Bøker av Jack Gillon

Explore a fascinating pictorial local history of Edinburgh through the sixties, seventies and eighties.

A fascinating collection of merged historic and modern images that reflect the changes in Edinburgh through the decades.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, has been central to Scottish life and its history over the centuries. It is the seat of the Scottish government, the Scottish parliament, the supreme courts of Scotland, many national institutions, and a major educational, medical and financial centre. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The Old Town retains much of its medieval character and the Georgian New Town, with its regular facades and major neoclassical buildings by architects of the stature of Robert Adam, is one of the world's most extensive examples of neoclassical towns. Numerous festivals attract visitors from all over the world and its eminent scientists, engineers, philosophers and writers are internationally renowned. In this book, author Jack Gillon brings together a superbly evocative collection of old postcards of Edinburgh. The 180 featured postcards celebrate the city's achievements and distinctive character in the form of its public buildings, principal streets, and historic landmarks. Edinburgh: The Postcard Collection provides an invaluable visual record of the city's past and a fascinating insight into the world of our ancestors.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, has much to celebrate. The city has been central to Scottish life and its history for many centuries. Its festivals attract visitors from all over the world, the quality of its architecture has been awarded the highest accolade of World Heritage status, and nature also gifted Edinburgh with the most stunning of settings. Its eminent scientists, engineers, philosophers and men of letters are internationally renowned. It is this combination of factors that make Edinburgh the United Kingdom's second most popular tourist destination. In Celebrating Edinburgh, local authors Jack Gillon and Fraser Parkinson highlight some of the significant aspects of the city's history and identity: its notable individuals, achievements, events and culture. Chapters focus on different themes such as its literary prominence - Edinburgh was UNESCO's first City of Literature in 2004 - and the authors, past and present, who have lived here, from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns to Ian Rankin and JK Rowling. Here too are the world-famous Fringe Festival, Military Tattoo and Hogmanay celebrations. The city's exceptional architecture and its place as the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment in the eighteenth century are also highlighted, together with its natural heritage and fringe of villages including Leith and Portobello. Illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to residents, visitors and all those with links to this marvellous city.

Having been granted city status during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002, Stirling is Scotland's smallest city, but has an enthralling wealth of architectural and historic heritage that would be the envy of much larger places in the country. Stirling's heritage dates from the thirteenth century, when it was granted a royal charter and became a significant medieval settlement. Its strategic importance as the 'Gateway to the Highlands' also made it the much-fought over 'Cockpit of Scotland' and it has been witness to many of the most significant battles in Scottish history. Today, Stirling is a bustling and charming historic city that retains much of its ancient character and architectural quality. Using old postcards, Stirling The Postcard Collection shows how the city has changed and evolved over the years. These postcards are an invaluable visual record of a place's past and provide a fascinating insight into the world of our ancestors. The old postcards of Stirling celebrate the town's civic achievements and distinctive character in the form of public buildings, principal streets, parks, railway stations and historic landmarks.

In 1560, Mary of Guise moved the Scottish Court to Leith, a site that is now Parliament Street, off Coalhill. Serving Edinburgh's shipbuilding and repair facilities, in subsequent centuries Leith's port saw the opening of a new Wet Dock, the first of its kind in Scotland. Leith has played a long and prominent role in Scottish history. As the major port serving Edinburgh, it has been the stage on which many significant events have taken place. From housing the Scottish Court to seeing civil war, being the port of call for royal arrivals and becoming its own burgh, Leith has seen it all. Leith Reflections features an exciting collection of historic and modern pictures that are individually merged to reveal how the area has changed over the decades. Each of the 180 pictures in this book combines a recent colour view of Leith with the matching sepia archive scene. Through the split-image effect, readers can see how streets, buildings, the docks and everyday life have transformed with the passing of time. Local authors Jack Gillon and Fraser Parkinson present this fascinating visual chronicle that ingeniously reflects past and present glimpses of Leith. This book will be of interest to residents, visitors, local historians and all those with links to the area.

The 'Fair City of Perth' is aptly named. Situated on the banks of the Tay, Scotland's longest river, Perth and its surrounding area boast some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. The city's position on the River Tay ensured that it became a busy trading port, exporting salmon and wool and importing claret from Bordeaux. Its bustling harbour remains in use, the only inland harbour in Britain. Perth was once the capital of Scotland and there are many interesting historical sights to visit. The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly Scone Palace on the outskirts of town. Scone was the home of the Stone of Destiny for nearly 500 years, and the site where every Scottish king was crowned. Today, Perth is a major tourist centre and important staging post on the route north to the Highlands of Scotland. As such, it boasts many shops, bars and restaurants, as well as a thriving arts and cultural scene. In this book, author Jack Gillon takes the reader on an evocative journey into Perth's past through a superb selection of old postcards. This fascinating window into the city's history will appeal to residents and visitors alike.

