trawlers. An array of barrels for the transport of fish can also be seen. The masts of large sailing ships berthed in Victoria Dock can be seen in the distance.

234

A 20th century photograph showing a busy Victoria Dock, looking north west, in Aberdeen Harbour.

245

A mid-20th century photograph looking north west towards Victoria Dock in Aberdeen Harbour. It was likely taken from the lock off Waterloo Quay at the foot of York Place. Sheer legs, for the lifting of heavy objects, are visible on the quayside.

278

HMS Clyde in Aberdeen Harbour. She was a training vessel for the Royal Naval Reserve and was moored in the Upper Dock before being scrapped.

285

Union Bridge looking towards the Palace Hotel, built in 1874 for Messrs Pratt and Keith, milliners, who occupied the street level area. It operated as one of a chain of LNER hotels. Its upper stories were destroyed by fire on 31st October 1941, with loss of life and the building was entirely demolished after the war. The site was later occupied by the C and A store.

291

A photograph of the building understood to have served as the Harbour Office from 1837 to 1885. It was replaced by the 4-storey harbour offices, designed by A. Marshall Mackenzie, and built on Regent Quay between 1883 and 1885. This older office is thought to have stood at the foot of Marischal Street, to the north west of Regent Bridge, just above the harbour's Upper Dock.

293

Plan of the Harbour of Aberdeen as it was in 1769.

334

A large dry dock was built in the Albert Basin in 1885 for the repair and overhaul of ships. It was demolished in 1924-27 to make way for the covered fish market.

338

A photograph of Market Street at the upper part of Albert Basin. The covered fish market on Commercial Road is shown on the left. This is prior to the fish market's extension along Market Street and Albert Quay. See this photograph showing the lower part of the basin at the same time.

339

A photograph of Aberdeen Harbour. The image likely dates from some time in the late 19th century. The photograph was taken at the junction of Lower Market Street and Albert Quay, before the extension of the covered fishmarket along this stretch to the pontoon docks on the quay. See this photograph taken slightly north showing the upper part of Albert Basin and the covered fish market then on Commercial Road.

360

A large dry dock for the repair and overhauling of ships was opened at the eastern end of the Albert Basin in 1885. It was demolished in 1924-27 to make way for the covered fish market.

361

This photograph, looking south east from Regent Quay, shows the old Regent Bridge located at the bottom of Marischal Street. As shown here it could swing open to allow ships to enter and exit the Upper Dock from Victoria Dock. The bridge was later replaced by a steel framed swing bridge operated from Regent Bridge House located at its south west end on Jamieson's Quay. The new bridge opened on 29th December 1904. An account of its construction can be read in the Aberdeen Journal of that date. In the background of this image is HMS Clyde, a Navy Reserve Ship for the training of cadets.

381

This group of old houses, identified as Stonytown on some old OS maps, with ashtrees in front, stood on the north side of the road which led from the city westwards towards Skene. This street is now called Carden Place and the houses were just west of its junction with Prince Arthur Street. They were demolished about 1879 to make way for modern houses. The thatched building at the left was a blacksmith's and the red tiled houses were occupied by various tradespeople - gardeners, joiners and a bleacher. Plus workers at Rubislaw Quarry. The central house shows the old style outside stair leading to the upper floor. The roadway between the cottages ran via a wooden bridge over the Denburn towards Fountainhall Road.