Scottish shale Scottish shale

Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd.

Company number:
Registered in Scotland No.1295
Share capital:
£90,000
Started:
3rd November 1883
Finished:
19th December 1997
Registered office:

135 Buchanan Street, Glasgow
53 Bothwell Street, Glasgow
Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, FK3 9XQ

A company established to take forward a mineral lease and other interests held by Archibald Fraser and his brother William Fraser, a former shale miner, and previously mining and works manager of the Uphall Oil Co.. Under William Fraser's leadership, the company overcame initial difficulties and began to return substantial dividends.

The Pumpherston Oil Company then acquired a number of sites from failed shale companies, reconstructed works, and returned them to profitable operation supplying crude oil for refining at Pumpherston. Seafield crude oil works were reconstructed in 1891 and Deans crude oil works in 1896. William Fraser formed the Tarbrax Oil Co. in 1905, which was absorbed into the Pumpherston Oil Co. in 1913.

The Pumpherston Oil Company was one of five shale oil companies that survived to be merged into Scottish Oils Ltd in 1919, following which Pumpherston became the central refinery, and hub of operations for the industry. William Fraser Junior, son of the founder and subsequently Baron Strathalmond, was appoint first managing director of Scottish Oils Ltd, and was highly influential in shaping the fortunes of the BP oil group.

Directors

Information is patchy from 1883-1913, and from 1970-78

  • William Fraser - 1883-1915 (Managing Director from before 1913-1915)
  • John Paterson - 1883-1916
  • James Craig - 1883-
  • Robert Browne Tennent - 1883-
  • James Wood - 1883-
  • Thomas McLintock - before 1913-1919 (Chairman from before 1913-1919)
  • Thomas Alexander - before 1913-1915
  • Archibald Fraser - before 1913-1919
  • James Bryson - before 1913- (Managing Director from 1915-1919)
  • William Barr - 1916/17-1919
  • Sir William Fraser (1st Baron Strathalmond) - 1913-between 1954 and 1956 (Managing Director from 1915-1941, Chairman
  • from 1943-1956)
  • Sir John Buck Lloyd - 1919-1946/47
  • John Douglas Stewart - 1919-1925/26
  • Herbert Edward Nichols - 1919-1927
  • Duncan Garrow - 1921-1925/26
  • Robert Irving Watson - 1921-1947
  • Sir Frederick William Black - 1920/21-1921/22
  • Sir John Traill Cargill Bt - 1923-1943
  • Sir Hubert Bryan Heath Eves - 1926-1950/51
  • Lord Sir John Cadman KCMG - 1926-1941 (image below)
  • Robert Crichton - 1930-1954 (Managing Director from 1941-1954)
  • Basil Rawdon Jackson - 1951-19?? (Chairman from 1957-) (image below)
  • John Martin Caldwell - 1952/53-1962/63 (Managing Director from 1954-1962/63)
  • Sir Harold Ernest Snow CBE - 1953/54-1954/55 and 1956/57-1961/62 (image below)
  • Hon. William Fraser (2nd Baron Strathalmond) - 1954-1956/57
  • John Paterson - before 1956/57-1963
  • Duncan Anderson - before 1956/57-1961/62
  • Sir Neville Archibald Gass KBE - 1956/57-1960/61 (Chairman from 1957-1960/61) (image below)
  • Hon. Maurice Richard Bridgeman CBE - 1960/61-1963 (Chairman from 1960/61-1963) (image below)
  • Sir Arthur Eric Courtney Drake CBE - 1960/61-1963 (image below)
  • John Mellor Pattinson - 1960/61-1963 (image below)
  • Dr Willison Bryce Peutherer - 1962/63-1969 (image below)
  • Maurice Alfred Lister Banks - 1962/63-1963
  • Robert Wilson Adam - 1963
  • Gilbert Hugh Ackroyd - 1963
  • Robert Young Gilchrist - 1963
  • Kenneth Harwood Parke - 1963
  • John McWilliam Brodie - 1963
  • T.A. Easton - 1967-
  • Fraser Murray Cook - 1969-
  • G.S. Forsyth - c1979-1982
  • W.P.C. Grassick - c1979-1982
  • J.M. MacNeill - c1979-1983
  • J.E. Wedgbury - c1979-c1986
  • R.C. Grayson - 1982-c1985
  • T.J. Bramley - 1982-c1986
  • Peter B.P. Bevan - 1982
  • M.T. Bentley - 1986-

