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Loch Street
28 Loch Street in the 1980s. Far left, corner of the new Co-op building (1970); left background, St. Paul's Street School (then Aberdeen Education Authority's Music Centre); centre, the Swan Bar, Post Office, The Buttery (A. B. Hutchison). All demolished for the Bon Accord Centre. New Quay
350 New Quay, Aberdeen Harbour. This photograph shows the navigation channel leading from Aberdeen Harbour into the North Sea, with the North Pier in the far distance on the left. The New Quay later became part of Pocra Quay.
The Pier was built by John Smeaton in 1781 and extended on several occasions to provide better access to the harbour. At the corner of the photograph is the customs Watch House, part of which has now been converted into a seafood restaurant.
The brick obilisk in the centre is a ventilation shaft for a sewer which emptied into the channel. A newer sewer outfall has rendered it redundant.
It is popularly known as Scarty's Monument. 'Scarty' was the nickname of William Smith, one of two harbour pilots in the mid-19th century. His duty was to keep watch from the North Pier during rough weather.
Nicknames were often used in the fishing community to distinguish between people of the same surname. Loch Street, Aberdeen
1192 This 1987 view of Loch Street shows the Swan Bar and the Loch Street Post Office just before their closure. These buildings were at the northern end of the area which was to be demolished for the Bon Accord Centre development. The Swan Bar at no34 was one of the older pubs in Aberdeen and its manager for many years was George Baxter, founder of Aberdeen Darts Association. On its last night on 14th April 1987, it was packed with regulars sad to see their favourite haunt closed down. The Loch Street Post Office, which had been opened in 1939 was closed on 13th April 1987, the staff being redeployed to other branches. Market Cross
1278 Engraving of the Market Cross, Castlegate at the time when it was in use as a Post Office. From an engraving by J. Swan of Glasgow, based on a drawing by George Smith, architect of Aberdeen dated 1822. The Market Cross opened as a Post Office on 10 April of that year, with Alexander Dingwall as Postmaster. Treasure 34: A Selection of Original Scots Songs in Three Parts
2322 Although the union of the Parliaments between Scotland and England had taken place almost a hundred years before, as the 18th century was drawing to a close there was still much fascination regarding the differing cultures. In time, Victorian society would give this fascination a renewed vigour, helped by Queen Victoria's passion for Scotland - including the establishment of Balmoral Castle as her residence North of the border. Before that time though, in the late 1790s, books were produced offering English readers an insight into their neighbours' traditions.
One such book was entitled 'A selection of original Scots songs' edited by Franz Haydn and published between 1790 and 1794. The book is designed to introduce the reader to the music and lyrics of traditional songs in Scotland. Haydn's book reproduced the songs along with corresponding music, and also offered a glossary to help with the more obscure language.
Burns' song 'My Heart's In The Highlands' - more popularly regarded today as a poem - makes an appearance in the selected works by Franz Haydn. With the collected works produced between 1790 - 1794, this was at a time when Burns began to suffer from the illnesses which would eventually end his life just a couple of years later.
Robert Burns
Celebrated across Scotland every year, Robert Burns Day takes place on 25 January and is an opportunity to remember Scotland's Bard and his work. Known the world over as the National Poet of Scotland, Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) was born in Alloway, Ayrshire. Burns' early life was one of balance; he toiled on his family's farm by day, and was taught reading and writing by candlelight at night. He conversed in Scots, while learning passages from English texts to further his studies. Although regarded by history largely as a poet, Burns also composed many songs - perhaps his most famous work 'Auld Lang Syne' being one of the few traditionally remembered in song form. One of our treasures this month celebrates Robert Burns' work and that of many other traditional Scottish musicians. Duthie Park
2471 A postcard showing a lake in Duthie Park. Swan swim on the lake and the McGrigor obelisk is visible in the background. The hand-coloured postcard is from the Milton Series by the Woodstone Bros company. Willie Grant
2630 A portrait of Blind Willie Grant taken from East Neuk Chronicles by William Skene (1905). Grant was a pianist who would accompany performers at regular "free-and-easies" held on Thursday and Saturday nights in the Wallace Tower and Mother M'Cuag's Caledonian Hotel on Castle Street. According to Skene, whatever the song, Willie could accompany it.
Skene states that "It was not a bad job when these free-and-easies were stopped, as there was a fascination about these places that had an insidious effect on young men that was not easily shaken off, as I knew by experience." (page 35) Bonnymuir Bowling Club
3106 A group portrait showing the management council of Bonnymuir Bowling Club in 1924. The photograph was taken by Alexander Ledingham, who ran a studio at 101a Rosemount Place for many years.
This print is attached to a larger board which identifies all the figures present:
Standing: W. H. Davidson, G. Cooper, C. B. Garrioch, J. S. Taylor, A. Craig, W. Allan, C. D. Davidson, A. Milne, J. Reid, W. Tocher, J. M. McFarlane, J. Rigg, J. M. Ross.
