A Glimpse into Scottish History: 1933 "Famous Scots" Cigarette Card Collection

 I recently embarked on a little journey through Scottish history, right from my own home. I've been in possession of a fascinating set of 50 cigarette trading cards from 1933, titled "Famous Scots." As I was preparing to list these unique pieces of ephemera for sale, I realised what a treasure trove of historical figures they represented.

Rather than just selling them off, I decided to take the time to scan each card and create something special for you all. I've put together two videos, each featuring 25 of these incredible images, and uploaded them to YouTube.

These cards showcase a diverse array of famous Scottish individuals, ranging from beloved poets and influential playwrights to ground breaking inventors, powerful politicians, revered royalty, and so much more. It's a truly captivating cross-section of Scottish talent and influence throughout history.

You can view both videos right here in this post, and of course, on YouTube. I'd be absolutely thrilled if you could take a moment to subscribe to my channel while you're there – it really helps me to create more content like this!

A little bit of background on the cards themselves: they were originally released in packs of Mitchells Cigarettes. Mitchells was a Scottish tobacco company with its roots in Linlithgow. Interestingly, while the company had merged with Imperial Tobacco by 1901, these cards were still released under the Mitchells branding, adding another layer to their historical significance.

It's been a real pleasure delving into these cards and sharing a piece of Scottish heritage with you all. I hope you enjoy the videos as much as I enjoyed creating them!

and part 2,

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A Glimpse into History: "The Nation's Shrines" Cigarette Cards

 I recently unearthed a fascinating piece of history and turned it into a short YouTube video titled "The Nation's Shrines." It features a complete set of 25 cigarette trading cards released in 1929 by Player's Cigarettes, also called "The Nation's Shrines."

What Makes These Cards Special?

Each card in this collection showcases an image of a historic place from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It's a real time capsule, offering a look at some of the most significant abbeys, cathedrals, castles, and other points of interest across the United Kingdom almost a century ago.

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A Tour Through Time and Place

The video, which features every card in the set, takes you on a visual journey. You'll see stunning depictions of historical landmarks. Interestingly, while the complete set is there, Kenilworth Castle only makes a fleeting appearance, nestled briefly between John Milton's Cottage and Manorbier Castle due to the video software.

Breaking down the representation, the collection heavily features England with 17 sites. Wales and Ireland each have 3 sites, while Scotland is represented by just 2. It's safe to say that if this collection were curated today, we'd likely see a much more balanced representation, especially with more sites from the Celtic nations!

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Why Check Out the Video?

If you're a history buff, a fan of vintage ephemera, or simply curious about how these iconic locations were viewed nearly a century ago, this video is a must-watch. It's a charming and unique way to connect with the past and appreciate the enduring beauty of the UK's heritage.

Ann Hathaway's Cottage, Warwickshire, England.

Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland.

Bootham Bar and York Minster, Yorkshire, England.

Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

Clonmacnoise, County Offaly, Ireland.

Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, England.

Furness Abbey, Cumbria, England

Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, England.

Haddon Hall, Derbyshire, England.

Henry VIII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, London, England.

Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, Scotland.

John Knox's House, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Milton's Cottage, Buckinghamshire, England.

Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire, England.

Manorbier Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Birthplace of William Shakespeare, Warwickshire, England.

St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales

St Pauls Cathedral, London, England.

Stoke Poges Church, Buckinghamshire, England.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England.

The Cloisters at Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, England.

Tower of London, London, England.

Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire, Wales.

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, England.

Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England.

Clicking any image should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!