Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1903, Part 1 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland ... (Royal National Directory of Scotland.) With ... map, etc

DIRECTORY.]
Tennent Robert, registrar of births, death*
& marriages & schoolmaster
"Walker Robert, miller, Planting mill
"Webster Peter, miller, Dunipace mills
FARMKRS.
Burrell Mrs. Mary, Risk
â– Garruthers John, Drumelzier
STIRLINGSHIRE.
Dickson William, Burnhouse
Edie Henry, Northfield
Goodwin A. Stoneyinch
Graham Robert, Mains of Denovan
Gray James, Bronmhill
Jeffrey William, West Barnego
MuFarlane Mrs. Buckieside
McGregor Munro, Rullie
FALKIRK.
FALKIRK. 1365
Miller Robert & James, Boards
Park George, Bankend
Paterson William, Easter Barnego
Provan John, Braes & Broadleys
Ralston Mrs. Mid-Barnego
Walker John, Blairs
DTJNMOBE, see Airth.
FALKIRK Is an ancient town, parliamentary and police burgh,
'the principal town of the eastern district of the county, and a
rparish and the head of a poor combination ; the extreme length
of the parish is 9 miles, and its breadth from 2 to 5J ; it is bounded
-on the north by Denny and Larbert, on the south by Slamannan
>and Muiravonside, on the east by Polmont, and on the west bv
Dumbartonshire. Falkirk has a station on the Edinburgh and
Glasgow section of tho North British railway, another at Gra-
hamston on the same line, which is also used for the town,
and a third on the Caledonian railway. The town is 24 miles
-west-by-north from Edinburgh, 22 north-east from Glasgow, 11
south-south-east from Stirling and 3 south-west from Grange-
•mouth, and is situated on the face of an eminence, overlooking
the broad expanse of country called " the Oarse (or Kerae) of
"Falkirk," and commanding a most extensive prospect. Besides
the rich and fertile " carse," the prospect includes the river
"Forth, the great canal, which intersects the county about half
a mile north of the town; and to the south Callander wood,
Shrouding a rising ground a short distance from the town.
The portj of Grangemouth, about 3 miles to the north-east of
Falkirk, is connected with the burgh by a branch of the Cale-
-donian Railway.
The Union canal joins the Forth and Clyde canal about a mile
west from the town, but its trade is limited, it having been pur-
â– chased by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company. About
half a mile south of the town it passes through a tunnel 796
'yards in length.
The Falkirk and Larbert Water Trust introduced in 1890 a
-supply of water from the Denny Hills, at a cost of about £80,000.
The town is lighted with gas supplied bv the Gas Commission,
who purchased the works in February, 1895, from a private com-
pany.
Falkirk was created a burgh of barony in the reign of James I.
and a burgh of regality in the reign of Charles I. but no baron
bailie has been appointed for many years. A body of " stent
-masters," chosen by the different trades of the town, formerly
•managed its affairs, but that body being abolished by Act of
'Parliament, their powers and property were transferred to the
•magistrates. The town is governed by a provost, three bailies,
•and eight councillors. This body first came into existence in
1833, and under the "Falkirk Police and Improvement Act."
the magistrates assess the inhabitants for police and improvement
â– purposes.
Falkirk, with Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow, form
a parliamentary distriot of bu: ghs returning one member.
Justice of peace courts and petty sessions are held as occasion
requires. A sheriff court was first opened at Falkirk in 1834.
for the eastern district of the county, comprising the parishes of
'(Falkirk, Polmont, Muiravonside, Slamannan, Larbert, Bothken-
nar and Airth.
The old church of Falkirk, mostly taken down in 1810, is
believed to have been founded by St. Modan. The name of the
town owes its origin to the church, and the Highlanders still
Gall it by the old Celtic name of " Eglaise Bhreac," or spotted
â– church, which is synonymous with the old Saxon name " Faw-
kirk,'> bearing the same meaning. The present church, erected
-under the superintendence of Mr. George "Watson and the Rev.
