Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1903, Part 1 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland ... (Royal National Directory of Scotland.) With ... map, etc

DIRECTORY.]
PERTHSHIEE.
PERTH.
1143
called the Kirk of the Holy Cross of St. Johnstoun, is an ancient
edifice of Btone, consisting of choir, nave, transepts, and a tower
with singularly designed spire, the peal of bells hanging outside
the tower under a kind of shed. Originally the interior formed a
single church, but it is now divided by screens so as to accom-
modate three separate congregations ; the various divisions being
known as the East, Middle and West churohes ; the choir, or
East church, was re-opened in June, 1893, after restoration and
the removal of the galleries : the transepts, forming the Middle
church, after being restored and renovated consequent on the
iire which occurred about a year previous, were re-opened on the
15th March, 189G : the nave, three bays of which have been
restored, forms the west church.
St. Paul's church, at the end of High street, in South Meth-
â–  ven street, is a modern building of stone, with a steeple.
â– St. Leonard's church, in King street, was erected in 1836; the
â–  expense being defrayed by joint-stock shares and private sub-
scriptions.
St. Stephen's church, Wilson street, Craigie, was erected in
<1896, and is a building of red sandstone.
â–  ; The United Free church and the different bodies of Presby-
•terian dissenters have numerous chapels. There is a Baptist
chapel in Tay street, and a Roman Catholic chapel in Mel-
ville street.
The Perth Academy, in Pose terrace, was erected in 1806, and
&b a building of freestone, embellished with noble columns.. Since
the passing of the " Sootch Education Act, 1872," the 6chool
Board has remodelled the interior of the buildings and sub-
stantially Improved the capacity andi equipment of the institu-
tion, more especially for the purpose of providing a complete
-scientific and technical training; the school is now arranged
fn three divisions — the preparatory, the lower, or elementary
â– school, and the higher, or secondary school; the latter having
'for its object what is commonly called middle class education,
as given in the best higher public schools. The session com-
â– mences in September and ends on 30th June. Since 1891 the
modern side of the school has been largely developed, and
'brought into agreement with the latest requirements of the
^Scotch Education Department.
•Sharp's Institution, in South Methven street, was opened in
1860, the founder, the late Mr. John Sharp, of, Bamhill, Perth,
having left the residue of his estate in the hands of certain
trustees, to be used by them as a fund for the promotion of
education in connection with Perth and its neighbourhood. In
1882 the original scheme was extended so as to include a plan of
"technical instruction, and at the same time a workshop was
built and suitably fitted up to carry out a scheme of manual
instruction. In 1885 the course of instruction in science and art
was re-organized, so as to enable it to fulfil the requirements
of an organized science school. In 1890, under a scheme of the
Educational Endowments Commissioners, the Institution was
placed under the management of the Perth Educational Trust,
and the work of the school is now carried on in two divisions,
'known as the upper and lower departments. The Governors
have also enlarged the original buildings so as to allow of
complete courses of classical instruction, instrumental music
and gymnasticB. A portion of the west front, comprising class
rooms for needlework and instrumental music, has been reserved
and fitted up for the exclusive use of the girls' department.
The cost of the extensions, the construction and equipment of
laboratories for physics and chemistry, and of claeB rooms for
the study of the various branches of art, was defrayed by Sir
Robert Pullar kt. of Tayside, chairman of the Governors.
The Muniolpal Buildings, at the east end of High street, erected
in 1881, at a cost of £13,000, are in the Tudor style, from
designs by Mr. Granger Helton, architect, of Perth, and have
a frontage to the river. The council chamber, or Commissioners'
Hall, which occupied the principal portion of the building and
was adorned with stained glass illustrative of personages in
Sir Walter Scott's novel, ''The Fair Maid of Perth," was com-
pletely destroyed by fire in January, 1895, together with its
valuable contents, as well as a portion of the publio offices, but
was restored in 1896 from the original plans by Mr. Granger
Heiton. The buildings also contain the offices of the city clerk,
â– chamberlain, registrar, assessor, police superintendent, treasurer,
burgh surveyor, sanitary inspector to the police department,
and gas offices. The burgh court room, which has its prin-
cipal entrance from Tay street, is on the first floor above the
â– â– police office, and communicates therewith.
