Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1886 - Slater's (late Pigot and Co's) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland

DIRECTORY
ABERDEEN
ABERDEENSHIRE
Tho Corn Exchange in Haddon street, erected in 1851, is the j the sill is 20 feet. .The graving dock is furnished with hydraulic
property of a joint-stock company ; tho cost of erection was about machinery of tho latest and most approved typo ; its total cost was
£1,1)00. It is oliiefly nsed as a public news room ; it is furnished about £50,000. A handsome harbour office, surmounted by a clock
with the leading newspapers and magazines of the kingdom, and | tower, for the accommodation of harbour officials, engineer, &c., has
supplied with telegraphic intelligence, and altogether is one of tho
best equipped rooms of the kind in the country, the charge of
admission being only a penny. Tho Masonic Hall is in Exchange
street ; tho foundation stone was laid on the 27th of September,
1871. The building contains on the ground floor threo shops, tho
remainder being used exclusively by the Masonic Lodges in Aber-
deen (of which there are ton), and embraces a hall 50 feet by S2 feet,
and 20 feet high, with a gallery at one end. Tho hall has three lofty
windows to Stirling street, tilled with stained glass. The
building was designed by Lord Provnst Matthews ; the cost
was £2,500, which was defrayed by shares of £1 each.
just been erected on Regent quay, from a design by Messrs.
Matthews and Mackenzie, architects, Aberdeen. Tho fame of the
"clipper bow" so justly due to the shipbuilders here, especially to
Mr. Hall, who has successfully established bis claim to the invention,
has spread the fame of Aberdeen shipbuilding to all quarters of tho
world. In 18S1 there were built 10 vessels, aggregate tonnage,
9,837— two sailing vessels and eight steamers; and at the commence-
ment of 1882 nine vessels were on hand— three sailing vcssols and
six steamers with a total tonnago of 11,290. In 1833 there wero
launched 16 vessels, with a total tonnago of 11,G2S ; while there were
seven vessels on hand, with a gross tonnago of s,OS0. The salmon
Tho Market Cross, near tho western extremity of Castle street, fishings on the Dee and Don are as thoy have for a long time been an
cannot be too highly admired, whether as an architectural object | important branch of industry.
or as au antiquarian curiosity. It is of a hexagonal form, with a Aberdeen has been the seat of manufactures from a very early
pillar rising from tho centre. In a cornice around the upper part 1 period. We find Provost Jaffray, with his co-adjntors, establishing
of tho structure are twelve compartments for figures, cut in relief; |a woollen manufactory in 1636, in tuo Correction wyud, under a
ten of these contain the portraits of Scottish monarchs, the last of I patent of Charles I. for the manufacture of " broad cloth, kerseys,
tho series being James VII., in whose time (1686) the edifice was ] serges, and other coarse clothe." Tho manufacture of these and of
completed. This fino erection was once removed by the magistrates, ! stockings had been cultivated so successfully and extensively for
but was afterwards (1812) restored by civic authorities of better I some time, that Sir Patrick Drummoud, conservator of Holland,
taste. Tho Market House, known as the New Market, stands in remarked that " Scotland was moro obliged to the town of Aberdeen
Market stroet, and is one of tho largest and most beautiful buildings • for returns of money in it* export trade than all other towns in
of its kind in the kingdom ; it was erected by a joint-stock company, Scotland." Messrs. Alexander Hadden & Sous, have three estao-
and opened in 1842. It was destroyed by fire in 1SS2, but has since lishraents— in the Green, at Garlogie Mills, and at Gordon's Mills,
been re-erected on the old lines, with some alterations andimprove- Their chief products are carpets, tweeds, hosiery, worsted, and
ments. It contains two floors and north and south galleries. In the j woollen yarns. In addition to tho material manufactured on their
west end of tho market is a beautiful fountain of polished Peterhead
granite. The theatre is situated in Guild street, adjoining tho Im-
perial Hotel. It is 74 feet 8 inches in length, with a moan depth of
90 feet, and tho height of tho front is 50 feet from tho street. Tho
entrance doors for tho pnblic are five in number, all to the front.
Commodious refreshment, retiring, and cloak rooms are provided
for "visitors. The theatre is seated for 1,070 persons. The stage
and all its appliances are of the most approved modern description.
