Pumpherston | |
---|---|
The last remains of a shale bing by Pumpherston | |
Location within West Lothian | |
OS grid reference | NT071690 |
Civil parish | |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LIVINGSTON |
Postcode district | EH53 |
Dialling code | 01506 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Pumpherston is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. Originally a small industrial village housing works for the nearby shale mine and works, it now forms the eastern part of the new town of Livingston, which was constructed to the west of Pumpherston in the late 1960s and quickly grew to incorporate Pumpherston in its wider urban settlement, as defined by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). [1] The village of Uphall Station lies immediately to the north. It is twinned with the village of Mtarfa, Malta.
In 1884 the Pumpherston Oil Works was built to extract and product shale oil and the village developed adjacent to the works to house employed staff and their families. [2] Pumpherston was initially divided into two villages, south and north. The north village had 116 homes and a co-operative store by 1885. [3] By 1888, the south village had two rows of houses, comprising 48 tenements that had been erected. [4] By 1914, Pumpherston north village had continued to expand to over 220 houses, as well as a workingmans institute, library, hall and bowling green. [3] The co-operative store building (West Calder Co-Operative) still occupies the corner site in the village and includes a clock tower. [5]
The Pumpherston oil works was later merged into Scottish Oils Ltd, established by Anglo-Persian in 1919 along with four other Scottish oil shale companies (Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Company, Broxburn Oil Company, Oakbank Oil Company and James Ross & Company Philpstoun Oil Works). [6] [7] [8] [9] The oil works however continued to grow as the principal refinery for the company, with the additions of a cracking plant, brickworks and a detergent plant. The main refinery closed in 1964 although the detergent plant continued to operate until the earlier 1990s. Most of the former workings have been removed and the area has now been redeveloped as a golf course and new housing. [10]
The specific oil shale retort, invented in 1894 and marking the separation of the oil shale industry from the coal industry, is named after the village. [11]
There does not seem to be an unambiguous derivation for the origin of the name:
Various suggestions have been made as to the meaning of the name Pumpherston. One writer suggested it was from 'pamper', a short thickset man; another suggested it was from 'pundler', the official in the middle ages who impounded stray cattle. [A more likely] derivation is from [Brythonic] 'ap Humphrey' meaning son of Humphrey.
Pomphray was probably [the name of] one of the Flemish (Belgian) noblemen invited by King David I and his grandson Malcolm IV to settle in Scotland in the twelfth century ... Pomphray would have been granted the lands north of the Almond in return for serving the king in battle ... around the castle built by Pomphray, probably a wooden structure later replaced by a stone building, would have grown up a little settlement and farm to house and feed his adherents and servants - Pomphray's town.
Manu de Pomphray was a Belgian mercenary who was rewarded for his "deeds" by King Malcolm circa 1130-1145
—Sybil Cavanagh et al. [2]
There is evidence of the Roman occupation approximately two miles north east of Pumpherston - at Roman Camp, near Broxburn.
Pumpherston shares a primary school, Pumpherston & Uphall Station Community Primary School, with near neighbour Uphall Station. For secondary education is provided at nearby Broxburn Academy.
Pumpherston has a variety of sporting amenities including Pumpherston Golf Club, [12] Pumpherston Bowling Club and Recreation Park, the home of Pumpherston Juniors Football Club (Pumpherston F.C.).
In 2005 Pumpherston United F.C was formed to provide an opportunity for children from Pumpherston and the surrounding areas to take part in regular sporting activities. In only its third year the youth football club achieved an Access Level Award through West Lothian Council's Community Sports Club Development Scheme. The certificate awarded to the club confirms that Pumpherston United F.C demonstrates appropriate levels of efficiency in Child Protection, Good Coaching Practice, Club Management and First Aid.
"Dukla Pumpherston" is a charity football team that originates from a fictional football team used by the comedian Tony Roper in the 1980s for the Naked Radio show. [13] The name "Dukla Pumpherston" is said to originate from a play entitled "The Broons" held in Pumpherston Scout Hall circa 1982.[ citation needed ] However, the team now play to raise funds and awareness for various charities.
Uphall Station road is the main road through the village. The nearest railway station is Uphall railway station which lies to the north of Pumpherston at Uphall Station village.
McGill's Scotland East operate bus service 23 between Broxburn and Whitburn or Shotts via Livingston, St. John's Hospital, Seafield and Blackburn.
Kerry McGregor, who had success with many ventures including the Eurovision Song Contest qualifiers and X Factor, as well as acting, came from Pumpherston.
West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in 1975: some areas in the west were transferred to Falkirk; some areas in the east were transferred to Edinburgh; and some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to West Lothian.
