25 pictures celebrating Scotland's summer gala days of the past - with Coal Queens, parades and fancy dress

Chic Murray crowns Clermiston's Gala Queen Christine Scott in 1961.

Gala days remain as much a highlight of the summer calendar in some parts of Scotland as they did 200 years ago, although the tradition has waned in some communities. Originally, the events were often held to mark successful wins for workers’ rights or simply to raise some cheer in the country’s industrial communities during tough economic times. Scotland’s first gala day is thought to have been held in the 1770 in Loanhead, when miners from the Dryden Colliery were invited to feast with their children to celebrate the birthday of the landowner, Lord Lockhart of Carnwath. From there on, sports days and children’s play days would be held at individual collieries, given workers and their families often cut off from larger summer festivals in towns and cities, according to the National Mining Museum Scotland.

Bo'ness gala day - Hail to our queen sing children.

The Queen and her attendants at Dalkeith Gala Day in 1954.

Arrival of gala Queen Anne McClafferty at Edinburgh, Cramond and Davidson Mains gala day, 1959.

Scottish Miners Gala Day in 1964. The event attracted its biggest crowd a decade earlier when 100,000 people turned up to hear a speech from Nye Bevan MP, who led a procession of workers down the Royal Mile.

The day was a celebration in many ways, not least because people usually got a day off work to attend. Pictured are crowds in the streets at Dunfermline gala day, 1958.

Miners and their families parade down Leith Walk in the rain on their way to Leith Links for the Miners Gala Day in 1965.

The elaborate crowning ceremony at Bathgate Gala Day in 1965.

Scottish actor John Cairney crowns Valerie Riddell, the winner of the Coal Queen beauty contest at the Scottish Miners Gala Day, held at Leith Links in Edinburgh, June 1966.

Line-up of finalists in the Coal Queen beauty contest at the Scottish Miners Gala Day, held at Leith Links in Edinburgh, June 1966.

A fancy dress contest at Whitecraig Gala Day in 1965.

Crowning Maureen Lawson, the Gala Queen at Biggar Gala Day in July 1966.