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Stunning colourised postcards from 1890 capture life in the seaside towns and ruined castles of Scotland in the Victorian age

Over a century ago, these spectacular shots were given an injection of colour to bring them to life

CRUMBLING castles and families paddling in the sea – these stunning postcards showcase a spectacular Scotland on the cusp of change at the end of the 19th century.

The breathtaking collection gives a rare peek at the vibrant and colourful country in the Victorian era.

Children paddle in the sea along the promenade at Helensburgh
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Children paddle in the sea along the promenade at HelensburghCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Farmers bringing their prize cattle to the market town of Dumfries
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Farmers bringing their prize cattle to the market town of DumfriesCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The beach at Portobello - showing families hitching up their trousers and skirts to play in the sea
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The beach at Portobello - showing families hitching up their trousers and skirts to play in the seaCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Families can be seen hitching up their trousers and modest long skirts to wade into the sea, with bathing huts in the background.

Meanwhile in another scene, farmers are pictured leading large herds of cattle to the market town of Dumfries, horse and carts visible in the streets.

Some of the images in the collection are more than 125 years old, and have only recently been made accessible online for the first time.

A sleepy scene from the View on the Tay in Perth shows people having picnics by the waterfront
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A sleepy scene from the View on the Tay in Perth shows people having picnics by the waterfrontCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The Photochrom process perfectly captures the vibrance of day-to-day life on Glasgow Bridge
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The Photochrom process perfectly captures the vibrance of day-to-day life on Glasgow BridgeCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
This postcard shows the spectacular Caerlaverock Castle, which was first constructed in the 13th century
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This postcard shows the spectacular Caerlaverock Castle, which was first constructed in the 13th centuryCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
A stunning shot of the harbour at Rothesay, with a ferry-load of people disembarking
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A stunning shot of the harbour at Rothesay, with a ferry-load of people disembarkingCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Pedestrians wander along the streets in the seaside town of Dunoon
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Pedestrians wander along the streets in the seaside town of DunoonCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The collection includes some Scottish coastal hotspots, including Portobello Beach and the harbour at Rothesay.

The images were produced by the Detroit Publishing Company, and use a colourising technique called Photochrom, which artificially adds vivid hues to the black and white images.

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Hans Jakob Schmid, the chemist who devised once-groundbreaking the technology, saw his early colour images take the world of photography by storm, managing to inject light and colour into otherwise-bleak photos.

This idyllic snapshot in time, made accessible by the Library of Congress, highlights Scotland’s timeless beauty.

Horse and carriages line the high street in Dumfries, with pedestrians walking past an old Coffee House Hotel
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Horse and carriages line the high street in Dumfries, with pedestrians walking past an old Coffee House HotelCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Shoppers gather around a central square in Kilmarnock
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Shoppers gather around a central square in KilmarnockCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Princess Street and Scott Monument in Edinburgh, with the stunning city's castle in the distance
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Princess Street and Scott Monument in Edinburgh, with the stunning city's castle in the distanceCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
A child wanders along Henderson Street West in Bridge of Allan at the turn of the century
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A child wanders along Henderson Street West in Bridge of Allan at the turn of the centuryCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
A colourful scene of shoppers browsing the high street in Hawick
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A colourful scene of shoppers browsing the high street in HawickCredit: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

They aren't the only Photochom images to be released.

Last year we shared mesmerising colour postcards from around the world showing the 19th century in a stunning new light.

We also covered a series of eye-catching colourised photos of people on their holidays over 100 years ago. 

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