Hey to Liam Hadden...I am a Sassenach, from London, who spent 10 whole summers on Crole's Pleasure Beach at Fittie .. I was 15 when I first lived there in 1951, and spent the next 9 summers in Aberdeen. My God !..What a wonderfully city it was way back then...And the Aberdonians were such nice friendly people...... I loved every single day I lived there, and it's not just nostalgia for my long lost youth in those days, Aberdeen had ( if my memory serves me right ) 15 wonderful Cinemas, and not one of them could be called a 'bug hutch'. we used to go to the Beach Ballroom and dance with all the lovely young 'Quineys'.. The pleasure Beach was closed on Sundays, as we're the bars, the Church being very strict in those days.. On Sundays, we went regularly to The Mill Inn, about 10 miles outside the city for a few drinks ( Yes, you could drink on a Sunday provided you were a traveller en route to somewhere ), and we also had the best mixed grill in Scotland for 3 shillings and sixpence. Some might call me Xenophobic ( but I don't care ), but we were all pureblooded Brits there back then.... George St. was a delight for shopping.. We used to have nice suits tailor made at Jackson the Tailors... I have recently turned 80, living now In Brighton, which has become an absolute 'shithole' full of the 'sons of Islam '...Say no more, except to ask, " Does anyone know where I can buy a Time Machine ? To all the Aberdonians of my era..Take care, we were lucky to have been young in ( to quote from the song ) Old Aberdeen
My parents both grew up in Aberdeen, and left for Canada in the 1950s. They took my sister and me to visit when they could afford to. And they raised us "pure-blooded" Scots to judge people on their character, not their religion or skin colour. Just sayin'.
What a fantastic film. I live in Aberdeen and done so all my days. Watching this was very moving and to see places like Union street, then and now are worlds apart. Fast food chains,charity and money lending shops, occupy most of properties on this once beautiful thoroughfare and huge “to let” and ‘for sale’ sign are almost tattooed to the granite buildings an indication not only of massive retail down turn but the fact no one wants to move in to them. This showed Aberdeen five years or so after the war and It is a real shame that modern life has destroyed what the Germans failed to do.
So many wonderful memories! I loved seeing the streamliner tram gliding up Union St.and the Fittie kiddies playing"piggy in the middle"...aye,so many wonderful images,thanks for sharing.
Something that i noticed was there were absoloutely no overweight people and the amount of people on the beach. Just shows you how much society has changed
This is awesome. Makes you sad looking at Aberdeen as it is today. Maybe its just the way it portrayed in the film but really did look so beautiful back then.
Wonderful capture of a moment and to see what has been lost. Alas, not much has been gained despite the incredible wealth that has gone through the city in the past 60 years. As a 1960's child I have long since left for greener pastures but feel nothing but embarrassment each time I return to see the disgraceful buildings and urban spaces that reflect a lack of civic pride in what should be a great city. The Duthie park renovation is the sole improvement in 50 years and only then occurred through English directed funding. Total disgrace of a council and shameful apathy by the population.
Same goes for many of the Scottish towns up and down, I have the same feeling as you do, I see it as a great shame, and we are still not learning to keep our character of our cities.
What a beautiful and charming city! I hope they preserved most of it when progress roared it's ugly head.I'm not holding my breath.Thank you for posting this look back during a gentler and gracious time.
This video is great. I grew up in Aberdeen in the 50s and 60s and I remember a lot of the scenes such as the draughts in Union Terrace Gardens, and the booking office at the station and ... and ...
Hi, I am doing a college project on how Aberdeen has changed over the decades and how different generations experienced it. Would i be okay to use some of your video please for that purpose?
Well said mate. Our city is not improving, I long to have the same way of life as our parents had. My father who even fought in WW2 had a better life. I despair at what our own children face, and look over the border at places like Bradford etc as an example. If you don't fight to preserve what you have you loose it .
This video was done buy my father and hate the fact someone else steals time effort he put into this video looking threw pics and videos of old aberdeen for someone else to take as there own!!!!!
