It's a fact! 50 things you may not know about Aberdeen - Here are 21 of them. Go to the website for the remainder. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/tourism_visitor_attractions/tourists_visitors/statistics/stt_itsafact.asp Who knows, there could be a name you recognise. I believe we've got a Lister here you can vouch for No. 2. 1. There are over 30 places named Aberdeen throughout the world. 2. Aberdeen Harbour Board, established in 1136, is Britain's oldest business. 3. In 1808 the entire fishing village of Footdee (Fittie) was moved partly to accommodate harbour expansion and partly because the residents had requested it. 4. In 1882 Aberdonian Astronomer Sir David Gill took the first successful photograph of a comet. The Moon's Gill Crater is also named after him. 5. The Shore Porters Society of Aberdeen was founded in 1498. Still trading today, it is the world's oldest documented transport company. 6. Union Street is named to commemorate the Union of Britain and Ireland. 7. More medieval coin hoards have been found in Aberdeen than anywhere else in Britain. 8. The Kirk of St Nicholas houses the largest carillon in Britain, consisting of 48 bells. 9. The Aberdeen Journal, one of the Press and Journal's ancestors, is one of the oldest newspapers in Britain, first printed in 1748. 10. Rubislaw Quarry, at 480 feet deep was once the largest man-made hole in Europe. 11. Robert Davidson of Aberdeen is recognised for his pioneering work in developing electric motors in the early 19th Century. 12. Waterloo Bridge and the Terraces of the Houses of Parliament are built of Aberdeen granite. 13. 640,000 cubic feet of Aberdeen granite went into the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge. 14. In the late 19th Century Aberdeen was the British centre for envelope production. 15. The self-seal envelope was developed in Aberdeen. 16. James Gibbs, architect of St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, was born in Footdee (Fittie). 17. Charles Cameron from Aberdeen designed many buildings in St Petersburg during the reign of Catherine the Great. 18. A pit uncovered in Ship Row, under the modern extension to the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, has been dated to the first century AD. 19. In 1942 the people of Aberdeen raised over £2m to pay for the building of HMS Scylla as part of the war effort. That's the equivalent of £57m today. 20. Torry Point Battery, recently scheduled as an Ancient Monument by the Scottish Ministers, was used as emergency housing for the people of Aberdeen after WWII. 21. The fastest sailing ship ever, the Thermopylae, was built in Aberdeen in 1868. See more at the Aberdeen Built Ships http://www.aberdeenships.com/ website! Janet

#21 -- My grandfather was a cook's boy on the Thermopylae when he was a teenager (in spite of the fact that he was always violently seasick for the first three days of every journey). He brought back many souvenirs of his travels which I have inherited, and told his three sons many stories of his adventures, some of which may even have been true :-) . He always resented that the Cutty Sark was the better-known ship. Margaret Gibbs (no relation-in-law to #16 -- my ancestors-in-law were from Argyll by way of Northern Ireland before they ended up in Canada) On 16/08/2013 5:38 AM, Janet wrote: > It's a fact! 50 things you may not know about Aberdeen - Here are 21 of them. > Go to the website for the remainder. > http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/tourism_visitor_attractions/tourists_visitors/statistics/stt_itsafact.asp > Who knows, there could be a name you recognise. I believe we've got a > Lister here you can vouch for No. 2. > > 1. There are over 30 places named Aberdeen throughout the world. > 2. Aberdeen Harbour Board, established in 1136, is Britain's oldest business. > 3. In 1808 the entire fishing village of Footdee (Fittie) was moved partly to > accommodate harbour expansion and partly because the residents had requested > it. > 4. In 1882 Aberdonian Astronomer Sir David Gill took the first successful > photograph of a comet. The Moon's Gill Crater is also named after him. > 5. The Shore Porters Society of Aberdeen was founded in 1498. Still trading > today, it is the world's oldest documented transport company. > 6. Union Street is named to commemorate the Union of Britain and Ireland. > 7. More medieval coin hoards have been found in Aberdeen than anywhere else > in Britain. > 8. The Kirk of St Nicholas houses the largest carillon in Britain, consisting > of 48 bells. > 9. The Aberdeen Journal, one of the Press and Journal's ancestors, is one of > the oldest newspapers in Britain, first printed in 1748. > 10. Rubislaw Quarry, at 480 feet deep was once the largest man-made hole in > Europe. > 11. Robert Davidson of Aberdeen is recognised for his pioneering work in > developing electric motors in the early 19th Century. > 12. Waterloo Bridge and the Terraces of the Houses of Parliament are built of > Aberdeen granite. > 13. 640,000 cubic feet of Aberdeen granite went into the construction of the > Forth Rail Bridge. > 14. In the late 19th Century Aberdeen was the British centre for envelope > production. > 15. The self-seal envelope was developed in Aberdeen. > 16. James Gibbs, architect of St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Bartholomew's > Hospital in London, was born in Footdee (Fittie). > 17. Charles Cameron from Aberdeen designed many buildings in St Petersburg > during the reign of Catherine the Great. > 18. A pit uncovered in Ship Row, under the modern extension to the Aberdeen > Maritime Museum, has been dated to the first century AD. > 19. In 1942 the people of Aberdeen raised over £2m to pay for the building of > HMS Scylla as part of the war effort. That's the equivalent of £57m today. > 20. Torry Point Battery, recently scheduled as an Ancient Monument by the > Scottish Ministers, was used as emergency housing for the people of Aberdeen > after WWII. > 21. The fastest sailing ship ever, the Thermopylae, was built in Aberdeen in > 1868. See more at the Aberdeen Built Ships http://www.aberdeenships.com/ > website! > Janet > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >