bronze plaque · Aberdeen

Archibald Reith

Photograph at the Archibald Reith bronze plaque
Photograph via Wikipedia (Archibald Reith Low, CC BY-SA).

This bronze plaque serves as a memorial to Archibald Reith MD. Its significance lies in commemorating not only an individual but also marking the historical site of the Porthill Sunday School. The plaque preserves the memory of a place that held community importance for several decades, having been erected in 1874 and serving the area until its demolition in 1960. It acts as a permanent reminder of both Dr. Reith and the former architectural and social landscape of the Porthill area, which has since undergone redevelopment into modern housing.

The memorial plaque originates from an era when local community institutions, such as Sunday schools, played a central role in civic and spiritual life. The demolition of the Porthill Sunday School in 1960 to make way for a housing development reflects a common pattern of urban renewal and change that occurred in post-war Britain. Many communities experienced the loss of older buildings and landmarks as towns and cities adapted to new housing needs and modern planning principles. This plaque stands as a testament to the effort to preserve the memory of an earlier structure and its association with a notable individual amidst such transformations.

This memorial plaque is located in Gallowgate, Aberdeen. It is described as a bronze-plaque, indicating its material and form. Visitors to the area will find it in a public setting, likely integrated into the existing housing development that replaced the Porthill Sunday School. As a bronze plaque, it offers a durable and accessible way to engage with a piece of local history and remembrance. Respectful viewing is encouraged, recognising its role in honouring both Archibald Reith MD and the former community building that once stood on this site.

Inscription

THIS MEMORIAL PLAQUE TO THE MEMORY OF ARCHIBALD REITH MD WAS REMOVED FROM PORTHILL SUNDAY SCHOOL WHEN IT WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE PRESENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT . THE PLAQUE MARKS THE SITE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL WHICH WAS ERECTED IN 1874 AND DEMOLISHED IN 1960
Transcribed from the bronze plaque at Gallowgate.

Background

Archibald Reith Low (31 December 1878 – 21 January 1969) was a British pilot and aeronautics pioneer. He designed the Vickers F.B.5. and Vickers E.F.B.1. According to Mervyn O'Gorman, Low coined the term "drag" to refer to aerodynamic drag.

Source: Open Plaques. Geographic data via OpenStreetMap.

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Data sources

Location records are drawn from open, licence-clean datasets, kept here with attribution and gratitude to the people who maintain them.

  • Open Plaques, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). See openplaques.org.
  • Wikidata, available under the CC0 1.0 Universal dedication.
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence.
  • Historic England, National Heritage List for England, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. War memorial records are drawn from open community datasets (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, NHLE) - never from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is excluded.

Editorial descriptions, photography and tribute links are original TributeLegacy work, layered on top of the open data.

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