Photo - Bathgate acid works.

code: LVSAV2019.109

Collection code:
LVSAV2019.109
File type:
Photographs
Collection:

Description

B&W negative copied in 1990 from official albums then held at Grangemouth refinery.

James "Paraffin" Young established what was arguably the world's first commercial scale mineral oil works at Inchcross near Bathgate in 1851. A complicated history involved many changes in layout of the plant and transfer of ownership to Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Company in 1871. Oil production ceased at Inchcross (by then known as Bathgate or Boghead chemical works) in c.1887 but following further development c. 1900 sulphuric acid production was increased to supply the needs of all of Young's company oil works. This view shows the acid house at Bathgate which produced sulphuric acid using the lead chamber process until closure in c. 1956.

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