Industrial & Commercial
KInghorn's royal patronage faded and as a consequence so did it's fortunes, to the extent that before the industrial revolution the town was in a sorry state, it was poor and rundown and some of the residents had a bad reputation for exploiting the Midlothian ferry passengers arriving and departing from Pettycur harbour as evidenced by this short extract from the Journal of Alexander Wilson (poet and ornithologist and contemporary of Robert Burns). He visited Kinghorn on the 29th September 1789. " Kinghorn is but a small place....... The town is composed of an irregular assemblage of poor, low, ruinous, tile-covered huts but if miserable without still more so within. Almost every home being so dark, black and dirty, that I wrong them not to call each the cave of misery and desolation. The inhabitants are almost all Boatmen and their whole commerce being with strangers whom perhaps they may never see again, makes them avaricious, and always on the catch."
However, Kinghorn's natural resources positioned it to reap the benefits of the industrial revolution. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, several flax mills were constructed, attracted by the power source provided by the Loch's storage capacity and its burn's 100-foot drop to the Forth. In addition, the burgh's coastline along the Firth of Forth provided crucial access to the world's oceans.
The advent of the railway in 1847 marked the end of the Pettycur to Midlothian ferries and ushered in a new wave of prosperity for Kinghorn, notable examples are, the Abden Shipyard strategically located between the shoreline and the main railway line, complete with a siding for the efficient supply of materials. Similarly, the Bottleworks was built near the main railway line, with a dedicated siding for the transportation of both raw materials and finished products. On the 18th of October 1886 "The Scotsman" reported that the Binnend Oil Company were opening a Candle factory built on land acquired from Kinghorn Town Council the Company had also constructed a railway line, linking the factory to both the Binnend (Burntisland) Shale Works and Kinghorn Station on the main railway route. The factory's location was determined by its proximity to the Loch's waters, required for cooling processes.
These emerging industries, including Gibson's Cleekworks, the Glue Works, and the Tannery, acted as magnets for skilled labour from various regions of Scotland. The influx of workers not only swelled the local population but also gave a significant boost to the local economy, contributing to the formation of the vibrant Kinghorn we recognise today.
A tribute to Kinghorn's bygone industries by James Doward
Pigot's Commercial Directory 1825 - A brief report on Kinghorn and it's Manufacturers and Traders (select page 372).
Pigot's Commercial Directory 1837 - Another report on Kinghorn and it's Manufacturers and Traders (select page 386).
Westwood's parochial directory for Fife & Kinross published 1862 - - Opens in a Book Reader on the KInghorn pages.
Kinghorn Golf Club - was officially opened in 1887 as a commercial enterprise but golf was played there well before then.
History of Abden Shipyard by Curly Mills. - A lot of ocean going vessels were built here for customers from all over the world.The Abden Shipyard - An excellent detailed account and description of the ships built - written and researched by Dorothea Kindley
The Clyde Database lists the history of all ships built in Kinghorn. - You have to search on the individual ship builder from Kinghorn e.g. John Scott & Co,
Kinghorn's Mills - The detailed history of Kinghorn's Mills will be included in the forthcoming KHS history book scheduled for publication in 2022. Here is a collection of information and a historical summary.
Kinghorn Bottleworks - A skeleton history can you put some meat on the bones?
Gibsons Cleek Makers - A short history.
Burntisland Shale Oil Works - This is an excellent booklet by Ron Edwards published by the Craigencalt Rural Community Trust describing the Binnend and Burntisland Oil Company: its geology, origins, operations and social history. Two other information sources are: Burntisland.net (select History --> more) and Abandoned Communities - five pages depicting Binnend life.
RCAHMS Search Page - Scotland's national collection of buildings, archaeology and industry they look after an archive of many millions of photos, maps, drawings and documents from prehistory to present day.
Fife Coal Mines - A good few folk in Kinghorn worked in the Pits notably Seafield (put your sunglasses on).
Burntisland Shipyard - It ran for just over 50 years built 310 Ships and provided employment for a lot of Kinghorn Families.
Pettycur Harbour Ferry - An 1808 Report by a Mr Rennie (Civil Engineer) assessing Pettycur Harbour as part of a plan for improving the Ferries between Midlothian and Fife. Starts at the top of page 889
Fife County Council Archive - Hold the following Item No. B/KH/3/1/2 One bundle of Correspondence, which includes two copies of a Plan of the harbour of Kinghorn and of the Sea Coast from it to Pettycur with soundings high and low water levels from a survey by George Buchanan Civil Engineer, plus an agreement dated 1887 between Town Council and with Burntisland Oil Company with a sketch plan of the candle works at Little Dam. 1844-1901.