3

Fishwives gutting herring in a yard at Point Law. c.1900. Behind them are the barrels into which the herring would be packed with salt ready for export.

29

Desswood Place was laid out in 1888 by the City of Aberdeen Land Association in what was then a relatively rural area in the west end of Aberdeen but it was rapidly being filled with large granite houses for the more prosperous citizens. It was named after Alexander Davidson of Desswood who was Chairman of the Land Association for many years. Desswood was his country property near Kincardine O'Neil on Deeside.

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.

52

A photograph showing many large sailing ships in the Upper Dock of Aberdeen Harbour. This image looks north west towards the junction of Market and Guild Street from Regent Road (near the start of Blaikie's Quay). The prominent granite building in the background was at the corner of this junction at 62-68 Market Street. It was a warehouse and offices with shops on the ground floor. The site was redeveloped for the office blocks that can be seen today in around the early 1980s. This block may have been demolished at that time. Prior to the late 19th century continuing development of Market Street and the creation of Provost Jamieson's Quay, the south side of the Upper Dock was the site of various ship building yards, with timber yards behind. The ship shown in front of the building is the City of Aberdeen. It was built in 1862 by John Duthie, Sons & Co. for the China trade. It was altered to barque rigging in 1877 and this be the period of this photograph. The ship has an entry on the Aberdeen Built Ships website.

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.

73

A photograph showing the statue of Queen Victoria at the junction of Union Street and St. Nicholas Street. The building in the background is the Clydesdale Bank that stands next to M&S today. This fine Italian renaissance style building was originally constructed for the Town and County Bank and opened for business in May 1863. The statue of Queen Victoria was made from marble and was sculpted by Banff born Alexander Brodie (c.1829 - 1867). The origin of this statue is closely related to another Aberdeen monument, the 1863 memorial statue of Prince Albert by Baron Marochetti, now standing, or rather sitting, in the area in front of the Central Library. Marochetti's statue was augurated by Queen Victoria herself on 13th October 1863 and this was said to the first time the Queen had appeared at a public demonstration following the death of Albert in 1861. The Marochetti statue was the subject of great local controversy and there were various plans for an alternative, superior, memorial to the late Prince Consort. It was at a related meeting that a chap called Alexander Donald, from the Royal Tradesman of Aberdeen, moved "That a colossal statue in marble, of Her Majesty, be erected at the corner of St. Nicholas Street." The endeavour was taken on by a variety of prominent citizens and funding was raised by public subscription. Brodie, the selected sculptor, worked on an 11-ton block of Sicilian marble for two years to complete the statue. The finished piece is 8 foot 6 inches in height and, at the request of Queen herself, depicts Victoria in Scottish regal attire. The statue stands on a substantial plinth of pink Peterhead granite. The statue was unveiled and inaugurated on 20th September 1866 by Albert-Edward Prince of Wales, later to be King Edward VII and the subject of another of Aberdeen's notable statues. During his speech at the ceremony, the Prince said "Gentlemen, it has afforded me the greatest satisfaction to attend here today, by the wish of Her Majesty, and at your invitation, for the purpose of inaugurating a statue of the Queen, my dear mother. Her Majesty has desired me to express to you how much she appreciates the motives which have led the people of Aberdeenshire to give this lasting evidence of their attachment and loyalty to her person, of which she has so many proofs, and whose sympathy in her great sorrow has touched her so deeply." During his visit, the Prince of Wales also received the Freedom of the City and attended the Royal Horticultural Society's Autumn Show, which was then going on in the Music Hall. An extensive account of the unveiling, the Royal visit and the town's celebrations is given in the Aberdeen Journal of 26th September 1866. After some time at this location, the statue's marble began to show weathering due to the frost and so it was moved to the vestibule of the Town House in 1888, where it remains to this day. It stands at the foot of the building's splendid main stairway. The plaster model of Brodie's statue has also been on display in the Music Hall for many years. A new bronze statue of an older Victoria, by sculptor Charles Bell Birch, was erected at the St. Nicholas Street location on 9th November 1893 and "the Queen" became a regular meeting place for generations of Aberdonians. To make way for the extension of Marks & Spencer, the 1893 statue moved to its current site at Queen's Cross on 22nd January 1964. Victoria now stands looking east towards Balmoral.

