Daily Life

Find out how everyday life in Scotland changed throughout the 20th century, creating a diverse and vibrant culture.

Experience tenement life in the 1950s and 1960s, find out about developments in health care and see how fashions in home furnishing, leisure and entertainment have altered through the decades.

Health of a nation

The Scots have struggled with poor health throughout the 20th century. For many, poverty meant problems inherited from the 19th century, such as poor housing, health and unemployment, continued well into the new century.

Leisure and entertainment

Reduced working hours, the introduction of paid holidays and the invention of new labour-saving domestic appliances meant people had more leisure time for sport, entertainment and travel.

Discover the history of entertainment in Scotland, relax in our cinema seats and let Scotland's finest performers entertain you, find out about world-renowned writers JK Rowling and Ian Rankin.

New Scots

Fewer immigrants settled in Scotland than in the rest of the United Kingdom. However, continued immigration has ensured Scotland is now a vibrant and diverse place to live.

Personal story: Dr John AJ Macleod

The Macleods of Lochmaddy, North Uist (a family of doctors)

Dr John and Lorna Macleod Jnr "From 1932 to 1973 my parents Dr Alex J Macleod and Dr Julia Macleod served the Lochmaddy practice. There was no telephone until 1944. Most births were at home, the children faced multiple infectious diseases and antibiotics were not available until 1945. Nurses were poorly trained and it took two days to get to a major hospital. My mother and father became major catalysts in developing the Scottish Air Ambulance Service.

"In 1973 when I joined my father's practice, my nurse wife Lorna and I had a much easier time. I worked out of a modern clinic which provided screening and health promotion. Through immunisation programmes, infectious diseases of childhood are rare. The Scottish Air Ambulance Service is now well established as a vital medical intervention in the Hebrides."

Personal story: Cosmo Tamburro Senior and Junior

From Bonnyrigg to Bologna: Scots pizzas to Italy

Cosmo_Snr _Jnr In 1958, Cosmo Snr. came to Scotland from Formia, an Italian fishing town. As a highly-trained chef he quickly found work in a North Berwick hotel. Cosmo Snr. worked in some of Edinburgh's most prestigious kitchens and eventually opened his first restaurant, Cosmo's, in Edinburgh 1963. It became an established favourite.

Cosmo Jnr. was a motor mechanic, but was lured into the family business. With the introduction of more ingredients to produce ready-made meals, the new business flourished. From these beginnings, Cosmo Products now exports gluten-free pizzas to Italy!