Aberdeen curiosities - Robert Smith

This fascinating journey into Aberdeen's past is crammed with extraordinary stories about the people, events and place s that have played an important part in its history over the centuries and which have left their mark in the city's collective memory. We read of the two great illusionists, Dr Walford Bodie and John Anderson; the collector, George 'Taffy' Davidson; the three generations of Cocky Hunters, bric-a-brac dealers extraordinaire, as well as a host of others. Bob Smith also explains the significance of some of Aberdeen's well-known and lesser-known buildings and monuments: we discover, for example, the true significance of Scarty's monument (a sewer ventilator), the various uses to which the market cross has been put (from execution ground to post office) and the story of the murder commemorated by Downie's Cairn. The result is a rich and varied celebration of Aberdeen that is essential reading for Aberdonians and visitors alike.