The great strength of Aberdeen lies in the community spirit to be found in its communities and neighbourhoods.
The Granite City has produced world-class sportsmen, attracted Royalty and created a bedrock of people always striving to make the place they live, work and play even better.
Join us for a dive through the archives to shine a spotlight on yesteryear.
Cults
Cults Academy’s answer to the famous charity concert Band Aid was named Elastoplast. Here pupils perform a lunchtime concert for an audience of 400 in the school hall in 1985. The concert raised £85, bringing the school’s Ethiopia Appeal fund to almost £11,000. The group are Richard Horbottle, Neil Wilson, Thomas Partridge, Stephen Marr, Neil McCutcheon, Alan Horberry and Chris Yule.
Mannofield
Primary 1 pupil Brenda Mackay, dressed up as a lollipop lady, took a trick at Aberdeen’s Ashley Road School’s fancy dress parade in the playground in June 1979. Proceeds from the event went towards the fund for the International Year of the Child.
Bon Accord Centre
The Queen unveils the commemorative plaque to officially declare open the Bon Accord Centre in 1990.
Mounthooly
Mounthooly can be seen in the background of this 1965 photo showing the three-tier car park in Aberdeen’s West North Street under construction.
Hilton
Hilton Academy footballers of the 1970s. Standing on the right is Ian Mathieson, who went on to play for Dundee, and on the left (front row) is the young John Hewitt, who became one of the Gothenburg Greats.
Bankhead
Members of the 1st Bankhead Girl Guides get ready to put the finishing touches to their project at Sclattie Quarry, Bucksburn in 1984. The Guides tidied up and landscaped a large area as part of a national Guides competition. With them is Gordon Gauld, landscape supervisor with the city’s leisure and recreation department.
Ferryhill
Ready to do battle in Ferryhill Community Council’s Brain of Ferryhill quiz in Ferryhill South Church hall in 1986, were (rear) Ferryhill South BB (left to right) Malcolm Tait, Grant Moyes, Dave McDonald and Alastair King, with their opponents, Ferryhill Dons (front, left to right) Alex Davidson, Kate Morrison, Christina Mitchell and Marlene Mason. The question-masters are Alan McColl and Tom Gibson.
Torry
Loading boxes of herring on to a lorry at Torry in 1964, when it was the centre of the Granite City’s vital fishing industry.
The Green
A view of shoppers at the Aberdeen Market at the Green in 1963, when it was at its height for bargain hunters.
Garthdee
The new communities of Garthdee and Kaimhill begin to take shape in 1955.