Worrall's directory of the North-Eastern counties of Scotland ...

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298 ABEEDEEN". [Woueail's
and is not included in the amount given above.
The number of municipal voters on the register
1875-6 was 12,149. The city parhamentary register
1875-6 contains 13,856 "voters. The preceding figures
though not including the enormous traffic by the two
lines of railway give some idea of the present commercial
prosperity of the port. Aberdeenshire is
especially noted for granite. Since the first working
of the quarries some 300 years ago it has grown to
become a considerable soui-ce of wealth to the city.
The houses of the city were principally built of wood
up to the year of the great fire 1741 the magistrates
and council then passed an act for the outer walls of
all dwellings to be constructed of stone or brick.
This and the demand for granite pavement for the
streets of London gave a considerable impetus to the
trade. Prom its unequalled durability it is largely
used in the construction of docks, piers, bridges and
other public works. The extensive granite pohshing
works in Aberdeen find employment for a large number
of hands. The blocks from the quarry are here
cut, sculptured, or polished to any design as may be
ordered for tombs monuments or architectural embellishments.
The demand for pohshed granite for the
American, colonial as well as home requirements has
largely increased during the past ten years and led to
the establishment of new works annually. The
manufacture of woollen goods has been located in the
city and neighbourhood for upwards of 250 years.
In the reign of Charles I. a patent was granted by
his Majesty to the then Provost Jaffray and others
for establishing a woollen manufactory in the Correction
"Wynd in the year 1636 for the production of
broad cloth, serges, kerseys, &c., since which period
it has been extensively carried on with varying
success. The class of goods now produced include
the celebrated Aberdeen winseys, unequalled in
quality by any other manufacturers, also tweeds and
other cloths, stockings and other hosiery, worsted and
'voollen yarns, &c. Flax spinning and the manufacture
of hnens is extensively carried on by Messrs.
Eichards & Co., Broadford Works, and cotton spinning
at the Banner Mill by Messrs. Eobinson, Crum, &
Co., Limited, and the manufacture of tapes at the
Eosemount Works by Messrs. Leslie, Gray, & Co.
A new mill has recently been erected for jute spinning
and manufacturing by a Joint Stock Co. Paper
making is one of the most important branches of
industry in the neighboui-hood, the mill of Messrs,
Pirie & Sons, of Stoneywood and Union Works.
having been established about a century ago; the
other manufactm-ers are Messrs. C. Davidson & Co.,
Limited, who are also manufacturers of paper bags,
wrapping papers, &c., and the Culter Mills Paper
Co., Limited. Paper for printing purposes is also
manufactured by Messrs. Tait & Sons at their
Inverurie mills. The manufacture of combs is
extensively carried on by three firms here,' also the
manufacture of preserved provisions, including soups,
fish, vegetables, &c. For the supply of cattle food,
manures, and other agricultm-al materials, coals, &c.,
three Joint Stock Companies have been some years in
successful operation, viz., the Aberdeen Commercial
Co., Limited, the Aberdeen Lime Co., Limited, and
the Northern Agricultural Co., Limited. These
companies are large importers, and have agents or
depots at the various railway stations in the country,
the Northern Agricultural Co., just named, are also
manufacturers of Linseed oil, rape oil, linseed cake, &c.
The shipbuilders of Aberdeen have obtained a worldwide
celebrity for the fast saihng and other superior
qualities of the vessels constructed by them, known
as the "Aberdeen Clippers." These vessels, of
yacht-like symetery, are perfect models of beauty.
The number and tonnage of vessels (iron and wood)
built in each of the following years was as follows :
1871, 11, 4,817 tonnage ; 1872, 17, 11,449 tonnage
1873, 19, 7,582 tonnage ; 1874, 11, 8,860 tonnage
1875, 9, 6,495. Several large roperies are in full
operation here, also sail makers, ship riggers,
boat builders, wrights and shipsmiths, and
other traders connected with shipping. There
are several large iron foundries, iron works,
boiler makers, engineers, millwrights and machinists,
and agricultural implement works, saw mills, timber
yards, three distilleries, chemical works, colour, paint
and varnish works, and corn mills, Aberdeen is one
of the principal fishing stations on the coast, the
herring fishery is prosecuted here with much success
by several hundred boats during the season. The fish
are cured and shipped to the continental and other
markets. Haddock, codfish, and other descriptions
are caught off the port and forwarded to the southern
markets by rail. Lai-ge supphes of game, poultry,
&c. are also despatched from Aberdeen and adjacent
district to the same destination. The salmon fisheries
of the Dee and Don rivers, and the adjacent coast are
important, though of late years there has been a
marked decline in this branch of the fishery. Large
supphes of meat of prime quahty in carcase are forwarded
from Aberdeen to the London market by railway
and steamer weekly. The first banking company
formed in the city commenced operations in 1752 and
not answering the expectations of its founders had
but a short existence. The Aberdeen Banking Company,
formed in 1766 was, however, thoroughly successful,
and for a lengthened period was the principal
bank in the North of Scotland. In the year 1849 it
was incorporated with the Union Bank of Scotland,
sinking its original title. The Union Bank of Scotland
occupy handsome premises in Castle-street with
branches in Union-street (west), and George-street,
Aberdeen, also in the principal towns in Scotland.
The Aberdeen Town and County Bank, estabhshed upwards
of half a century, has branches in every
town and village of importance in the county,
also in the counties of Banff, Kincardine,
Inverness, &c. The head office of the bank in
Aberdeen, in Union-street at the corner of St. Nicholas
street, is a fine building, occupying a central position
in the business portion of the town, with branches on
the Quay, at the west end of Union-street, in Georgestreet,
and at the village of Woodside. The North of
Scotland Banking Co., Aberdeen, was established in
1836, the head office of the Bank, situated at the
corner of King-street, in Castle-street is a building
displaying considerable taste on the part of the ai'chitect.
The bank has estabhshed a market branch in
Exchange-street, a branch in Union-street (west), and
in George-slreet, as well as in every town and village
in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Kincardine, &c.
In addition to the above there are branches of the undermentioned
banks in the city, viz., the Eoyal Bank of
Scotland, the National Bank of Scotland, the City of
Glasgow Bank, the British Linen Company's Bank,
and the Commercial Bank of Scotland. The National
Security Savings' Bank of Aberdeen, in Exchangestreet
is a flourishing institution, designed for the
special benefit of the working classes and small
depositors generally. The Lord Provost of the city
and members of Parhament for the city and county,
and other influential gentlemen are ti'ustees and
managers of the bank. Two prosperous and wealthy
fire and hfe assui-ance companies have then- head
offices in Aberdeen, the Northern, estabhshed in 1836,
and the Scottish Provincial, estabhshed in 1825, also
two marine assurance companies. Visitors to Aberdeen
will find ample first-class hotel accommodation
at the " Douglas " in Market-street, the "Imperial"
in Stirling-street, and the " Palace " in Union-street.
There are other liighly respectable inns and temperance
hotels, as mentioned in the classified directory.
The city returns one member to the imperial parhament
j the present member is John Eau'ley Leith,
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