Post Card Views of Edinburgh

List of Photographers/Publishers

Post Card Views of

Edinburgh

Yellow background denotes an Edinburgh photographer or publisher.

Green background denotes photographer or publisher from elsewhere.

- Taylor, A&G London

Cards were published in London by Andrew & George Taylor from 1901; then in Hastings from 1914 [TR]

[Series not named]

- Old Granny Hall - a Newhaven Fishwife

- Piershill, Watering horses: Royal Scots Greys

The Princes Street postcard below is from A & G Taylor, 9 Long Lane, Aldershot, London EC. It is described as: "Gelatine Silver Print Photograph. printed in England. By Appointment to Late Her Majesty Queen Victoria."

Reality Series

- Princes Street Posted 1905 (this one or the next!)

- Princes Street Gardens

- St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (NB3577) Posted 1913

- 17th Lancers (at Piershill Barracks) Sergeant Major - No 1 Posted 1905

- 17th Lancers (at Piershill Barracks) Signalling Drill - No 10 Posted 1905

- 17th Lancers (at Piershill Barracks) Guards, Full Dress - No 15 Posted 1905

- Thomson, Mrs. Post Office, Gilmerton

I have only seen one postcard with this name on the back. It comes from the collection of Malcolm Cant

- Parish Church, Gilmerton

- Drum Street, Gilmerton

- Thomson DC & Co Dundee

This is the only postcard that I have seen from this series. The title is

- Edinburgh Castle from Grassmarket Posted 1928

How many cards were there in this series, and how were these cards distributed? The caption on the back of this card reads:

"This fine series of Picture Cards is supplied free exclusively by publications of DC THOMSON & CO LTD."

- Thomson, John [This name and © are on the front of the cards, No publisher's name on the cards

I believe that John Thomson was a member of the One o'Clock Gun and Time Ball Association in Edinburgh before emigrating to Canada

The One o'clock Gun 1861-2006 - 8 coloured postcards illustrated by John Thomson

- Paris Time Gun, 1846

- 18 Pounder Time Gun, 1861 Not posted

- 18 Pounder Time Gun, 1911 Not posted

- 32 Pounder Time Gun, 1913-1923 Not posted

- 18 Pounder Time Gun, 1923-1952 Not posted

- 25 Pounder Time Gun, 1952-2001 Not posted

- 25 Pounder Time Gun, Mills Mount Battery, 1971-2001 Not posted

- 105mm Time Gun, 2005 Not posted

- Thomson, Patrick Ltd. South Bridge, Edinburgh

Patrick Thomson's was a large drapery store in the centre of Edinburgh, at the corner of the Royal Mile and South Bridge. They published postcards in a few different styles. Please click here to see thumbnail images of some of their cards.

Thumbnail Images

Patrick Thomson

1. Postcards with picture of Patrick Thomson's Cash Drapery Store on the back

- Jeanie Deans' Cottage

Black and White photo

Not posted

2. Postcards for Patrick Thomson fashions

- Lady with long dress, hat, parasol ("Special Umbrella Offer" on back)

coloured sketch

Not posted

3. Postcards with picture of Patrick Thomson's flag on the back

- Princes Street, looking west

- West Princes Street Gardens and Bandstand

- Patrick Thomson' store

These cards appear to be based on photographs, with line drawings and colour added. Each has the Edinburgh Coat of Arms added 'in the sky'.

Posted 1906

4. Postcards with picture of Patrick Thomson's flag on the back

- Princes Street, looking east

- Edinburgh Castle from Johnston Terrace

Sepia photos.

Posted 1931

- Thomson, W S Colour Photographs Ltd.
The company was based at St Vincent Street, Edinburgh

- Princes Street Gardens- Royal Scots Greys Memorial

- Edinburgh Castle and Scott Monument AND Holyrood Palace colour, posted 1957

NOTE: Alastair White, the owner of the J B White postcard business in Dundee, has mentioned to me that his company was facing competition from W S Thomson and others in the 1960s.

- Thyne, William Edinbro

- Scottish National Exhibition (colour drawing)

Posted 1908

- Thyne, William Edinburgh

Real Photo Series

- Portobello Beach

- Tract & Colportage Society of Scotland, 99 George Street

I have only seen one postcard with this name printed on the back. It is a photo of The Tract & Colportage Society Shop at 99 George Street. The card that I have seen is in Malcolm Cant's collection.

