106

A view of the southern aspect of the Castlehill in about 1850, with the Barracks featuring prominently. The Barracks replaced the Chapel of St. Ninian and an observatory erected in 1781. The foundation stone was laid on 24th June 1794 by the Marquis of Huntly and it was completed early in 1796, with accommodation for 600 men. The picture is interesting, as it shows the line of Hangman's Brae, which descended from the south west corner of the hill to Castle Lane and into Virginia Street. It was partly absorbed into the construction of Castle Terrace in 1864. The houses on the left of the illustration with the outside steps were incorporated into the first Hospital for Sick Children in 1877.

126

The street known as the Hardweird, so named as having been built on the Hardweird Croft. The last street in Aberdeen to show the 'forestairs' that were so common in the older streets of the town. Some of the houses were demolished in 1908. The Hardweird ran from Skene Row to Jack's Brae. Skene Row came off Skene Street, opposite Chapel Street. This photograph looks east and is likely taken not far from the junction of Hardweird and Upper Denburn. These dwellings are those that stood on the south side of Hardweird. The land was later developed as utility type facilities with Skene Street School playing field above.

164

King's College, High Street, Old Aberdeen, showing the Crown Tower of King's College Chapel

270

This photograph shows Pittodrie House which stands on the east slopes of Bennachie near the village of Pitcaple about 20 miles from Aberdeen. The Mither Tap is visible in the background. Although the house stands over 680 feet above sea level, it is surrounded by trees which provide shelter from the wind. It is a complex house of several dates and was on the estate of the Knight Erskine family for centuries, before being sold in 1903 to George Smith, a Glasgow shipping magnate who founded the City Line of Steamers. The Smith family still own the property which has been run as a luxury hotel since 1977 and the 3000 acre estate is leased for agriculture. The original house probably dated from around 1490, and a wheel stair from that period still survives, although the house was burnt by Montrose during the Covenanting Wars. A date stone commemorates the re-building by the Erskines in 1675, and in 1841, the architect Archibald Simpson created the large neo-Jacobean extension with three storey balustraded tower on the east side - seen here covered in ivy. A billiard room was added in the early 1900s and further extensions took place in 1990. The word 'Pittodrie' is thought to be derived from the Gaelic 'todhar' which can mean either manure or bleach. Aberdeen Football Club's ground is known as Pittodrie Stadium, because the Knight Erskines also owned the lands in the city where the stadium was built.

302

This area, at the southern end of the Shiprow, was the site of the monastery of the Trinity Friars until 1559 when it was burnt to the ground by Protestant Reformers. In 1631, having purchased the lands, Dr William Guild, gifted their old chapel and other buildings to be a hospital and meeting house for the seven Aberdeen Incorporated Trades. These were Hammermen, Bakers, Wrights and Coopers, Tailors, Shoemakers, Weavers, Fleshers. Guild was one of Aberdeen's ministers and afterwards became Principal of King's College. The Chapel became an Episcopal Church until 1794 when it was removed and replaced by the building seen at the left of the photograph. It was vacated in 1843, when the congregation joined the Free Church, and was then sold and eventually became the Alhambra Music Hall until 1902. On the right was the Trades or Trinity Hall - often known as the Trinity Hall. It had a projecting wing tower and corbelled angle turret, and was demolished around 1857 for railway development. The Trades had already moved into their new premises in Union Street in 1846. This photograph looks south-south-west and is taken from roughly where Trinity Lane is now. The image likely dates from the 1850s, the time of the demolition. Ebenezer Bain in Merchant and Craft Guilds: A History of the Aberdeen Incorporated Trades (1887) writes the following: "The extension of the railway system to Aberdeen sealed the fate of the old Trades Hall. When Aberdeen Railway was projected in 1844, the hall and site, which extended from the foot of Shiprow to the near present line of railway, were scheduled [for demolition], and although not required for railway purposes, the buildings had to come down when Guild Street and Exchange Street were constructed. The last of the buildings was taken down in 1857 [...]" (Page 174).

