queen visits east kilbride

Local History Videos

East Kilbride, Scotland: Old Photos & Films

Discover the local history of the South Lanarkshire town of East Kilbride by watching free videos of old photos and film.

Old Photos of East Kilbride Town Centre

YouTube channel EAST KILBRIDE TRANQUILLITY uploaded three great videos showing dozens of photos of the town centre over the past few decades. 

OLD EAST KILBRIDE TOWN CENTRE (in colour) PART 1 – YouTube

OLD EAST KILBRIDE TOWN CENTRE (in colour) PART 2 – YouTube

OLD EAST KILBRIDE TOWN CENTRE (in colour) PART 3 – YouTub e/sp

Town of Tomorrow 1954

This is a 1954 black and white film commissioned by East Kilbride Development Corporation to show the success of the new town so far.

“Flats for the unmarried, and cottages for the old people…there are larger houses too for those who wish to pay a higher rent”.

Lots of men doing manual work – without a pair of gloves, hard hat or safety goggles in sight!

Includes the inaugural ceremony of the town on 12th June 1948.

East Kilbride – Town of Tomorrow – YouTube

Harold MacMillan

East Kilbride Central Library had this footage in a box of old VHS tapes, which Martin Farrell digitised for new audiences. Hundreds of adults and children appear on screen.

Suddenly there’s a platform with older men making speeches. One of them seems to be Harold MacMillan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963.

Gala (silent) East Kilbride District 1960s – YouTube

Cleansing In A New Town 1966 SLLC

From “the Burgh of East Kilbride Entertainments Section” comes this fabulous 1966 short film in colour – about the town’s refuse collection service! 

Cleansing In A New Town sound 1966 SLLC Old East Kilbride Library collection – YouTube

Remember those times when an office contained just one man? Nearby is his secretary ready with her typewriter and filing cabinet.

Next we see men smoking while opening their lockers, before watching a man wash in the sink.

We’re then treated to a walk along a row of toilets. 

The music is quite romantic as we watch workmen eating in an almost deserted dining room.

Having looked at one row of toilets, we’re now looking at the town centre toilets.

Apparently the cleaning of both male and female toilets by a woman was so shocking that, in addition to its mention in this film, the narrator can’t finish the sentence – even on the second attempt! But then after “a few months” everybody got used to this strange new arrangement.

“And what a beautiful public convenience….let us dwell for a moment to admire the tilings.”

And yes, reader, they did indeed dwell for a moment to admire the tilings.

Next, the sweeper van goes along the streets. However, the accompanying man seems to be collecting more than the van.

Unfortunately, three parked cars makes it impossible for the van to clean the litter, because who would have thought cars would park in the provided spaces?

Then we see a team of three men working together (while smoking) to sweep a straight road. There’s no parked cars and it’s a big road so perhaps the van should have been brought here instead of three smoking workers and their brooms.

A man in a suit – presumably “Tom, the foreman” –  appears with “one of the workmen”, to demonstrate a giant bin on wheels. 

I wonder how long the paper sack bins lasted in the rain and cold of winter months?

There’s a suggestion that the tip will later provide housing land…. but then he says it will become a field.

24th May 1964 saw an anti-litter campaign celebration like you’d never imagine. Brass band, councillors, footballers, microphones, certificates.

“Take a pride in East Kilbride!”

Careers And Sports in the 1970s

East Kilbride Central Library had this footage in a box of old VHS tapes, which Martin Farrell digitised for new audiences. Silent – and somewhat randomly ends at the cemetery.

Careers And Sports silent 1970 SLLC Old East Kilbride Library collection – YouTube

Selling East Kilbride to Americans 1972

Restrictions mean it’s not possible to put a thumbnail on this website, so instead the link goes through to the National Library of Scotland’s video site for “Why Scotland Why East Kilbride? (1972)”

An American businessman flies in to look around town in this promotional film.

On a pedestrian bridge he’s told how people who have a job here can have a home. Most homes are for rent, but there are some to buy too!

