Skip to main content
Elizabeth Crombie Duthie
PLAQUE087
PLAQUE087

Elizabeth Crombie Duthie

PLAQUE087
Dedicatee (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1818 - 1885)
DescriptionELIZABETH CROMBIE DUTHIE 1816-1885 BENEFACTOR OF THE CITY OF ABERDEEN LIVED IN THIS BUILDING
HistoryBenefactor to the City of Aberdeen. Born in Aberdeen in 1816. The Duthie family held the estate of Ruthrieston which lay immediately outside Aberdeen at that time. She is principally remembered as one of the great 19th century benefactor of the City of Aberdeen. She was involved heavily in the development of churches in the newly expanding Ruthrieston, and gifted money to the town council and to hospitals in Aberdeen. In 1870 she gifted land to Aberdeen City Council with the intention that this would become a park. This formed what is known as Duthie Park. She died in 1885.

Long Version:

Elizabeth Crombie Duthie is one of the great 19th century benefactors of the city. She left money to the University of Aberdeen as well as to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Perhaps, however, her greatest act was in the donation of Duthie park to the city and citizens of Aberdeen.

Elizabeth was the descendant of a successful local family, whose origins lie in the mid-18th century when James Duthie married a sister of Alexander Thomson of Banchory. The family purchased a number of lands; whilst many members were very successful in their respective fields, as advocates and as Deans of Guild. A number of the family died without being married or having any heirs. Consequently the lands and money of the family ultimately came to Elizabeth Crombie Duthie. She had principally inherited her lands and fortune from her brother and her uncle both of whom died without any direct heirs. She was very generous with her money being a patron of the Church, of hospitals and of the university, as well as of the city.

Elizabeth had been looking for a way to commemorate the names of her brother, Alexander, and her uncle, Walter. Also by her own admission she had ‘larger means than are needed for my own wants…’. Having consulted with the then provost, George Jameson of Rosebank, she decided that she would purchase all of the lands necessary to make the park, including Arthurseat House and then make this over as a gift to the city and these would be used to found a new park.

Duthie Park was in fact the second of the Victorian parks to be opened in Aberdeen, the first, Victoria Park, had been established in Rosemount in 1871. Aberdeen City Council were encouraged by the success of Victoria Park and planned to develop other areas in the city. From this came the idea of creating Union Terrace Gardens as well as a park in the Ferryhill area. In order to develop the second idea the council purchased a strip of land along the side of Allenvale Cemetery as well as part of the grounds of Arthurseat House. The plan was established that if Arthurseat House came on to the market then it would be purchased the ground united and a park opened. It should be noted that this was not the first park to be opened in the grounds of Arthurseat House. In 1850 the proprietor of Arthurseat House formed his grounds into a Royal Garden, or recreation ground, advertising the place as having great views of the railway and also of the river Dee. The gardens were opened in August of 1850.

The owner of Arthurseat was, however, in Australia. He had disappeared to all intents and purposes and the factor had no authority to sell it. Parliamentary action was needed to effect a compulsory purchase: this was achieved by the Aberdeen Corporation Act of 1881. In August 1881 the first turf was cut, by the Earl of Aberdeen. Two years later, on 27 September 1883, the park was opened by Princess Beatrice, acting in place of Queen Victoria. This was done with all attendant pomp, circumstance and ceremony: this included the building of a temporary railway station at the north west corner of the park to save Beatrice having to get into a coach to travel an extra half mile. The park was designed by Mr McKelvie of Dundee and cost £50000 and extended, originally, to some 44 acres. Elizabeth died two years later, in 1885, and is buried in St Nicholas Churchyard.
Location Info34, Maberly Street.

Yellow plaque removed when building demolished. The developer then erected their own black plaque.