Addiewell (lands)

One of the early centres of the shale oil industry, where at least ten pits and mines were sunk to access seams of shale and coal that lay close to the surface. While much of the shale was rich in oil, reserves were limited and within a decade most accessible seams were exhausted and the pits abandoned.

Location map

Annotation on 1870's plan

• Land owned by Young Esq. - Minerals let to Young's Oil Co.

Archive records

Leasee	Owner	Start date	End date	Full record
Young's PL&MO Co. Ltd	John Young's trustee	1927	1942	213942, 1 of 6

See full record; 195524

See full record; 143496

• 195524 - Lease between John Young Esquire of Addiewell and Polbeth and Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited - Lease between John Young Esquire of Addiewell and Polbeth and Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited re lands in Addiewell and Polbeth. Hand written with signatures. Dated from Martinmas 1903 . Hand written with signatures. Includes plan showing lands. Scale 1" to 1000'.
  
• 143496 - Lease between the Trustees of the late John Young of Addiewell and Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited. - Lease between the Trustees of the late John Young of Addiewell and Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited, of Addiewell, Auchenhard and Polbeth, dated 1929. Details the sums of money to be paid by Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited to the Trustees of the late John Young for leasing the Farms of Addiewell, Auchenhard, Polbeth and the lands of Mossend and Cloverfordsykes and states the various points that have to be clarified regarding the working of the land. Contains Letters- 1. Letter from Maclay, Murray & Spens to Young’s Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited dated 20th March 1953 2. Letter from Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited to Maclay, Murray & Spens dated 1st April 1953 requesting the return of lease signed for Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited by Secretary R. Y. Gilchrist Contains two plans- 1. Plan No 1 The land highlighted in pink is Auchinhard with the blue area being Addiewell. Scale is 1inch to 1000ft. 2. Plan No2 Plan showing the lands of Mossend, Gavieside and Polbeth with additional notes in pencil showing to additional fields sold in 1936. Scale is 1inch to 1000ft. 3. Polbeth Farm 'Rates per Acre for Land resumed' plus plan with acreage noted on each area. Scale is 6 inches to 1 mile. Rates per acre range from 16 Shillings to 30 Shillings.