70 Amazing and Rare Vintage Photographs That Capture Everyday Life in Scotland from the Edwardian Era

The Edwardian era was a time of unprecedented social and political revolution in Britain. By the start of the new century, the country had reached a level of such general prosperity that, for the first time, working men and women were in a position to both argue and agitate for a share of the wealth. In Scotland, at the centre of the incredible manufacturing clamour of industrial Glasgow, a worker army was banding together as a political movement demanding votes for all men. Trade unionists and women campaigned for what they regarded as their natural rights. All demanded a radical change to society. The establishment listened, and came to accept that the future success of the nation would depend on a better educated and emancipated working class.

The period teemed with innovation, from the cinema, wireless radio and mass use of the telephone, to the invention of the turbine engine, advances in physics and the achievement of powered flight. With a new age came the freedom to explore new ideas – the genius of Charles Rennie Mackintosh emerged from the Arts and Crafts movement, revolutionising design and pioneering the beginnings of modernism.

The old order was slipping away. For the wealthy, the Edwardian era was characterised by the 'Golden Age' of the country house – the long weekends of parties and field sports. Rather than the preserve of the aristocracy, these trappings of privilege were enjoyed increasingly by a class of aspirational and newly affluent merchants and industrialists. Yet in a few short years, these halcyon days would give way to the sale, dispersal and destruction of many Scottish estates.

This unique and largely unseen selection of period photography, taken from the RCAHMS archives, reveals an intimate portrait of an age. From the work of famous photographers like Bedford Lemere & Co and Thomas Annan, to snapshots from private family albums, these images provide a fascinating glimpse into a remarkable period in our history.

View from Clyde Place, Glasgow of the Central Station Bridge during construction, September 1902 (completed 1905). This was built for the Caledonian Railway Company to their design as part of the reconstruction of the Station.

View of the market cross from the south, 1904.

The Citadel Arch, Dock Street, Edinburgh with people, c.1912.

View of Leith Central Station, Edinburgh, from Leith Walk, with street scene and tram advertising Cadbury's Cocoa, 1912. The station opened in 1903 and closed for regular passenger traffic in 1952. Visible is also the Queen's Hotel.

School outing at beach, 1907.

Members of the Mather family with instruments, c.1910.

View of telegraph office at Creagorry, Benbecula, with family, 1910.

People outside cottages at Troon, South Ayrshire, with thatched cottage in foreground, c.1910.

Royal Troon Golf Course, 1902.

Photograph showing Ayr Street, Troon on the corner to West Portland Street, c.1910.

Group outside St John the Baptist's Church, Ayr, c.1906.

Children at Troon beach, 1907.

Balquhain Castle from SW, c. 1910.

Crowd in front of the Phipps Institute, Beauly, under construction, c. 1903.

Three men with bikes outside house, 1903. Inscribed beneath: 'As we started from 2 Corrennie Gardens. July 20th 1903.'

Shooting party at Glen Luss, 1904. Titled: 'Glen Luss. 1904. Shooting for Astor Challenge Cup' and ‘Col. Brock, Mr Christall and Mr Lumsden’.

St. James Terrace, Glasgow, with large group of children outside, c.1910. Titled below: ' 3 dwellings, 3 apartments, 24 dwellings, 1 apartment: 2 wash-houses containing in all 29 taps and 8 W.Cs '.

Gentleman and boy leaning on tree with a distant view of Holy Trinity Church, c.1900.

Two people in front of Kilmuir Free Church, Skye, 1906. Titled: 'Witnesses - Kilmuir'

Side view of possible steam car with man, c.1906.

South Bridge, Edinburgh, from South East showing street scene with horses and carts, c. 1910.

Photograph of Industrial Hall building taken during the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901.

Male pupils in a woodwork class at unidentified school run by the Edinburgh Merchant Company, c. 1910.

Female pupils in the Gymnasium of unidentified school run by the Edinburgh Merchant Company, c. 1900.

A hunting party on The Glen estate, c.1907.

Entrance to Milne's Court, Edinburgh, on Lawnmarket elevation, with D Blake & Co and J Gilchrist Groceries & Provisions. c. 1910.

High Street between Canongate and North Bridge, Edinburgh showing no 153 Allan Ramsay's House, The Temperance Hotel, no 143 The Gun'Temperance and The Gun Coffee House, c. 1900.

