Quick Search
|
Search Results
You searched for: More Like: 'A Dead Whale'
41 items
items as
Humpback whale on display, Aberdeen, 1884
336 The carcase of a whale stranded in the estuary of the Tay was taken to Aberdeen to be exhibited in an enclosure on the Inches near the Goods Station. The arrival of this monster came to the attention of John Struther, Chair of Anatomy at Aberdeen University, who took the whale back to Marschal College to skin and eventually put together an articulated skeleton which now reposes in Dundee Museum. Beached whale
337 Beached whale. The figure is believed to be that of John Struthers, Chair of Anatomy at Aberdeen University. Sir John Struther with beached whale
387 Sir John Struthers with a whale which had beached in the Tay estuary in 1884. Struthers occupied the Chair of Anatomy at Aberdeen University. The public were allowed to view the carcass before it was conveyed to Marischal College where it was dissected and the skeleton was sent to a Dundee museum. Culter War Memorial
994 A photograph showing the unveiling of a new panel at Culter War Memorial on Sunday 19th June 1949.
The article 'Tribute to War Dead of Culter' from the Press & Journal of 20th June 1949, page 6, describes the ceremony as follows:
"A panel containing the names of 29 men from the parish who lost their lives in the recent war was unveiled at Culter War Memorial yesterday.
"Relatives of the fallen and representatives of the Boys' Brigade, Girl Guides, Brownies, and the Territorial Army were grouped round the memorial as Mrs Tough, Hillside Road, Culter, who lost two sons in the war, unveiled the tablet.
"The panel was dedicated by the Rev. J. R. Dey, Kelman Memorial Church, who, along with the Rev. T. W. Howie, St Peter's Church, conducted the service"
Culter War Memorial is a tapering, crenelated tower located on a hillock to the west of the village. It is accessed by a footpath that leaves North Deeside Road not far beyond the bridge over the Culter Burn.
Correspondent Brian Coutts has been in touch to inform us that one of the representatives of the Brownies present at the ceremony was Elizabeth McNab.
The abovementioned sons of Mrs Jane Tough of Hillside Road were Driver Frank Tough, Royal Corps of Signals, formerly an employee of Culter Paper Mills, who was killed by enemy action in the Middle East on 24th September 1942, aged 24, and Private Ernest "Ernie" Tough, 2nd Gordons, who died on 5th October 1943, aged 26, while a prisoner-of-war in Thailand. (Source: Press & Journal, 26th September 1946, page 3.)
The former, Frank Tough, is buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial in Egypt and Ernest is buried Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar. (Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.) Professor Struthers
1274 Professor Struthers and his assistant examine a white (or beluga) whale in Marischal College. 1855. John Struthers, who died in 1899, occupied the Chair of Anatomy in Aberdeen University for many years. He was particularly interested in whales. York Street
1992 Waterside, York Street in Footdee. Whale bones could be seen in the gardens of this fishing community. Stop 3: Janet Wishart (died 1597), Mercat Cross, Castlegate
2302 Here in the Castlegate a group of witches were accused of dancing and playing musical instruments in the presence of the devil between the Flesh Cross and Fish Cross at midnight on Halloween 1596. Between 1596-1597 in Aberdeen 22 women and one man were executed for having been found guilty of being witches. Janet Wishart and her family were the main focus of the witch hunting frenzy. Janet by all acounts was a forceful, ill-tempered woman with a sharp tongue. Janet was charged with over 30 dittays (indictments) going back 24 years. Janet spoke out at her trial but was never going to prove her innocence. Janet was sentenced to be burnt unto death which was unusual as witches were usually sentenced to be strangled and then their dead bodies burnt. Footdee
2528 A George Washington Wilson image of Footdee with whale bone arches visible in gardens. The photograph was taken around 1859. The bones were a relic of when Aberdeen was an important whale fishing port. Kittybrewster School, Aberdeen
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. Treasure 16: The Book of the Dead
187 When the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 unlocked the mystery of the hieroglyphics, scholars were finally able to begin deciphering the curious images found on the many monuments and artefacts of Ancient Egypt.
It soon became apparent that many of the writings associated with tombs and coffins had similarities; with further study revealing the texts to be "messages" designed to assist the deceased as they negotiated their way through the underworld towards eternal bliss.
As the texts evolved over time, many different versions of the writings exist in various forms such as stone carvings and papyrus manuscripts. In 1842 the German Egyptologist, Karl Richard Lepsius assembled a selection of the most common depictions and published them under the title of "The Book Of The Dead".
