Pictures: Bombsites, bars and bulb-planting – November days gone by in Aberdeen
November has been a dreich month, but spare a thought for Aberdonians in November 1940 when bombs rained down in Torry. Elsewhere, a Hutcheon Street pub unveiled its new look and construction was under way on the Aberdeen's New Market in our November trip down memory lane.
1973: The construction of Aberdeen's New Market Union Street entrance, flanked by Van Allan on the left and Grants furniture store on the right. Image: DC Thomson
ByKirstie Waterston
In November 1973, a major development was under way on Union Street as the frontage of the New Market took shape.
Fast forward exactly 50 years and it’s all change again as the New Market is replaced with an even newer market.
In 1973, Union Street shoppers had to navigate scaffolding as the controversial plans to replace the 130-year-old market with a new building took shape.
The Victorian market, which Sir John Betjeman campaigned to save, was torn down and replaced with the concrete building which dominated The Green over the last few decades.
The loss of the 1840s market prompted a planning enquiry and concerns were raised over the demolition of the grand Market Street entrance.
Then-Lord Provost John Smith said “the demolition was gross aesthetic vandalism”.
Let’s hope the latest incarnation of the market is an improvement for Union Street on the 1970s eyesore.
Gallery: November memories in Aberdeen
1984: On the right lines for a series of Christmas concerts performing for the elderly were these Grampian Police cadets. Pictured, from left, before their first rehearsal Moray Wall, Stuart Ord, Chris Whelan, Mark Beal, Richard Thomson, Alan Gordon, Ewan McHardy, Graeme McEwan, Kevin Murray and Peter Bruce. Image: DC Thomson
1984: Robert Gibson, manager of the southern branch of Aberdeen Savings Bank, helped pupils at Ferryhill School plant bulbs in the garden area they were making in the school playground. Mr Gibson donated £50 on behalf of the bank, and the school bought bulbs, tubs and troughs from the city’s leisure and recreation department, who helped set out the garden. Image: DC Thomson
1975: The triumphant Robert Gordon’s College Junior School team who won the Scottish Junior Chess Association Cup in Glasgow. Standing, back, left to right, Alistair Milne, Gareth Kerr and Shaun George. Round the table, left to right, Peter Donaldson, Allan MacLeod, David Adams, Crawford Henderson, Michael Wilson, Patrick Slater, Simon Munro, Mark Krasberg and Andrew Wood. Image: DC Thomson
1987: Music teacher at Greenbrae Primary School, Morag Reid, instructed pupils from primary 6 and 7 as they sung along to a recorder foursome, from left, Loraine Forbes (9), Kerry Tait (11), Tracey Bowen (10) and Pamela Wattie (11). Image: DC Thomson
1940: These Aberdonians look quite stoic despite standing among the rubble of devastating bomb damage at their Wellington Road tenement in Torry on November 4 1940. Image: DC Thomson
1985: Kerry’s Lounge in Hutcheon Street reopened after a getting a new extension in November 1985. The building at number 70 has been the site of a public house for more than 100 years, and most recently was Mounthooly Sports Bar. Image: DC Thomson
1973: The construction of Aberdeen’s New Market Union Street entrance, flanked by Van Allan on the left and Grants furniture store on the right, takes shape in this photograph from November 1973. Of course, it’s all change again as the latest incarnation of Aberdeen Market is under construction. Image: DC Thomson
1978: The Dolphin Swimming Club champions, back, Neil Cochran and Lesley Thomson. Front, from left, Rachel Kenworthy, Kevin Taylor and Nicola Geddes. Image: DC Thomson
1995: Singer Donnie Munro, of Scottish supergroup Runrig, signs copies of the group’s new album in the Virgin Megastore, in Aberdeen. Image: DC Thomson
1986: Crimond Stock Racing Club prize-winners pictured with trophies at their annual prizegiving dinner and dance held at the Ban-Car, Lonmay. For the seventh year running Walter Wallace was super stock car champion and he is seen, centre left, receiving the Shamrock Cafe Lap Scorer Trophy from lap scorer Carole Watt. The three newly donated Top Gear Mini Stocks trophies were presented by Michael Peddie, right. Image: DC Thomson
1992: The Good Fairy, alias Fiona Cowan, keeps a watchful eye on one of the ugly sisters, right, who was played by Denise Lang and Bella the maid, Stuart Youngson, at rehearsals for Beauty and the Beast at the Aberdeen Arts Centre. Image: DC Thomson
1994: Sculpture students from Aberdeen’s Gray’s School of Art, from left, Neil Richardson, Fiona McDonald, Jonathan Tyers, Victoria Milne, Kathleen McNamara and Julia Blyth. Image: DC Thomson
1978: A November view of one of the main routes into Aberdeen, Wellington Road. It was labelled a death trap following two fatal accidents within a fortnight and there were demands for an investigation into how it could be made safer. Image: DC Thomson
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Pictures: Bombsites, bars and bulb-planting – November days gone by in Aberdeen
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