Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1878 > Part 1

DIRECTORY.
KIRKCALDY.
FIPESHIRE.
pretty extensive. The principal importations aro flftx, timber,
grain, &c.; the exports are linen, yarn, and coal. The number of
vessels belongmg to the port, year ending December, 1868, v/as 85
vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 3,689 ; for the year ending
December, 1671, 2y vessels, witli an aggregate tonnage of 3,496; for
the year ending December, 1875, the number of vessels belonging to
the port was 27, with an aggregate tonnage of S,SU9. Fishing bouts
registered at port 823, tonnage 9,8715. Vessels from this port liuve
been employed in the Davis Straits whale lishery for many ycaib,
but this trade is now discontinued. A branch from the main line ol
railway traverses the entii-e length of the harbour — a great con-
venience to operations of loading and unloading vessels.
The harbour, which has been greatly improved within
the last few years, is almost diy at low water ; but at
full tide is capable of admitting vessels of large burden.
This port is the seat of a custom house having control over a con- ;
siderable Une of coast, extending from Aberdour to Anstrutber. '
The revenue of the port for Iho year ending Jlarch, 1868, was '
£81,983; for the year ending March, 1871, i;34,018; and for the year i
1876, ^45,192. The prominent trade of Kirkcaldy and neighbour- j
hood bears an intimate affinity with that of Dundee, consisting of j
the spinning of flax, tow, jute, and the weaving of linen goods for ^
home and foreign consumption ; striped hoUands, dowlas, ticks, [
checks, sailcloths, &c., are amongst the fabrics produced, and in!
the manufacture of which there are several extensive power-loom
factories in full operation; there are also several bleaching lields i
and dye works, and three china and earthenware manufactories, '
where a superior class of goods are made. Kirkcaldy is now the
centre of the floor cloth manufacture of the kingdom ; there are '
six factories employing about 1,000 men and boys, and there is at I
present erecting a large building for the manufacture of linoleum. I
Marine engines are made here, and at a short distance from the
town there is a large shipbuilding yard connected with Messrs. ,
Key's engineering establishment. The other branches include '
brewing, brass and ironfounding, machine making, and a consider- !
able corn and meal trade. The general commerce of the place is
assisted by resident branches of sis banking establishments— ■
namely, the National Bank of Scotland, the Commercial Bank:
of Scotland (who have also each a branch at Sinclair-
town), the Bank of Scotland, the Union Bank of Scot- 1
land, the City of Glasgow Bank, and the British Linen Com-
pany. There is also a branch of the National Security Savings ■
Bank. There are now many elegant shops, with extensive stocks
of fashionable, ornamental, and useful goods, and there is a good
hotel. The streets are well paved and lighted with gas. The cele-
brated Adam Smith, author of *' The WeuUh of Nations," was born
here in the year 1723. The civic government of the town is vested
in a town council, consisting of twenty-seven members, of whom
one is provost and admiral of the burgh and harbour, four are
bailies, one dean of guild, and one treasurer. The council aro also
commissioners of police under the General PoHco Act, and local
authority under the Health Act. The management of the harbour
is vested in a board of commissioners, fourteen in number, con-
sisting of the provost and bailies. The burgh is conjoined with
liinghorn, Dysart, and Burntisland in sending one member to par-
liament; the present member is Sir George Campbell. In 1829 a
handsome building of large dimensions was completed to super-
sede the old town house ; it contains a hall for burgh and district
meetings, a burgh coui-t and record rooms, an oflice for the to\vn
clerk, and other apartments. The sherifi* holds a circuit court on
the fourth Monday of every month, under the Small Debts Act;
and the justices of the peace likewise sit on tho foui-th Monday
monthly, for adjudicating claims under other pecuniary acts. A
new corn exchange is situated in Cowan street, the first stoDO of
which was laid with masonic honom's in May, 1859. The union
poorhouse is a conspicuous building, beautifully situated on the
lands of Abden, in the parish of Kinghorn, commanding an exten-
sive view of the Firth of Forth. It was erected in 1849, is capable
of accommodating 150 paupers, and was opened for the reception
of inmates in May, 1850. The total cost considerably exceeded
^5,000. It is the joint property of the parishes of Kirkcaldy,
Burntisland, and Kinghorn, nearly half being held by tho parish of
Kirkcaldy. The parish church of Kirkcaldy, which is in the
Gothic style, stands on an eminence above nnd at the back of the
town ; the other places of worship are the parish churches of Inver-
tiel,AbbotshaU,St. James,and Pathhead,six Free churches,twoUnited
Presbyterian churches, one Episcopahan, two Independent, and the
Roman Cathohc chapel. The principal educational establishment
consist of two handsome schools recently erected by the School
Board of the parliamentary burgh of Kii'kdale, at a cost of upwards
of £10,000, and capable of containing upwards of 1,100 pupils ; tho
old burgh schools of Kirkcaldy, having room for upwrads of 40O
pupils (this school includes a division for teaching tho higher
branches oI education under a rector and two assistantsj; a school
lor half time scholars under the Factory Acts, and three schoolH
under the charge of the School Board of the parliamentary burgh
of Dysart, capable of accoinmodaUng about 900 pupils. There are
also three schools estabhshed under the wiU of the late Robert
Philp, Esq. of Edenshead, for instructing children of both sexes
selected from amongst the poorest inhabitants; the schools can
accommodate COO pupils. The property bequeathed by this gentle-
man for erecting and sustaining schools in these places is estimated
at nearly £70,000. The pupils are admitted between the ages of six
and fifteen, and aro taught only the jjlainest elementary branches ;
thirty shillings per annum is allowed for clothing each pupil. There
is also a charitable trust by John Thomson, for educating poor
children, and for annuities for the support of poor inhabitants.
