Voices of Torry

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Voices of Torry Stories, memory and belonging from Torry. An oral history project by Touch of Love Arts & Culture CIC.

01/09/2026

“The first teacher I had in Vicky Road was a real horrible person.” 😂

In this Voices of Torry story, Doug looks back on his early school days and how those first experiences shaped him.

Not every memory starts sweet, but they all tell us something. For Doug, school was part of growing up in Torry, learning about people, finding his way, and becoming the person he is today.

His story reminds us that childhood memories are made up of all sorts of moments, the funny ones, the difficult ones, the teachers we never forgot, and the experiences that stayed with us long after we left the classroom.

Did you go to school in Torry? Do you remember your first teacher?

We’d love to hear your story.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

Did you know?Torry was once home to more than fishing and harbour life.The area also had a strong industrial story, with...
28/08/2026

Did you know?

Torry was once home to more than fishing and harbour life.

The area also had a strong industrial story, with places like Harper Limited at Craiginches Ironworks helping shape Aberdeen’s engineering history.

Founded in Aberdeen in 1856, Harper & Company became known for ironfounding, engineering, gates, fencing and bridge work, at a time when industry and innovation were growing fast.

Stories like this remind us that Torry was not just a place people lived. It was a place that built, made, repaired, supplied and helped shape working life far beyond its streets.

Do you remember any of Torry’s old industries, yards, factories or workplaces?

We’d love to hear your memories.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

24/08/2026

“We would move from house to house, and by the time we got to the end, it was a massive party.”

In this Voices of Torry story, Leslie reflects on the New Year’s Eve traditions that once brought neighbours together across Torry.

She remembers a time when people would visit each other’s homes, moving from one house to the next. As the night went on, more people would join in, and by the end, it had become one big celebration.

It was more than just a party. It was community. It was neighbours knowing neighbours, doors being open, families sharing moments, and streets feeling connected.

Leslie’s memory reminds us of a Torry where people looked out for each other and shared life closely.

Torry has changed over the years, but stories like this help us remember the spirit that shaped it.

Do you remember New Year’s Eve in Torry? Did your street or family have traditions like this?

We’d love to hear your memories.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

19/08/2026

Once upon a time, Torry’s skyline told a different story.

For generations, this area has been shaped by harbour life, fishing, shipbuilding, industry and the sea. But in recent years, a new structure has joined the view from Torry and East Tullos.

In 2023, the NESS Energy from Waste facility began full operation, marking a new chapter in the area’s industrial landscape. Built to process non-recyclable waste from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray, the facility now turns waste into energy and is also connected to the Torry Heat Network.

By 2024, it had become one of the newest landmarks on the edge of Torry, standing above the surrounding streets, schools, homes and green spaces.

For some people, it is just a modern energy facility. For Torry, it is part of a much bigger story, a reminder of how the area continues to change, adapt and carry the weight of Aberdeen’s working life.

From fishing boats and shipyards to energy, infrastructure and new industry, Torry’s skyline keeps evolving.

Do you remember this area before the NESS facility was built? Did you grow up near East Tullos, work nearby, or have a story connected to Torry’s changing landscape?

We want to hear your memories.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

Got a Torry story to tell?Voices of Torry is here to celebrate the people, places, memories, events and moments that mak...
17/08/2026

Got a Torry story to tell?

Voices of Torry is here to celebrate the people, places, memories, events and moments that make Torry special.

From personal stories and family memories, to community events, local campaigns, neighbourhood projects, school days, harbour life, street memories and everything in between, if it involves Torry, we want to help give it a voice.

We are collecting real stories and experiences from the people who know Torry best, because every memory, every event and every connection helps keep Torry’s history and community spirit alive.

We’d love to hear from you. Send us a DM or contact 07951 702158 to share your Torry story, event, campaign or memory.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

11/08/2026

Once upon a time, in the late 1960s, the Torry skyline was beginning to change.

In 1968, construction started on three new tower blocks at Balnagask Circle: Morven Court, Brimmond Court and Grampian Court. Built for Aberdeen Burgh Council, the three identical blocks rose to 14 storeys each and together provided 156 homes for local people. Construction ran from 1968 to 1970.

By 1970, the towers had become a new landmark on the Torry skyline. Old aerial photographs from that year already show Morven, Brimmond and Grampian Courts standing above the surrounding neighbourhood, with the coast and lighthouse beyond.

More than fifty years later, they are much more than three buildings. They have been home to generations of families, neighbours and friendships, with thousands of everyday moments taking place behind those windows.

For some people, this is architecture. For Torry, it is living history.

Were you there in the early days? Did you grow up in one of the multis, visit family there, or have a story connected to them?

We want to hear your memories.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

05/08/2026

This is Voices of Torry.

The streets, the harbour, the sea, the people, the memories, the everyday sounds and familiar places that make Torry what it is.

Every corner has a story. Every voice carries a memory. Every place means something to someone.

Through Voices of Torry, we are capturing the stories that matter, from the people who know Torry best.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

Tell your Torry story.The streets you grew up on, the neighbours you never forgot, the schools, the harbour, the fish, t...
03/08/2026

Tell your Torry story.

The streets you grew up on, the neighbours you never forgot, the schools, the harbour, the fish, the family homes, the old shops, the childhood memories, the hard times, the happy times, we want to hear it all.

Voices of Torry is collecting real stories from people who were born here, grew up here, worked here, lived here, or have any connection to Torry.

Your story does not need to be perfect. It could be one memory, one place, one person, or one moment that stayed with you.

If you have a Torry story and would love to share it, kindly send us a DM.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

Your Torry story matters.Voices of Torry is about collecting and sharing the real stories, memories and experiences of t...
29/07/2026

Your Torry story matters.

Voices of Torry is about collecting and sharing the real stories, memories and experiences of the people who know Torry best.

Whether you were born here, grew up here, moved here, worked here, went to school here, raised a family here, or simply have memories connected to the area, we would love to hear from you.

From childhood memories and old streets, to school days, family life, shops, neighbours, harbour stories, work, community, change and everything in between, every story helps us preserve a piece of Torry’s history.

Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of sitting with different Torry voices, listening to their memories, learning from their lived experiences and capturing the stories that make this community so special.

Now, we want to hear from more of you.

If you’re from Torry, connected to Torry, or have a story, photo, memory or experience you’d love to share, send us a DM and be part of Voices of Torry.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

28/07/2026

“I was actually born in Torry, on a ground floor flat in the middle of Victoria Road.”

Meet Doug, one of the older Torry voices sharing his memories as part of our intergenerational Torry Memories project.

Through the project, New Scots and young people have been sitting down with older Torry voices to listen, ask questions and learn about what life was like growing up here.

For Doug, Torry was street games, school friends, family connections, cousins, aunties, uncles and a strong community life where there was always someone around that he knew.

It is memories like this that remind us how much heart lives in the people and stories of Torry.

If you are from Torry and would love to share your story, kindly reach out to us. We would be more than happy to listen and share it.

Real Stories. Real Voices. Rooted in Torry.

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