Livingston is the largest town in West Lothian, Scotland. Designated in 1962, it is the fourth post-war new town to be built in Scotland. Taking its name from a village of the same name incorporated into the new town, it was originally developed in the then-counties of Midlothian and West Lothian along the banks of the River Almond. It is situated approximately fifteen miles (25 km) west of Edinburgh and thirty miles (50 km) east of Glasgow, and is close to the towns of Broxburn to the north-east and Bathgate to the north-west.
Broxburn is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is 12 miles (19 km) from the West End of Edinburgh, 5 miles (8.0 km) from Edinburgh Airport and 5 miles (8.0 km) to the north of Livingston. Originally a village known as Easter Strathbock in the medieval period, by 1600, the village had become known as Broxburn. The area developed rapidly during the Victorian era as a result of industralisation related to shale oil extraction. While much of the industry in the area is now diminished, the town has continued to grow following new residential development, resulting in Broxburn forming a conurbation with neighbouring Uphall. It lies just to the south of Winchburgh.
Uphall is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. It is a swiftly growing village in a conurbation with Broxburn to the east, Dechmont to the west and the major town of Livingston to the south west. Uphall is 30 miles from Glasgow and 14 miles from Edinburgh in the Scottish Lowlands. Uphall Station and Pumpherston are separate villages that lie to the south of Uphall.
James Young FRS FRSE FCS DL LLD was a Scottish chemist best known for his method of distilling paraffin from coal and oil shales. He is often referred to as Paraffin Young.
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, 5 miles (8 km) west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, Blackburn, Linlithgow, Livingston, West Calder and Whitburn. Situated 2 miles (3 km) south of the ancient Neolithic burial site at Cairnpapple Hill, Bathgate and the surrounding area show signs of habitation since about 3500 BC and the world's oldest known reptile fossil has been found in the town. By the 12th century, Bathgate was a small settlement, with a church at Kirkton and a castle south of the present day town centre. Local mines were established in the 17th century but the town remained small in size until the coming of the industrial revolution. By the Victorian era, Bathgate grew in prominence as an industrial and mining centre, principally associated with the coal and shale oil industries. By the early 20th century, much of the mining and heavy industry around the town had ceased and the town developed manufacturing industries, principally in vehicle production and later electronics before these factories closed in the late 20th century. Today Bathgate is the second largest town in West Lothian, after Livingston and serves as a regional commuter town within the Scottish Central Belt.
Addiewell is a former mining village in the Scottish council area of West Lothian. Historically it lies within the County of Midlothian. A new prison, HMP Addiewell, opened in 2008.
The Edinburgh–Bathgate line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and was originally operated by the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway. Except for the short section at the original Bathgate terminus, the main line is still in use, with a frequent passenger train service operated by ScotRail.
Uphall railway station serves the village of Uphall Station and some areas of Livingston in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the North Clyde Line, 12½ miles (20 km) west of Edinburgh.
Winchburgh is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Linlithgow and 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Broxburn.
West Calder is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland, located four miles west of Livingston. Historically it is within the County of Midlothian. The village was an important centre in the oil shale industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. West Calder has its own railway station.
Uphall Station is a village located in West Lothian, Scotland. The name is derived from the neighbouring town Uphall on account of the railway station located on the northeast perimeter of the village. The village is situated southeast of Uphall and Broxburn, north of Pumpherston and northeast of Livingston. It lies approximately a quarter of a mile from the A89, which is a major road running between Greenock in the west of Scotland and Edinburgh in the east of Scotland. A gala day is held annually, usually in June.
Craigshill is a residential area in the east of Livingston, Scotland. To the west is the A899, with Howden, Ladywell and Knightsridge beyond it, to the south is the village of Mid Calder, and to the north is Houston Industrial Estate and the village of Pumpherston.
Bridgend is a village which neighbours Linlithgow, in West Lothian, Scotland. It also has a football team called Bridgend United. In 2018 it had an estimated population of 790.
Broxburn Academy is a secondary school in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland.
William Dornan was a Scottish footballer who appeared 389 times in the Scottish Football League and Scottish Cup for Hibernian between 1914 and 1927, playing at left back. He featured in two Scottish Cup finals in 1923 and 1924. He also played for Leith Athletic and Queen of the South.
The Almondell Viaduct, also known as the Camps Viaduct, is a viaduct spanning the gorge of the River Almond in Scotland, located in East Calder, West Lothian, as well as the main canal feeder taking water from the Almond to the Union Canal at Lin's Mill near Ratho
Uphall Football Club was a football club from Uphall in West Lothian.
Broxburn Athletic Football Club was a football club from Broxburn in West Lothian.
The history Pumpherston, the story of a shale oil village was commissioned by BP and collated and edited by local area historian Sybil Cavanagh. [2]