Fifteen minutes in, there’s a very random moment about a chair which slides around for no apparent good reason.

We see a 1970s spinning machine in action.

1977 Development Corporation Tape

East Kilbride Central Library had this footage in a box of old VHS tapes, which Martin Farrell digitised for new audiences. It’s an Edinburgh Films Production for East Kilbride Development Corporation.

The narrator explains East Kilbride’s modern origins as a small village expanded into Scotland’s first post-war New Town. We see the building of the first new houses, and the rural fields of the dairy farm which was soon transformed into the town centre.

East Kilbride Going To Town sound 1977 SLLC Old East Kilbride Library collection – YouTube

Each neighbourhood had its own local shopping area, and 12 churches of different denominations sprang up.

The local industrial sites and training facilities indicated the importance of the manufacturing industry to the local economy and employment.

Swimming, golf and nightclubs were part of the leisure attractions on offer.

The 12,000th family from Glasgow was officially welcomed in 1974 by a small crowd of dignitaries and local press.

The Queensway in the 1970s

This 1970s home colour cine film was uploaded to YouTube by Studio 54 Films.

The Queensway East Kilbride – YouTube

County Fair 1987

Another one from the box of VHS tapes. Includes someone arriving on a parachute, Scottish dancers, bagpiping, kids on little motorbikes. A cooper makes a barrel. Then some historic recreation people on horseback arrive.

1987 County Fair East Kilbride SLLC Old East Kilbride Library collection – YouTube

1990 Reflection on the New Town

On August 8th 1947 the East Kilbride Development Corporation held its augural meeting. This film was made to mark the end of the organisation’s existence.

A wide range of locations over several decades appear. These include leisure activities, with the narrator explaining that “The male element goes for the martial arts”. 

However, the vision that the shopping centre should be seen as the focus of a family day out rather than just a trip to do shopping shows good foresight.

There’s also footage of the second visit from Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on 12 July 1990. It included an ice pageant. The Queen looks cheerful and happy throughout her visit to the town.

East Kilbride – The Making of a Town – YouTube

YouTube channel DaveSpencer32 uploaded this footage of bright orange buses and passing cars.

EAST KILBRIDE BUSES 1996 – DaveSpencer32 on YouTube

The winter of 2010 brought a LOT of snow!

East Kilbride A749 Kingsgate .MPG – YouTube

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As East Kilbride new town celebrates its 70th anniversary we remember Queen's Royal Appointment

Thousands gathered in the town centre for the Queen's first visit on July 2, 1962 to unveil a plaque dedicated to her father, George VI.

• 14:26, 19 APR 2017
• Updated 11:22, 21 APR 2017

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As East Kilbride new town celebrates it's 70th anniversary the East Kilbride News looks back at the Queen's first visit which saw thousands gather to welcome Her Majesty and Prince Philip.

A unique film capturing the development of East Kilbride shows the royal couple arriving in the town centre before being driven to Torrance House.

Thousands of excited residents – as well as visitors – waited patiently to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, who were welcomed by Professor Robert Browning, chairman of the Development Corporation.

The royal couple returned 28 years later on July 12, 1990 to officially open the Olympia shopping and leisure centre.

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Queen Elizabeth II Visits Scotland

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HRH PRINCESS ROYAL VISIT TO SPRINGBANK PARK , EAST KILBRIDE

HRH Princess Royal visited the  Gypsy and Traveller  Site at Springbank Park , East Kilbride on Friday 11th March 2022.

Princess Anne was received  by Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire Gavin Whitefield CBE and  introduced to South  Lanarkshire Council Provost Ian McAllan , local MP Dr Lisa Cameron , Council Chief Executive Cleland Sneddon  and Housing Director , Daniel Low . Area Housing Manager Sharon Egan along with the Travelling Site Officer John Irvine then took the Princess on a walking tour of the site  during which she was introduced to  the contractors and project team involved in the award winning  recent improvement works at the development .

