Local records and maps

EXCERPT FROM THE 1861 PAROCHIAL DIRECTORY FOR FIFE AND KINROSS

 

PARISH OF CARNOCK.

This PARISH is situated in the south-west of the County, to the west of Dunfermline and north of Torryburn, both of which parishes separate it from the Firth of Forth. It is bounded by Saline on the north, by Dunfermline on the east, by Torryburn on the south, and by the Culross district of Perthshire on the west. Its length and breadth are each about three miles. Like other parts of the County in this quarter, the ground is swelling and hilly, but very fertile, and in a high state of cultivation. The rivulets of Carnock and Pitdinnies have their banks covered with plantations of fir, larch, and ash, and present very pleasing scenery in several parts.

There are four villages in the Parish,-Gowkhall, two and a half miles west of Dunfermline, by the Stirling road, Carnock, a mile west of Gowkhall, Oakley, about a mile west of Carnock, and Cairneyhill, about three miles from Dunfermline, on the Alloa road. The principal mansion-houses are Carnock and Luscar; Newbigging, which at one time was a place of note, is now only a farm house.

The Parish is supplied with good roads; the turnpikes from Dunfermline to Alloa pass through the south section, and the road from Dunfermline to Stirling, and the Stirling & Dunfermline Railway, pass through the northern part of the Parish.

The village of Oakley, at which there is a railway station, has sprung up within the last fifteen years; and, chiefly owing to the Forth Iron Works there, the Stirling St Dunfermline Railway was made to pass contiguous, and at the present time these works yield the principal source of traffic for the line. The ore and fuel are raised at the works, and there are seven blast furnaces for the operation of smelting, but there have never been above six in blast at one time.

A large number of the inhabitants of the Parish are employed as miners, or in labours connected with the Iron works at Oakley, and a considerable number are employed in agricultural operations. There are a number of weavers at Cairneyhill, but, owing to the establishment of machinery in the larger towns, and the consequent decline of hand-loom weaving, their numbers are decreasing.

The old Parish Church at Carnock was repaired in 1602, but is now in ruins, being roofless and overgrown with ivy. It was a small building, with only 240 sittings, but is interesting as the Church in which Row, the historian, ministered, and where, at an after day, Mr Gillespie laboured, whose deposition was the origin of the Relief Church, he being deposed by the General Assembly for refusing to preside at the ordination of a minister at Inverkeithing, who was obnoxious to the people. A new Parish Church with an elegant spire was built in 1840, and contains 400 sittings. There is also a Free Church at Carnock, and a U. P. Church at Cairneyhill. In addition to the Parish School, which is at Carnock, there is a Subscription School at Cairneyhill, and the Forth Iron Co. have erected a handsome Academy at Oakley, for the children of the people connected with their works, which is conducted by a very efficient staff of teachers, male and female.

The POST TOWN is Dunfermline, with Sub-Offices at Carnock, Cairneyhill, and Oakley, James Pye, Angus Hodge, and Donald Mathewson, Sub-Post Masters.- A walking postman leaves Dunfermline about half-past ten A.M., and delivers letters along the road by Gowkhall, Carnock, Oakley, &c., returning along the same road in the afternoon. Another leaves Dunfermline at the same hour by the Alloa road, delivering letters at Crossford, Cairneyhill, &c., and leaves Cairneyhill on his return about 3 P.M.

 

BLACKSMITHS.

Duncanson, J. & W., Cairneyhill

Houston, John, do

Mack, James, Carnock

Reid, Robert, do

BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.

Littlejohn, Brothers, Carnock

Littlejohn, James, do

Moodie, David, do

Morris, Alexander, Cairneyhill

CARRIERS.

Black, James, from Dunfermline to Oakley; by Carnock, on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday

Luke, Alexander, from Culross to Dun. Dunfermline, by Cairneyhill, Tuesday and Friday

CARTERS.

Bruce, William, Cairneyhill

Erskine, William, do

Mitchell, George, do

Oswald, David, Gowkhall

Thomson, James, Cairneyhill

Thomson, John, do

CLERGY.