  • Additional Board Members
    • Board Members

      • THOMAS ALEXANDER
      • WILLIAM BARR
      • SIR FREDERICK WILLIAM BLACK
      • JAMES BRYSON
      • SIR JOHN CADMAN
      • SIR JOHN TRAILL CARGILL BARONET
      • JAMES CRAIG
        • Board member 1883 - ?
      • ROBERT CRICHTON
      • HERBERT BRYAN HEATH EVES
      • ARCHIBALD FRASER
      • WILLIAM FRASER
        • Board member 1883 - ?
      • WILLIAM FRASER
      • DUNCAN GARROW
      • JOHN BUCK LLOYD
      • THOMSON W MCLINTOCK
      • HUBERT EDWARD NICHOLS
      • JOHN PATERSON
        • Board member 1883 - ?
      • JOHN DOUGLAS STEWART
      • ROBERT BROWNE TENNENT
        • Board member 1883 - ?
      • ROBERT IRVING WATSON
      • JAMES WOOD
        • Board member 1883 - ?

    Secretaries

    • Richard Glover McCulley - before 1913-1919
    • James Watson Reoch - 1919-1935
    • Robert Wilson Meikle - 1919-1946
    • John Clark - 1935-1939
    • Herbert Thomas Kemp - 1939-after 1940
    • James Ewing Bryce Martin - 1947-1952
    • Robert Young Gilchrist - 1953-
    • Richard Charles Grayson - c1982
    • C. Stevens - c1983


  • Property
  • Dividends
    • Dividends

      • 1913       - 35%
      • 1914       - 25%
      • 1915       - 10%
      • 1916       - 25%
      • 1917       - 40%
      • 1918       - 40%
      • 1919       - 40%
      • 1920       - 30%
      • 1921       - 20%
      • 1922       - 10%
      • 1923       - 20%
      • 1924       - 0
      • 1925       - 10%
      • 1926-1936            - 0
      • 1937       - 20%
      • 1938       - 20%
      • 1939       - 15%
      • 1940       - 20%
      • 1941       - 50%
      • 1942       - 20%
      • 1943-1955            - 0
      • 1956-1961            - 6%

  • Newspaper references
    • THE SCOTTISH OIL RING - A BREAKAWAY

      A circular has been issued to all the 'Scottish oil companies taking part in the combine, says the "North British Daily Mail," intimating that the Pumpherston Oil Company has withdrawn from active participation its workings, and that Mr Fraser, who has acted as president the associated companies, has sent in his resignation. The circular also convenes a meeting of the trade to consider what steps, if any, are to be taken in the emergency. It is difficult to estimate what effect this change of policy on the part of the Pumpherston Oil Company will have the Scottish oil trade. It may lead to a total break up of the combination, and the introduction of a term suicidal trade cutting the matter of prices, or pave the way for a total absorption by the great American oil trusts.

      Edinburgh Evening News, 26th January 1901

      .......

      OIL-SHALE TESTS IN SCOTLAND

      The Canada Department of Mines has issued a report on tests made in Scotland of Oil-shale sent from New Brunswick. The object of these tests was to ascertain the economic value of the shale, especially as regards the yield of crude oil and sulphate of ammonia. The tests were carried out by the Pumpherston Oil Company, of Mid-Calder, and were supervised by Dr R.W. Ells, of the Geological Survey, Ottawa. They showed that the yield of crude oil from 36¾ tons of shale was 1473 gallons, or 40 gallons per ton, while the yield of sulphate of ammonia was 76.94 lb per ton.

      Scotsman, 22nd June 1910


    Records

    Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd. Minute Book 1883-1887. BP archive 213589 (pdf file)

    Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd. Minute Book 1916-1919. BP archive 213634 (pdf file)

    Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd. Minute Book 1919-1955. BP archive 213586 (pdf file)

    Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd. Private Minute Book 1916-1919. BP archive 213591 (pdf file)

  • Related file records