Tides and Times

First published in the RGU Radar 2019 Winter Edition

Fishing- an integral part of the Aberdonian lifestyle. According to the Guinness World Record, Aberdeen Harbour is Britain’s oldest business, operating for over 900 years.

Image: Joseph Barrientos

In 1136, during the Crusades, David I of Scotland granted the Bishops of Aberdeen the right to take a tithe (tax which supports the Church) on ships that traded at port. In the Tudor times new trade links between Scandinavia and Baltic Ports led to Aberdeen Harbour being improved.

As we can the harbour has been thriving for many centuries. It even dabbled in shipbuilding, which ended in the 1990s. Yet, the oil industry’s success starting in the 1960s (with the first Aberdeen oil company celebrating over fifty-five years in business), is still flourishing to this day.

There are some very interesting stories centred around Aberdeen Harbour. Here are our favourites.

1. On July 1, 1909 Harry Houdini (famous illusionist and stunt-performer) divided into the waters at Aberdeen Harbour, enchained and handcuffed. Time passed on, without him resurfacing, and the fear grew that Aberdeen Harbour would be the deathplace of Houdini. However, in great style, he then re-emerged from the icy depths, free from his shackles. A miraculous escape!

1. In 1868, Walter Hood and Bernard Waymouth, created the Thermopylae, a clipper boat. It was built in Aberdeen Harbour, intended for tea-trading between London and China. However, beforehand it managed to sail from London to Melbourne in 60 days. It also won against a rival clipper, winning by a week. Unfortunately, it became target practice for the Portuguese Navy and was sunk without a trace.

1. In the 1790s whale-hunting was an essential part of Scotland’s economy, meaning ships were built for the Antarctic conditions. On the 1st of July 1813, the ship, Oscar, was caught in the wind. As her anchor dragged, she was grounded on the rocks and the wind broke her to pieces. The crew scrambled onto the mast but it fell, killing all but two. £12,000 (£180,000 in today’s money) was raised for the families who had lost a loved one.

Aberdeen Harbour is changing again. The fishermen and wifies are disappearing, ghosts to a backdrop of industry service vessels and plans for decommissioning of rigs, alongside the giant tourist cruise ships. Aberdeen Harbour was and will remain, however, very much a part of Aberdeen.