Sittings: J. Gordon, A. G. R. Weir, R. Cameron (Treasurer), J. M. Begg (Vice-President), G. H. Simpson (President), P. Scott, E. Swan (Secretary), H. Reid, A. Matthews.
The green is located to the west of Bonnymuir Place and was previously a garden area. The land was given to the community to serve as a bowling green in the early 1920s. This image was used in Old Rosemount (2015) by Patricia Newman and this book gives a short account of the formation of Bonnymuir Bowling Green Ltd. and its initial fundraising.
The bowling club closed down in 2015. A group of local residents have subsequently formed the Bonnymuir Green Community Trust with the aim to develop and use the site of the former green as an asset, owned by and operated for, the benefit of the community. Aberdeen Theatres: A Nicht Wi' Burns
3371 The poster for an event at the Tivoli Theatre featuring the songs and music of Robert Burns. The show commenced on Monday 22nd January 1962 and had two performances nightly.
The show was devised and produced by William Cummings. There was a large bill of performers; Calum Kennedy, Billy Stutt, Irene Campbell, Robbie Shepherd, The Garlogie Four, Ken Swan & McGhee ("Scotland's Greatest Ventriloquist"), The Heatherisle Trio ("Scotch with a Beat"), Anne Fields, Moxon Heatherbelles, Irene Adair, Tommy Wright and Will Starr. Aberdeen Theatres: J. Scott Skinner
3394 James Scott Skinner (1843-1927) was a violinist and composer born in Banchory-Ternan. He was a regular performer on the stages of the North-East and beyond.
During his career he toured extensively including in North America. He performer as part of Walker & Company, the local cinema pioneers, and his playing was recorded many times.
Skinner was also a prolific and influential composer of violin music, particularly slow strathspeys. He wrote over 700 tunes, some of the most famous include The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord, The Cradle Song and The Miller o' Hirn.
He died on 17th March 1927 at his home at 25 Victoria Street, Aberdeen, after an exhausting tour of American. He is buried in Allenvale Cemetery. He wrote about his life in a book called My Life and Adventures.
This photographic portrait of James Scott Skinner is by Morgan of Aberdeen. Skinner stands dressed in formal Highland garb and holding his violin and bow. The image is the frontispiece of an edition of The Harp and Claymore. Underneath the photo his signature is accompanied by the quote "My age is a lusty winter, frostly but kindly". His Majesty's Theatre: Glass panel drawings
3480 Drawings of the coloured glass panels at HMT. These drawings were made of the 360 panes by the then technical director Edi Swan in case there was any damage or breakage in the future. [Image from the Aberdeen Performing Arts Archive.]
Blaikie's Quay
3511 A photograph looking west along Blaikie's Quay and taken either on or alongside the sailboat seen in other images.
The image depicts stacked timber alongside the quay with a large steamship, possibly called Dragon, also featuring prominently.
The stacked timber suggests the area shown is that outside the wood related businesses towards the eastern end of the quay.
In the background HMS Clyde, a naval reserve training ship, can be seen in Victoria Dock. This ship was a replacement for a previous training vessel in Aberdeen that was also called HMS Clyde.
The replacement ship, shown here, was a sloop previously called Wild Swan. It was renamed after its predecessor on arrival in Aberdeen in 1904. Following changes to navy reserve training, the later Clyde, that shown here, left Aberdeen Harbour for the final time in 1911. 78-80 George Street/32-38 Loch Street
4333 A photograph looking south east at Loch Street, from its junction with George Street, in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord Centre.
From right to left, the image shows The Buttery, a bakery of the A. B. Hutchison firm, at 78-80 George Street, a Post Office at 32 Loch Street and the Swan Bar at 34 Loch Street.
On the site of these buildings now stands the north elevation of the Bon Accord Centre to the east of the main George Street entrance. At the time of writing in 2023, the ground floor unit in the centre in this area is occupied by a womenswear shop called Hobbs. 34-38 Loch Street (Swan Bar)
4343 A photograph looking south towards the Swan Bar at 34-38 Loch Street in around 1986 or 1987.
This image is one of a series taken by Aberdeen City Council to record buildings prior to the redevelopment of the area and construction of the Bon Accord Centre.
The Aberdeen Pub Companion (1975) by Archibald Hopkin describes the Swan Bar as "a small old pub just off George Street. It consists of a small lounge and public bar where darts figure prominently - the manager for many years was George Baxter who founded the Aberdeen Darts Association. The Lounge has its own door on Loch Street but not a separate bar counter. The range of drinks is unexceptional even for a brewer's bar but the pints of Tennant's lager or Bass special will not need any forcing down." (Page 108).
An account of the final night of service in this popular pub is given in the Press and Journal of Wednesday 15th April 1987, page 3.