373

Union Bridge c. 1863 before the construction of Bridge Street in 1865/7, looking north. Correspondent Ed Fowler has provided the following further information on the image: The pantiled cottages in the left foreground were occupied by handloom weavers who in the early 19th century worked for the cotton factory of Gordon Barron and Company. This was sited until 1830 on the corner of Belmont Street and Schoolhill. The site of the factory was subsequently used for the construction of Archibald Simpson's three Free Churches, which nestled under the prominent red brick spire. Bricks for the spire were salvaged from the Dee Village demolition. To the right of the image is the Denburn entrance to the Trinity Hall. This memorial doorway to Dr William Guild was salvaged from the gateway to the first 'Tarnty Ha'. Sadly it was later lost during demolition work for the Trinity Shopping Centre.

473

The rear elevation on the Denburn of the Belmont Cinema. The entrance is on Belmont Street. c.1999.

481

The Denburn, Aberdeen, in around 1865. The Triple Kirks are in the centre of the photograph with the Belmont Congregational Church in the foreground. In 1850, the Aberdeen Railway Co. which later amalgamated with the Scottish Midland Junction Co. to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, brought the line from the south into the city. In 1864, after great debate, the Denburn Valley Junction Railway Scheme was adopted - forming a direct link between Kittybrewster and Guild Street. This photograph shows the commencement of the work. The new Joint Station opened in 1867

489

The Congregational Church, Belmont Street as seen from the Denburn 1865. Architect William Leslie, although it may have been designed by James Souttar, since the apse is based on Lund Cathedral, Stockholm, where Souttar had been working.

605

An illustration looking north towards Aberdeen from the Kincardineshire (Torry) side of the River Dee. Rowing and sailing boats are shown in the river. Various spires can be seen on the skyline: South Parish Church, built on Belmont Street in 1830, St. Nicholas Kirk and the Tolbooth.

667

Albion Street, also known as the Bool Road because it led to the bowling green. It led to the Links from the foot of Justice Street. On the right hand side is the mission chapel which in 1848 replaced the "penny rattler", a street theatre which gave the area a bad reputation. It later became Albion Street Congregational Church. The area was cleared in the 1950s for the development of the Beach Boulevard.

697

The block of buildings in the centre of this photo are seen prior to their demolition about 1901. The site had been acquired by Aberdeen School Board for a new central higher grade school. It was to have a frontage along Schoolhill and Belmont Street of 145 feet. The Central School, renamed Aberdeen Academy, was closed in 1970, and has been converted into the Academy Shopping Centre (1999). The small building tucked in next to the tall gable end was not demolished. It was built in 1769 for James Dun, rector of Aberdeen Grammar School which was then situated opposite these buildings. The house was acquired by the School Board to house the caretaker and was later used as classrooms. In 1975, it was restored for use, initially as a children's museum and named James Dun's House. It was subsequently used as offices for Aberdeen City Council and later as a spa and shop.

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.

753

Gaelic Lane at its junction with Belmont street.

761

Old St. Paul's, Loch Street/Gallowgate - Archibald Jaffray, of Kingswells, produced a design for the first Episcopal Chapel on this site in 1720. In 1865, it was superseded by a later church building, which faced onto Loch Street but with entrances from the old site in Gallowgate. Old St. Paul's had a long and distinguished history, numbering among its worshippers a young Lord Byron. St. Paul's closed down as a place of worship in 1966.

797

Union Terrace Gardens from the corner of Union Terrace and Union Street. The Denburn valley and the spires of the Triple Kirks at the left and Belmont Congregational Church, with the statue of Prince Albert in the foreground. This statue was moved to the other end of Union Terrace and the site is now occupied by the statue of King Edward VII.

798

This photograph shows the old corner of Belmont Street and Gaelic Lane. The building on the far left is the Gaelic Free Church. It was opened for worship on 30th August 1795 and in time gave its name to the lane. It was used for the services of Aberdeen's Gaelic congregation until 1882. The congregation moved and the building was sold to Messers G. and W. Fraser, printers, who owned adjoining premises. They replaced the old church frontage with the more business like façade that can be seen in this photograph. See the entry for St. Columba United Free Church in Alexander Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) for more details. A sign for George Cowie, a hairdressers, is prominently visible at number 4 around the corner on Belmont Street.

895

Little Belmont Street from Belmont Street, showing the spire of St. Nicholas Church and part of the former Central School, converted into the Old Town School pub by 2002. Further along is the ancient building of Ma Cameron's pub. The building on the right was the South Church, later known as West St. Nicholas Kirk House, now converted to Slains Castle pub.