HRH visited an amenity unit and the chalet of the longest staying resident and talked to a number of residents who spoke about their pride in the development and their positive engagement with the local community . Before leaving the Princess Royal was presented with a posy of flowers by the youngest resident on the site .

Posted by Gavin Whitefield

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Queen Elizabeth II visits East Kilbride leaving dress shop of Mr and Mrs J Laird Porch

This is one of around 40,000 images from The Scotsman newspaper's glass plate negative collection. These were digitised in preparation for The Scotsman moving to their new headquarters at Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, in 1999. The glass plate negatives themselves are now held in the Scottish Life Archive of the National Museums of Scotland. The Scotsman is one of Scotland's oldest newspapers, and was first published in 1817. The captions for these images have been created from historical sources. They contain a high proportion of typographical errors, and are sometimes lacking important information. It will take us some time to work through them, so please bear with us, but we think they are such a valuable resource we wanted you to have access to them as soon as possible. If you would like to help with the editing process, please use the corrections link on the right.

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Queen Elizabeth II Visits Scotland

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A look back at Queen Elizabeth II's visits to Cumbria and the Scottish Borders

• Scottish Borders
• Friday 9 September 2022 at 10:12am

The Queen's long association with our region goes back to a time when she was still heir to the throne.

In 1947, the then Princess Elizabeth accompanied her mother and father King George VI to the Scottish Borders.

Travelling with her was Philip Mountbatten, the man she would marry later that year.

Five years on, the now Queen started a tour of the UK following her Coronation in 1953.

Lord Inglewood said: “People up here are strong supporters of the Royal Family in general and she has always been, I’ve felt recognised, and welcomed in Cumberland.

"I can remember as a child going and standing by the side of the road and waving a flag when she came in the mid-50s”

In 1956, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Appleby at the start of a tour of the Lake District, where she inspected the guard of honour in the cloisters.

In the same year, the world's first industrial scale nuclear power station officially opened and the young Queen was in West Cumbria to flip the switch.

Two years later, north of Cumbria was adorned with flags, when the Queen came to celebrate 800 years of the city.

She was cheered on by a crowd of children at the market hall in Carlisle.

In 1975, had an engagement across the Border, opening the new Dumfries & Galloway Infirmary.

Built on the site of a nine-hole golf course, the state-of-the-art hospital would serve 150,000 people 

In 1988, the Queen was in the Scottish Borders where a discerning audience of school children from communities in and around Peebles, awaited her arrival.

In 1993, she and the Duke of Edinburgh were in Lockerbie nearly five years after a terrorist bombing brought a passenger plane down over the town.

It was a time to reflect and to talk to victims and survivors.

At the cemetery, Her Majesty laid a wreath in memory of those who died, her presence a comfort to townsfolk who lived through the tragedy.

Barbara Kelly said: "Her courage her tact, in dealing with so well with tragedies and catastrophes, her real interest in the voluntary and charitable sector, will go down as hugely, hugely important."

In 1996, Her Majesty visited Stranraer, arriving in the Royal Yacht Britannia.

In Spring 2002, Her Majesty was met by thousands of well-wishers when she arrived in the Borders again as part of her Golden Jubilee Tour.

At Melrose Abbey, the Queen was shown the place where Robert the Bruce's heart is buried.

In 2008, it was Whitehaven's chance to host the Queen and at the town's Beacon Museum a west Cumbrian welcome with a difference, gurning is well-known in this part of the world and her Majesty took it in her stride.

The Queen returned to Cumbria in 2013, travelling first to Kendal before going on to a paper mill at nearby Burneside.

At the time of this visit, the Queen was about to become a great-grandmother again when she visited a National Park visitor centre.

Clare Hensman was the Lord Lieutenant on this visit and noted the royal visitor's power of memory.

She said: "The main highlight for her was the fell pony society, of which she was patron.

"She said, and I can't remember the name of the pony but it was something like Molly- 'oh have you still got Molly?' because she'd given Molly to the pony society."

The UK and world reacts to the death of Her Majesty The Queen at 96...

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Queen Elizabeth II Visits Scotland

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HM Queen Elizabeth II