Tour Scotland

Old Photograph Skelmorlie Castle Scotland

Old photograph of Skelmorlie Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland. This first Scottish castle here dates from 1502, and was formerly the seat and stronghold of the Montgomery Clan. The modern village of Skelmorlie lies to the north of the castle. Major General James Montgomerie, of Wrighthill, Member of Parliament for Ayrshire lived at the castle for a long period in the early 19th century, being the brother of the 12th earl and grand uncle to the 13th earl. During this time the castle remained as a little altered, but run down example of a tower castle. The castle was tenanted during the period 1852 to 1890 by John Graham, born 1797, died 1886, of Glasgow, a textile and Port wine merchant. He rebuilt the castle in 1856 by restoring the old tower at his own expense, and adding the mansion house which joined two old buildings, with the permission of the Earl of Eglinton. His architect was William Railton of Kilmarnock. The 16th Earl of Eglinton moved here from the abandoned Eglinton Castle the Montgomerie family seat in the mid 1920s, but it was sold by the 18th Earl of Eglinton, having been leased to the Wilson family since 1956. The 16th Earl died at Skelmorlie Castle in 1945. The castle became the property of the Wilson family in the mid 1970s, also the owners of the meat canning factory at Eglinton Castle, Kilwinning. The castle was advertised for sale in 2007 and passed to new private owners in the summer of 2009.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photograph Town Hall Penicuik Scotland

Old photograph of the Town Hall in Penicuik, Scotland. The founder of the papermakers Alexander Cowan & Sons was a nationally important social reformer and philanthropist. He helped create a public library in Penicuik in 1799, built a school and social housing for his workers, created a scheme for sickness pay and pensions for both male and female workers before 1848 and piped a clean public water supply from the Pentland Hills into the centre of Penicuik. In 1894, part of his bequest was used to build The Cowan Institute, as it was called then, which included a large public hall with a gallery, a library with many thousands of books, billiard tables and a fitted gymnasium, even public baths, all endowed for the good of the people of Penicuik. Its architect was the husband of Alexander Cowan's grand daughter, Cambell Douglas who, for half a century, led one of the most influential architectural teaching practices in the country and went on to spread the influence of the Scottish Baronial style to France and Japan. The Cowan Institute's splendid projecting clock was added in 1901 - Alexander Cowan's family having lived at Moray House in Edinburgh's Canongate looked out at the Tolbooth clock. For the next 60 years, the Institute was locally managed under the supervision of trustees. Then in March 1960, Penicuik Burgh Councill formally accepted the gift of the Cowan Institute building and the funds of the Cowan Trust, as a civic cintre for the people of Penicuik undertaking to provide for its future as recreational and hall facilities in the spirit of the trust. For 12 years, the Cowan Institute became Penicuik Town Hall, with the Library and billiard room converted for council administration. A new floor of specially imported Canadian rockwood maple split the Great Hall in two and created one of the finest sprung dancing floors in the country. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photograph Stewart Street Portgordon Scotland

Old photograph of cottages on Stewart Street in Portgordon near Buckie on the Moray Firth, Scotland. Portgordon was established in 1797 by Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon as a fishing village. In 1797 houses were built for ten fishermen and their families from Nether Buckie. This was the third new village the Duke had established, but unlike Fochabers and Tomintoul before, this was a smaller venture and little planning was done with regards to street layout. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photographs Pettycur Road Kinghorn Fife Scotland

Old photograph of houses and people on Pettycur Road in Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photographs Railway Station Kinross Scotland

Old photograph of the railway station in Kinross, Perthshire, Scotland. The Fife and Kinross Railway was authorised by Act of Parliament on 16 July 1855 to build a 14 mile line, to build a branch line from the Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway at Ladybank to Kinross. The Kinross-shire Railway was authorised on 10 August 1857 to construct a single line route 7 miles long from the Dunfermline branch of the Edinburgh, Perth and Dunfermline Railway near Lumphinnans to Kinross. The Devon Valley Railway was incorporated on 23 July 1858 to build a line from the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway station at Tillicoultry to Hopefield Kinross. The Fife and Kinross line closed between Ladybank and Mawcarse Junction on 5 June 1950 to passengers, and to goods on 5 October 1964. The Kelty to Kinross to Glenfarg to Hilton Junction Kinross line closed on 5 January 1970, although goods traffic continued to Kinross and Milnathort until 4 May 1970. The Devon Valley Railway route closed on 15 June 1964, although goods services continued between Tillicoultry and Alloa until 25 June 1973. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.