Scotland in 1956: 25 amazing pictures of Scottish life nearly 70 years ago

Life looked very different seven decades ago in Scotland.

There was plenty happening in the world in 1956 - the year of the Suez Crisis when Egypt’s nationalisation of the Suez Canal led to an invasion by Britain, France and Israel.

Fidel Castro was plotting to overthrow the government in Cuba, there were uprisings against Soviet rule in Poland and Hungary, and the first cordless television remote control was invented.

In Britain the country’s first nuclear power station opened at Windscale, the Clean Air Act came into law to combat severe air pollution from smoke, and heroin was criminalised for the first time.

Meanwhile in Scotland, Hearts beat Celtic 3-1 in the Scottish Cup final, Edinburgh’s tram services was scrapped, and the first commercial ski centre opened in Glencoe.

Here are 25 pictures to take you back to that year.

1. Champs

Hearts groundsman Mathie Chalmers shows the Scottish Cup to a section of the crowd at Tynecastle - following their victory over Celtic at Hampden Park in the 1956 Scottish Cup final. | National World