A Brief History of Bathgate
5 May, 2010Here are a few key dates in the history of Bathgate.
c1150 - Bathgate is first mentioned in records. The name is spelled various ways in medieval documents.
1606 - A brief but unfruitful silver rush begins. Attempts to mine local silver are abandoned by 1613.
1666 - An army of Covenanters camps at the town on the way to the Pentland Hills.
1800 - The Glenmavis Distillery is founded. It closes in 1910.
1811 - Sir James Young Simpson, inventor of chloroform as an anaesthetic, is born.
1833 - Bathgate Academy is founded with money from James Newlands, a wealthy planter and slave-owner.
1849 - The Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway opens.
1852 - Bathgate Chemical Works, the world's first commercial oil refinery, opens to exploit local cannel coal and, later, shale reserves.
1961 - British Motor Corporation opens its plant at Bathgate.
1986 - The by-now British Leyland plant closes.
1986 - The railway is re-opened.
2010 - s1bathgate.com is launched to let residents discuss local issues, place small ads, air their opinions, advertise events and show off pictures and video.
Now it's your turn!
That's the briefest of brief summaries and it's full of gaps. But this is where you come in. There's lots of interest in local history and lots of local knowledge out there - so why not share it here?
Perhaps you'd like to start your own more detailed timeline or an article about your favourite aspect of Bathgate history? There must also be a wealth of wonderful photographs of Bathgate in years gone by - maybe even some video of more recent events - and those are more than welcome here. Remember, history doesn't need to be in black and white! It's good to bring back memories of just a few years ago, too.
Post it all here, and let's see if we can really chronicle the history of Bathgate in a way we can all share!
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