Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1878 > Part 1

ABERDEENSHIRE.
ABERDEEN.
SLATER'S
two establiahm-ents (which are both incorporated by Act of
Parliaiuenti aa esteusive. Dusiaess is carried on at their head
and branch offices in the city, and through their numerous
iigeuciea in the principal towns and villages in the northern
counties, as well as in several counties south of Aberdeen.
The banking houses in Aberdeen are, on the whole, elegant struc-
tures. That of the Town and County Bank occupies an excellent
position in the angle formed by tlie junction of St. Nicholas street
with the line of Union street. The North of Scotland^ank occu-
pies a similar x)osition in the corner where the western side of King
street joins Castle street. The Nationrtl Security Savings Banlt has
been long in operation, and is well patronised by the special class of
depositors for which it is designed. Aberdeen is the head station
of two highly respectable insurance companies, namely, the Scottish
Provincial, established in 1825, and the Northern in 1336.
A recrnlar communication is maintained with London, Edinburgh,
Newcastle, Hull, and the Orkneys and the Shetiands, by steam
packets, a species of conveyance which has done more to lay open
the norili-east shore of Si^otlund to improvements from the south
than any other means. In addition to the above, there exists the
means of rapid transit by the Caledonian Railway and other lines
to all parts south of Aberdeen ; and access is given to the north by
tho ijrreat North of Scotland and the Highland Railways open to
Wick and Thurso, and the Dingwall and Skyo railway to Strome
Ferry in Ross-shire. The Dee Side Une to Banchory was opened in
18.JO. and is now extended to Ballater. Of other conveyances the
Directory furnishes full information.
The first hotel for size and beauty is the Imperial, a massive
Btructure of five storeys, built of grey granite, in tho Gothic
Venetian style and situated in Guild street, adjoining the railway
station. It was built from the foundation for an hotel, and cost
£lo,OiJO, and the f urnishmg £6,000. The Douglas.in Market street.and
the Palace, Adelphi, and Forsyth's, Union street, are also iirst-class
hotels. There are besides many excellent inns, which afford
accommodation to various grades of travellers.
The burghal constitution of Aberdeen has undergone various
alterjitions since its first establishment. The original magistracy
consisted of an alderman, four bailies, and a common council,
chostju by the inhabitants; subsequently this arrangement gave
way before the gradual and perfect introduction of a self-electing
system. From the year 1817 until 1826 the city revenues were
gathered by and dispensed under the control of trustees. The credit
of the burgh may now be considered as good as that of any in the
kingdom. In 1871 its revenues produced a surplus of ^£1,250. The
council now consists of a provost, nix bailies, a dean of guild, a
troasarer, a master of shore works, a master of kirk and bridge
works, a master of mortification, a master of Guild Brethren
Hospital, and twelve councillors. By the " Aberdeen Municipal
Extension Act, 1371," the whole powers and authorities of the former
Commissioners of Pohce are transferred to the Town Council, and
thn business of the Police Department is managed by separate
Ci).umittees. By the same Act the undertaking of the former Gaa
Light Company is also transferred to the Town Council. The cir-
cuit court of justiciary for the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and
Kincardine is held in Aberdeen in the months of April and Sep-
tember, for the trial of criminal cases, at which one or two lords of
justiciary preside; and here also appeals from inferior courts in
civil casus are decided. A sheriff's court is hold every Wednesday
and Friday; a justice of peace court quarterly, and their small debt
court fortnightly. A sheriff's small debt court and a commissary
court also sit at stated periods. The city returns one member to
the imperial parliament, the gentleman now (1877) sitting is John
F. Leith, Esq. Aberdeen confers the title of earl on a branch of
the noble family of Gordon, which was distinguished for its active
loyalty to the crown in the seventeenth century.