\ St. Katherine's Hall, Shiprow, has accommodation for seating 800
persons, and contains various other rooms which are neatly and sub-
! stantially furnished ; added to these is a refreshmenthar and dining
i rooms, with billiards and chess, lavatory, &c. Tho Barracks, on the
1 Castle hill, are fitted up for the convenience of six hundred men,
1 although, according to the usual mode of military accommodation,
they are capable of containing double this number ; there is an ex-
cellent hospital attached to them on an' adjoining eminence. The
town is admirably paved with granite, well lighted with gas, and
| plentifully supplied with excellent water, taken from tho Dee, about
three miles and a half above the village of Banchory. The arrange.
I ments for cleansing tho streets and watching the city are fully
J efficient.
oremises", they give omplovment to a groat number of women over
the country by giving out worsted to be knittod into hose. Messrs.
Orombie, of Grandholm Mills, are also largo manufacturers. Tho
manufacture of winceys seems to have originated with the late
firm of Messrs. John Barker & Sons, of Gordon's Mills. It is now
successfully carried on by many firms in Aberdeen. The demand
still continues to expand, tho quality of the Aberdeen fabrics
being found very superior. Jute spinning is also carried on by a
limited liability company. The only cotton spinning establishment
now in Aberdeen is that of Banner Mill, belonging to Messrs. Robin-
son, Cram & Co. Limited. The manufacture of combs was intro-
duced about the year 1830, by Messrs. Stewart & Rowoll, and has
been conducted on a verv extensive scale since that period, first by
the original firm, and Utterly by Mr. Stewart and his sons. It is also
carried on bv Messrs. John M'Pherson & Co. and Messrs. C. Elrick
& Co. Limited. Messrs. John Moir & Son ; Marshall & Co. Spring
garden; J. T. Morton, Rosemount; Gordon & Son, Green, and VV.
Bruce, Prince Regent street, among other firms, are engaged in the
manufacture of preserved Drovisions. All manner of fish, flesh,
soups, vegetables, fruits, Sec., are preserved in tin cases of all sizes,
andevery variety of preparation. Messrs. Mitchells Mm-., Limited,
The port of Aberdeen is admirably adapted for commercial inter- biscuit manufacturers to the Queen, have an extensivo manufactory
course with the northern parts of Europe, and it also participates in here. The extensive paper-works at Stoneywood, carried on by
n good share of the trade with America. Early in the seventeenth ! Messrs. Alex. Pirie & Sons, Limited, wero established nearly one
century, a number of ships, of small tonnage, belonged to the port, I hundred years ago, and they are the largest manufacturers in Scot-
and a considerable import and export trade wa3 carried on with i an( j. Messrs. C. Davidson & Son, Limited, manufacture very
various parts of tho continent, as well as coast trading. The ship- 1 extensively wrapping and packing papers of all kinds ; they have
ping appears to have considerably decayed during the civil wars ] a i a0 a patent for making paper bags, in which they do a coosider-
and visitations of the nlague, and no revival took plnco for many j aD i e trade. There is also a large paper mill at Colter, belonging to a
years. In 1656 there wore only nine vessels, of the aggregate amount | i= m it,Fd liability company. There aro several large horticultural
of 440 tons. In 1692 all the shipping was twogalliotts of thirty tons j builders in Aberdeen, among the most prominontmay be mentioned
each. Soon after this time, however, when the affairs of tho country Messrs. J. Garvie & Sons, end D. Macaudrew &Co.; 1
got into a more settled statc,_shipping, along with genoral_ trade.. < *.ji,.,t.i,«n . D f n .ffwM n i
made considerable progress. In 1783 tho number of ships registered
was 169, and the aggregato tonnage, 11,830; in 1818, the ships regis-
tered were 237 ; tonnage, 36,471; in 1872, 218 vcssols; tonnage, 100,279.