There are also several private seminaries for the education of the
wealthier classes. There is a working men's club and reading
room, and a subscription library. A weekly paper of general news
is published on Wednesday, another on Thursday, and two on
Saturday. The market, which is a stock market for the sale of
grain, and is the most important in the county, is held on Saturday.
The parish of Kirkcaldy embraces an area of 1,177 acres, and in
1671 contained a population of 7,003; the parliamentary bm'gh at
the same period having 12,422.
Abbotshall, although a distinct parish, is now included in ^Jao
burgh of Kirkcaldy, as before mentioned. Its principal street,
called the Links (nearly a mile long), runs west in a direct line with
the High street of the town named. Tho trado and manufacturo
are of the same character as those of Klirkcaldy; and mora imme-
diately in Abbotsball are dye works, an earthenware manufactory,
and a large corn mill. The places of worship aro Established and
Free churches ; and the schools aro parochial, " Philp's Institu-
tion," and subscription. The general appearance of the parish, th&
extent of which is about two miles either way, is very agreeable,
rising gradually from the coast northward, into tolerably high
grounds. Raith House, before noticed, is in this parish. Acreage,
4,135. Population in 1371, 5,785.
Pathpikad, now included in the burgh as before noticed, it
situated chiefly on the face of a hill, looking towards the Frith of
Forth, and is joined by two other districts, respectively named
Gallatown and Sinclairtown, also in tho samo parish. The
manufacture of linen goods is briskly followed in these places.
Dowlas, ticks, sheeting, etc. of excellent quality, are produced both
by hand and power ; flax spinning is also carried on to some extent,
and in Pathhead there are two floor-cloth manufactories. At Sin-
clairtown is an earthenware manufactory and a branch of the Com-
mercial Bank of Scotland, and at Pathhead is a branch of the
National Bank of Scotland. The places of worship are an Estab-
lished church, two Free churches, and a meeting house for Baptists.
The means of education are not wanting, a commodious school-
houae having been erected in Pathhead some years since by the
trustees of the late Robert Philp, Esq. of Edenshead; and in 1849
an auxiliary parochial or subscrii>tion school was opened, also a
siibscription school in Sinclairtown, and one in Gallatown, in all of
which a sound and useful education is imparted.
AuGHTEKTooL is a Small inland parish and village, the latter situ-
ated four miltjs west from Kirkcaldy and about the same distance
from Kinghorn, and in the midst of a beautifully diversified land-
scape, bounded on the north by Abbotsball, on the south by King-
horn, on tho east by Auchterderran, and on the west by Beath. Its
length is seven miles and it fcbreadth one mile and a half. Agricul-
ture is the principal pursuit of the inhabitants, there not being any
kind of manufactm-e or trade in the place, except a distillery. There
is an Established church and a Board school here. From a little
lake, called Camillaloch, in this parish, the river Teel takes its rise •
on the verge of the loch are the ruins of Camilla Castle, or " Hall-
yards." Auchterteel is said to have been the original namo of the
parish, deriving the appellation from its situation on the banks of
the Teel. The acreage of the parish is 2,738, the population in 1871
being 529.
POST OFFICE, 128 HIGH 8TIIEET, KIEKCALDT,
ROBERT BRYSON, Post Master.
Arrival of BSalls.
From Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and the South at a quarter to nine morning.
From Edinburgh, G'asgow, Belfast, Livei-pool, and Manchester at half-past eleven morning.
From Edinburgh, Glasgow, aud the South at twenty minutes past six evening.
From Perth, Dundee, and the North at a quarter before nine morning and at twenty minutes past six evening
ZScparture of Stalls.
To Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, and the South at half-past seven morning.
To Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London at two afternoon.
To Edinburgh, London, and the South at ten minutes past five evening.
To Edinburgh, London, and Glasgow at eight evening.
To Perth, Dundee, and the North at seven morning.
To Dundee at two afternoon.
To Perth and Dundee at eight evening.
Xiocal Post Departures.
To Pathhead, Auchtertool, Kinglassie, and Thornton at a quarter-past eight morning.
To Pathhead at ten minutes past eleven morning and at ten minutes before six evening.
Money Order and Telegraph Offi.ce and Savings Bank.
Letters for Auchtertool, Abbotshall, Gallatown, Linktown, and Sinclairtown should be addressed '
near Kirkcaldy.'
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