The County Baildinps, in Tay street, on the bank of the Tay.
were erected from the designs of Mr. Stuart, architect, and
display, in the centre, an elegant portico with twelve massive
fluted columns, supporting a pediment; the county hall, a fine
room, 69 feet by 40, occupies the south wing ; the centre con-
'tains a justiciary hall of semi-circular form, with a spacious
gallery. The remainder of the building on the same floor in-
cludes the sheriff court and room, sheriff clerk's office, and an
arched fire-proof room where fne records of the town are deposi-
ted; above is a spacious ball room and a card room &c. In
'1866 an additional building was erected in South street.
The City Hall, at the west end of â– St. John's church, was
erected by the town, and will seat 1,500 persons; it is open for
public meetings, application to be made to the oity chamberlain.
The Marshall Memorial, at the end of George street and
near the bridge, is a circular structure in the Classio style,
with a portico of the Ionic order and a dome, and was begun in
^1822, by private subscription, as a memorial to the late Thomas
'Hay Marshall esq. formerly lord provost. The interior contains
apartments occupied by the museum of the Perth Literary and
Antiquarian Society, a library, a collection of valuable coins,
-medals and manuscripts, besides a great variety of natural
â– curiosities, amongst which is a cabinet of minerals, containing
upwards of twelve hundred choice specimens.
The Perthshire Natural History Museum has, exclusive of
the museum halls, a large lecture room, library and labora-
•tory. These form a single building between 200 and 300 feet In
length, an the Scottish baronial style, from the designs of
Messrs. J. and G. Young, architects, of Perth. In 1894 and
1895 a large addition was made to the museum, and It is now
one of the most completely equipped in Scotland : in June,
1902, it was handed over by the society to the city as a free
gift, and is now under the management of the Town Council.
The Sandeman Public Library, Kinnoull street, was erected
in 1896-8 by the Town Council, acting under the bequest of the
late Archibald Sandeman, professor of Mathematics in Owens
college, Manchester; the building, declared open by the Earl of
Rosebery 22 Oct. 1898, is of red sandstone, in the style of the
Italian Renaissance, from designs by Messrs. Campbell Douglas
and Morrison, architects, of Glasgow. On the ground floor are
the lending department, reading room (open from 9 a.m. to 10
p.m.), juvenile reading room and librarian's room. The
reference department, ladles' room and committee room are on
the first floor; and a museum and picture gallery occupy the
second floor. The reference department is open from 11 a.m.
to 9 p.m. and contains 10,000 volumes in all departments of
literature. The lending department had, in May, 1903, 15,000
volumes, and the reading room is supplied with most of the
leading newspapers and periodicals of the day.
The Freemasons' Hall, in Parliament close, High street,
built on the site of the old Parliament House, in 1818, is the
property of the Royal Arch Lodge of Freemasons.
The Perth Boys' and Girls' Religious Society Hall, erected
in 1881, at a cost of about £3,200, will hold 800 children, and
contains, besides the hall, a director's room, two large class
rooms, lady workers' room and offices.
The Poorhouse, an extensive pile of buildings, on the Glas-
gow road, was erected by the Perth Parochial Board, at a
cost of £8,0O0.
The barracks, built In 1795, at the west end of Atholl street,
were originally intended for 200 cavalry, but are now occupied
by the depot of Regimental District No. 42. The Black
Watch (Royal Highlanders), which consists of three battalions,
1st battalion (42nd Foot), 2nd (73rd Foot), 3rd (Royal Perth
Militia), which also has head quarters in the barracks.
Perth is also the head quarters of the Black Watch Volunteer
Infantry Brigade, and the battalion and A, B, <>, EL and L
Companies of the 4th (Perthshire) Volunteer Battalion The
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), and the 13th Company 1st
Forfarshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).