The number of vessels, including steamers, registered in tho port
of Aberdeen in 1871 was 244; tonnago, 100,765. The total number
have erectodhot-housesforHerMajestyatBalmoral. The chomicai
works at Sandilands, near tho Links, covor several acres of ground,
and were begunby Messrs. John Miller* Co., in 1848, for tho pur-
pose of workiugup the Gas Company's liquid products into naphtha,
creosote oil, rasphalte, sulnhate of ammonia, &c. But several
branches have been added since, the most important of wmen aro
of vessels entered and cleared for British ports in tne year 18S1 was | the manufacture of artificial manures, paraffin wax, sulphuric acid,
8,020, tonnage, 705,600. Of these 1,831 were steamers, with a tonnage | & . The distillation of whiskey, is rarried on extensively mAbor-
were steamers, with a tonnage of 12,010 ; 'iii wero sailing vessels, j The fe . rea ter part _-
with-a tonnago of 65,309. There sailed for foreign ports during tho ; t ricts. ttr0 comnosed of igneous reck of all varieties, tho quarrying
year 84 vessels • tonnage, 12,291. Tho vessels on tho Aberdeen i , ^^ich commenced about 250 ve:;rs ago, but made little progress
register in 1881 numbered 20S, with a tonnage of 108,264. The total 1 tiU tne Tcar yjn wn en a disastrous fire occurring m Aberdeen,
tho duty on spirits yielding £57,459. For 1884 the customs revenue
amounted to £176,967. Since tho year 1810, when the principal im-
provement in the harbonr commenced, there has been expended
upon it vast 6ums. A pier was constructed to the north of the
harbour entrance (formed by the river Dee joining tho sea,, and now
extends 2,500 feet seaward. A wet dock of 29 acres, .and with 6,000
feet of qunvs, was completed in 1848, and called Victoria Dock, in , ODera tj on ft, the district, yielding granite of various colour and
honour of Her Majesty's visit to iho city in that year. Tho diversion -nalitv. The quantity of stone quarried annually is about 55,000
of the river and the now breakwater are two of tho latest under- t0 ^qqq of w bi c h is exported chiefly from this port. The trade
•ikincs Thofirst turf cut in the diversion ot the river was oy Lord | ig e , tin]atei i to be increasing at the rate of • about 600 tons
•rovost Leslie, on the 22nd of December, 1869. The now course is aunni ,n y . Tbo facilities afforded by the roilways in lessening the
Ouarries then supplied stones for the Government nocks; and
Dancing Cairn, which began to bo wrought about tins lime, sup-
plied granite for the Union Bridge, and the new street extension of
the city. Subsequently tho demaud has considerably Increased,
as granite is nsed extensively in the construction of bridges,
docks, and other pnblic works There aro over 20 quarries in
ab'ouTa'imlf fc leng^ana to^Til^y^c of a circle from tee
suspension bridge to about opposite Marischal street, and from that
St to Torry, where it joins the harbour entrance. The bo-tom
o? ho new Channel is 170 feet wide. The north bank has a gradient
of 1 in 3 and the south bank 1 in 10. The new breakwater, the entire
length of which is 1,050 feet, has recently been completed ;. his has
carried the work out to a depth of water 50 feet at high tide. Two
new quays have since been constructed, named respectively after two
roosts-Mr. George Jamieson and Mr. James Ma thews ; and a
new and spacious graving dock has just (June, 1S&>) been opened.
It s sUnated in what was the old bed of the river Dee, now known
as thl Albert basin. The length of the floor s 500 feet; the total length
of the dock being 524 feet. It is 48 feet wide at tho floor, the width
annually. -
expense of carriage from tho various quarries have tended to in-
crease tho demand. Granite polishiug has now acquired largo
dimensions here. About 50 years ago tho late Mr. Maodonald was
the first to applv machinery to the cutting nud polishing of granite.
The firm of Messrs. Macdouaid, Field & Co. (now Alexander
Macdonald & Co. Limited), had tho honour to supply the enormous
granite sarcophagus (30 tons woight), now containing tho remains
of his lato Eoval Highness tho Princo Consort, in tho royal mauso-
leum at Frogmore, besides a smaller one for her lato '>°yaj
Highness the Duchess of Kent. Messrs. John Frascr & bon, -North
Broadlord; William Keith, jun., King Btreet; James Hun.er ffi bon,
King street; and numerous other firms do considerable business.
The process of all their operations is b? steam machinery. 1' rora