Douglas, A. B., Parish Church, Carnock

Gilston, William, Free Church, do

More, John, U. P. Church, Cairneyhill

COALMASTERS.

Forth Iron Co., Oakley Collieries

Hutchison, Robert, Esq., Carnock Muir Colliery (Anthracite)

DRESSMAKERS.

Gilroy, Mrs, Cairneyhill

Howieson, Miss, do

McGregor, Miss, Carnock

Nisbet, Miss, Oakley

Paterson, Misses, Cairneyhill

FARMERS.

Craigie, James, Blair, by Oakley

Danks, Alexander, Clune

Deas, David, Carneil

Grinton, David, Raster Campo

Herron, Andrew, North Pitdinnie

Hutchison, Robert, Esq., Carnock

Lawrence, John, Wester Bonhard

Lawson, John, Isle of Canty

Marshall, David, East Luscar

Mercer & Sons, Wester Camps

Millar, James, West Luscar

Smith, Michael, Rosebank Mains

Watt, David, Pitdinnie

Wilson & Campbell, Newbigging

GENTRY & PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.

Babington, Colonel, Luscar House

Hutchison, Robert, Esq., Carnock

Mill, Adie, Gowkhall

Watt, Miss, Carnock House

Watt, Mr, do

Wetherington, Alexander, Gowkhall

GROCERS.

Those marked thus * are also Spirit Dealers.

Clark, David, Carnock

* Clark, Robert, Cairneyhill

Donaldson, John, Carnock

Fotheringham, Henry, Cairneyhill

Hodge, Thomas, do

*Hunter, John, Carnock

*McPherson, Archd., Cairneyhill

*More, Robert, Salesman, Forth Iron Co.'s Store

JOINERS & WRIGHTS.

Those marked thus * are also Cabinet Makers.

*Allan, William, Gowkhall

Edwards, Thomas, Cairneyhill

Robertson, Brothers, do

* Thomson, W. C., Carnock

Walls, Alexander, Cairneyhill

* Young, James, Carnock

MASONS.

Dick, Robert, Gowkhall

Duncanson, Thomas, & Francis, Cairneyhill

SOCIETIES.

Carnock & Cairneyhill Funeral Society, John Gilmour, Cairneyhill, Sec.

Forth Iron Works (Catholic) Funeral Society, Michael Ormsbey, Sec.

TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.

Anderson, Henry, Second Master, Forth Academy

McGregor, Miss, Female Department, Forth Academy

More, Mrs, (Institution for young ladies) Cairneyhill

Robertson, Thomas, Subscription School, Cairneyhill

Stewart, J. C., First Master, Forth Academy

Stewart, P., M. A., Parish School, Carnock

VINTNERS.

Addison, James, Carnock

Nisbet, William, Carnock

MISCELLANEOUS.

Clark, David, Baker, (Coffee-House & Reading Room) Carnock

Dow, William B., Medical Practitioner, Carnock

Erskine, Robert, Superintendent of Forth Iron Co.'s Railway, Oakley

Ferrie, William, Manager, Forth Iron Works, Oakley

Gemmell, James, Brick & Tile Maker, Oakley

Hutchison, R., Esq., Corn Miller, Carnock

Kemp, D., Gardener, (Jobbing) do

McVicar, Hamilton, Bricklayer, Oakley

Reid, Robert, Veterinary Surgeon, Carnock

Robertson, James, Tailor, Cairneyhill

Seaton, Robert, Linen Manufacturer (Damask) and Land Surveyor, Gowkhall

Stewart, Peter, M.A., Registrar, Collector of Poors' Rates, and Session Clerk, Carnock

Stiell, Gavin, Druggist & Seedsman, Oakley

Young, A., Librarian, Forth Iron Works Librarv

 

ADD

Hosie, William, Manager, Forth Iron Works, Oakley

Stewart, Peter, Inspector of Poor, Carnock

Wilson, Samuel, Farmer, Easter Bonhard

DELETE

Ferrie, William, Manager, Forth Iron Works, Oakley

 

 

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