The municipal institutions consist of seven incorporated trades : —
1, the Hammermen, incorporated September, 1519; 2, the Bakers,
recognised as a company as early as the year 1398; 3, the Wrights
and Coopers, who obtained their original seal of cause on the 5th of
August, 1527 : 4, the Tailors, who were recognised in a corporate
capacity about the year 3511 ; 5, the Shoemakers, acknowledged as
a corporate ^body in the years 1481 and 1520; 6, the Weavers, the
deacons of this corporation were approved by the council and
sworn into office in the year 1449; and 7, the Fieshera or Butchers;
these originally dealt in fish as well as flesh, but were prohibited in
the year 151S, from practising more trades than one ; they received
a seal of cause in 1534. Tho affairs of each corporation are under
the direction of a deacon, box-master, and masters, who are
chosen annually. The late Rev. Dr. William Guild mortified cer-
ti^ijti funds, to afford pecuniary relief to members of the incorporated
tfndes, should they happen to be reduced to indigence. The Advo-
cates' Hall is in Broad street. This society was erected into a
corporate body in 1774, and had their privileges confirmed in more
ample terms in 1799 and in 18S2. A library, principally on law sub-
jects, was established in 1786; it contains about five thousand
volumes. The number of members belonging to this institution
is about 150. Among several clubs formed in this city, tiie " Royal
Northern Club." and the " New Club" are the principal. The
Mefihanics' Institute, in Market street, was erected in 1824, it is in
tho Italian style of architecture, and contains a good library, read-
ing room, and news room, &c. The various institutions of a charit-
able, social, educational, and humane ch;u'acter are numerous and
well supported. Alist of them will be found under the head "Public
Buildings," &c. Two daily and six weekly newspapers are issued
from the Aberdeen press — their titles and other particulars are
given in their place. The first almanac ever printed in Scotland
was published in Aberdeen, in 1677, by a printer named John
Forhos; it was entitled "A New Prognosticator, calculated for
North Britain." He sold fifty thousand copies annually, and the
price of each was only a. plack, or tho third part of a penny sterling.
His success induced the publication of pirated editions at Edin-
bnrgli, which were suppressed by the Court of Session, and for
many years the town enjoyed a complete monopoly in the sale of
almanacs.
East and West churches:— Those form one building, and occupy
the site of the ancient x^arish church of St. Nichohis. which con-
sisted of nave and aisles, transept and chancel, and wis built pro-
gressively in-obablv between the 10th and the 12th (;?nturv. The
212 ■ " Ll-1
present West church occupies the site of the old nave, and was
erected about 140 years ago, from a design by tho celebrated archi-
tect Gibbs, who was a native of Aberdeen. It is in the Roman
style, with nave and side aisles divided by massive square piers and
semi-circular arches, and has a finely proportioned interior. It
contains sittings for about 1,450. Tliere are several monuments in
it worthy of attention, particularly one in marble to the memory of
the late -Mrs. Allardyce, of Dunottar, which is a splendid specimen
of the talents of the sculptor Bacon. The Old East church, w^^ich
it was deemed necessary to take down in 1835, was built in 1477, on
the site of the chancel, and formed the choir of the church. The
east end was semi-octagonal, and under it was St. Mary's chapel,
which still remains. The present East church was erected in 1836,
from a design by the late Mr. Archibald Simpson, in the decorated
Gothic style, of finely dressed granite. The old transept [known aa
Drum's and Collisou's aisles) was at ttie same time lengthened
southwards, and formed a vestibule for the east and west churches.
Over the transept at its intersection with the churches there was a
short tower with a wooden steeple, which on the 9th October, 1874,
was destroyed by fire along with the interior of the East church
and Drums and CoUison's aisles. The East church has since been
restored, and contains sittings for about 1,350 people ; and a hand-
some new tower with spire of granite is now being erected from a
design by Mr. W. Smith, architect, Aberdeen. The spire will rise
to the height of about 195 foet from the ground. The old Norman
arches and piers under the tower have been taken down and rebuilt
in their ori'^'iual form with the old stones. St. Clement's church,
or Foot Dee church, has a tower forty-five feet high, with a clock
presented by the magistrates. Greyf riars, or College church, which
stands on the east of Broad street, near Marischal College, is said
to have been erected by Bishop Dunbar, for the grey friars, about
the beginning of the sixteenth century, and is iiow the only church
in town where the Roman Cathohc worship was performed pre-
viously to the Reformation. St. Paul's chapel was erected in 1721,
for the accommodation of such of the Episcopalians as refused to
submit to tho jurisdiction of the Scottish bishops. It contained
sittings for 1,000 persons. This has lately been superseded by a
very handsome new church. St. .Andrew's, or Scotch Episcopalian
chapel, is an elegant edifice, built in 1813; in it is performed the
service of the Church of England. It occupies a site on the east
side of King street; the gable or end fronts the street, presenting a -
centre and side aisles, the corners oi which are ornamented with
lofty octagonal turrets, those on each side of the entrance being
upwards of eighty feet in height. The roof of the interior is lofty,
and adorned with tho appropriate ornaments of the antique
Gothic Hall. The building combines, in an eminent degree,
convenience of arrangement with simple elegance of design.
