Tour Scotland photographs and videos from my tours of Scotland. Photography and videography, both old and new, from beautiful Scotland, Scottish castles, seascapes, rivers, islands, landscapes, standing stones, lochs and glens.
Old travel Blog photograph of James Bowman from Govan, Glasgow, Scotland. Bowman is an occupational surname of pre 7th century origins. It derives from the Saxon word, boga, meaning a bow, and, " man " in this context describing a man skilled in both the making and operating of a Bow. Early surname with recordings include Adam Bogheman in the Curia Regis rolls of Westmorland in 1223, Thomas Bouman of Northumberland in the Assize Court rolls of 1279, and Nicholas the Boueman in the Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire in 1286 and 1287. In 1539 Thomas Bowmaker of Newcastle, England, was recorded in a list of the citizens of the city capable of bearing arms.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of the Stepping Stones to Greenlaw, located in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water at the junction of the A697 and the A6105 in the Borders, Scotland. Greenlaw was first made the county town of Berwickshire in 1596. Greenlaw's impressive town hall was completed in 1831. Thomas Gibson, born 8 January 1825, died 1901, was born in Greenlaw, he was an Ontario political figure. He represented Huron North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1871 to 1874 and Huron East from 1875 to 1898. Thomas was the son of Thomas Gibson, born 1751, died 1820, and his wife Helen Lunham. He was educated at the free church school in Greenlaw. He went to Canada West in 1854. He died in January 1901 and is buried in Wroxeter, Ontario. The township of Gibson, now part of the Township of Georgian Bay in the Muskoka District, was named after him. His nephew was the noted mathematician Prof George Alexander Gibson.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of fishing boats on the slipway at McKay's boatyard in the harbour in Arbroath, Angus, Scotland.Arbroath today is mostly known for its connection with the Scottish fishing industry. After the original harbours, dating from the 14th and 18th centuries, were replaced in 1839 with a larger harbour, the local council tried to find fishermen who would be interested in migrating to Arbroath in order to take advantage of the new facilities offered. The town council contacted fishermen in nearby Auchmithie and further afield, including Shetland. The fishing industry grew and at its peak years between 1900 and 1980, around 40 whitefish and pelagic vessels worked from Arbroath, with hundreds of men employed directly as fishermen, hundreds more employed ashore to service the fishing vessels and to process the fish. Quota cuts and decommissioning took its toll on the fishing industry throughout Scotland from the 1980s to present. Today, Arbroath remains a designated whitefish landing port, and although no fish auction takes place, the fishmarket remains open and is used for landing shellfish. There is now only one large fishing vessel operating regularly from Arbroath, and a further three Arbroath owned vessels operating from Aberdeen and ports further north. The fish processing sector remains one of the largest employers in the town however, but fish for processing now comes from Aberdeen, Peterhead and occasionally from Iceland, Norway and Ireland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of the Public Park in Brechin in Angus, Scotland. In 1903, the town erected a bandstand and a fountain in the public park. The elaborate cast iron fountain was donated by Robert Duke Esq. of Bearehill and manufactured by Walter Macfarlane and Company Saracen Foundry in Glasgow. Seated in a circular basin, the single pedestal with canted corners hosted lion masks set into concave mouldings which spouted water into basins with fluted edge. Cranes were located on each corner beneath the upper basin. A crane with open wings and head raised operated as a water jet.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh, Scotland. The building is textured concrete and glass, and was designed by William Kininmonth who was born on 8 November 1904, in Forfar, Angus. He was educated at Dunfermline High School and later, George Watson's College in Edinburgh. His first architectural training was with William Thomson of Leith, where he was articled. From 1925 to 1929 he also attended classes at Edinburgh College of Art under John Begg, where he first met Basil Spence, then a fellow student. With Spence, Kininmonth spent a year as an assistant in the office of Sir Edwin Lutyens in London, England, working on designs for the Viceroy's House in New Delhi, and attending evening classes at The Bartlett under Albert Richardson. Retrning to Edinburgh, Kininmonth took a teaching post at Edinburgh College of Art, becoming a senior lecturer in 1939. In 1931, Kininmonth set up in practice with Basil Spence, working from a single room in the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul in Edinburgh. Kininmonth & Spence executed several commissions for private houses in Edinburgh. In 1934 Kininmonth and Spence was merged with the Rowand Anderson practice, forming Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. When Arthur Balfour Paul died in 1938, Kininmonth and Spence became sole partners. In 1942 he was called up for military service, and served with the Royal Engineers in North Africa and Italy. After the war, Basil Spence set up his own practice, while Kininmonth continued the renamed Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul. Kininmonth was knighted in 1972, and awarded an honorary degree by the University of Dundee in 1975. During his apprenticeship Kininmonth lived in a house of his own design: 46a Dick Place, The Grange, Edinburgh.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