A pocket-sized, illustrated history tour of Perth showing how the Scottish city has changed across the decades.

Explore Leith's secret hidden history through a fascinating selection of stories, facts and photographs.

Explore the secret history of Falkirk through a fascinating selection of stories, facts and photographs.

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Ayr and Alloway have changed and developed over the last century.

The teeming nature of life in eighteenth-century Edinburgh elevated the Old Town's taverns to a critical role in the city's social life, and there was 'no superabundance of sobriety in the town'. Much of the business life of the city was carried out in taverns where it was even normal for doctors to consult their patients. The Edinburgh taverns of the eighteenth century are described as having 'a coarse and darksome snugness which was courted by their worshippers'. These earlier basic hostelries were swept away during the period 1880-1910, which is recognised as the golden age of pub design. These new pubs were decorated with an abundance of spectacular ornaments to attract customers into their shining interiors. This book won't tell you how many real ales or malts the pubs stock or whether the burgers are worth popping in for. What it does provide is a record of Edinburgh Pubs that are architectural gems of exceptional quality or which have a particularly interesting historical association.

This fascinating selection of photographs shows how Edinburgh's southern suburbs have changed and developed over the last century.

Explores the rich and fascinating history of Edinburgh through an examination of some of its greatest architectural treasures.

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Stirling has changed and developed over the last century.

Neuk is the Scots word for nook or corner, and the delightful East Neuk, with its string of picturesque fishing and farming villages, is one of the most attractive parts of the country to investigate. Few regions present a greater number of attractions than the East Neuk with its sandy beaches, wild and precipitous cliffs, remarkable caves, celebrated golf links, notable churches, historic castles and historical associations. These villages, running from from Crail to Largo, are quite distinct from those of any other part of Scotland and have stood almost unchanged for centuries and thus present, in their uneven, angular streets, red-tiled roofs and crow-stepped gables, an accurate representation of the ancient burghs of our past.

EDINBURGH in the 1950s was a very different place. After the ravages of war, the International Festival and Military Tattoo was introduced as an antidote to post-war austerity, the new Civic Survey and Plan put forward grandiose recommendations for change, and a new young Queen visited the city. This was a time when slum housing was a blight on many people's lives, but there was a real sense of community that was ultimately lost in the move to sparkling, modern homes in the new housing estates. People continued to use the trams to travel to work in the many factories or make trips to Portobello for a day of fun, but they were slowly usurped by the car. It was a glory period for the local football teams, and nights spent dancing or at the pictures were a weekly event. There was still the horse-drawn milk float and children played in streets that were lit by gas. Beautifully illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, Edinburgh in the 1950s provides an exceptional insight into a time now acknowledged as the end of an era in Edinburgh - for good and for bad.

Falkirk's strategic location, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow at the crossroads of lowland Scotland, has been the main influence on the town's development and has contributed to its key role in Scotland's history. The Romans were the first to make a significant mark on the district, William Wallace and Bonnie Prince Charlie fought the English nearby, cattle were driven from all over Scotland to the great trysts in the area, central Scotland's canals came together at Camelon, and local foundries fuelled the Industrial Revolution. Using old images juxtaposed with modern photography, in Falkirk Through Time author Jack Gillon explores how the town has changed and developed over the years. Today Falkirk has a bustling town centre focused on its pedestrianised High Street and boasts popular tourist attractions such as the new Helix Park, Falkirk Wheel and the breathtaking Kelpie statues, all of which complement and build upon its industrial heritage.

'The Fair City' of Perth is aptly named. Situated on the banks of Scotland's longest river, the Tay, Perth and its surrounding area boast some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. Perth was once the capital of Scotland and there are many interesting historical sights to visit. The jewel in the crown, though, is undoubtedly Scone Palace on the outskirts of town. Scone was the home of the Stone of Destiny for nearly 500 years, and the site where every Scottish king was crowned. Its position on the River Tay ensured that Perth became a busy trading port, exporting salmon and wool and importing claret from Bordeaux. Its bustling harbour remains in use, the only inland harbour in Britain. Today, Perth is a major tourist centre and important staging post on the route north to the Highlands of Scotland. As such, it boasts many shops, bars and restaurants as well as a thriving arts and cultural scene. Join author Jack Gillon as he shows how the city has changed and how much of its proud heritage remains.