Reference collection (Numerical list)
R13-00035.023: R13-00035.023-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of surface building at shale mine - possibly Breich No. 1 & 2 pitR13-00035.024: R13-00035.024-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of surface building at shale mine - possibly Woolfords Coal Pit.R13-00035.025: R13-00035.025-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of surface buildings at shale mine.R13-00035.026: R13-00035.026-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of haulage to retorts (?)R13-00035.027: R13-00035.027-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of surface buildings.R13-00035.028: R13-00035.028-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of haulage to retorts (?)R13-00035.029: R13-00035.029-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of pit head (?)R13-00035.030: R13-00035.030-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of de-railment on the branch line to Newliston Pits at the Almond Viaduct.R13-00035.031: R13-00035.031-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of the recovery of the de-railment on the branch line to Newliston Pits at the Almond Viaduct.R13-00035.032: R13-00035.032-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of the recover of the de-railment on the branch line to Newliston Pits at the Almond Viaduct.R13-00035.033: R13-00035.033-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of haulage to retorts (?)R13-00035.034: R13-00035.034-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of derailment recovery on branch line to Newliston Pits at Almond Viaduct. Possibly the village of Westerton in the background.R13-00035.035: R13-00035.035-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of haulage to retorts(?)R13-00035.036: R13-00035.036-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of general view of oil works.R13-00035.037: R13-00035.037-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of unknown imageR13-00035.038: R13-00035.038-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of haulage to retorts(?)R13-00035.039: R13-00035.039-copy image
Copy of black and white photograph of oil works, general view.R13-00036: R13-00036-book
Book titled 'Pumpherston, The story of a shale oil village' by John H. McKay, Sybil Cavanagh, James O'Hagan, Kneale Johnson, edited by Sybil CavanaghR13-00037: R13-00037-magazine
Magazine Railway Bylines Volume 9, Issue 3, February 2004 - article on 'The Oakbank Company and its Electric Railway' Page 136-141.R13-00038: R13-00038-digital image
Black and white digital image of a football team with trophy. Thought to be of a Broxburn football team. Bob Anderson is standing fourth from the right on the back row. Bob Anderson was the great uncle of the owner of the original photograph. He lived in Broxburn for most of his married life and worked in the shale oil industryR13-00039: R13-00039-poem
typed poem on laminated paper "Ode to a Shale Bing" by Douglas Campbell Barrows, undatedR13-00040: R13-00040-digital image
Black & white digital image of the Duke of Kent during his visit to Scottish Oils Ltd's mines and works. Image thought to be taken at Pumpherston Oil Works / Pumpherston Oil Refinery on 10th January 1940. General Manager of Scottish Oils Ltd, Robert Crichton, on the left and Works Manager, William Gray, is believed to be on the right. Taken by The Scotsman, Edinburgh. The Duke of Kent was stationed in Scotland from the beginning of the Second World WarR13-00041: R13-00041-digital image
Black & white digital image of a military parade at Pumpherston Institute Hall in circa 1940R13-00042: R13-00042-digital image
Black & white digital image of experimental shale oil retorting plant and works at Breznik, Bulgaria, September 1926. The works was built by John Roberts, formerly of Pumpherston Oil Works / Pumpherston Refinery for the Bulgarian Oil Syndicate. Sent with accompanying explanatory letter R13-00043 to William Gray, Works Manager at PumpherstonR13-00043: R13-00043-letter
Letter from John Roberts, Bulgarian Oil Syndicate, Breznik, Bulgaria, dated 12th September 1926 to William Gray, Works Manager at Pumpherston Oil Works / Pumpherston Refinery. Letter describes the construction of experimental shale oil retorting plant and works at Breznik. Mention is also made of James Bryson and a visit to the works by the Bulgarian Prime Minister. John Roberts was formerly from Pumpherston Oil Works / Pumpherston Refinery. Sent with accompanying photograph R13-00042R13-00044: R13-00044-digital image
Black and white digital image of a Militia Camp on Lanark Moor with Lanarkmoor Oil Works in the background, circa 1876R13-00045: R13-00045-dissertation
scanned copy of dissertation "Winchburgh: A Case Study of Village Settlement in the Lothians Shale Field" by John R Meikle, 1974. Written for Joint Honours Degree in Geography and Economic History. 65 pages. The dissertation explores why the shale oil industry which created the large village of Winchburgh died and what happened to the village after the death of the industryR13-00046: R13-00046-booklet
booklet commemorating the centenary of James Young's death, James 'Paraffin' Young 1811-1883, Scottish Men of Science by John Butt, 16 pages, 1983. Printed by the Department of Geography, University of EdinburghR13-00047: R13-00047-minute book
Digital copy of the minute book of the Executive Council of the National Union of Shale Miners & Oil Workers dated from 12th December 1933 to 27th March 1943. Meetings held in BathgateR13-00048: R13-00048-newspaper cutting
Digital copy of an undated newspaper cutting of the obituary for James McKelvie, newspaper source unknown, dating from 1957. Article titled "Shale Oil Union Leader Dies, The Late J. McKelvie"R13-00049: R13-00049-certificate
Digital copy of a Pass for Trade Union Official and Certificate of Occupation for James McKelvie, National Union of Shale Miners & Oil Workers Organiser and Emergency Information Officer for the South Eastern Scotland District. Issued by the Ministry of Information, Scottish Regional Office on 09/09/1942R13-00050: R13-00050-report
