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
DUNDEE
FORFARSHIRE
securing the comfort of those who avail themselves of tho accommo-
dation provided. The offices of the Mercantilo Marine Department
are in the same building. From the west end of Dock street, Union
street fornix a communication with the Nethergate; it contains
excellent shops, and the Thistle Hall, much used for public meet-
ings. The various banking establishments occupy buildings which
likewise contribute to the embellishment of the town, as well as to
the facilities of its trade.
At the top of Reform street, and corner of Ward road, is the post
and postal telegraph offices — a handsome and convenient building
in the Italian style of architecture. It is an elegant and commo-
dious building, and is in immediate contiguity to the Royal
Exchange and Chamber of Commerce; its admirable situation
gives it the additional advantage of nearness of access to tho
business cuutro of tho town. The Royal Exchange and Chamber of
Commerce, Panmure street, was erected in 185:2, ;it a cost of about
£10,000. It is a handsome building, in tho Flemish-Gothic style of
the 14th century. Tho Young Men's Christian Association Rooms,
in Constitution road, are probably as well adaptedifor their purpose
as any in the Kingdom. The Curr Night Refuge, in West Dell
street, erected by money left for that purpose by the late Mrs. Curr,
supplies a long-felt want in affording a comfortable retreat for the
night to homeless strangers. Of late years several elegant churches
Lave been erected in the town. Free St. Paul's and Free St. Enoch's
in the Nethergate, and St, Mark's Established Church, Free St.
John's, Ryehill TJ. P. Church, and the M'Cheyne Memorial Church,
in the Perth road, may be particularly mentioned.
In 1863 a splendid public park of upwards of 80 acres was pre-
sented to the town by the late Sir David Baxter, Dart., and endowed
with funds necessary to mnintain it. The park, which is at the east
end of the town, was beautifully laid out by the late Sir Joseph Pax-
ton, and, with the endowment, cost Sir David not less than £50,000.
To the east of the Baxter Park is the Eastern Necropolis, a beauti-
fully laid out cemetery. In I860 the Corporation acquired Balgay
hill, a wooded eminence at tho west end of the town, to be used
partly as a public park and partly as a cemetery for the west end of
the burgh. Tb.3 portion retained as a public park is 86 acres in
extent. It is finely wooded, and from the higher parts of the ground
magnificeut views are obtained. Altogether it is one of the finest
parks in the kingdom. The Law Hill, behind the town, has also been
laid out so as to render it more convenient as a place of recreation.
In addition to the two parks mentioned, the inhabitants have the
privilege of the Magdalen Green, close by the river at the west end
of the town, and tho Barrack Park, as places of recreation. The
'* Esplanade," formed by an arrangement with the railway companies
when the Tay Bridge Works were constructed, is one of tho finest
walks or drives to be found anywhere.
Newspapers. — Five newspapers issue weekly from the press of
Dundee, aud maintain an increasing circulation. The Dundee Ad-
vertiser is published daily, and a semi-weekly edition on Tuesdays and
Fridays, the market days. This, the leading paper, was established
origiaally in 1801. It has an extensive circulation in the county and
district, as well as in the town. The People's Journal, published on
Saturday, has a circulation of 160,000 copies weekly. Some years ago
a subscription by its readers raised upwards of £800 for the National
Lifeboat Institution. The Evening Telegraphy a halfpenny evening
journal, appeals to a laige class of readers, and has an extensive
circulation in Dundee and the neighbouring towns and villages
The Dundee Courier and Argus is the oldest morning paper in the
north-east of Scotland. A bi-weekly edition is published on Tues-
days and Fridays. The Weekly News, published on Saturdays,
contains tales, historical, military, naval and humorous sketches.
Municipal Institutions. — The municipal government of
Dundee is exercised by a provost, six bailies, a dean of
guild, a treasurer, an hospital master, a kirk master, and a
council of, including the magistrates, twenty-eight members.
There are six courts held within the town — the Burgh or Bailie
Court, the Sheriff's Court, the Commissary Court, the Guild
Court, the Police Court, and the Justice of Peace Small Debt
Court. The town is divided into districts and wards, for the con-
venience of the rt-gistration of tbe burgh electors- Dundee sends
two representatives to Parliament ; George Armistead, Esq., and
Frank Henderson, Esq., are the present members. The
principal market days are Tuesday and Friday; and there
is a cattle and sheep market held every Tuesday. Fairs —
Stobb's fair, for cattle, sheep, and horses, on the 11th July, or
tho first Tuesday following (o.s.); Dundee first fair, for cattle,
sheep, and horses, on the 2fith August, if that day falls on Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, if not, the first Tuesday after the
'2Gth of August (n.s.) ; and the second Dundee fair on the 19th Sep-
tember, tho same rule observed as that regulating tbe first fair.
