A town plan of Aberdeen drawn by Archibald Simpson (1790-1847) and engraved by John Henderson. The partially visible inscription along the top the document reads: "This map was published about 1845 to show the proposed city improvement scheme of the day".
In particular, this map is understood to show the new streets that were proposed by Archibald Simpson as part of this wider city improvement scheme.
The proposed new streets are those superimposed over the existing city scape with thicker black borders.
In addition to the modified town plan, the document also features the city's coat of arms, illustrations of notable buildings and a legend giving the locations of objects of interest, banks, churches and manufactories.
City librarian and local historian G. M. Fraser details Simpson's involvement in this major city improvement scheme in an article in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 27th September 1918, page 2. This article was one in a series titled 'Archibald Simpson, Architect, and His Times: A Study in the Making of Aberdeen'.
In additional to explaining the wider scheme, Fraser quotes in full Simpson's letter to Provost Thomas Blaikie (1802-1861) which outlines his suggestions and their rationale. Blaikie was a friend of Simpson and a major proponent of the the improvements.
Simpson's involvement in the scheme is also detailed in Archibald Simpson architect: His Life and Times 1790-1847 (2006) by David G. Miller, pages 293-295.
The proposed city improvements, which Provost Blaikie first brought before the Town Council on 14th September 1846, proved to be unpopular and was not carried to fruition.
The copy of the plan digitised and shown here is approximately 26 x 36 cm in dimensions. It is thought to be a reproduction of an original print. It is uncertain at present if this original print is held by Aberdeen City Libraries.