The general prison for Scotland, near the South Inch, built
by Government in 1812, for the reception of prisoners of war,
was wholly rebuilt and remodelled in 1842, and is now occupied
as a convict prison, more extensive buildings having been
erected for the detention of criminal lunatics.
The County and City of Perth Royal Infirmary, in York
place, is a structure in a plain Italian style, two storeys in
height, and consisting of a long block of buildings, with a pro-
jecting centre and wings and a spacious arcaded portico ; the
first stone was laid bv George William, 9th Baron Kinnaird
K.T. in 1836, and it was opened in 1838. The late Marquess
of Breadalbane and Dr. Brown, of Perth, left liberal bequests
to this institution : the west wing, containing additional wards
for the treatment of infectious diseases, was erected in 1865, at
a cost of £1,200, defrayed principally by subscription, and in
1869 an east wing for surgical cases was added. Various other
extensions and improvements were made in 1873-4, 1885 and
1893, and during 1902 there were 1,118 house patients and 147
accident cases, and 208 patients were visited by the district
surgeon; attached to the infirmary is a dispensary, at which, in
1902, 578 patients were treated.
King JameB the Sixth's Hospital was founded by King James
VI. in 1569, and charters were granted bv that monarch in
1569 and 1587, and confirmed by Acts of Parliament in 1587
and 1592, *' to provide by all honest ways and means an hospital
for the poor, maimed, distressed persone, orphans, and father-
less bairns within our burph of Perth," and for the endowment
of which he gave " all the lands, biggins, tenements, kirks,
orchards Ac. which pertained to the chaplainries, altarages and
prebendaries founded in whatever kirk, chapel or college
within the liberties and privileges of the said burgh of Perth;
all the lands &c. which pertained to the Blackfriars, Grey-
frlars and Carmelite monks at the Reformation — the profits of
the same to be applied, in all time coming, to the hospital and
sustenance of the poor." Instead of residing in the hospital
the pensioners live out, and receive an equivalent of £6 and
£12 a year; the hospital building is now for the moat part
converted into dwelling houses for the working classes.
A statue of H.R.H. the late Prince Consort, executed by Mr.
Brodie, sculptor, of Edinburgh, was erected in 1864 on the
North Inch, and inaugurated by Her late Majesty Queen Vic-
toria, on the 30th of August of that year, on which occasion
the late Sir David Ross, then lord provost, was knighted.
On the North Inch is also a granite obelisk, erected in 1895
by the Countv and City of Perth and officers, past and present,
to oommemorate the deeds of the 90th Light Infantry (Perth-
shire Volunteers), originally raised in May, 1794, by Thomas
Graham, of Balgowan, who was promoted to the rank of General
in 1309 for his services in Italy, Spain and Holland, made a
G.C.B. in 1812, and created Baron Lynedoch in 1814. This
regiment, in July, 1881, was constituted the second batt.
Cameronians.
A band stand has been erected on the North Inch at the cost
of J. F. Pullar esq. of Rosebank ; on the South Inch is also a
statue of Sir Walter Scott.
The theatre and opera house, High street, erected from plans
by Mr. William Alexander, architect, of Dundee, was opened
in Sept. 1900, and will hold an audience of 1,300.
There are public swimming baths in Dunkeld road, with a
bowling green attached.
The principal hotels are the Station, at the General Railway
station; the Royal George, in George street, and the Salutation,
in South street.
The Bank of Scotland, the National Bank of Scotland Limited
and the British Linen Company's Bank have each two branches
in the city, and there are also branches of the Commercial Bank
of Scotland Limited, the Roval Bank of Scotland, the Clydesdale
Bank Limited, the Union Bank of Scotland Lim. the Town and
County Bank Limited, and the North of Scotland Bank Limited,
as well as a savings bank.
The Royal Perth Golfing Society includes in its roll of mem-
bers a great many of the nobility and gentry of the locality.