Scotland in 1957: Here are 25 incredible photos of Scottish life nearly 70 years ago

Scotland was a very different place back then - you certainly didn’t have elephant rides at Edinburgh Zoo!

The year 1957 was an important one for the world - with the Soviet Union starting the space race by successfully launching Sputnik 1, the first ever artificial satellite.

It was the year that the Suez Crisis was resolved, West Side Story premiered on Broadway and Elvis Presley bought Graceland for the princely sum of $100,000.

In the UK John Lennon and Paul McCartney met, the first Premium Bonds winners were selected by the computer ERNIE, and the BBC began broadcasting between 6-7pm (having previously halted programming for children to go to bed).

Meanwhile, in Scotland, Celtic enjoyed a record 7–1 win over Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final, the BBC opened its first permanent Scottish television studio in Glasgow, and 17 miners were killed in an explosion at Ayrshire’s Kames Colliery.

Here are 25 pictures to take you back to that world-changing year.

5. On the streets

A little boy on the path to Saunders Street, in Edinburgh's Stockbridge area, in March 1957. | National World

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6. Ready to go

Three-year-old Paul Flannigan sits on top of luggage ready to head off for his Glasgow Fair Holidays from the city's Central Station. | National World