In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Aberdeen like this:
Aberdeen, co. town of Aberdeenshire, parl. and royal burgh, and principal seaport in the N. of Scotland, between the mouths of the Dee and the Don, 115 miles via Tay Bridge and 135 m. via Perth and Stirling by rail N. of Edinburgh, and 518 m. N. of London -- parl. burgh, pop. 105,003; royal burgh, pop. ...
87,223; mun. burgh, pop. 105,189; 8 Banks, 8 newspapers. It is the fourth largest town in Scotland, and comprises Old and New Aberdeen, the former being about 1 m. to the N. on the S. side of the Don, and the latter on the Dee; the houses are mostly built of granite. It is the seat of a flourishing University, which was formed (1860) by the union of the University and King's College (founded 1494) of Old A., and the University and Marischal College (founded 1593) of New A., and has 21 professors and about 600 students. The largest and most imposing of A.'s public edifices is the County and Municipal Buildings (commenced 1867, completed at cost of over £80,000), a granite structure with tower 190 ft. high. Duthie Park (1883), 47 ac. in extent, is on the SW. side of the city. The docks are extensive, the harb. having been enlarged and improved by the diversion of the Dee, the formation of a pier and breakwater, &c. Exports--linens, woollens, cotton yarns, granite, and fish. A. is the head of the fishery dist. between Montrose and Peterhead, and fish-curing is extensively carried on. There are important shipbuilding yards; engineering, chemical, tanning, and granite-polishing works; breweries, distilleries, and paper-mills; with mfrs. of woollen, linen, cotton, combs, and tobacco. (For shipping statistics, see Appendix.) The existing part of the Cathedral of St Machar (begun about 1357, completed 1527), 126 ft. long and 67½ broad, stands in Old A. The burgh returns 2 members to Parliament (2 divisions, viz., North and South, 1 member for each division); the representation of the burgh was increased in 1885: the university unites with that of Glasgow in returning 1 member.
Aberdeen through time
Click here for graphs and data of how Aberdeen has changed over two centuries. For statistics for historical units named after Aberdeen go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Aberdeen in Scotland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/16318
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
Not where you were looking for?
Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Britain through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Aberdeen".