Aberdeen Area

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:42 pm

I do not think the coastguard buildings are manned at Bridge of Don any longer, The buildings are still there along with the houses lived in by the coastguards families. They are white buildings at the far end of Donmouth Road on the north bank of the River Don as it joins the North Sea at the north end of Aberdeen beach. There were still coastguard families living there a few years back and I did know someone who lived there but I have lost touch with them. I would think if you contact HM Coastguard in Aberdeen they would be able to advise on the Bridge of Don station.

Susan.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:45 pm

Most of the tenament buildings in Frederick Street were pulled down in the 60s and 70s to make way for new roads and many were in a very poor condition by that time. Frederick Street school was converted to workshops for a time and were used for Government training schemes for unemployed youths.

Susan.

McConnachy · Post by **McConnachy** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:40 pm

The Bridge of Don Coastguard. As far as I am aware there isnt one. hopefully someone may be able to correct me on this as a I am not from Aberdeen but have been here for 3 and a half years.

There is a Fish Street that runs off of the Beach Boulevard to the south. It is a small street. I am not sure if this is the one you mean. on the NLS old town Plan Fish Street is still there.

http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/aberdeen_se.html
On this link it can be seen on the second box in and second one down. If you click on that it will enlarge it. You will find the street in the NW section of the image.

I might be able to get a photo of the street but when I passed it today there were building works in that area and I am not sure if it is closed off

Thank you for the link to the map. It looks like it was on the railway line! If there is any chance of getting a photo of no.8 then I would be very grateful. Is St Nicholas still a suburb of Aberdeen?

Post by **Pandabean** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:47 pm

I had a look at some recent and up to date town maps and it shows that there are no houses on this street. To the east of the street is the railway line, there is a warehouse on the left on the part at the Beach Boulevard. Maybe Susan might know a bit more about the area.

As for the the suburb/district of St Nicholas, I am unsure about the names of districts round here.

Next time I am up at the River Don I will see what there is on Don Mouth Road, but as Susan said it may be better contacting the Coastguard in Aberdeen. Was the person you are looking for involved with the Coastguard?

Here is the link to the Coastguard for Aberdeen and Portlethen.
http://www.aberdeencoastguardcrt.co.uk/index.html
Might be worth contacting them?

Also it might be worth while contacting the local FHS here, the staff are very helpful and most of them are locals so they might know more about the area than me.

http://www.anesfhs.org.uk/

Sorry I can't be any more help than that. If you need anything else in that area of town give me a shout and I will have a look for you.

mitchell · Post by **mitchell** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:21 am

St Nicholas was an Aberdeen City parish - essentially the central part

http://www.scotlandsfamily.com/parish-map-aberdeen.htm

http://www.urie.demon.co.uk/genuki/ABD/ ... ption.html

Regards
Elaine

McConnachy · Post by **McConnachy** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:03 pm

I have contacted the Aberdeen Coastguard a few days ago by email but not had any response. It may well just be xmas time of year.

My GGG grandfather (John McConnachy) was the Boatman for the Coastguard at the Bridge of Don coastguard station in the 1851 census.

Interestingly, his next door neighbour according to the census was Thomas Glover whose son (also Thomas) went on to become very famous! Thomas Glover started Mitsubishi and Kirrin Beer in Japan amongst other things and is also purportedly linked to the Madame Butterfly!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Glover
http://www.electricscotland.com/history ... glover.htm

In this regard, I understand that the Glover's family home, Glover House, 79 Balgownie Road, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen is now open to the public as a restored Victorian House, telling the Glover story - can anyone tell me if this was the original coastguard building?

I am very interested in finding out more about John McConnachy and his family and having famous next door neighbours may assist?!?!

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:45 pm

Glover House is not the original coastguard buildings - they stand right down by the bank of the River Don where it joins the North Sea. Glover House is a good mile or two from the shore further up the hill - Balgownie Road is a very long winding road and climbs from shore level up through a large part of what is now called Bridge of Don. Balgownie Road itself is a very old road which would once have run through farmland but now runs mostly around the western side of what is known as Bridge of Don - which nowadays covers a very large area of what is mostly housing and has a population of over 25000 and stretches a few miles both northwards and westwards from the actual Brigde over the Don itself.

Susan.

TalkingScot.com

Aberdeen Area

Aberdeen - Bridge of Don Coastguard