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Guild Street
399 Guild Street looking towards the harbour.
On the left hand side of the road is the facade of Her Majesty's Theatre built in 1872. It was renamed the Tivoli in 1910. It was a popular theatre and many well-known performers appeared on its stage including W. C. Fields, Tony Hancock and Andy Stewart.
The Tivoli became a bingo hall in 1966 and finally closed its doors in 1997. However, following refurbishment, the Tivoli reopened in 2013.
The Criterion Bar is on the left of the photograph and the old Goods Station is on the right. Leaving Aberdeen Harbour
502 A Leith registered fifie leaving Aberdeen Harbour. The white building seen behind the sails is the Round House, the Harbour Master's office, on the New Quay at Fittie.
The fifie was a fast wind-powered sailing boat favoured for herring fishing on much of Scotland's east coast from the 1850s until well into the 20th century. Its main features were the vertical stem (front) and stern (back) and the wide beam (width) making them stable in the water.
Fifies had two masts, a main dipping lugsail and a mizzen sail. Fifie's were increasingly decked following the recommendations of Captain Washington's 1849 report into the Moray Firth fishing disaster.
See SCRAN's webpage on Scottish sail powered fishing boats for more information on the subject.
The Tidal Harbour is in the background, beyond the landing stage of Pocra Quay's Lower Basin. Boys' Brigade King's Message
1010 A photograph showing the Boys' Brigade King's Message at Stonehaven Market on 23rd April 1935. The town's 1827 Market Buildings can be seen in the background.
To mark the silver jubilee of King George V on 6th May 1935 the Boys' Brigade undertook a roughly 2300 mile relay run of a silver baton containing a message of homage and congratulation from John O' Groats to London.
The journey started in stormy weather at 7am on 16th April 1935. As the baton travelled south it was passed from runners from one Brigade company to another.
The leg from Culter to Maryculter was carried by Sgt. W. Duthie, Cpl. D. Birse and Pte. D. Angus. The baton was then transferred to Sgt. H. Douglas, Pte. W. Brooks and Pte. L. Gordon for the next leg to Netherley and the leg to Stonehaven was carried by Sgt. J. Brown, Pte. A. Brown and Pte. I. Hay.
This photo likely shows the latter three runners having handed on the baton for the next leg. An account of this part of the baton's journey can be found in the Press & Journal of 24th April 1935 on page 5. The article indicates the baton left Culter at 7.45am on 23rd April 1935 and reached Stonehaven at 11am the same day.
The next stage south, to Kinneff, was undertaken by Sergeant J. Thomson, escorted by Corporal Christie and Lance-Corporal G. Thomson, all of 21st Aberdeen company. Cults and District Recreation Club
1048 Cults and District Recreation Club performed "Mains' Wooin'" in East Church Hall 1923. The players are named as: Piper - G. Wilson, J. W. Robertson, W. Christie, W. A. Thompson, John Kidd, unknown, Jack Morrison, A. Ironside, Bert Anderson, Miss Robertson, Miss Skakle, Peter Walker, John Forsyth, Miss Skakle, Dr Robert Bruce, Mrs Pirie, Miss Ironside, W. Ironside, Miss Robertson, W. Marshall. Front of stage: T. Ambrose, J. Milne, John Salthouse, unknown, D. Kidd, M. Morrison, D. Kidd, John Lovie, J. Adams, Jack Meston. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1154 The stage of His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen showing the op fly floor and hemp lines. This photograph was taken just prior to closure for renovation. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1158 The base of the old revolving stage at His Majesty's Theatre, prior to renovation. The revolve still exists, but has been covered over by the management. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1161 The stage and new grid at His Majesty's Theatre during renovations. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1168 The support and underneath of the new revolving stage under constrruction at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1169 The support and underneath of the new revolving stage under constrruction at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen. His Majesty's Theatre during renovations
1177 The stage left fly floor at His Majesty's Theatre prior to reconstruction. Note the hemp lines and cleats on the fly floor rails. His Majesty's Theatre renovations
1182 The support and underneath of the old revolving stage at His Majesty's Theatre. His Majesty's Theatre after renovations