127

Granite facade of Marischal College, Broad Street, with Greyfriars Church at the right.

178

Aberdeen Savings Bank was established in May 1815 "for receiving such small sums as may be saved from the earnings of tradesmen, mechanics, labourers, servants etc". As the bank became more successful, they moved from premises in the Guestrow to a new building in Exchange Street. By the 1890s, the directors decided that a new site was necessary, especially as the population in the city was moving westwards. This 1894 illustration, by the architect William Kelly shows the building that was to be constructed at the junction of Union Terrace and Diamond Street at a cost of £11,000. The design is of Renaissance style, with the central entrance leading to an inner porch lined with red and grey granite, then a short flight of steps led to the main telling office. This office had a deeply panelled ceiling and dome partially filled with painted and decorated glass. Coats of Arms of the City and Lord Provosts were also displayed. The counter and desks were made of mahogany and oak with wrought iron and wrought copper grills. In the 1960s, a large extension was built on an adjacent site and, in 1983, the bank became part of the Trustees Savings Bank in Scotland and in 1999 part of Lloyds TSB.

193

This 1930s photograph shows the Shuttle Lane slum clearance area situated between East North Street and Frederick Street, before the families were rehoused on new estates. These houses were typical of the cramped, overcrowded tenements to be found in most Scottish cities. Large families would be crammed into 1 or 2 rooms. There might have been a shared toilet on the landings or more commonly outside in the back yard. Infectious diseases such as diptheria and scarlet fever could be spread rapidly with such close contact of families, and infant mortality was high. There was often no drying green so many tenements had iron washing poles which could be slid out of windows when needed. Each family would have their allocated day to use the wash house. Washing clothes was a laborious affair as the mother, maybe with the assistance of an older daughter, would stoke and light the boiler, and trek back and forth with water from an outside tap. Washing would be done by hand and if the weather was bad, then it would have to be hung inside in the kitchen to dry in the heat of the coal fire. However, it seemed that community spirit was warm and close neighbours helped each other in times of crisis. This was a bond that would be broken when families were rehoused in the modern housing estates.

198

Marischal College dated c.1906. The view overlooks the Guestrow area which would become part of a slum clearance scheme in the 1930's although Provost Skene's House, the turretted building in the foreground, would survive. The sparkling Kemnay granite of the newly completed frontage to the College stands out clearly. At the right are the tower of the North Church, now Aberdeen Arts Centre, and the spire of Greyfriars Church.

213

This view from around 1910 shows Clifton Road looking south at its crossroads with Leslie Road and Hilton Street. Clifton Road runs north from Kittybrewster to Woodside, which was a separate burgh form Aberdeen until 1891. It was originally call Tanfield Road but was renamed in 1894. These mainly granite terraced houses were being built during the 1890s. On the left of the photo are the premises of A.M. Black, grocer. This corner shop, at 104 Clifton Road, was run by Miss Agnes M. Black and Miss Margaret Black between 1902 and 1940. Their home was at 1 Leslie Road. The windows contain adverts for Rowntrees Chocolates and Fry's Pure Cocoa.

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.

275

This photo shows the premises of William McKinnon & Co, ironfounders and engineers in Spring Garden, at its junction with Loch Street. The company was founded by William McKinnon in 1798, when they did work for local factories. In the 1860s, they became involved in the production of equipment for coffee, cocoa, rice and sugar plantations. By the 1890s, they employed 170 men, making steam engines, boilers, sugar machinery, as well as machines for polishing granite. Eventually, 90% of their manufacturing was exported; they had agencies in 60 countries worldwide and they produced catalogues in English, French and Spanish. During World War 2, production switched to munitions work, producing shells, mortars and parts for Hercules Aero engines. They appear to have ceased trading around 1992-93.

