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Newpark
1521 A photograph of the gateway and avenue of Newpark. Located between Sheddocksley and Kingswells, this property was once known as Cuttlehill.
In Historical Walks and Names (1927) local historian G. M. Fraser writes:
"You descend Brimmond Hill at the south-west corner, and passing between the properties of Fairley and Cloghill, you presently pass the farm of Gillahill (properly Gallowhill), on your left, and strike the western end of the "Lang Stracht," near the property of Newpark. This is a comparatively recent name for Cuttlehill, the property that once formed part of Sheddocksley, and was bought in 1777 by Robert Dyce of Aberdeen, father of the well-known physician, Dr. William Dyce, of Cuttlehill, whose town house for many years was No. 48 Marischal Street. In this country residence of Cuttlehill, the old entrance gate and avenue of which are still in existence, was born on 19th September, 1806, William Dyce, afterwards William Dyce, R.A., a gifted artist, who took a leading part in decorating the House of Lords, and better still, who, having been sent by the government to report on the Art schools of the Continent in the middle of the last century, was the means of re-organising the art education system of Great Britain. It is singular that this accomplished man, although he is commemorated on a monumental brass in Streatham Parish Church, where he latterly stayed, is as yet unremembered by any mark on his father's house in Aberdeen, where he passed the early part of his life."
Newpark and the gated and avenue, though likely thoroughly modified, can still be seen today.
Other sources suggest that William Dyce, the above mentioned artist, was born at 48 Marischal Street. His birthplace remains something of a mystery. There is no indication of the location in the old parish register record of his baptism at St. Nicholas Kirk. G. W. Morgan Portrait
2145 This portrait of a smartly dressed young man was taken by G. W. Morgan (1855-1909). The photo features the ornate furniture and painted background that was the convention of the time. On the rear of the postcard photograph is printed "For further copies apply Elite Studios, 5 Market St, Aberdeen." This dates the image as between 1897 and 1907 when the business was trading under this name at the Market Street premises. Morgan and his brother William also operated photographic studios at 3 Bridge Place, 393 Union Street, and two in Aboyne and Ballater.
Morgan was the son of a blacksmith from the village of Clatt, called John Morgan. Born in 1855, George trained as a druggist in Aberdeen before leaving for California where he worked as a photographer. He returned to the city in 1880 and became the principal photographic assistant to Mr Dinnie of Bridge Place. The premises in Market Street were his first studio after going into business with his brother. He lived at Westfield Terrace.
In the coming years Morgan established a reputation in the city as an excellent photographer and businessman. He was described in his Aberdeen Daily Journal obituary as "A thorough artist in every sense of the word. Mr Morgan was remarkably successful in developing the very extensive business, and it was largely owning to his efforts that the firm attained its well deserved renown for the excellence of its portraiture and scenic work, all of which reach a high degree of artistic merit."
In 1909, Morgan died aged 54 in quite unusual circumstances. On the night of 25th June he was travelling with Mr J. B. Davidson, a solicitor and business associate, to London on the Caledonian sleeper train. All was well up to Stirling when the two men went to sleep. Davidson was awoken in the night by the wind blowing into their compartment and with Morgan nowhere to be seen. After a thorough search of the train and much telegraphic inquiries it was determined that Morgan had fallen from the train and died just south of Carstairs. The exact conditions of his death are unknown but it was believed that he woke in the night and groggy with sleep used the wrong door.
In addition to photography Morgan was a very accomplished violinist and acted as choirmaster for Ferryhill Parish Church for many years. He and his wife had 12 children. Pitglassie Group Portrait
3353 This photograph was one of three lent to Aberdeen City Libraries by Mr William Finney of Banchory so that we could create and preserve a digital copy for public use. These three photographs were kept by Mr Finney's family and he hopes to find out more about the people shown in them. If you can shed any light on these images please get in touch using the comment button on the left. Mr Finney was born in Turriff and the images likely relate to that area of Aberdeenshire.
This photograph by David Smith is a group portrait that appears to show five workers from the farm or area of Pitglassie in 1923. The image might have been taken at a local event or competition. This could well be a competitive ploughing team.
Pitglassie is an area with a number of farms located to the south of Turriff and north of the Kirktown of Auchterless. Ordnance Survey maps from the period show farms called Upper Pitglassie, Mid Pitglassie and North Pitglassie. There is also a Wood of Pitglassie and Crofts of Pitglassie.
The man in the middle of the lower row bears a resemblance to a figure from another of Mr Finney's images who is tentatively identified as a Fred Matthews. The man in the top left can be seen in the background of another of the three images. We do not have any knowledge about the other sitters.
Not a great deal is known about the photographer either. The card states David Smith is a "Photographic artist and picture frame maker" and that he is available for marriages and picnics. A search of old newspapers indicates there was a photographer called David Smith active in Inverurie in the 1910s. He appears to have lived in Souterford, a property that still stands today, though derelict, on the Oldmeldrum Road just after it crosses the River Urie, going out of the town. This may or may not be the David Smith who took this portrait. Treasure 99: Local Fiction Collection
318 A lesser known part of our Local Studies stock is our substantial collection of local fiction.
The collection ranges from well-known figures like Lewis Grassic Gibbon to more obscure authors, largely forgotten in the history of literature. As way of an introduction to this sizable collection we will consider some of the lesser known authors in the collection and explore their lives. During the years of 1892 to 1894 Aberdeen City and Shire was home to the eccentric artist and man of letters, Frederick William Rolfe (1860-1913), also known as Baron Corvo. Rolfe was a Londoner who came from a strict and respectable family of Dissenters. He left school early before working as a schoolmaster and tutor. In Local Studies we have a copy of perhaps his most challenging work, Don Renato: An Ideal Content. It was published posthumously by Chatto & Windus in 1963. This is an experimental novel, taking the form of a diary of a fictional chaplain and physician in 16th century Rome.
Another author in our collection is William Gordon Stables (c.1837 - 1910), born in Aberchirder, who was the son of a vintner in Marnock and later Inverurie. During his time in the Navy and later in the merchant services, he worked and travelled all over the world including the Mediterranean, Africa, India and the South Seas. He wrote over 130 books and is primarily remembered as an author of boy's own adventure stories such as The Cruise of the Snowbird (1882), Wild Adventures Round the Pole (1883), and From Pole to Pole (1886). We hold a large number of Stables' novels. The volumes, published by a variety of companies, are often quite beautiful with intricate designs and illustrations on the binding and inside to accompany the story.
To learn about more interesting authors in our collection, have a browse in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition. |