Report âThe Oil-shales of the Lothians, Scotland: Present Resources and Former Workingsâ. Institute of Geological Sciences, Natural Environment Research Council, Report 78/28. Written by I. B. Cameron and A. D. McAdam. Published by Her Majesty's Stationary Office, 1978R13-00051: R13-00051-book
Book "Strathalmond" by Alex Aitken. Published by Highlands Publishing, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1999. Signed by the author, Strathalmond, A Scottish Saga of the Lothians, is a novel of the saga of two families in different eras; a story of love and war, bigotry and envy, tragedy and hope in their changing worldsR13-00057: R13-00057-book
Book "Paraffin Young and Friends" by Mary Leitch, published by Alan Fyfe, 2012. Paperback. The book is a biography of James Young, 1811-1883, The World's First Proffessional Oilman. The author is the great great granddaughter of James YoungR13-00058: R13-00058-booklet
Booklet "Ma Moore and the West Calder Protest" by the Wets Lothian Local History Library, 2012R13-00059: R13-00059-report
Report "The Early Oil Works of Uphall" by Peter Caldwell, 2013. The report presents the author's findings from research into the numerous shale oil works which are listed as having operated around Uphall Station in the 1860s and 1870sR13.00060: R13.00060-book
Book "Laundry Chemistry" by the British Launderers' Reasearch Association, 1955, London. Foreword by F Courtney Harwood. Green hardcover with gold text on cover and spine. Name written on inside front coverR14-00001: R14-00001-newspaper cutting
Newspaper cutting "Remember 1956" from the Edinburgh Evening News, Friday 10th January 2014, page 39. Contains a photograph of workmen at the Scottish Oils Ltd Roman Camp Oil Works, Broxburn during a break in January 1956R14-00002: R14-00002-book
Book "Tullis Russell: The History of R Tullis & Company and Tullis Russell & Co Ltd 1809-1959" by C D M Kettelbey. Published by Tullis RUssell & Company Ltd, Auchmuty & Rothes Paper Mills, Markinch, Fife, 1967. Hardback, blue coverR14-00003: R14-00003-book
Book "A History of the Burmah Oil Company 1886-1924" by T A B Corley. Published by Heinemann, London, 1983. Hardback with dust jacketR14-00004: R14-00004-photograph
Black and white photographic print of a rotary oil well drilling rig at West Calder, 320m south-south-west of United Presbyterian Church and 25.8km south-west of Edinburgh. The exploratory oil borehole commenced on 14th June 1919 and finished in October 1921. It was one of 11 oil wells drilled in Great Britain for the Mineral Oil Production Department of the Minstry of Munitions. The view shows the whole height of the derrick, drilling was conducted by Messrs S Pearson & Son Ltd using the American cable system with percussive tools. Drilling reached the depth of 3923 feet through the oil shale measures without encountering any petroleum. Original photograph aken on 1st January 1921R14-00006: R14-00006-photograph
Mounted black and white photograph of an unknown man and woman, circa 1900. The woman is seated and the man is resting on the arm of the chair. The subjects are possibly part of the Benson family from West Calder who were ancestors of the donorR14-00007: R14-00007-copy image
Black and white copy image of a photograph of an RAF football team in Egypt in 1948 or 1949 (known to be taken before the Suez Canal Crisis in 1956). Jim Reid, from Oakbank, is second from the right in the back row. His father was a shale miner at Oakbank and he was the father of the donorR14-00008: R14-00008-digital image
Scan of black and white photograph of 2 men next to the ambulance that serviced the Middleton Hall area and was based at Middleton Hall with the fire engine. The ambulance had tilting wheels for allowing quicker turns around corners. The tyres were rubber, but solid rubber rather than inflatables. Donor's father, William Glencorse, had the job of keeping the ambulance running. He was the foreman at the garage at Middleton Hall. Ambulance has the licence plate SX 6862 which dates the photograph to 1903-1932.R14-00009: R14-00009-digital image
Scan of sepia photograph of 2 men standing next to an oil well taken c. 1930. The man on the left is William Glencorse (donor's father) who stayed in 37 Burnside Road. Taken at Cousland near Dalkeith while exploring for oil but actually found natual gas.R14-00010: R14-00010-digital image
Scan of sepia photograph of 3 men standing next to piping taken c. 1930. Taken at Cousland near Dalkeith while exploring for oil but actually found natural gas.R14-00011: R14-00011-digital image
Scan of colour image of Dux board taken at old Pumpherston Primary School showing the name of the donor's father, William Glencorse, who received the DUX of the school in 1926.R14-00012: R14-00012-digital image
Scan of black and white photograph of a motor "BP" spirit vehicle 178 outside Middleton Hall while it was still under construction. The registration plate is GB 7853 which dates the photograph to 1903-1932.R14-00013: R14-00013-digital image
Scan of black and white photograph of the Christmas party for the members of motor repair shop at Middleton Hall. The donor is the second child in from the left, on his knees. The donor's father and mother are both in the photograph, along with Alex Bennet, Jimmy Dudgeon and David Drydon.R14-00014: R14-00014-digital image
Scan of black and white photograph of group of bus drivers take outside the bus station in Broxburn. Grandfather of donor, Isaac Glencorse, is standing 3 from the left - he stayed in South Village, Pumpherston.R14-00015: Photo - diesel shunting locomotive at Pumpherston
Copy colour print of a diesel shunting locomotive at Pumpherston detergent works.R14-00016: Photo - diesel shunting locomotive at Pumpherston
Copy colour photograph of a diesel locomotive owned by Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. at Pumpherston detergent works.