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Silver City Vault: Park life in Aberdeen

by Silver City Vault
12/07/2020, 4:50 pm Updated: 10/09/2020, 1:33 pm
The estate of Seaton, including mansion house, was acquired by Aberdeen Town Council in 1947. The grounds were purchased from Major M. V. Hay for £18,000. The Council then created the much-loved park we know today. Its location on the banks of the River Don adds to its scenic appeal.
The oldest part of Seaton House dated to the mid-17th century. The Georgian mansion saw substantial additions in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was located towards the centre of the park, near where the fountain now stands. It was sadly destroyed by a fire in 1963 and had to be demolished.
Late 19th century photograph of the Watson Street Lodge at the east side of Victoria Park. It was constructed shortly after the creation of the park in 1871. It housed Aberdeen’s influential first keeper of parks, Robert Walker, and his family, as shown here.
Late 19th century, looking west along the park’s main avenue. Victoria Park was the city’s first public park. It was developed by the Town Council between 1871 and 1873. The site was formerly a nursery for plants called Glennie’s Park.
Early 20th century photograph of Duthie Park’s original Winter Garden. It was designed by City Architect John Rust and opened on 1st August 1900. After suffering irreparable storm damage in 1969, the building was replaced by the Winter Gardens we know today.
Postcard showing the Gala and Heather Day in Duthie Park on 21st August 1915. With 25,000 to 26,000 people in attendance this is likely the park’s largest ever event. It was to raise money for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and featured an elaborate programme of entertainment.
A central feature of the park was the large pond designed for curling and skating, as shown in this wintry scene from around 1902.
This photograph shows the official gifting of the park on 26th June 1897. David Allan ceremonially cut the first sod of the park in front of a large gathering of residents and invited school children. Allan provided a picnic and assorted entertainments for the children.
This photograph shows a hockey match taking place in Allan Park at the turn of the 20th century. The houses of Cults can be seen in the background. The ground has been used for sport throughout its history and it has been the home of Cults Cricket Club since 1893.
Postcard showing the ornate granite fountain installed in 1906. It is in memory of Jean Taylor who, in 1891, bequeathed £500 for the creation of a playpark in Woodside. The fountain was based on a cast held in the Art Gallery’s collection and was sculpted by Arthur Taylor of Jute Street.
An early 20th century colourised postcard showing children playing in the park’s man-made pond. The water is a channelled, open section of the Gilcomston Burn. Aberdeen Town Council created the public park after acquiring the 25-acre estate in 1900.
This image shows the park in the early to mid-20th century. Note the unfenced tennis courts north of the burn. In contrast to the ornamental style of Victoria Park, Westburn was intended to provide ample space for all forms of recreation, particularly for young people.
Early 20th century colour postcard showing the fountain at the centre of Victoria Park. The fountain was designed by J.B. Pirie and built of 14 different types of granite. It was presented to the park by the master masons of Aberdeen and completed in 1881.
Another postcard from the same period showing pedalos on Duthie Park’s Upper Lake. Families, the pedalo attendant and an ice-cream seller stand by the waterside.
An early to mid-20th century postcard showing yachting on the Lower Lake of Duthie Park. Looking south east, large model sail boats are on the water as families play nearby. This rectangular lake was created in the 1920s.
Stewart Park opened in 1894 and was named after then Lord Provost David Stewart. The land was acquired from the Hilton Estate and the park was designed to be used by all ages. This colourised postcard shows one of the park’s main walkways in the early 20th century.
A colour postcard showing Union Terrace Gardens in the late 19th century. Note the absence of His Majesty’s Theatre above. The image shows the original lay-out of the park and its old bandstand. The latter was removed in the early 1930s.
Late 1920s postcard showing the old café in Hazlehead Park. The building was once the mansion house of Hazlehead Estate. It was converted into a café when the park opened. It was demolished in 1959 to make way for the new café restaurant located on the same site.
An early 20th century postcard showing the entrance to Allan Park in Cults, with its pond in the background. The park was gifted to the Parish of Peterculter by local resident David Allan to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
1970s photograph showing visitors to the park enjoying the rose garden in bloom.
1970s photograph of the park’s café with its outdoor seating area and pond. This new café was officially opened by Lord Provost George Stephen in June 1960 during a Town Council tour of city parks.
Over the years UTG has played host to a wide variety of entertainment and festivals. This image shows a well-attended evening performance of country dancing during the late 1970s. The Belmont Cinema and Belmont Congregational Church are visible in the background.
Floral displays have also been central to the history of the park. This image from August 1979 shows the city’s coat of arms as well as designs marking the centenaries of the Evening Express and the Scottish Salvation Army.
A family enjoys spring in Union Terrace Gardens in the late 1970s. Daffodils adorn the banks at the southern end of the park.
Westburn Park opened to the public in May 1901. This photograph shows the park in 1910. Westburn House, shown here, was designed in 1839 by Archibald Simpson for David Chalmers of the printing family who published the Aberdeen Journal newspaper.
The park, formerly Arthurseat Estate, was gifted to the city by Elizabeth Crombie Duthie in 1880. The layout was designed by William R. McKelvie of Dundee and the park opened on 27th September 1883. Athurseat House, shown here, was retained as a museum until it was demolished in 1934.
Postcard showing one of the two ponds within Stewart Park at the time of its opening. The ponds were adapted from holes created by the disused Hilton Quarries. The ponds were decorated with a range of attractive plants and rockery and were stocked with trout.
Mid 20th century photograph of the no. 4 tram, bound for Castle Street, at the Hazlehead terminus. It was vital residents were able to reach their parks using public transport. This was achieved primarily by trams until their removal in 1958. The terminus shelter remains at the park today.
UTG was opened on 11th August 1879. This sketch by James Forbes Beattie from 1868 shows an early proposal for its lay-out. The detailed plan also includes the buildings surrounding the park and acts as a snapshot of the area at the time.

This week we’ve teamed up with the Silver City Vault for a special Aberdonian focusing on the city’s stunning parks.

Aberdeen Libraries’ Local Studies collection contains thousands of photographs of the city.

The service is committed to making all of these images available via the Silver City Vault.

Many can already be  seen at www.silvercityvaults.org.uk and in the gallery below we’ve featured some of their views of Aberdeen’s parks.

To explore more of the city’s history, visit the Silver City Vault: http://www.silvercityvault.org.uk/