The South church is situated in Belmont street," and is calculated
to accommodate 1,450 persons. It is in the Gothic style, and is dis-
tinguished by a handsome square tower, which forms a striking
object in the approach from^the south. The North church, in
King sti'eet, is a handsome building, in the Grecian style, executed
in finely dressed granite, from a design by the late John Smith,
architect, and contains sittings for about 1,450. Old Machar church,
at the north extremity of Old Aberdeen, in the parish of Old Hachar,
consists of the nave of a cathedral founded by Bishop Alexander
Kyninmunde II., about the middle of the foui-teenth century. The
ceiling is of the finest oak, of curious workmanship, and may vie
with anything of the kind in Scotland. It consists of three com-
partments of square panels, joining at the opposite angular points.
On these panels are painted the arms and titles of the princes,
nobles, and prelates who contributed towards the expenses of tho
building. Along the top of the walls, on the south side, are in-
scribed the names of the successive sovereigns from Malcolm H. to
Queen Marj'. On the north side are the names of the several
bishops, from Nectanus to William Gordon, the last Roman
Catholic prelate. All these inscriptions, as well as those on the
roof, are painted in the old black Saxon characters. The turreta sro
finished with paneUing and richly crocketed pinnacles. The en-
trance gate is embellished with clustered columns and crocketed
mouldings, and the windows are finished with tracery in a corre-
sponding style. The interior presents a simple style of Gothic
architecture, corresponding with the entrance front. At the west
end is a large and fine toned organ, underneath which is a hand-
some monument to the memory of the late Bishop Skinner. Saint
John's Chape), in St. Mary's place, for Scotch Episcopolians, has a
small spire on the north end, and will contain about 500 persons;
the interior has undergone much altei-ation and repair. The new
Catholic church of the Assumption, in tho early pointed
Gothic style, in Huntly street, was consecrated on the 16th of
March, 1859. Longitudinally the church is almost east and west,
with a nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, tower
and spire, the latter reaching to a height of 200 feet, in which there
is a peal of nine bells, the largest weighing 30 cwt. The sanctuary,
situated at the east end, forms a continuation of the nave. On each
side of the sanctuary are vestries ; and in advance of the high altar,
whicli is raised seven steps, are two side altars under arched
recesses, formed in the east end of the aisles. Internally tho dimen-
sions of the church are one hundred and fifty feet in length, sixty-
nine feet wide, and sixty-nme feet high from the floor to the apex
of the roof, and it will comfortably seat 1,500 persons. The whole
of the windows, excepting the large, west one, are filled with fine
painted glass by Wailes, of Newcastle. The principal entrance is
from Huntly street, and above this entrance is the large 'west win-
dow, which is thirty feet high by fifteen feet in width, with tracery
and sculptured figures in the centre. On the north side is the
jn-iest's house, and on the south a convent, the schools running
backwards from the convent along the wall of tho south aislo
—all having access by a doorway to the church— tho whole of wliicli
(the arcade excepted), is built of Aberdeen granite. The cost of
erection was about ^20,000, and the bells £1,300 in addition; the
architect was Alexander Ellis, Esq. There is in connection with
the church a very haudsoine schoolhouso, in Constitution street,
erected in 1833, from a design by the late John Smith, architect, in
which are educated Catholic children belongiug to the congrega-
tion. In addition to these places of woi'ship, there are others be-
longing to various denominations, for the names and situations of
which we must x*efer our readers to a list given at a fiul)sequent page,