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Love is in the air: Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Aberdeen over the years

Young romantic Raymond King slips a homemade card into his sweetheart Julie Munro's satchel at Broomhill School.
Young romantic Raymond King slips a homemade card into his sweetheart Julie Munro's satchel at Broomhill School.

Aberdonians aren’t famous for their outpouring of emotion, but when it comes to Valentine’s Day it seems they’re more than happy to share the love.

From singing telegrams to subtle cards from secret admirers, it would appear that under the granite facade, Aberdonians are really a rather soft, romantic bunch.

With that in mind, roses are red, violets are blue, we’ve dug out some old Valentine’s snaps for you…

The local postie must have been staggering under the weight of the Valentine’s cards he had to deliver in Summerhill in February 1978.

Because young love was certainly blossoming at Fernielea Primary School on Valentine’s Day that year, with greetings cards galore.

Clearly delighted with their haul, this lucky lot brought in their precious cards to show off to their classmates.

Having seen all manner of slushy salutations and lewd rhymes over the years, postmen Alex Forbes, left, and Alex Leitch were generally unfazed by Valentine’s Day.

But one card, in particular, made the posties at the Dee Street sorting office chuckle in February 1979 – a card addressed to them.

Perhaps a lesson in how not to win over your crush, it read: “Postie, postie, you’re the one, can’t you see, or are you dumb?”

A chilly February didn’t deter cupid from warming the cockles of cold-hearted Aberdonians in 1980 with comically-large cards.

It was love by the vanload as Ronnie Mackie and Nancy Angelo set out on their Valentine’s Day round.

Clinton’s must have been delighted to sell out of their gigantic greetings cards; the posties that had to lug them around the city? Not so delighted.

Rosemount newsagent assistants Lucy Duguid and Margaret Hardie had a good laugh reading some of the naff messages in the shop’s selection of Valentine’s cards.

Ranging from sweet nothings to make the recipient blush, to silly rhymes to make them squirm, there were plenty of cards for the romantics of Rosemount in 1982.

Unsurprisingly a card that read “To my husband on Valentine’s Day, here I am  – 95 pounds of love” hadn’t sold.

Could this darling duo and their handmade love heart be any cuter?

Preschool pals Jonathan Goodman and Ailie McFarlane were thrilled to pose for a Valentine’s Day photo on the steps of Hadley Nursery, Loanhead Terrace, in 1984.

These Aberdeen lassies had a right giggle at some of the lovey-dovey greetings on offer in Boots in 1985.

This particularly silly oversized Valentine’s card with its daft drawing caught the eyes of Angela Davidson and Ann Michie.

For any Aberdonians too shy to send messages themselves in 1986, model Kim was on hand to deliver singing telegrams on their behalf.

Valentine’s girl Kim, from Profile Model Promotions Agency, poses with a display of red roses from David the Florist on Union Grove ready to deliver messages.

Young love was in the air in the primary one classroom at Aberdeen’s Broomhill School on Valentine’s Day in 1986.

In a tender gesture, five-year-old Raymond King slips a homemade card into his sweetheart Julie Munro’s satchel while she chats to her wee pal Sally.

Valentine’s cards were old hat in 1987 – instead, it was all about the singing telegrams delivered by models.

Posing in a pot, a bit like a scene from a Carry On film, songbird Heather certainly surprised chef Michael McKechnie on Valentine’s Day.

With romantic gestures like these, love – with a generous helping of cheese – was on the menu at the Copthorne Hotel in 1987.

Nothing says “I love you” like scaring the living daylights out of your betrothed.

Unsuspecting first year pupil Donny Whyte was one lucky recipient of a ‘gorillagram’ at Oldmachar Academy in 1990.

The tall, dark and hairy gorilla suit was an unusual take on romance, as fifth-year pupil Leona McConnochie delivered gifts and cards from pupil to pupil.

In the true spirit of loving and giving, a Valentine’s Day party was held at the Skean Dhu Hotel in Dyce to raise funds for the Variety Club Valentine’s Appeal in 1992.

The party brought together 204 children from Beechwood, Kingslea and Marlpool Schools in Aberdeen, and Westfield School in Fraserburgh.

Beechwood School pupil Margaret Dougan joins in the fun with hotel staff Samantha Alexander and Jean Souter who provided entertainment as clowns.

Members of Aberdeen Linx Club, Michael Reynolds, 13, and Shelley Smith, 11, strike a post ahead of the big Valentine Ice Disco at Aberdeen Beach Leisure Centre in 1992.

Let’s hope love didn’t hit the skids when dozens of youngsters took to the ice to impress potential suitors.

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