The end of the Second World War was a major turning point in the modern history of Scotland. With the fighting over, hopes were high that the country would play a leading role in the confident New Britain.
However, For Scotland, the 1940s marked the beginning of a long economic slide which was to end in the industrial devastation and widespread misery of the Thatcher years.
When the war ended, Scots were still largely dependent on primary and heavy industries such as coal mining, shipbuilding and steel production. The government recognized that it would make sense to try and encourage new companies to come north of the border to try and create a broader spread of work and investment.
However, this grand scheme never really came to fruition, and a much-needed opportunity was wasted. Scotland's traditional industries were outdated and the problems which would turn the country into an industrial wasteland within a couple of generations were already beginning to build up in the background.
These amazing color pics from Found Slides that captured street scenes of Scotland in 1949.
Bo'ness. South Street |
Bo'ness. The Corbiehall |
Edinburgh panorama |
Edinburgh panorama |
Edinburgh. 399-401 Queensferry Road |
Edinburgh. Castle Defenses |
Edinburgh. Cramond Road |
Edinburgh. Cramond village |
Edinburgh. High Street |
Edinburgh. Highland Tolbooth St. John's Church |
Edinburgh. Holyrood Palace |
Edinburgh. Hotel Royal British |
Edinburgh. Jock Howieson Farm House at Cramond |
Edinburgh. Lord Rosebery Estate |
Edinburgh. Princes St. Park |
Edinburgh. Princes Street |
Edinburgh. Princes Street |
Edinburgh. Princes Street |
Edinburgh. Princes Street |
Edinburgh. Sir Walter Scott Monument |
Edinburgh. Stuart plaid |
Edinburgh. The castle |
Edinburgh. The Scottish National War Memorial, the most modern part of the Castle |
Edinburgh. Waverley Park |
Glasgow. Diesel engines at the Royal Scot |
Glasgow. The Royal Scot |
Hotel Inversnaid at Loch Lomond |
SS Prince Edward at Loch Lomond |
Steamer SS Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine |
The Forth Bridge |