Feeing markets for servants are held on ti>o 25th May and on the
22nd November, or on the first Friday thereafter.
Tbe number of inhabitauts by tbe census of 1871 was 118,977, and
by the returns for 1S81, 142,454, showing an increase in ten years
of 23,477. The assessable rental has grown from £87,544 in 1871-72
to £629,486 in 1883-84.
Liff and Benvie is au united parish, the latter incorporated wiMi
the former in 1758. The district, which lies Immediately west of
Dundee, with a portion touching the Tay, is generally well culti-
vated, and beneath the surface, freestone, belonging to the old red
sandstone, formation, is found and extensively quarried in various
parts of the parish. There arc within the parish the villages of
Liff, BiuKniLL, Muiritrad and Lociige (the three latter will bo
found given elsewhere), and part of Invergowrie. The new Royal
Lunatic Asylum is situated near the western boundary of the parish.
The Caledonian Railway runs through the parish. The greater part
of the population of this parish is included in the west of Dundee.
Mains, formerly called Strathdighty, is a parish lyiug immediately
north of that of Dundee (its post town), about fmir miles therefrom,
and chiefly in the vale of the river Dighty, which intersects the
parish, and divides it into two nearly equal parts in its courso to
the Tay. From the bauks ol the stream the ground rises gently to
the north and south; the soil is fertile and well cultivated, and the
country has a most nleasaut aspect. On the Dighty are several
mills, aud near tbe north bank of the river is tbe extensive bleach-
field of Claverhouse, at no great distance from which was the seat
of General Grahams, whose titlo of "Claverhouse" (applied from
tins patrimonial estate) ouce soumled such alarm in Scotland. The
Grahames, of Wintry, were one of tho oldest families in this part of
the country. Freestone quarries supply some occupation in this
parish. Tho small parish of STRATHBiAitTiNt: is now united to that
of Mains, which contains the parish chinch, a Free church, and
public schools. Downfield is a village in this parish. Au asylum
for the treatment of imbecile and idiot children was founded at
Daldovan, in 1853, by Lady Jane Ogilvy. The Dundee and Newtyle
Kailway runs through the parish, and has stations atBALDOVAN and
Baldragon. Acreage, 6,301 ; population in 1881, 3,490.
Longforgan is a parish (county of Perth), 6 miles from Dundee,
its post town, aud a mile from the station of its name on the Dundee
and Perth Railway. It varies from one to fourmiJes in breadth, ami
isnine miles in length, forming the eastern boundary of tbe Carse of
Gowrie, and extending aloDg the Tay on its southern extremity for
more than four miles. It is surrounded ou three sides— by Inch-
ture, Abernyte, Kettius, Lundie and Fowlis, Lid" and Benvie. The
village is situated on the ridge at an elevation of about 130 feet
above tbe Tay, of which, with the whole of the intermediate country
to tbe east, and particularly to the south and south-west, it com-
mands an uninterrupted prospect. Near here, situated in a dell,
are the ruins of a cbapel said to have been erected by Malcolm IV.
in 1161, for a community of Cistercian monks. Castle Huutlyis the
only building of any note in the parish, and forms a noble specimep.
of an old baronial residence. It was erected about the middle of the
fifteenth century, by the second Lord Gray, of Fowlis, who named
it after his lady, a daughter of the Earl of Huntly, and who had
large possessions in the Carse; its walls are ten feet thick, and the
height of tbe round tower is 116 feet ; the view from the top is much
and deservedly admired, commanding extensive aud beautiful pros-
pects of the Fife coast, with tbe Ocuils and other loftier mountains,
&c. The parish church is conveniently situated, as is also a Board
school. The soil of the parish varies in quality, but upon the whole
is exceedingly productive. There is also an abundant supply of
stone of good quality. A fair is held every third Saturday in Juno
(o.s.), chiefly for the sale of cattle. Acreage of the parish, 8,523;
population in 1881, 1,S54.
Invergowrie (or Mylnefield) is a village singularly situated, being
partly in Perthshire aud partly in Forfarshire, one portion being in
the parish of Longforgau, the other in that of Lilf. It is three miles
from Dundee. There is a very neat Free church, an Episcopal
church, and a Board school. A fragment of an ancient church,
said to be the oldest in Scot'.and, forms an interesting object. A
graveyard surrounds it, in which are deposited the remains of
several highly respectable persons ; among others the Very Rev.
Heneage Horsley, m.a. Dean of Brechin and Prebendary of Saint
Asaph, son of the renowned Dr. Horsley, Bishop of Saint Asaph.
He died in 1847. At Bullionfield, contiguous to the above, in
the parish of Liff, is the only paper mill in the county. The Dundee
and Perth Railway has a station near the village.
42*— a-r
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