1147

Installation of the statue of King Edward VII at the corner of Union Terrace and Union Street in 1914. The monument, in granite and bronze, is by Alfred Drury and was unveiled on 31st October 1914. The equipment required to lift the heavy granite blocks was less sophisticated than that used today. As can be seen, the mechanical crane and hoist, together with a large number of labourers, achieved the same objective. In the background can be seen the steeple of St. Nicholas Church and Belmont Street on the other side of the Denburn.

1149

The Grand Central Cinema on George Street, Aberdeen. The film being shown is Radio Parade of 1935. This starred Will Hay and dates the photograph to around 1934. The photograph looks eastwards from Craigie Street towards the cinema on George Street. The building at 286 George Street had previously been a furniture branch of Allan's Public Supply Stores and was on the site of an old Baptist Chapel. (Many thanks to correspondent Ed Fowler for the additional information).

1191

Aberdeen Public Soup Kitchen was first established as a charity in 1800 in St. Mary's Chapel in St. Nicholas Church. It supplied a breakfast of coffee and bread and a lunch of bread, soup and a piece of beef or mutton to the needy of the city. In a period of nearly 240 days it supplied over 140,000 servings of soup and bread. The Soup Kitchen moved to Loch Street in 1838 and this new building was opened by Lord Provost Stewart in December 1894. The ground floor dining room had accommodation for at least 50 people and the tables were marble topped. In 1926, a total of nearly 27,000 meals were provided with funding still coming from charitable donations since few could afford even the two pence (1p) for the lunch. The building survived major developments in the surrounding area but in recent years its charitable purpose was no longer thought necessary, and it was converted into a café in the mid 1990s. In 2022, the building still stands at 41-43 Loch Street, with the covered walkway for John Lewis and the Bon Accord Centre to its south (to the left of this image). It is occupied by a outlet of the Jo Malone London fragrance and candle store.

1208

Trinity Lane, Aberdeen, c.1975, from Exchange Street. The Trinity place-name comes from the area once being the site of a Trinitarian Friary. The building to the right in this photograph was once known as Trinity Chapel, or Trinity Parish Church. It was opened for public worship on Sunday 27th April, 1794. For a number of years, the chapel was an important centre of religious life and activity. The Disruption of 1843 significantly diminished the congregation. The building was subsequently sold by the Presbytery and became the Alhambra Music Hall. See Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909) for more information on the history of this congregation and building. A large part of the exterior still stands and the building currently houses Wagley's public house. In this photograph Alex. McKay, electrical appliance showroom, is in occupation. Newspaper notices indicate that the business moved here, from 41 The Green, in 1966. The building in the centre of the image is best known, as shown here, as a banana warehouse for Knowles & Sons, fruiterers and later as a restaurant and art gallery. It was originally built as a church for Aberdeen's Catholic Apostolic congregation. MUSA was a restaurant and art space, with a focus on music, throughout the first two decades of the 21st century. It closed down in October 2018. 8th March 2019 saw the opening of a new bar in the building called The Hop & Anchor, specialising in craft beer. It is owned by a company called the Draft House and this is their first pub outside London. The Draft House is owned by Brewdog, the North East beer company.

1452

Albion Street, originally the Bool (Bowl) Road, was once the main thoroughfare from Justice Street to the Links and to the bowling greens which were there in early 18th century. This drawing dates from 1859. To the right is the Mission Chapel (1849) which developed into Albion Street Congregational Church. This area was later covered by the Beach Boulevard.

1458

In 1901, Aberdeen School Board planned to build a new central higher grade school and plans were drawn up by John A. O. Allan for a building on the corner of Schoolhill and Belmont Street. The new school was opened in November 1905. It planned to cater for pupils aged 12 - 15 years coming from all the town's elementary schools, with over 1,000 on the roll initially. In 1954, the school changed name to become Aberdeen Academy, and its intake comprised those pupils who successfully passed their 11+ exams in Primary 7. The school closed in 1969 and the pupils moved to the newly built Hazlehead Academy. The building became a Resources centre for the Department of Education and then in the late 1990s became a shopping centre named "The Academy".