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Harbour Voices

Harbour Voices

By Open Road

Harbour Voices is a series of true story podcasts celebrating the lives and livelihoods of people who call the harbour area of Aberdeen home.

Supported by the Year of Scottish Stories 2022 Communities Stories fund and Creative Scotland's Culture Collective fund.

The ships horn has been recorded by Milo and is distributed by Free Sound freesound.org/people/milo/sounds/23722/ and it’s use is licenced under a Creative Commons licence creativecommons.org

Music by Marie Driver and Geraldine Heaney

Produced by @openroadltd
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Currently playing episode

Ross MacLennan: History Curator: Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums

Harbour VoicesOct 26, 2022

00:00
11:13
Harbour Memories 5: Joyce Cairns

Harbour Memories 5: Joyce Cairns

Scottish painter and printmaker Joyce Cairns lived and worked in Fittie for many years. The Fittie Community Hall on New Pier Road is her former studio and here she created a large body of work all inspired by the community and harbour. Joyce is the first woman president of the Royal Scottish Academy and in this podcast she shares her rich memories of Fittie – its people and cats – and the influence of living close to water on her work. 

Jan 25, 202420:32
Harbour Memories 4: Dorothy Young and Louise Ouston

Harbour Memories 4: Dorothy Young and Louise Ouston

We’re reaching across the generations of Fittie in this Harbour Memories podcast episode. Dorothy Young has been a Fittie resident for over 30 years and her granddaughter Louise Ouston has been a regular visitor since she was a child. Between them they recall the Millennium new year at Aberdeen harbour and the social life of the community old and new. 

Jan 03, 202420:21
Harbour Memories 3: Norma Reid

Harbour Memories 3: Norma Reid

Norma Reid’s family have lived in Fittie for generations. In this episode she shares her memories of growing up in the community, the fishing industry that many residents worked in and the strong women who have influenced her life. 

Dec 13, 202321:20
Harbour Memories 2: Chris Gove

Harbour Memories 2: Chris Gove

Chris Gove has a long family history linked with Old Torry and many fabulous stories of the Aberdeen’s harbour and fishing industry to tell. This episode of Harbour Memories captures of few of the best. 

Dec 04, 202321:26
Harbour Memories 1: Margaret Wright

Harbour Memories 1: Margaret Wright

In this first episode of our Harbour Memories series, Margaret Wright shares insights on growing up in the Torry area of Aberdeen and the influence of the fishing industry and maritime life on the community.

Nov 17, 202316:20
Fittie Past, Present & Future: A Story

Fittie Past, Present & Future: A Story

As part of her residency in Fittie environmental storyteller Cara Silversmith of One Nature Education crafted a story for the community, based on her time in Fittie, the stories residents shared with her and her environmental knowledge and passions. Listen here to the story she created.

Jun 23, 202316:48
12.	Katy Kavanagh: Senior Archivist, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives

12. Katy Kavanagh: Senior Archivist, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives

The Port of Aberdeen is the oldest business in the UK. They recently donated their rich archives, which date back to the 18th century, to Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives to look after. Senior Archivist Katy Kavanagh shares how the records held within the Port of Aberdeen’s archive prove the significance of the harbour to Aberdeen. As well as details of its rich contents which include extensive historic photographs of Aberdeen and other harbours around Scotland’s North East coast.

Dec 20, 202212:40
11.	Keith Young: Engineering Director at the Port of Aberdeen

11. Keith Young: Engineering Director at the Port of Aberdeen

The Port of Aberdeen (formerly Aberdeen Harbour Board) is the oldest company in the UK. In this episode Keith Young, Engineering Director at the Port of Aberdeen, talks of his lifelong connection with the harbour, the expansion into the South Harbour as well as the impacts of heavy storms such as Storm Frank in 2015.

Dec 12, 202213:31
Manson Geddes: Merchant Seaman

Manson Geddes: Merchant Seaman

Manson Geddes started life as a merchant seaman in Aberdeen Harbour. In this episode he shares stories of his travels around the world and life at sea.

Nov 29, 202216:02
Amy Benzie: ceramic artist
Nov 29, 202212:18
Dawn Farmer: wild swimmer

Dawn Farmer: wild swimmer

Fittie resident and wild swimmer Dawn Farmer shares her experiences of swimming in the North Sea close to Aberdeen Harbour, and the mental health and wellbeing benefits of an early morning dip in all weathers.

Nov 29, 202211:16
Marjory Harper: Professor of History

Marjory Harper: Professor of History

Professor Marjory Harper is a Scottish historian with a focus on social history and emigration from the Northeast. Discover more about Aberdeen Harbour as a port of emigration, who left the Northeast, why they emigrated and where they went.

Nov 21, 202215:58
Catherine O'Donnell The Fittie Bar

Catherine O'Donnell The Fittie Bar

The Fittie Bar is an institution in the Harbour area of Aberdeen. Long time bar maid Catherine O’Donnell shares stories of the locals and visitors who frequent this unique pub and talks of its place at the heart of harbour life.

Nov 14, 202213:05
Carole Monnier - Greyhope Bay

Carole Monnier - Greyhope Bay

Carole Monnier leads on fundraising for Greyhope Bay, a dolphin watching café and community space at Torry Battery. Listen to her stories of bottlenose dolphins and making off the grid Greyhope Bay a reality.

Nov 04, 202213:07
Ross MacLennan: History Curator: Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums
Oct 26, 202211:13
Campbell Scott - Scot Surf

Campbell Scott - Scot Surf

In a ‘what if’ moment Fittie resident Campbell Scott gave up his job as a university lecturer in 2017 to set up Scot Surf and offer surfing and paddleboarding lessons on Aberdeen Beach. Campbell shares experiences of new surfers getting hooked after their first wave, water safety and dolphins coming to find you.

Oct 20, 202211:55
Natalie Hood Torry Community Activist

Natalie Hood Torry Community Activist

Natalie has lived in Torry on the south side of Aberdeen Harbour for 30 years and volunteers with a number of charities in the area including the Torry Memories and Heritage Society. In this episode Natalie talks about life about life and community spirit in Torry from community cleans up to supporting local shops. As well as the amazing views of the old and new harbours.

Oct 07, 202210:26
Andy Haines RNLI volunteer

Andy Haines RNLI volunteer

Andy shares a behind the scenes insight into life as a RNLI volunteer at Aberdeen Lifeboat Station located on Waterloo Quay in Aberdeen Harbour. Hear what it’s like to live in Fittie - a community with a rich history of RNLI volunteers - as well the adrenaline rush of heading out on a rescue during Storm Arwen.

Sep 29, 202210:18