Old Photograph Blacksmith Bankfoot Perthshire Scotland

Old photograph of a blacksmith in Bankfoot, North of Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.



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

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Old Photograph Boat Builders Anstruther Fife Scotland

Old photograph of boat builders at Smith and Hutton's boat building yard in Anstruther in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. From the early 19th century Fife’s boat builders were recognised for their boat building skills and for the quality of their boats for many decades. During this time, most of the historic harbours housed not only a huge fishing fleet but also numerous boatyards such as Miller, Reekie, Aitken, Smith and Hutton, Fulton and many others.



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

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Old Photograph Boat Builders St Monans Fife Scotland

Old photograph of boat builders in St Monans, East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. J W Miller and Sons Ltd was a boatbuilder in St Monans for over 200 years. They produced a variety of fishing boats, yachts and motor launches. The firm built 110 Fifie yachts and was known worldwide for the quality and craftsmanship of their vessels. The yard is now closed. The firm of James N. Miller & Sons was established in 1747, by John Miller, wheelwright and joiner of Over Kellie. Up to 1888, the firm built fishing boats for St Monans, Pittenweem and Anstruther. As well as being boat builders, the firm were the local joiners and undertakers, making the coffins themselves. Miller's played their part in the two world wars, building motor launches for the Royal Navy for use in the Near East during World War I. Between the wars, while still producing fishing boats, yacht building came into its own. From 1920 to 1939, 66 yachts were built, many to Miller's own design. Others were designed by naval architects including G L Watson and W G McBryde. A total of 59 vessels, motor torpedo boats and motor launches were built during and immediately after World War II. Miller's remained a family business, passing through several generations. The firm was known worldwide for the quality and craftsmanship of their vessels. In 1934, brothers Tom and Willie took over the business. Their father, James, continued to run the ship chandlers, grocery store until his death in 1944. Tom's son, Jimmy, served time in the boatyard, studied naval architecture, and designed many of the fishing boats built. Willie's son, Jim, like his father before him, went to Bergius in Glasgow to serve time as an engineer. However, he made his name as the Scottish and classical singer.



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Old Photograph Gannet Hunter Sula Sgeir Scotland

Old photograph of a Gannet hunter on Sula Sgeir, a small, uninhabited Scottish island located more than forty miles north of the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The most important nesting ground for northern gannets is the United Kingdom with about two thirds of the world's population. These live mainly in Scotland, including the Shetland Isles. The rest of the world's population is divided between Canada, Ireland, Faroe Islands and Iceland, with small numbers in France, they are often seen in the Bay of Biscay, the Channel Islands, Norway and a single colony in Germany on Heligoland. The biggest northern gannet colony is on Scotland's Bass Rock. Sulasgeir off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, St. Kilda, Grassholm in Pembrokeshire, Bempton Cliffs in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, Sceilig Bheag, Ireland and Bonaventure Island, Quebec, Canada, are also important northern gannet breeding sites. History 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 Young Fisherman Fair Isle Scotland

Old photograph of a young fisherman on the Fair Isle, Scotland. Fair Isle is an island in northern Scotland, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney islands. History 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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