Aberdeen, Maberly Street, Broadford Works, Waste Cleaning Department

NJ 93609 06881 (NJ90NW 125) A standing building survey was carried out, 2 October 2015 – 11 January 2017, primarily of buildings to be demolished prior to the creation of an urban village. The current condition of the buildings being retained was also recorded.

Broadford Works was originally constructed by Fenton Murray and Wood of Leeds in 1808 for Scott Brown and Co. of Angus. It went bankrupt in 1811 and was sold to Sir John Maberly MP, entrepreneur, speculator and introducer of jute to the UK. Maberly rapidly developed Broadford Works,

adopting the first gas lighting of an industrial complex in Scotland, by Boulton and Watt in 1814–15, and Scotland’s second power loom linen weaving factory in Scotland in 1824. Maberly was himself bankrupt and in 1834 the works passed to Richards and Co., who had a bleachworks at

Rubislaw and branches at Montrose, and produced canvas tarpaulins, and as a particular specialism, fire hoses. In the 1830s the business was taken over by John Baker Richards, a London merchant. Under his ownership and name the company expanded through the 19th century. By the 1880s

eight steam engines drove the plant and some 3000 mill hands were employed. The company manufactured linen sheeting, towelling, sail canvas, tent cloth and hose web. Most of the buildings to be demolished were later additions and all the older mill buildings are being retained.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: First Construction Ltd

Alison Cameron - Cameron Archaeology

(Source: DES, Volume 18)