324

The prominent granite building in the centre of the image is the Torry Bar. It stands between the two leading lights. A bucket dredger is shown on the right, while a number of scaffie fishing vessels are berthed on the Torry shore.

347

Marischal College quadrangle showing the buildings designed by Archibald Simpson and the Peterhead granite obelisk designed by James Giles and Alexander Ellis in 1860 to celebrate the life of Sir James McGrigor, graduate of Marischal College who later became Director General of the Army Medical Department. The obelisk was relocated to Duthie Park in 1906.

349

The ship yard of Alexander Hall and Company. Two ships under construction. c.1862

354

This image shows at the left hand side, a massive stone coffin which stood for many years at the back of tenements at Flourmill Brae. It was brought to the public's attention in 1926 when the area was subject to the Town Council's slum clearance scheme. The coffin consisted of granite slabs blackened and cracked through time. It was 5 and a half feet long, two feet wide and two feet deep. The sides and ends were held together by iron clamps and the lid was cemented on. The belief was that the coffin contained the remains of Mary Bannerman, one of the Bannermans of Elsick and married to George Leslie, Laird of Findrassie, near Elgin who died in 1692. However when the coffin was eventually opened it was empty apart from black earth. It was suggested that the slabs may have protected her coffin at some time and that the actual coffin and her remains had been removed to one of the city's graveyards. Correspondent Ed Fowler has researched its location using historic maps and suggests that the stone sarcophagus was likely at the end of Quaker's Court near the Friends Meeting House, to the rear of the tenements looking onto Flourmill Brae.

364

A photograph from the presentation of a new ambulance by Aberdeen District engineering and shipbuilding firms to the Scottish Branch of the Red Cross Society on Monday 29th January 1917. The vehicle, funded by subscription, was for use in Aberdeen and was handed over to Colonel J. Scott Riddell, the Red Cross Commissar. He can be seen fourth from the left in the group on the right. The leftmost figure of that grouping is Lord Provost James Taggart. He presided over the presentation event that took place in the Red Cross Transport Headquarters on Holburn Street, visible here in the background. Taggart was a granite sculptor by trade and had a works nearby at 92 Great Western Road. The location of this photograph is at the junction of Justice Mill and Holburn Street. A branch of the Summerhill Farm Dairy is visible in the background. An account of the presentation and a list of subscribers can be read on page 3 of The Aberdeen Daily Journal for 22nd January 1917.

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.

374

St. Nicholas Kirk and graveyard, showing the new spire after the 1874 fire, which destroyed the ancient tower and steeple of the East Kirk. William Smith, son of John Smith, rebuilt both chancel and crossing between 1875 and 1877. When the present granite steeple was built, a carillon of 37 new bells was installed, cast by Van Aerschodt of Louvain, in Belgium. A further 11 bells were added in 1954, making a total of 48 bells - the largest carillon in Great Britain. St. Nicholas Church West, shown here, was built between 1751 and 1755. Designed by James Gibb, it is a classic example of an 18th century preaching kirk. Building took 4 years and it opened for public worship on 9th November 1755. St. Nicholas Kirkyard is a popular place for family historians, with its many table tombs and monuments. Amongst the famous local names are Archibald Simpson, architect, John Anderson, Wizard of the North, and William Dyce, the painter.

513

The quadrangle of Marischal College, showing the obelisk in Peterhead Granite designed by Alexander Ellis and James Giles. The obelisk, sometimes known as the 'Sir James McGrigor Obelisk', was later removed in 1905 to a new site in the Duthie Park.

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.

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.

677

March Lane, 1923. This view of a narrow lane in the Rosemount area of Aberdeen shows a number of small houses with tiled roofs. The rather rundown nature of the lane hides the fact that it stood on the boundary of the City of Aberdeen. At the end of the lane there was a dressed granite stone with the letters CR incised on it. These stood for City Royalty and up to the 19th century, the Town Councillors would inspect these boundaries or marches to check that such landmarks had not been removed. A series of such stones marked what was known as the Inner Marches and another series with the letters ABD marked the Outer Marches which bounded the Freedom Lands, including the lands granted to the City by Robert the Bruce in 1319.