- The Tract & Colportage Society Shop, 99 George Street

Not posted

- Tropical Press London

Pitkin Pictorial

- Palace of Holyroodhouse

- Trustees of National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh

- Scottish National Portrait Gallery

- Tuck, Raphael & Sons

Early History

I particularly like Raphael Tuck's Oilette series. This series includes several views in and around Edinburgh and very many more of other places.

Raphael Tuck was born in East Prussia in 1821 and moved to London in 1865. Raphael opened a shop in London 1866, selling pictures and frames. Three of his sons joined him in the business, Adolph Tuck taking over the business from 1881.

Raphael Tuck & Sons published Christmas Cards from 1877 onwards and postcards from 1898 onwards, their first set of cards being 12 lithographed vignette views of London*. By 1904, the company had 15,000 designs.

* The magazine, Picture Postcard Monthly, gives a later date of February 1900 for these views of London. (PPM: Nov 2008, p.18)

Unfortunately, most of the company's records were destroyed when the company's headquarters were hit in an air raid during the London Blitz.

Recent History

Raphael Tuck was taken over by Purnell & Sons in 1962.

Purnell Printworks were in Somerset. They employed over 400 people, but closed in 2005.

'Oilette' Series

This series, introduced 1903, used an embossed surface to imitate brush strokes in an oil painting. [TR] . However, some later oil images (sometimes of the same scenes as earlier images) are on plain paper without the 'brush stroke' effect.

- The Apartments of Mary Queen of Scots in Holyrood Palace (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- Bakehouse Close (Old Edinburgh series 7222)

- Bakehouse Close (Old Edinburgh series II, 7640) Posted 1918

- The Canongate from Holyrood Palace (Old Edinburgh series II, 7640)

- Canongate Tolbooth (Edinburgh 7293)

- The Castle (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- The Castle and National Gallery, Edinburgh (Edinburgh - Princes Street series 8956)

- The Castle and National Gallery, Edinburgh (Modern Athens- Edinburgh series, 7974)

- Chapel Royal, Holyrood Palace (Edinburgh series V, 7253) Posted 1907

- The Church of St Giles (A Happy Christmas) (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- Edinburgh Castle (Edinburgh - Princes Street series 8956)

- Edinburgh Castle (Edinburgh series VI, 7254)

- Edinburgh Castle (tartan bow, heather, Edinburgh series 7780) Posted 1926

- Edinburgh Castle from Castle Terrace (Old Edinburgh series II, 7640) Posted 1907

- Edinburgh Castle from Greyfriars' Church (Edinburgh series 7293) Posted 1908

- Edinburgh from Calton Hill (Edinburgh series, 7293)

- Edinburgh from Craigleith Quarry (Edinburgh series, 7293)

- Edinburgh from the West (Edinburgh series, 7293)

- Edinburgh, View from Nelson Monument (tartan bow, heather, Edinburgh series 7780)

- The Forth Bridge (Edinburgh - Princes Street [sic] series, 8956) Posted 1926

- George Heriot's Hospital (Edinburgh series II, 7322)

- GPO and Waterloo Place (Coat of Arms, Edinburgh series V, 7253) Posted 1911

- Holyrood and Abbey Strand (Old Edinburgh series II, 7640)

- Holyrood Castle (sic) and Arthur's Seat (Edinburgh series, 8503) Posted 1914

- Holyrood Palace and Arthur's Seat (772) Posted 1904

- Interior of St Giles, Edinburgh (Edinburgh series V, 7253) Posted 1907

- John Knox's House (Edinburgh series V, 7253) Posted 1910

- Lady Stair's Close (Edinburgh series II, 7322) Posted 1906

- Newhaven, Firth of Forth (The Surroundings of Edinburgh series, 7870) Posted 1913

- Old Edinburgh, The Castle (Old Edinburgh series)

- Old Playhouse Close (Old Edinburgh series II, 7640) Posted 1907

- Princes Street, Edinburgh (772)

- St Giles Cathedral (Edinburgh series V, 7597)

- The Scott Monument, Edinburgh (Modern Athens- Edinburgh series, 7971)