1183 The understage area at His Majesty's Theatre. The underside of the revolving stage is in the centre of the image. The shuttered door belongs to the lift which takes scenery up to the stage level. His Majesty's Theatre staff
1187 The staff of His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen. Photographed on the stage. The bandstand in Duthie Park in winter
1374 The bandstand was designed by William McKelvie, the architect responsible for designing the layout of Duthie Park, and was completed in 1893 at a cost of around £400. It has served as a stage for many concerts and recitals over the years. The railings of the bandstand were removed for the war effort, however, they were restored in the mid-1990s during a refurbishment. Stop 6: Annie Inglis MBE (1922-2010), Aberdeen Arts Centre, Catherine Hollingsworth (1904-1999) and Isabella Fyvie Mayo (1843-1914), 31 King Street
2305 Aberdeen's first lady of the theatre Annie Inglis MBE dedicated her life to drama in Aberdeen, founding Aberdeen Arts Centre and inspiring generations to take to the stage. Born Annie Nicol in 1922, Annie studied English at Glasgow University before taking up a career in teaching. She joined the Monklands Rep in the 1940s, perfecting her directing skills which she would use to great effect in Aberdeen where she founded the Attic Theatre Group, an amateur group, which enjoyed an enviable reputation for performance. Over the years Annie founded Aberdeen's Arts Carnival, Texaco Theatre School, and Giz Giz Theatre Project for Youth. When the Arts Centre was threatened by closure in 1998 Annie ran a hugely successful campaign to save it involving many famous theatre actors who had trod the boards there.
Born in 1904 in Brechin and known by local folk as the 'speakin'wifie' Catherine Hollingworth started her teaching career in 1927 and might have remained a drama teacher but for the road traffic accident in 1933 which led her to use her learning to address the injury to her own speech. This ignited a lifelong interest in speech therapy at a time when there were very few speech therapists. While another pioneer of the profession Lional Logue (as dramatised in The King's Speech) was supporting King George VI in London, Catherine was appointed as the first superintendent of Speech & Drama and Speech Therapy in Aberdeen. In 1942 she founded the Children's Theatre, which went on to develop an international reputation. She had the theory that if you allowed children to play only to children, with no adults in the audience, their creativity and imagination would be much greater.
Another woman of culture associated with 31 King Street was Isabella Fyvie Mayo a prolific poet and novelist who wrote under the pen name Edward Garret. Although she was to spend most of her life living in Aberdeen, Isabella was born in London in 1843. She was also a pioneering translator for Tolstoy and became not only his friend but was also friends with Mahatma Gandhi. She became an ethical anarchist, pacifist, anti-imperialist, anti-racist and suffragette campaigner. In 1894 she was elected a member of the Aberdeen School Board, the first woman elected to any public board in Aberdeen and it is in this building that the Aberdeen School Board convened. The Five Graces
3005 A group portrait showing the five Henry sisters: Nan, Jean, Lib, Louie and Kitty.
Kitty is most likely a youthful name for Jeannie Henry (1869-1931) who married Walford Bodie and performed on the stage as Princess Rubie.
This image comes from a family photograph album, originally owned by Annie "Nan" Henry, held by Aberdeen City Libraries. The Henry Sisters
3006 A fantastic group portrait showing the Henry sisters in Highland dress.
The figure on the near left is most likely a youthful Jeannie Henry (1869-1931) who married Walford Bodie and performed on the stage as Princess Rubie. She appears to have been known as Kitty when she was younger.
It is difficult to say for certain but top and bottom right could be Isabella and Mary Walford Henry respectively.
This image comes from a family photograph album, originally owned by Annie "Nan" Henry, held by Aberdeen City Libraries. Aberdeen Theatres: His Majesty's Theatre
3356 Seating more than 1400, His Majesty's Theatre is the largest theatre in North-East Scotland and is now a category A listed building.
Situated on Rosemount Viaduct, it was designed by the architect Frank Matcham and costed £35,000. It was originally built as a replacement for the former Her Majesty's Theatre (now the Tivoli), meeting the need for a larger venue and better staging facilities.
