357

The Castle Street / Rosemount / Mile End horsedrawn omnibus. This photograph looks north towards the houses where Beechgrove Terrace becomes Kings Gate.

442

A photograph of Mr D. Cameron on his horse and cart and outside his bakery and confectioners shop at 76 Skene Square. This photograph was taken by Kidd & Stridgen of 33 New Market Gallery, Aberdeen. A copy of this image was kindly lent to the Aberdeen City Libraries for reproduction by William Donald of Udny Green. Local historian A. G. Duthie has been in touch to suggest that if we look at the Ordance Survey from 1902 (Aberdeenshire sheet 075.11), judging by the shape and position of the buildings, there is a plausible location for this building north of Skene Square School on the other side of the road.

460

Skene Square School, Rosemount Place, Aberdeen.

690

Gilcomston Steps, foot of Skene Square, in 1866. Part of old Gilcomston, these 18th century labourers' houses were known as "the rotten holes" and were among the very worst slums in the city, even by the standards of the mid 19th century. The end house with the sign was used as a smithy. All were demolished to make way for the Denburn Valley Railway, c.1866.

718

The Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft, is now the only street in Aberdeen showing the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street. 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. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. One of Aberdeen's worst slums, it was cleared during the early 1930s and the playground of Gilcoumston Primary School now occupies part of the site.

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.

1453

Gilcomston Steps, foot of Skene Square, in 1866. Part of old Gilcomston, these 18th century labourers' houses were known as "the rotten holes" and were among the very worst slums in the city, even by the standards of the mid 19th century. The end house with the sign was used as a smithy. All were demolished to make way for the Denburn Valley Railway, c.1866.

2087

Rubislaw House stood to the west of the old Toll House and the road to the Spademill and faced the Skene Road, now called Queens Road. It was the manor house of the Rubislaw estate and is believed to have been built in 1675. Above the doorway is the coat of arms of Sir George Skene of Fintray. The house was demolished in 1886. The entry for Old Rubislaw House on the Aberdeen City Historic Environment Record website states that John Morgan, master mason acquired the house and site and wanted to preserve the old building. However, the house stood in the way of the straightening of Queen's Road and was out of alignment with the houses being developed on the road, and was therefore demolished in 1886. The only parts of the old house preserved in its replacement, the current Rubislaw House, were the steps leading up to the front door, shown here, which were placed at the conservatory door, and the entrance door lintel moulded and inscribed 'A 1675 F' which was been placed over the arch of the kitchen door. The arms above the door were removed prior to the demolition of the house and were taken into the possession of William Forbes Skene, editor of the Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene (1887).

2465

Silhouettes of Robert The Bruce, Provost Skene's House and St. Nicholas Kirk with cranes indicating work starting on new Marischal Square development. 26/11/2015.

3051

Clearing the ground around Provost Skene's House prior to laying the foundations for Marischal Square. 23/08/2015.

3054

Buttresses supporting ground under Provost Skene's House. Shot from Flourmill Lane. Marischal College on left, Queen Street police HQ, centre, and Town House on the right in the distance. 08/10/2015.

3055

A more extensive view of site from a higher level of Harriet Street car park. The Salvation Army Citadel and the Town House spire (covered in scaffolding) are in the far distance. Provost Skene's House, is easily seen in the middle distance, just below the Town House spire. 09/10/2015.

3057

A wide angle shot of lift shafts on the NE corner of the site taken from the top of Upperkirkgate. It exaggerates a bit the difference in size between the lift shafts and Provost's Skene's House, just visible in the bottom right hand corner. A scaffolding clad Town House spire, similarly, just visible in the bottom left corner. 01/11/2015

3061

A more extensive view of the site from the Upperkirkgate junction with Flourmill Lane. Marischal College in the background and Provost Skene's House bottom right. 24/12/2015.

3062

Shot from the steps of Greyfriars' Church in Broad Street. Spire of St. Nicholas Kirk and Provost Skene's House in the distance. 30/01/2016.

3063

View from the small car park off Broad Street on the south side of the site. Provost Skene's House on the left, partly obscured by portable cabins. Marischal College on the right with Greyfriars' Church on the extreme right. 09/02/2016.

3064

From Flourmill Lane. Ground floors of Marischal Square taking shape. Marischal College and Greyfriars' Church beginning to be obscured. Provost Skene's House and portable cabins on the left. 08/04/2016.

3065

Once again, Alan Beattie Herriot's equestrian statue of Robert the Bruce makes a striking reference point regarding the Marischal Square development opposite. Provost Skene's House bottom, centre. 08/04/2016.

3066

A view from the south side of the site shows Provost Skene's House hedged about by portable cabins and lift shafts. 20/04/2016.

3067

A sky view from the south end of Flourmill Lane. Cranes dominate the scene with Provost Skene's House and turrets of Marischal College just visible along the bottom. 20/04/2016.

3076

Crates of fixtures and fittings wait in Broad Street for installation. Provost Skene's House behind. 25/03/2017.

3084

A vantage point in Harriet Street car park allows a view of Provost Skene's House nestling between the Marriott Residence Inn and the north side of the Marischal Square development. 04/08/2017.

3094

Provost Skene's House surrounded by Marischal Square buildings. 01/06/2018.