Interior view of the gym at Fettes College, Edinburgh. c. 1905.

View of RCAHMS surveyors wading out to a dun in 1924, Dun Nighean Righ Lochlainn, North Uist.

View of the courtyard, George Heriot's School, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, c. 1900.

View of Clerical Medical & General life Assurance Society, West George Street, Glasgow. Since demolished, 1906.

General view of building including horse and cart in foreground outside of 'D. Cameron, Groceries & Provisions, Refreshments and Wines & Spirits,' 1904. Possibly business of Duncan Cameron located near Rannoch Station or Kinloch-Rannoch.

Group in the loggia, Inchrye Abbey, c. 1900.

Inchrye Abbey entrance with couple in automobile, c. 1900.

View of High Street, South Queensferry, 1907. Titled: 'South Queensferry, 'Channel Fleet visit 1907'.

Group of people sitting in garden, 1905. Titled: 'Aikenshaw July 1905. Miss Louise Stuart, Miss Grant, Mr Parker, Miss Parker, Francess, Mrs Jameson, Miss Davidson, Jessie, Mr W S Turnbull, Stroncher'.

Group of 12 people outside entrance, possibly at Aikenshaw, c.1904. Titled: 'S K Turnbull, A Arrol Snr, Montagu Baird, Campbell of Cambusaskin, Franklyn Baird, A Theo Arrol, Miss Wm Arrol, Baroness V Grote, Miss G Arrol, Mr Baird'.

Cornelia Craven at Balmacaan House, c.1910. Titled: 'Myself' The album is titled: 'These photographs were all taken with my little Kodak. Cornelia Craven'.

Group of seven people at excursion, c.1905. Titled: 'Ms Thom, Prof. Sir A Geickie, Mrs Thom'.

Fishing party, c.1910. Titled: 'Inveroykel and Kyle of Sutherland'.

Fishing party, possibly in the Ballindaroch area, c. 1905.

Woman in small carriage, possibly in the Ballindarroch area, c. 1907.

Soldier sitting by his tent, c.1904.

Children practising shooting, 1906.

Portrait of a soldier, 1910. Titled: 'Stuart ready to start for King Edward VIIs funeral service parade'.

Elevated view of bridge looking NW from corner of Carlton Place/ Bridge Street, Glasgow.

View of Edinburgh at night, 1907. Titled: 'Candlemakers Row and George IV Bridge April 1907'.

A group of people at Williamwood Moss, 1912.

Teaparty in unidentified garden (probably Achernack,Strathdon), c. 1906.

Group having picnic, 1907. Headed paper on the album page is titled 'Achernack, Grantown-on-Spey'. Photograph titled: 'I Asher, A Henderson, T Horne, E Macpherson, B Younger, M Younger, R Bruce-Clark, H J Horne'

Sheep-shearing near The Dorback, 1907.

Two women and a man with cameras, 1907. Titled: 'A Henderson, Gladys Younger, J Henderson'.

9/1909.

Man on motorcycle, 1909.

Man in car, 1909.

Couple onboard a ship, c.1910.

Two women in a car, c.1910.

A steamer in the Caledonian Canal at Fort Augustus swing bridge, taken from the E., c. 1910.

Woman on horseback outside Duchal House, Renfrewshire.

Soldiers at 'Camp at Kilcreggan, 1902.

Soldier at 'Camp at Kilcreggan, 1902.

Group on sailing boat, probably 'Gadfly,' c.1904. Titled: 'Sunday afternoon cruise Brodick. Jack Swan, Monty Murray, Johnson family'.

Woman on sailing boat, probably 'Gadfly,' c.1904. Titled: 'S.M (Mrs Hoggenheimn of Park Lane)'.

View from Alexandria, Egypt, c.1915-17. Titled: 'Higginson and Flora sur mer'.

Woman playing golf, 1902. Titled: 'F.J.T Braid Hills 1902'.

Group photograph showing five men and five ladies beside a large car, outside what appears to be a thatched striped tent. Some of them are members of the Wallace family of Duchal House.

Two women swimming, c. 1902.

View of the North British Railway Hotel, Edinburgh, c. 1902.

Group of people outside Kilmuir Free Church, Skye, 1906.

View of retort house during the construction of Granton Gasworks, 1906.

(Images: © RCAHMS)