Robert Arthur, the theatre impresario, submitted the plans for the new theatre in 1901. Construction started in 1904 and it opened on the 3rd December 1906 with a production of the pantomime Little Red Riding Hood, of which you will see the programme next in this exhibition. The pantomime played to a full house on its opening night and ran until the end of the year to great success.
Arthur's company presented plays, opera and pantomimes until 1912, when it ran out of funds. Robert Arthur Theatres Ltd. sold the theatre in 1923 to Walter Gilbert, managing director of the Tivoli Theatre. It changed hands again in 1932, after Gilbert's death, when it was bought by Councillor James F. Donald. The new owner refurbished the venue and introduced new features such as a revolving stage and a cinema projector.
In 1975, Aberdeen City council bought the venue, then allocated £3.5 million to give it a new life. After being closed for 23 months, His Majesty's Theatre was reopened on the 17th of September 1982 by Prince Charles.
In 2004, the theatre was once again closed for refurbishment. It reopened in 2005, renovated and modernised with a new green room, a coffee shop and re-upholstered seating. Aberdeen Theatres: His Majesty's Theatre in 1936
3360 The exterior of His Majesty's Theatre on Rosemount Viaduct in May 1936.
Buses line the street outside the building. This is a summer line up of Aberdeen registered touring buses together with their smartly dressed drivers. The destinations of the vehicles include Lossiemouth and Killiekrankie.
The sign above HMT's main entrance advertises showings of two films: In Person with Ginger Rogers and George Brent and Old Gay Dog, about a vet played by Edward Rigby. These screenings were accompanied by a "singing, dancing and orchestral Irish scene" performed on the stage.
More regular film showings at HMT, and superior equipment to do so, were introduced by James F. Donald after he purchased the theatre in 1932.
The fine ionic columned building to the left of the image was originally known as the South United Free Church and later as St Marks Church. The Central Library is beyond. Aberdeen Theatres: Prince Charles at HMT's reopening
3363 Prince Charles on stage after the gala re-opening of His Majesty's Theatre on the 17th September 1982. The theatre had been closed for 23 months for renovation. Aberdeen Theatres: The Tivoli Theatre
3366 The Tivoli Theatre on Guild Street opened in 1872 as Her Majesty's Opera House. The first performance was of with the play The Lady of Lyons. At the end of the show, architect Mr Phipps and the superintendent of works were called on stage by the audience to take a bow.
The auditorium was later altered in 1897 by the noted architect Frank Matcham. Her Majesty's closed in 1906 temporarily following the opening of the larger His Majesty's Theatre on Rosemount Viaduct. The interior of the theatre was reconstructed in 1909 and the venue reopened in 1910 as the Tivoli Theatre of Varieties.
The theatre enjoyed immense success until 1966 when it was converted into a bingo hall. The venue finally closed in 1997 and fell into disrepair.
In July 2009 the Tivoli Theatre Company Ltd. was formed and bought the building. Work to restore the historic theatre to its former glory was then started. The Tivoli Theatre reopened on the 25th of October 2013 with the play Inferno by Thomas Bywater.
Today, the Tivoli is a grade-A Listed Building, and remains a jewel of our city.
In addition to the Tivoli Theatre of Varieties, the Criterion Bar can be seen on the far left of this image.
The board in front of the Tivoli indicates that the theatre is hosting Happy Days, a variety show by the George West Company. This dates the photograph to around August or September 1935. Aberdeen Theatres: On stage at the Music Hall
3374 A large choir and orchestra on stage in the Music Hall. Towards the rear of the image can be seen the pipes of the venue's organ. The group and the occasion are unknown. Aberdeen Theatres: Aberdeen Arts Centre
3386 In 1960 the education committee of Aberdeen Town Council proposed the conversion of the empty North and Trinity Parish Church into an adult education and civic arts centre. The plan was given final approval in February 1961, much to the delight of Aberdeen's art enthusiasts.
