Basic Site Details Name: | Aberdeen Municipal Buildings and Tolbooth | City or county: | Aberdeen | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | A Listed | Grid ref: | | Notes: | 1895 competition assessed by William Young. | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Aberdeen County and Municipal Buildings | Yes | | | Aberdeen Public Buildings | Yes | | | Courthouse | Yes | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Municipal building | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 2, Broad Street | Yes | | | Castle Street | Yes | | | Castlegate | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1862 | | | First five schemes, including extending courthouse of 1820 and central towered scheme | | 1863 | | | Octagonal towered scheme and final scheme with square corner tower | | 1867 | | | Working drawings for final scheme | | 23 February 1871 | | | Municipal buildings opened | | 1873 | | | Courthouse opened | | 1895 | | Journal reference | Competition for reconstruction; unclear whether any of the work was carried out | | After 1924 | Before 1930 | | Extensions | | c. 1930 | | | Alterations | | 12 July 1957 | | Plans prepared, construction not yet begun | 'plans approved by TC for municipal offices at Broad Street. Estimated cost ₤775,000' per Builder p87 | | 16 January 1959 | | Proposed | '£750,000 municipal office development at Broad-st. First stage includes a five-storey granite block and...widening of the eastern entry to Broad-st.' per Builder p165 | | 1962 | | Addition | Tower block addition plannned. | | 13 March 1964 * | | Scheme accepted | Plans for new Broad St municipal buildings approved by Lord Provost's Committee, costing £2m - work to begin in early 1965, being completed in three years | | c. 1965 | | Addition | Tower block addition begun | | 1972 | | Addition | Extension to Town House |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
PeopleDesign and Construction
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Brogden, W A | 1998 | Aberdeen: an illustrated architectural guide | Second edition | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | p24 | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | pp446, 550 | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | p550 | | Harper, Roger H | 1983 | Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions… | | London: Mansell Publishing | | | MacInnes, Ranald | 1992 | The Aberdeen guide | | | p53 | | RSA | 1864 | | | | 172 | | Sharples, J, Walker, D W and Woodworth, M | 2015 | The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire South and Aberdeen | | London and New Haven: Yale University Press | pp138-139 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Aberdeen Journal | 5 November 1862 | | | | | Aberdeen Journal | 10 June 1863 | | | | | Builder | 26 September 1863 | XXI | | | | Builder | 2 December 1866 | XXIV | | | | Builder | 8 June 1868 | XXVI | | | | Builder | Late 1895 | LXIX | | pp153, 222 & 420 | | Builder | Early 1896 | LXX | | p257 | | Builder | Late 1896 | LXXI | | p101 | | Builder | 12 July 1957 | | | p87 | | Builder | 16 January 1959 | | | p165 | | Builder | 13 March 1964 | | | p580 | | Building News | 30 January 1863 | | | | | Building News | 19 June 1863 | | | | | Building News | 1 December 1865 | | | | | Building News | 27 June 1868 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Aberdeen City Archives | George Bennett Mitchell and Son Collection | | GBM/1930/45/1 | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 19990 | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Dick Peddie and McKay Collection | | DPM/1860/25/6 | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | Alexander Buchanan Gardner: L no3704 (box 15) |
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