Violation of the Remains of the Dead
467 A broadside from 15th February 1813 by the Provost, Magistrates of Aberdeen and the Sheriff of the County of Aberdeen admonishing against the robbing of graves and warning of the severe punishment for those who commit this crime. The Dying Confessions of William Gordon and Robert McIntosh
479 Five days before his execution, having murdered his wife, William Gordon recounts his crime. He recalls the evening of the murder. Both intoxicated, he and his wife went out. They had an amicable time. Gordon does not recall much from their return home, bar that he went for his pipe. He later discovered his wife dead. He declares having had no recollection of her death. Three weeks later, Gordon remembers having shoved her to the floor, to which she shouted 'Murder!'. Gordon also remembered having scissors in his hand, which leads him to believe that to have been the murder weapon.
This confession begins by citing the book of Hosea from the Christian Bible. Gordon then articulates the nature of his sin, confessing it to be the 'sin of drunkenness'. He compares the severity of his sin to the eternality of God's omnipotence. His confession warns its readers against sinning as he has. He does not apologise for the murder of his wife, instead expressing regret for becoming intoxicated. This marks the text particularly interesting for understanding perceptions of alcoholism and alcohol related crimes in nineteenth-century Scotland. Fascinatingly, though facing death, Gordon still devotes two paragraphs to acknowledging various people that supported him during his incarceration. Gordon concludes the main body of the text by imploring his audience to take up Christianity.
The confession is reprinted in Aberdeen's Journal, on 5th June 1822, five days after Gordon's execution. The paper confirms that Gordon authored this text, saying it was distributed by the Reverend Thom. The confession is well written and articulate, revealing the author's profound knowledge of Christian scripture. Gordon himself was from the parish of Cabrach, made a livelihood selling fishing tackle, and was aged around forty-five at the time of the murder.
The accompanying editorial declares that many had come to believe that the murder 'had been perpetrated by the unhappy man while under the influence of that most baneful of human vices, and, of course, a prey to all the evil passions which it naturally engenders.' The view that the death was caused by excessively drinking, and that the defendant had not consciously decided to murder her, was prevalent. Remarkably, 'many Gentlemen (including several of the Jury who tried him)' lobbied King George IV to commute Gordon's sentence. The judge, however, refused to capitulate.
Accompanying Gordon's confession is that of the twenty-two-year-old Robert McIntosh, on 29th May 1822. McIntosh describes the conditions of his imprisonment in the dungeon, expresses regret for the repercussions of his crime and prostrates himself before God. The Journal reports that McIntosh had murdered the forty-year-old Elizabeth Anderson of Crathie. The paper continues that McIntosh had slit Anderson's throat. At the time, Anderson had been promised marriage by him and was pregnant with his child.
The Journal reports the day of their execution. In the Old Court Room, Psalm 51 was sung. Gordon joined in loudly. As they went to the scaffold, both prayed. The paper reports McIntosh's nerves getting the better of him, and him being brought a glass of water. After Gordon finished praying, at twenty minutes past three, they were hung. Gordon passed very quickly. McIntosh, on the other hand, 'struggled considerably, and was convulsed for several minutes', due to the rope being improperly set up. The Journal reports that countless thousands witnessed their hanging, the first of its kind in seventy-years. Act Anent Murthering of Children
487 This 19th July 1690 act, as the title suggests, regards dead children. Specifically, it draws attention to mothers who 'conceal her being with Child'. The act declares that, should a child die, their mother would be tried for murder if they did not use others' assistance or declare that they were pregnant. This would remain the case if the deceased child were without wounds or bruises. The act declares that it must be read across the land, at all Parish Churches.
At the time, the Scottish Parliament was particularly concerned about undeclared births, infanticide and the abandonment of children. Parliament desired to rid councils of the expense of caring for these abandoned children. As a result, this act was passed.
The act posed particular difficulties for single mothers of illegitimate children, who did not desire to call attention to the fact. Accused women were typically unmarried and employed as servants. This act increased executions of mothers in Aberdeen - in 1705, four women from Aberdeen were hanged for murdering a child, with a further three executions carried out in 1714. The legal status of the law was unique in that it presumed the woman guilty. Of all offences against the person, it was the second most common in indicting women. (Annie Harrower-Gray, Scotland's Hidden Harlots and Heroines: Women's Role in Scottish Society From 1690-1969 (2014), pp. 44-45). |