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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: jessienicolson on Tuesday 21 March 17 14:10 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone know where I can find photo/photos of Fraser Place, before the 2nd world war. My parents were living there in 1940 and then lost their home in 1942. They lived at 44 Fraser Place, Aberdeen. Any help would be appreciated
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Try Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives, or Aberdeen Central Library Local Studies. There is an online catalogue for the Archives which can be found through their website at www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/archives, and the Library also has an online search at www.silvercityvault.org.uk
Bear in mind that not all their collections are catalogued, so it's always worth emailing them as well. Their contact details can be found on the sites mentioned.
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Thank you for that. I am sure that my parents lived in a tenement building which had an air raid shelter at the back. I live in Oxfordshire, so unable to go and look at the houses at present day
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Unfortunately, very few of the original tenements on Fraser Place are left - I think it's only the ones on the east-side corners of George Street and Fraser Place - one is a Polish supermarket, the other the 524 pub. There was bomb damage during WWII, and then lots of redevelopment during the 1990s / early 2000s which saw new flats built on the west side of Fraser Place (it crosses George Street).
Also, the east side saw redevelopment in what I'm assuming was the 1960s, 1970s, with the building of what's now the Health & Safety Executive building.
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Thank you for that. My parents were living at 44 Fraser Place during the 2nd world war, and whilst they were in the air raid shelter in 1942 a bomb hit and there was nothing left but a pile of rubble.
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Hi All,
i have just started my second book in Aberdeen 7 Shire during the war, my first book was published a month ago.
For my second book, I have been looking at Air Raid Shelters in Aberdeen. So far haps maps of 1940 shelters (public) and information relating to who got shelters based on earnings and proximity to the harbour.
I wen to look at one shelter in town last week, and was horrified to see a digger parked on top of it on the earthbank, not sure it it was to protect the shelter or ready to demolish it! took some pictures anyway for my book.
There were three types of shelters deployed during the war. A Morrison Shelter (which was basically a cage that people turned into a table and could then hide underneath it.
Anderson shelter, which house up to 6 people in gardens
And finally conventional communal shelters in areas like Torry etc which were of brick construction with a reinforced concrete roof. They were designed to protect against a blast but not a direct hit. the shelters performed a better option that being in a building that could collapse or be hit by flying glass etc!
Aberdeen still has a number of existing shelters in back gardens etc, but none in Fraser place. People use them for storage etc. Quite a few are in Torry as just had a few pictures from one for my next book
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Thank you for that, I do believe in Fraser Place it would have been a concrete one to accommodate all the people in tenement buildings. When I lived in Logie Avenue, Aberdeen, the concrete one was still there and we as children used to have concert in them, so I am beginning to think Fraser Place may have been the same. The tenement my parents and myself were living in, was completely brought to the ground by a bomb in 1942, so we were lucky to be alive in the shelter
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Hi Jessie
I think the damage to Fraser place was 1943?
I have all the bombing records for Aberdeen and can generally pinpoint the exact location, these are from files in the National Archives in Kew. A lot show site sketches and some photos.
What was the Number at Fraser Place? I'll look at the reports and if there are any photos.
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Thank you, it was 44 Fraser Place. I have spoken to my cousin in Aberdeen who tells me that it was a concrete air raid shelter they had in their back garden in Park Street, Aberdeen and also a concrete one our grandparents had in Cotton Street. I am still amazed today to think that Cotton Street wasn't completely wiped out being so near to the shipyards. And also the Salvation Army citadel survived as well. I am told there are still bullet or machine gun fire marks on the Town Hall. I Look forward to hearing from you.
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"I am told there are still bullet or machine gun fire marks on the Town Hall."
Around the houses in the Kittybrewster, Bedford Road (Railway yard) area as well.
Malky
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I'll have a look tonight for 44 Fraser place damage in my files.
Just had a look at Aberdeen 1940 Air raid shelter map, Citidel not lised as a public shelter, nearest were two surface shelters at Union St/Castle street area, 3 trench shelters in ship row. Trench shelter at Cotton street.
I've not heard of bullet marks on the town hall, need to investigate that for a book I am currently writing to follow up the 1st one.
There are bullet marks on grave stones at the trinity Cemetery
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Sorry if I confused you when I mentioned the Salvation Army Citadel, what I was trying to say that it was a beautiful tall building in the Castle Gate, and I was surprised that it was never damaged. Thanks for everything else.
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No worries.
Have since spoken to a contact in the council for ww2 bullet holes in Aberdeen, so watch this space....
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thank you.
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Just had it confirmed from my cousin in Aberdeen that the concrete shelters that were in Park Street and also my grandparents tenement at 29 Cotton Street, Aberdeen, had one door, a passage way with two rooms off. Perhaps you know this already.
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several attempts made to upload images of the reports
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I have some photos of fraser place and the detailed bomb locations / damage. 44 Wasn;t directly hit but 42 and 46 were.
If you send me a private message on here with Email address I can send you them
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report cover
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map attached
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thanks for the map, was there anything else with it, if so, I am unable to see it. Not sure how to private message you with my email address. 44 was completelybrought to the ground as my grandfather and uncle were busy going through all the rubble to find us and were thought to be looters.
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I did put a photo of no 42, I assume 44 was next to it, did you see the photo?
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No 42
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Thanks for the photo, I always wanted to see what the buildings looked like. 44 Fraser Place was rebuilt and is now a Spiritualist church