All the buildings along this part of Loch Street were replaced with the north elevation of the new shopping centre. Market Cross
109 Engraving of the Market Cross (Mercat Cross), Castlegate at the time when it was in use as a Post Office. From an engraving by J. Swan of Glasgow, based on a drawing by George Smith, architect of Aberdeen dated 1822. The Market Cross opened as a Post Office on 10 April of that year, with Alexander Dingwall as Postmaster. Treasure 19: Chapbooks
190 Chapbooks were a form of popular literature produced in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Text was printed on both sides of a large sheet of paper which was then folded repeatedly to create a booklet of 8, 12, 24, or 32 pages, approximately 5 inches by 3 inches in size. The title page had a woodcut illustration which was not necessarily linked to the content of the chapbook but could be selected from illustrations already available in the printer's premises.
Their content was varied but included ballads, songs, folktales, jokes and riddles. They were produced in large numbers and favourite texts would be reprinted over and over again and even by different printers.
In rural areas and at markets and fairs, these little booklets were sold for a halfpenny or a penny by itinerant pedlars or chapmen who carried packs containing bootlaces, needles, thread, ribbons and other trinkets to appeal to their customers. The word "chap" probably derives from the Old English "ceapian" meaning to bargain or trade.
"Tullochgorum" is one of a series of 21 ballad chapbooks, each of 8 pages, printed by John Cumming, a merchant in Hatton of Fintray, about 10 miles north of Aberdeen. He had learnt the merchant business in Aberdeen but, when he returned to Fintray, he also set up a printing press. He sometimes included the music, as here, but for other ballads he only named a tune with which his readers would already have been familiar.
His other printing work included Alexander Watt "The Early History of Kintore" published in 1865 and James Dalgardno "Notes on the Parish of Slains and Forvie in the Olden Days" in 1876.
He died in January 1900 and is buried in the local churchyard.
The popularity of chapbooks declined as other forms of literature, including newspapers and magazines, became more accessible. The physical nature of these unbound flimsy pamphlets has meant that chapbooks have not survived in large numbers but Local Studies has a complete set of those printed by John Cumming bound together as one volume.
Collections of other Scottish chapbooks survive in various libraries and are becoming more available through online cataloguing and indexing while academic researchers are studying the role played by these small publications in their social and literary world.
Whist Drive
242 A letter announcing a whist drive organised by the Aberdeen branch of the Scottish Literature and Song Association to take place in the Square Room of the Music Hall on 8th March 1957. A Nicht Wi' Burns
360 The poster for an event at the Tivoli Theatre featuring the songs and music of Robert Burns. The show commenced on Monday, 22nd January 1962 and had two performances nightly.
The show was devised and produced by William Cummings. There was a large bill of performers; Calum Kennedy, Billy Stutt, Irene Campbell, Robbie Shepherd, The Garlogie Four, Ken Swan & McGhee (Scottish's Greatest Ventriloquist), The Heatherisle Trio (Scotch with a Beat), Anne Fields, Moxon Heatherbelles, Irene Adair, Tommy Wright and Will Starr. Mr Bannister's first night
470 A broadside from 1811 announcing the exclusive show of Mr Bannister, referred to as "the first comedian of the British stage".
This would have been the actor John (or Jack) Bannister (1760-1836). An entry, written by Joseph Knight and revised by Nilanjana Banerji, for Bannister can be found in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (available online with an active library membership). Bannister was a pupil of David Garrick, of the Drury Lane Theatre in London, and was one of the foremost comic actors of his day.
For six nights, Bannister was to perform in a comedy, Bold Stroke for a Wife, a comic song, The Tortoise-shell Tom-cat, and a farce, The Prize; or 2, 5, 3, 8.
These appearances in Aberdeen may have been part of a tour of the provinces and Ireland that Bannister commenced in 1809. His ODNB entry explains that the tour, comprising a monologue entertainment and songs, was called Bannister's Budget and was a financial, popular, and critical success.
Appealing to the expected high level of the entertainment, the reputation of the performer, and the great distance from Aberdeen to London, the theatre's manager, Mrs Mudie, hoped the public would understand slightly increased ticket prices for seats in the theatre's boxes and pit.
Tickets could be purchased from a variety of local booksellers; Messrs. Stevenson, Mortimer, Gordon, Spark and Watson or from a Mr. Phillips at the theatre's box office.
The Theatre Royal mentioned in this document, the first permanent one built in Aberdeen and opened in 1795, is no longer in use. It was turned into a church after the construction of Her Majesty's Opera House (later the Tivoli Theatre), which opened in 1872.
This playbill broadside was printed by Chalmers & Co. The document is referenced and transcribed in an Aberdeen Journal article from 26th November 1906, page 3, titled 'Two Aberdeen play-houses'. The article suggests that this might be "one of the earliest specimens of a local playbill probably in existence." |