Basic Site Details

Name: Central Public Library
City or county: Aberdeen
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: C Listed
Grid ref:
Notes: This was part of the scheme which also included Gray's School of Art - see separate entry. Also separate entry for Art Gallery.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Library  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1Central Library, Rosemount ViaductYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 41889 Competition held 
Item 2 of 41891  Competition win
Item 3 of 45 July 1892 Opened 
Item 4 of 424 December 1902  Plans for new wing and reading room drawn up

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 13Alexander Brown A18891891Won competition to secure job
Item 2 of 13George Watt A18891891As assistant and latterly partner of Alexander Brown on winning competition entry
Item 3 of 13John Stuart A18891891As apprentice to Brown & Watt on successful competition entry
Item 4 of 13Alexander Marshall Mackenzie B1889 Second premiated competition design
Item 5 of 13James Matthews B1889 Second premiated competition design
Item 6 of 13Matthews & Mackenzie B1889 Second premiated competition design
Item 7 of 13Arthur Clyne C1889 Third premiated competition design
Item 8 of 13John Bridgeford Pirie C1889 Third premiated competition design
Item 9 of 13Pirie & Clyne C1889 Third premiated competition design
Item 10 of 13Brown & Watt A1891 Competition won by Alexander Brown and job completed in partnership
Item 11 of 13Alexander Brown D1902 Plans for new wing and reading room drawn up
Item 12 of 13Brown & Watt D1902 Plans for new wing and reading room drawn up
Item 13 of 13George Watt D1902 Plans for new wing and reading room drawn up

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions… London: Mansell Publishing 
Item 2 of 5Historic Scotland Lists     
Item 3 of 5In Memoriam1892    
Item 4 of 5Sharples, J, Walker, D W and Woodworth, M2015The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire South and Aberdeen London and New Haven: Yale University Presspp108, 161
Item 5 of 5www.scotcities.com/carnegie www.scotcities.com/carnegie   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Aberdeen Daily Free Press25 February 1892  p4 Obituary
Item 2 of 2BuilderLate 1889LVII p210

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 4Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register19993 
Item 2 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSBrown and Watt Scrapbook p 100, 126-8
Item 3 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSJ B Pirie Collection Printed document with details of competition. Drawing of competition design - no 284?, rough sketch on flimsy (381-388 in first box); also sketch no395 and no 470 in first blue box. Third blue box no 16
Item 4 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers John Stuart: L v6 no393; George Watt: L v17 no1224