- Tolbooth, Canongate, Edinburgh (Edinburgh series II, 7178) Posted 1908

- View from the Castle (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- View from the Castle, Edinburgh (Edinburgh - Princes Street series 8956) Posted 1920

- View from Calton Hill (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- View from Calton Hill (A Happy Christmas) (Edinburgh Series 1, 7321)

- White Horse Close, Canongate, Edinburgh (Edinburgh series II, 7178) Posted 1942

Other Series

'Art' series

- John Knox House (coloured sketch, D Small, 772)

- Old Tolbooth, Canongate (coloured sketch, D Small, 772)

- Princes Street (coloured sketch, D Small, 772)

- St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (coloured sketch, D Small, 772)

'Framed Gem Glosso' series

- Holyrood Abbey (brown 'wood grain' frame)) (Edinburgh 5974) Posted 1909

'Framed Gem Glosso Tartan' series

- Holyrood Palace front view (tartan frame + heather) (Edinburgh 1857) Not posted

- St Giles Cathedral (tartan frame + heather) (Edinburgh 1857) Not posted

'Framed Granite Series' series

- Holyrood Abbey (green patterned frame) (Edinburgh 1108) Posted 1909

- Scott Monument (green patterned frame) (Edinburgh 1108)

'Glazed View' series

- St Giles Cathedral (colour,4764) Posted 1911

'Plate-marked Sepia' series

- Edinburgh Castle and Ross Fountain (sepia, with description on back, 2459)

'Real Photograph' series - 'A Tuck Card''

- Edinburgh Castle and Ross Fountain from Princes Street Gardens (sepia, EDB2)

- St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (b+w, EDB34)

'Sepia' series

- Church Hill, Edinburgh (sepia, with description on back, 2028)

- Edinburgh Castle and Esplanade (sepia, with description on back, 2144)

- Edinburgh Castle and Ross Fountain (sepia, with description on back, 2016)

- Morningside Road, Edinburgh (sepia, with description on back, 2028)

- St Giles Cathedral (sepia, with description on back, 2016)

'Sepia, Plate-marked' series

- Edinburgh Castle (sepia, with description on back, 2459)

'Silverette' series

- Edinburgh, from Calton Hill (with Edinburgh 'Coat of Arms, 1559)

- Edinburgh, Greyfriars' Church (1924)

- Edinburgh, Princes Street, looking east (1559)

- Edinburgh, Tolbooth, Canongate (with Edinburgh 'Coat of Arms, 1854)

'Tartan Double Oval Greeting' series

- (1) Holyrood Palace Front View: (2) The Calton Hill (1880) Posted 1914

- (1) Princes Street, Looking west (2) The Forth Bridge (1880) Posted 1915

- (1) St Giles Cathedral: (2) John Knox House (1880) Posted 1915

'Town and City' series

- Edinburgh Castle from Lothian Road (b+w with description on back, 2459)

'Real photograph cards - (no title to series)

- Edinburgh Castle, Argylls Tower (sepia, EDB4)

- Edinburgh Castle, looking to the King's Bastion from Argyll Battery (b+w, EDB15)

- Edinburgh Castle, Mons Meg (b+w, EDB3)

- Edinburgh Castle, St Margaret's Chapel (sepia, EDB2)

- Princes Street Gardens and Scott Monument (b+w, EDB6)

- Princes Street, Royal Scottish Academy (sepia, EDB7)

Undivided backs - (no title to series)

- Edinburgh Castle (b+w, 'real photograph postcard, back upside down!) Posted 1904

- Old Edinburgh Castle (colour, small picture on left-hand-side of card)

- Scott Monument and Princes Street (light green frame with ribbon and crown)

Plaques

Raphael Tuck are better known for the many sets of postcards that they produced between 1899 and 1962. However, the company also produced souvenir plaques.

Here are two of their plaques showing views of the 'Old Edinburgh' exhibit at the 1886 International Exhibition held in Edinburgh. The logo on the back of these plaques reads 'RT&S, Artistic Series'.

I don't know how many plaques Raphael Tuck produced for this exhibition or what other items the company produced.

- Turret Publishing Co 52 Thistle Street, Edinburgh

- Arthur's Seat