Ross-shire in Old Postcards.
The mountains of the far north, seen from Loch Lurgainn. Stac Pollaidh is the nearer ridge, Cul Mor in the distance. A Valentine 'Sepiatype.'
A fine view looking north at Torridon.
"SS Claymore at Gairloch Pier." Photographer unknown. Ferry and Steamer piers were favourite places for photographs in the far north, where passengers had time to wait and appreciate the views. And take photographs!
"Strome Ferry Hotel and Ferry Boat, Ross-shire. A J.B. White image.
Cromarty was comparatively easy of access, and had an old fishing community that gave great scope for photographers. This Valentine photo was sent in 1909. "The Fishertown."
"In the Fishertown, Cromarty." Valentines again. Photo registered in 1900, card sent 1906.
"In the Fishertown, Cromarty." Valentine was back three years later in 1903 for this image.
"Big Vennal, Cromarty." A Hossack & McLeod photograph.
"Cromarty High Street." A Davidson's card. Date unknown.
"Harbour, Cromarty." A card by Hossack & McLeod. Date unknown.
"MacFarquar's Bed, Cromarty." A card issued by John Bain. The 'Bed' is a group of natural arches. Here, fishing nets can be seen drying.
"Town Hall & Post Office, Invergordon." An early car to the district. Date and photographer unknown.
Two similar views of Invergordon and its harbour....
....both cards issued by John Macpherson's, this one posted in 1918
"A Stormy Day at Invergordon." A Macpherson's card, sent in 1915.
"Mr McLean's Gang of Shipwrights. Invergordon, May 9th, 1916." And very well turned-out they are, too. A photo taken during WW1.
"Invergordon Ferry." Published by Macpherson Bros. and sent in 1908.
"Aeroplane in Invergordon Harbour." Card sent in 1931, photographer unknown.
A seaplane above Loch Torridon can just be made out on this image by an unknown photographer.
Destitution road was constructed providing work for starving families during the potato famine of 1848. Osgood Mackenzie describes how his mother raised £10,000 and government grants to finance the work.
I suspect that Valentine is up to his photographic tricks with these two images: the view is the famous one at Glen Docherty, looking down to Loch Maree....
...but the two horse-and-carts are different. Valentine did the same trick with Steamships at Staffa.
Loch Maree was a frequent haunt for tourists to the far north, so there are many postcard views. This atmospheric image, looking towards Slioch, was issued by D. Whyte, Inverness. It gives a good impression of the state of the road at that time.
The Well of St Maree, on one of the islands of Loch Maree. A card sent in 1930. The card was sent to a Miss Jean Murray, who was clearly recovering from illness. Loch Maree and its islands have a history of healing properties.
Two scarce photographs of the SS Mabel, a small ferry which transported passengers across Loch Maree between 1883 - 1911. This card by MacLean & Son, Poolewe. Note the lovely thatched boathouse.
The ferry was run by Mr Hornsby of the Gairloch and Loch Maree Hotels. MacBrayne's ran the service from 1887. After 1887, Mabel ended her days moored off the Loch Maree Hotel.
An atmospheric view of Loch Duich. Looking towards the Five Sisters of Glen Shiel.
A GWW postcard, "A Highland Clachan, Loch Duich." Quite an extensive, thatched settlement.
Two GW Wilson photographs of Eilean Donan Castle in an unrestored state. See my page on the Castle for more information.
"Aird Ferry, Loch Duich, N.B." Photographer unknown. c1910. Eilean Donan Castle in the distance is in an unrestored state.
"Dornie Ferry." A Valentine photograph taken in 1931. The bridge linking the castle to the shore is visible, showing that Eilean Donan was undergoing, or had undergone restoration.
A James Valentine photograph registed in 1893. "Ullapool from Dundonnell." The herring fleet is present.
"Caledonian Hotel, Ullapool." A photo by James Valentine registered in 1893. I believe the clock has since been moved to a new position.
"High Street, Alness." Photographer unknown.
"Alness". A Davidson postcard. The photographer has assembled a large crowd, and persuaded them to stand very still!
"Millcraig Valley, Alness." A card with the imprint 'J Paul, Alness' sent in 1912.
A James Valentine photograph of the Kyle of Lochalsh as it was in the late 19th century.
"The Station at the Kyle of Lochalsh." A GW Wilson photograph, the card dated 1905. The line from Inverness to Lochalsh was opened in 1870.
"Flowerdale Bay, Gairloch, Ross-shire." The card was sent in 1930, but the photograph by GWW is late 19th century. A well-cultivated plot.
"Flowerdale from Bay." A Valentine photograph that dates from 1878.
A scarce image of Aultbea, sent in 1932 though the photo looks a little older. Note the petrol pump.
"Shieldaig, Gairloch." A card by 'Miss Fraser, PO Gairloch." Whose is the yacht, one wonders? One candidate might be the architect Mr George Corson who had a house in the district at Strath.
"The Bay, Gairloch." Unknown publisher, but this was a view favoured by photographers like Valentine and GWW (see my Ross-shire photograph page).
A busy postcard in every way, sent in 1902, of the pump room at Strathpeffer. A Valentine photo, issued by the Highland Railway.
Two early 20th century valentine photographs of the Pump Room at Strathpeffer.
A scarce photo of the ruins of the barracks at Bernera, or as here, Glenelg. They were built by General Wade after the 1715 Jacobite rebellion. A 1920s photo by Duncan MacPherson.
"The Old Barracks built by General Wade, Glenelg." A Valentine postcard registered in 1936. Photos of the barracks are comparatively rare. These two should be in an Inverness-shire folder, but I have added them here.
The view from Struie Hill looking down the Kyle of Sutherland, with Ben More Assynt in the distance. A Youth Hostels card sent in 1952.
"Tain from Kirksheaf." A card issued by W. Smith & Co., Tain, sent in 1908.
Posted from Tain in 1909, this appears to be a teacher from Scotsburn School, judging by what is written on the back.
"The Lighthouse & Coastguard Station, Cromarty." A splendid old postcard by Macpherson Bros., Invergordon & Beauly."
Achnasheen Station, a card by JB White. Achnasheen was a small but important place, not only with a station, but also the junction of two Telford roads.
"Royal Yacht Britannia Lying Off Alligin." I am not sure when this anonymous unposted card was published.
"Torridon." A postcard sent in 1909. MacLean's Series. Many of the roofs, here painted red, are still thatched, I think.
A Valentine image registered in 1909. It shows the Castle before renovation.
Another view of the Castle by Valentine, 1909.
With many from Dingwall posing for the photograph. Posted in 1905.
Published by John MacPherson, Invergordon. Pre-WW1?
This is a selection from my collection of Ross-shire postcards. The east side of the county, which includes Cromarty and Invergordon, has always been comparatively accessible. The west of course, less so, though once the railway from Inverness to the Kyle of Lochalsh had been opened in 1870, some areas like Loch Maree were well visited by tourists.
Looking at some of these images, one must remember that photographs taken in, say, 1922 are now one hundred years old!
In order to see all the photos I have added to the slide-show, please click on any image as it passes, and then proceed manually. The problem of continuity was caused when I had to 'migrate' from one website (SimpleSite) to another (one.com).
.JPG?etag=%2214dee6-65db391c%22&sourceContentType=image%2Fjpeg&ignoreAspectRatio&resize=2500,1564&quality=85 "Letterewe House (2)")