The Evening Express detailed the need for such a venue at the time by describing the difficulties faced by the William Gavin Players, a local drama group, in staging a play earlier that week in the ballroom of the Music Hall. They had to overcome the roar of a nearby wrestling audience, the incessant ringing of an unanswered telephone, a cramped stage and poor acoustics.
A temporary restriction on capital expenditure and a particularly severe winter caused delays for the conversion. Work began in late 1961 and was concluded by the autumn of 1963. The work cost around £33,000 and saw the reconstruction of the interior and a thorough re-vamp for the building's exterior. At one point the new centre was going to be called Longacre, but this idea was scrapped in favour of Aberdeen Arts Centre.
The completed venue was opened on 18th October 1963 by Sir Herbert Read (1893-1968), an art critic, poet and anarchist philosopher. In his speech Read criticised the main political parties of the day for neglecting the development of the arts and the human imagination in favour of a blind drive for scientific and technological efficiency.
In addition to the 385-seat auditorium, the venue had an exhibition space, a lounge, and a tea bar. The Arts Centre has remained the focal point for local arts groups and arts education to this day. It has also served as a meeting place and provided a useful stage for theatrical productions of all types.
In 1998, facing the need to cut £17.5 million from their budget, Aberdeen City Council withdrew their funding from the Arts Centre. This left the future of the venue in danger. A popular campaign to avoid its closure was led by Annie Inglis MBE (1922-2010), Aberdeen's first lady of theatre.
This led to the Aberdeen Arts Centre Association taking over the venue on a voluntary basis and the eventual formation of the Castlegate Arts Limited, a company with charitable status who continue to run the venue today.
Over the years the Arts Centre has played host to many noted local theatre groups like the Attic Theatre Co., The Revue Group, the aforementioned William Gavin Players, Phoenix Theatre, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Aberdeen Opera Company, Confederate Theatre, Dragongate Theatre, and no doubt many more. It remains a much-loved venue for performers and audiences of all ages. Aberdeen Cinemas: Electric / Capitol
3401 An Aberdeen Journals Archive photograph of the Capitol cinema at 431 Union Street in February 1980. At this time the Capitol was in more regular use as a concert venue than as a cinema. This image shows large numbers of people queuing to get tickets for a performance by the band Genesis.
The Capitol was built as a cinema back in 1933. A few days before its opening, it was advertised in local papers as "Aberdeen's wonder cinema". Opened to large crowds on Saturday 4th February 1933, the Capitol was then the largest venue of its kind in the north of Scotland and had a stage that could be adapted for both film and variety entertainment.
The Capitol was built by Aberdeen Picture Palaces Ltd. on the site of an earlier upmarket cinema called the Electric Theatre that dated from 1910. When the Capitol opened, it was regarded as the most up-to-date theatre in the country due to its complex lightning system, organ music and other modern features, some of them being introduced for the first time in Scotland.
The venue could accommodate more than 2,000 people. The building's plans were prepared by Aberdeen architects Alexander Marshall MacKenzie and Clement George. Local newspapers stressed the local ownership of the cinema and the local craftsmanship that went into its construction.
Aberdeen City Libraries hold a souvenir brochure of the cinema's opening. One interesting feature of the brochure is the inclusion of specially created adverts for all the companies involved in the construction and furnishing of the new cinema. Some of the adverts provide rich information on the history of the companies and give an insight into how the companies saw themselves. The brochure details the companies behind every aspect of the buildings from the cinema seating and terrazzo work to the innovative lighting.
On the opening day, Mrs A. D. Hay, wife of the chairman of the Aberdeen Picture Palaces, unlocked the main entrance door with a gold key. This key is still held by the Hay family today. The cinema's first, busy evening featured a variety of entertainment. In addition to the showing of films, there was a ballet performance by the Henrietta Fuller Dancers and Mr Edward O' Henry played the theatre's new top of the line Compton organ.
During the opening ceremony, Bert Gates, another director of Aberdeen Picture Palaces, said: "It was a long lane that had no turning. They had built the Capitol not for to-day, but for the generations of Aberdeen people to come. The company had dedicated the Capitol to the people of Aberdeen, their children, and their children's children in the hope that in generations to come they might appreciate what had been given them."
[Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson]
Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd. |