Tour Scotland Video Old Photographs Kirkcaldy Fife

Tour Scotland video of old photographs of Kirkcaldy, Fife. From the early 16th century, the establishment of a harbour at the East Burn confirmed the town's early role as an important trading port. The town also began to develop around the salt, coal mining and nail making industries. The production of linen which followed in 1672 was later instrumental in the introduction of floorcloth in 1847 by linen manufacturer, Michael Nairn. In 1877 this in turn contributed to linoleum, which became the town's most successful industry: Kirkcaldy was a world producer until well into the mid 1960s. The town expanded considerably in the 1950s and 1960s, though the decline of the linoleum industry and other manufacturing restricted its growth thereafter.

Ronald Craufurd Munro Ferguson, 1st Viscount Novar, was born his family home in the Raith area near Kirkcaldy on 6 March 1860. He was a Scottish politician and colonial governor. He served as the sixth Governor General of Australia from 1914 to 1920, and is considered probably the most politically influential holder of this post. After his return to Britain, he was Secretary for Scotland from 1922 to 1924. Laconic, suave, urbane and highly intelligent, Munro Ferguson's easy going aristocratic airs and graces made him wee liked and charming. In the diplomatic corps, he made a success of Governorship of Australia. He married Lady Helen Hermione, born 1863, died 9 April 1941, daughter of Lord Dufferin, in 1889. The union was childless. They lived at 18 Portman Square, when in London, England. He was a member of the Athenaeum and Reform Clubs. He died at his home in 1934, aged 74, his title dying with him as he left no issue.

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Tour Scotland Video Old Photographs Aberdour Fife

Tour Scotland video of old photographs of Aberdour, Fife, Scotland. In the 18th century Aberdour's fishing harbour was improved by the addition of a stone pier to help handle the coal traffic from nearby collieries. However, in the 1850s the traffic changed dramatically, and Aberdour Harbour became a popular destination for pleasure steamers from Leith, Edinburgh. This in turn led to the building of a deeper water pier a little around the bay at Hawkcraig, and to the development of hotels and many of the other services still on view today in the village. This in turn led to the building of a deeper water pier a little around the bay at Hawkcraig, and to the development of hotels and many of the other services still on view today in the village. The railway came to Aberdour in 1890, with the building of the line east from the newly opened Forth Bridge.

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Old Photographs Auchindrain Scotland

Old photograph of cottages in Auchindrain located six miles South of Inveraray, Scotland. It is the only township to survive substantially unaltered from the many hundreds that existed across the Scottish Highlands before the Highland Clearances of the late 18th and 19th centuries. In 1776 the Duke of Argyll reacquired the township, the Duke and his factor were early enthusiasts for the principles of agricultural improvement. Auchindrain is included in a list from 1779 of all those living on the Duke’s land. A plan was made in 1789, by the surveyor George Langlands, for the township to be rebuilt and reorganized into crofts as many of the other townships in were. In Auchindrain this was never implemented, possibly because the investment required would not have justified the financial return. In 1875, when Queen Victoria was staying at Inveraray Castle, she visited what she called the primitive villages of Auchindrain and Achnagoul, between here and Inveraray.

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Old Photograph Fishing Boats Harbour Methil Scotland

Old photograph of fishing boats in the harbour at Methil, Fife, Scotland.

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Old Photographs Flooding Troon Scotland

Old photograph of flooding in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland.



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

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