Water transport was also key during the 19th and 20th centuries. The significant ferry route across the Forth saw a series of upgrades during the 19th century. New piers at South Queensferry were built around 1809, and further alterations were made in subsequent decades to adapt the harbour for steam boats (Fraser 1997, 26). During the 19th and 20th centuries major changes took place at the region’s ports as larger vessels became the norm. Even at smaller harbours, which primarily took local fishing boats, more protection from the sea was often constructed. A degree of recording of the region’s historic harbours has been undertaken. However, problems with maintenance and climate change mean that these sites are vulnerable, and further study of the region’s harbours should be a priority.
The 19th and 20th centuries were characterised by greater movement of people and goods between South East Scotland and the wider world. Initially, this was primarily by sea, although from the inter-war years onwards air travel also played a significant role. During the 19th century trade continued between the east coast of Scotland and the other North Sea nations. The period after 1800 also saw much greater links with the world beyond Europe, partly (though not exclusively) associated with the expansion of the British Empire. Further research into ways in which processes of colonization overseas shaped identities and daily life within South East Scotland during the 19th and early 20th centuries would be desirable. In more recent years, globalisation has continued to affect the region’s supply networks and patterns of migration. The full implications of these trends are perhaps yet to be understood. However, there is perhaps room for more consideration of the ways in which goods and foodstuffs originating overseas became integrated into the lives of people in South East Scotland, and the impact of these changes on local economies.