220 Union is the tall building in the centre of this image. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information indicates that it was built in around 1841 and was raised to 4-storeys and an attic circa 1900.

The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1906 to a design by architects Messrs Sutherland and Pirie for the General Accident Insurance Company (ADJ, 17/09/1906 p. 7).

George Sutherland (1861-1927) and James Masson Pirie (1877-1929) were in partnership between 1902 and 1907.

The 1st to 3rd floors of no. 220 each feature 3 ornate window bays. The first floor windows feature consoled cornices. The 2nd feature keystone cornices and the 3rd keystone pediments. The windows of the 2nd and 3rd floors are divided by pilasters.

The building is topped by a decorative attic dormer window, a 'broken' pediment with balustrade and finials.

The cornice above the 1st floor runs through 212-228 Union Street, providing a unity to this block.

In this image, the ground floor of 220 is occupied by an office of the Scotland-wide solicitors, Digby Brown. This office was opened in around 2015.

Before that, from 2003, a property sales outlet of George & James Collie, an Aberdeen law firm which traces its history back to 1841, occupied the space (P&J, 06/05/2003, p.15). This company can now be found further west along Union Street at no. 450.

James & George Collie succeeded another local solicitors firm, Ledingham Chalmers, who occupied the ground floor of 220 from 1993 onwards (P&J, 13/01/1993, p. 15).

The Granite Mile (2008) by Diane Morgan indicates that the upper floors of 220 once housed a number of offices, including those of advocates, G. H. Bower & Gibb (p. 137). Newspapers indicate they were at this address from the 1910s to the 1960s.

The Bowers were a prominent family in Aberdeen business. George Haddon Bower (1871-1950) founded the above firm in partnership with Edward Gibb (1879-1939) in 1917. Bower was married to Amy Garden (1875-1963), one of three sisters of the noted opera singer, Mary Garden (1874-1967).

To the left of no. 220 is 222-224 Union Street. This image shows the ground floor occupied by Molly Malone's, an Irish themed pub owned by the Belhaven Group.

Diane Morgan indicates that this property was once the townhouse of Patrick Bannerman (1796-1854) and later housed the office of John Rust (1853-1919), city architect (p. 138).

From around 1975 to 1986, 224 was the site of The Other Record Shop. This was replaced by The Nile, a Egyptian themed cafe-bar, which operated from 1988 to around 2001. It was followed by The Yard in 2001, which became Stadia, a sports bar, in 2003. Directly prior to Molly Malone's, from around 2011 to 2019, the building housed The Abercrombie Bar.

Nos. 224-226 is the only building on Union Street to retain its railings, steps and open basement.

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 17/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street.

220 Union is the tall building in the centre of this image. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information indicates that it was built in around 1841 and was raised to 4-storeys and an attic circa 1900.

The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1906 to a design by architects Messrs Sutherland and Pirie for the General Accident Insurance Company (ADJ, 17/09/1906 p. 7).

George Sutherland (1861-1927) and James Masson Pirie (1877-1929) were in partnership between 1902 and 1907.

The 1st to 3rd floors of no. 220 each feature 3 ornate window bays. The first floor windows feature consoled cornices. The 2nd feature keystone cornices and the 3rd keystone pediments. The windows of the 2nd and 3rd floors are divided by pilasters.

The building is topped by a decorative attic dormer window, a 'broken' pediment with balustrade and finials.

The cornice above the 1st floor runs through 212-228 Union Street, providing a unity to this block.

In this image, the ground floor of 220 is occupied by an office of the Scotland-wide solicitors, Digby Brown. This office was opened in around 2015.

Before that, from 2003, a property sales outlet of George & James Collie, an Aberdeen law firm which traces its history back to 1841, occupied the space (P&J, 06/05/2003, p.15). This company can now be found further west along Union Street at no. 450.

James & George Collie succeeded another local solicitors firm, Ledingham Chalmers, who occupied the ground floor of 220 from 1993 onwards (P&J, 13/01/1993, p. 15).

The Granite Mile (2008) by Diane Morgan indicates that the upper floors of 220 once housed a number of offices, including those of advocates, G. H. Bower & Gibb (p. 137). Newspapers indicate they were at this address from the 1910s to the 1960s.

The Bowers were a prominent family in Aberdeen business. George Haddon Bower (1871-1950) founded the above firm in partnership with Edward Gibb (1879-1939) in 1917. Bower was married to Amy Garden (1875-1963), one of three sisters of the noted opera singer, Mary Garden (1874-1967).

To the left of no. 220 is 222-224 Union Street. This image shows the ground floor occupied by Molly Malone's, an Irish themed pub owned by the Belhaven Group.

Diane Morgan indicates that this property was once the townhouse of Patrick Bannerman (1796-1854) and later housed the office of John Rust (1853-1919), city architect (p. 138).

From around 1975 to 1986, 224 was the site of The Other Record Shop. This was replaced by The Nile, a Egyptian themed cafe-bar, which operated from 1988 to around 2001. It was followed by The Yard in 2001, which became Stadia, a sports bar, in 2003. Directly prior to Molly Malone's, from around 2011 to 2019, the building housed The Abercrombie Bar.

Nos. 224-226 is the only building on Union Street to retain its railings, steps and open basement.

Location

Union Street

Keyword

Architecture

Photographer

Roddy Millar