The Harbour Board

One of the best things about being an archivist is that you are always learning. We move from job to job and acquire a detailed specialist knowledge in some of the most wonderful topics before moving onto the next. Unsurprisingly most of us end up being very useful on a pub quiz team. Therefore, with all this moving about, it’s important to do a bit of background research on a new project before diving straight in.

Some of you may already know drastically more than me about Aberdeen Harbour (this would not come as a surprise as I’ve only known of its existence for about three months) but for those who don’t, here’s a brief history of the harbour and its archive from the early 1800s-1960.

Historically the Harbour had been under the control of local councillors. However, a series of acts and constitutions during the first half of the 19^th century saw the development of a board with more of a vested interest in the harbour including elected commissioners from the pool of people who paid £10 or over per annum in harbour rates. According to Clive Lee, this was a common model for public bodies in Aberdeen during the time. At this time the harbour also saw a lot of major physical development works in the 1800s, many of which were courtesy of John Smeaton and Thomas Telford.

In the early 1800s the harbour was an important shipbuilding centre with seven shipyards; they specialised in steam trawlers and fishing liners. As well as shipbuilding, one of the most important trades in the harbour was salmon and this is something reflected in the records. In 1871 the harbour commissioners purchased salmon fishing rights from organisations such as Raik and Stell which allowed them to develop a profitable business.

During the First World War imports and exports fell dramatically due to frequent U-boat attacks and it took until 1936 to return to normal operations. Unfortunately, they were again halted by the start of the Second World War. As with many other ports in the UK, Aberdeen was a major target and 49 bombs were recording hitting the area during the period. This sustained level of disruption effected the Harbour operations and required major infrastructure works. This period of rebuilding and recovery takes us up to 1960 with the oil industry boom and the creation of the Harbour Board through the Aberdeen Harbour Order Confirmation Act which stated that the Board was responsible “for the regulation and administration of the harbour undertaking”.

References

Aberdeen 1800-2000: A New History, ed. W. Hamish Fraser and Clive H. Lee (Tuckwell Press: East Lothian, 2000)

Aberdeen Harbour Board, ‘Information for prospective board members’, ‘http://d80a69bd923ff4dc0677-b849429a75dd6216be63404a232a877c.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/Board_Members_2020_-_Candidate_Information.pdf’

John R. Turner, Scotland’s North Sea Gateway: Aberdeen Harbour 1136-1986 (Aberdeen University Press: Aberdeen, 1986)

Thomas Donnelly, ‘Shipbuilding in Aberdeen, 1750-1914’ Northern Scotland 4 (1981)