The 3 storey and attic building to the left of Starbucks at 208-210 is 212-216 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information suggests this building was erected circa 1841 and that its upper storey and attic were added in the late 19th century.

The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1901 to a design by architects Messrs Jenkins and Marr for Messrs William Coutts and Son, a firm of painters (ADJ, 03/09/1901 p. 7).

George Gordon Jenkins (1848-1923) and George Marr (1846-1899) went into partnership in 1878. Following the death of the later, Harbourne Maclennan became a significant architect in the firm and he became the sole partner in 1921 after the retirement of Jenkins.

The five bays of 2nd floor windows are decorated with keystoned architraves. The building culminates in twin, highly decorated, curving gables at its attic level.

Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008) indicates that this building was previously known as the Central Chambers and was home to George Watt & Stewart, architects, and W. Balfour Robb, advocates (p. 137).

From the early 1990s to the mid 2000s, the first two floors were occupied by Paull & Williamson, estate agency. The building was known as New Investment House during this period and had a decorative façade featuring a fountain pen nib, the logo of Paull & Williamson, above its entrance. Paull & Williamson merged with Edinburgh and Glasgow based firm Burness to become Burness Paull in 2012.

Since about 2014, this building has been occupied by serviced office businesses. First i2 and from around 2019, Centrum, as shown in this image.

The smaller building to the left is 218 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland indicate that this 2 bay, 2 storey and attic building was also built around 1841.

No. 218 was constructed in 1841 as new, purpose built premises for the West-End Academy, an elementary school for boys and girls, which had opened the previous year in 1840 (P&J, 22/04/1940 p. 2 and P&J, 11/09/1941, p. 2).

Aberdeen post office directories suggest that the school, which was initially at 201 Union Street West, operated from 216 Union Street until about 1875. A for sale notice for the property can be found in the Aberdeen Journal of 08/03/1876 on p. 4.

Morgan suggests one notable 20th century occupant of nos. 216-218 was William Garden, a gunsmith and fishing-tackle maker, who had an impressive array of weaponry in their front window (p. 137).

From circa 1993 to 2009, the ground floor premises were occupied by a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland (Evening Express, 18/10/1993, p. 13). By 2012, this was replaced by Smile Dental Care, shown in this 2024 photograph.

A photograph by Roddy Millar, taken 21/07/2024, from a series surveying the architecture of the north side of Union Street.

The 3 storey and attic building to the left of Starbucks at 208-210 is 212-216 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland's listed building information suggests this building was erected circa 1841 and that its upper storey and attic were added in the late 19th century.

The 'New Buildings in Aberdeen' column in the Aberdeen Daily Journal suggests that the above mentioned alterations and additions were undertaken in 1901 to a design by architects Messrs Jenkins and Marr for Messrs William Coutts and Son, a firm of painters (ADJ, 03/09/1901 p. 7).

George Gordon Jenkins (1848-1923) and George Marr (1846-1899) went into partnership in 1878. Following the death of the later, Harbourne Maclennan became a significant architect in the firm and he became the sole partner in 1921 after the retirement of Jenkins.

The five bays of 2nd floor windows are decorated with keystoned architraves. The building culminates in twin, highly decorated, curving gables at its attic level.

Diane Morgan in The Granite Mile (2008) indicates that this building was previously known as the Central Chambers and was home to George Watt & Stewart, architects, and W. Balfour Robb, advocates (p. 137).

From the early 1990s to the mid 2000s, the first two floors were occupied by Paull & Williamson, estate agency. The building was known as New Investment House during this period and had a decorative façade featuring a fountain pen nib, the logo of Paull & Williamson, above its entrance. Paull & Williamson merged with Edinburgh and Glasgow based firm Burness to become Burness Paull in 2012.

Since about 2014, this building has been occupied by serviced office businesses. First i2 and from around 2019, Centrum, as shown in this image.

The smaller building to the left is 218 Union Street. Historic Environment Scotland indicate that this 2 bay, 2 storey and attic building was also built around 1841.

No. 218 was constructed in 1841 as new, purpose built premises for the West-End Academy, an elementary school for boys and girls, which had opened the previous year in 1840 (P&J, 22/04/1940 p. 2 and P&J, 11/09/1941, p. 2).

Aberdeen post office directories suggest that the school, which was initially at 201 Union Street West, operated from 216 Union Street until about 1875. A for sale notice for the property can be found in the Aberdeen Journal of 08/03/1876 on p. 4.

Morgan suggests one notable 20th century occupant of nos. 216-218 was William Garden, a gunsmith and fishing-tackle maker, who had an impressive array of weaponry in their front window (p. 137).

From circa 1993 to 2009, the ground floor premises were occupied by a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland (Evening Express, 18/10/1993, p. 13). By 2012, this was replaced by Smile Dental Care, shown in this 2024 photograph.

Location

Union Street

Keyword

Architecture

Photographer

Roddy Millar