Aberdeen Granite Association

1887 - 1983

About MeIndexes of AGA Minutes for 1887-1899 and 1906-1915 in the collection.

The Aberdeen Granite Association was founded in 1887. Its purpose was to defend the collective interests of the city's granite merchants in much the same way that, later, the masons' union was to defend the interests of granite workers.

In the latter part of the 19th century Aberdeen's granite industry began to lose its pre-eminent position in the world's stone trade. Competition from abroad and the erection of tariff barriers undermined the great strength of the city's merchants which had been built up over the previous fifty years.

The Association introduced a price-fixing system, both for the purchase of stone and the selling of finished products, in the hope that this would curtail local competition and strengthen export potential. this has a high degree of success in getting merchants to identify with a collective interest. This, however, could not be absolute as by its very nature the capitalist framework meant that local competition was bound to occur. This intrinsic weakness was highlighted in 1912-1913 when two prominent granite merchants were expelled from the Association for breaking a price-fixing agreement.

Apart from introducing price fixing the Association also went on to defend the collective interest in various other ways: it made representations to government about the need for restrictions to be placed on the importation of stone products; it encouraged a broad marketing strategy of granite workers and fought for the introduction of new work-practices and new technology.

In the event, the Association was unable to fend off external competition and stop the decline of Aberdeen's granite trade. In December of 1983 the Granite Association was disbanded.

Links to Aberdeen Art Gallery:

As well as promoting the trade interests of the Association and attempting to regulate trade relations to some extent, the Association also sought to promote the trade within Aberdeen and to improve it.

Around 1891, the Association undertakes (along with the Master Masons Association and the Aberdeen Operative Masons and Stonecutters Society) to support technical education which will teach young stonecutters about statuary and the art of modelling. After enquiring of John Morgan (the Master Builder) what accommodation will be provided at Gray’s, and meeting with the Governors there, they agreed to provide £25 per annum for 3 years. They were clear however that those joining the classes under the auspices of the Association should be taught only such work as would have “a more or less direct bearing on the adaptation of granite for decorative purposes.” The classes were to take place in a shed to the east end of Gray’s. Later these classes are handed over to Gray’s entirely.

Then on 12th March 1897, the Association receives a letter from Hugh McDonald, the Secretary of the Art Gallery & Industrial Museum:
“The Committee of management of the Art Gallery have had under consideration the question of extending public interest in the Institution, and I was directed to communicate with you as Secretary to the Granite Trade to enquire whether your Association could see their way to arrange for placing on Exhibition a collection of Granite in the various stages of work and manufacture.”

This takes some time to organise but eventually samples of granite 8” x 8” and between 1” and 3” thick are provided sufficient to fill a case 6 ft high and 4 ft broad. These are eventually installed in the Gallery in 1901. Later they are requested to assist with the naming of the samples and asked for more since it may be that other granites have since “recently come into vogue”.

In March 1902 John Morgan mentions to the Secretary that John Forbes White is giving a lecture at the Gallery on “Sculptural Monuments of Ancient Greece”, followed by a public meeting from the Art Gallery Committee regarding the institution of a Sculpture Gallery in Aberdeen.

The Association later accepts the request to provide 12 polished columns for the Sculpture Court at the Art Gallery. The work is shared between several firms.