'Dr. Anderson, Edinburgh, incorporates the tower of the ancient
fabric; the old south aisle, formerly in the possession of the
'Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and endowed by them, has
also been rebuilt. The total cost of these alterations, including
a new organ, was about £4,000. The Kirk Session Records
which extend as far back as 1617, mention the fact that a
marble tablet, which is now inserted in the tower, was found
-when the old church was taken down. It bears the following
â– inscription :
FV.VDATVM
MALCOLMO III.
SIGI SCO TIE.
AM f 1057.
'In the churchyard lie the remains of Sir John de Grffihame (the
friend of Wallace) and Sir John Stuart, who were slain on the
memorable field of Falkirk, in 1298 ; a plain coffin-shaped stone
marks the grave of the latter, and a former Marquess of Bute
erected a granite eross to the west of the church, to the memory
•of the men of Bute who were slain with their chief, Sir John
Stuart. There is also a monument to Sir John de Sreme sur-
rounded by a railing, surmounted by a Gothic cupola. A bronze
• casting of the two-handed sword used by this hero has been
affixed to the tomb. In the same cemetery stands a monument
*« e S ed - by Eobert Dollar esq. of San Francisco, and a native
of Falkirk, to Sir Robert Munro, of Foulis, and his brother
Dr. Munro, who fell in the second battle of Falkirk between
the forces of the Pretender and the Duke of Cumberland.
January 17th, 1746 : a memorial has also been erected to William
Edmordston, of Cambus Wallace, Captain-Lieutenant of the Nth
Regiment of Foot, who fell in battle near Falkirk, 27th January,
1746, and there is another in memory of Mr. Dollar's mother'
who was buried in the same, grave.
The United Free church, in Newmarket street, erected about
1896, at a cost of £7,200, is a building of red freestone, in the
'Gothic style, with a tower and spire, and will seat 950 persons.
All the burial grounds being' closed by order of the sheriff, a
-cemetery has been provided, about a mile west of the town, for
the entire parish ; it embraces an area of 14 acres, and was
•enlarged in 1899 bv an addition of 22 acres.
The County "Buildings, erected in 1368, in lieu of the old court
house, are in Hope street; the building includes court rooms for
the sheriff and justices, and a procurator's hall, in which the
County Council for the Eastern Division of Stirlingshire hold
their meetings. At the same time a prison and county police
office were built, and Burgh buildings were erected in New-
market street in 1878.
The Exchange, or Corn Market, originally built in 1859, was
replaced by the present hall in 1878. The Corn Market is
now held in the Town Hall.
Falkirk derives its chief importance from being the seat of
an extensive iron trade, which is still rapidly increasing. The
number of foundries in the burgh has increased from 1 in 1848
to 11 in 1898, and in the immediate neighbourhood there are
nearly a dozen others. In addition to these there are many
collieries in the district, several large chemical works and other
industries.
Falkirk is within a very populous district, with no large town in
the immediate neighbourhood, and commands an extensive inland
trade, and the various iron and other works (from which the town
derives material support) render it the market town for between
50 and 60 thousand people.
In the parish are the Falkirk Iron Works, the Gowan Bank
Iron Works, the Grahamston Iron Company's Works, the Burn-
bank Iron Works, the Etna Iron Works, the Parkhouse Iron
Works, Camelon Iron Works, Salton Iron Works, the Callendar
Iron Works, Abbots Iron Works, the Springfield Iron Works,
and about 1 mile to the west are the Port Downie Iron Works,
the Forth and Clyde and Sunnyside Iron Works, the Grangemouth
Iron Co. the Dorrator Iron Co. Ltd. the R. and A. Main Limited,
the Carmuirs Iron Co. the Laurieston Iron Works, the Scottish
Central Iron Works and the Summerford Iron Works. There
are various coal mines in the vicinity, and extensive timber
yards, tanning and currying establishments, fire brick and tile
manufactories, a distillery, a brewery, and several chemical
works.
The market for grain is held on Thursday.
Seven fairs are annually held for cattle and horses, namely — ,
the last Thursday in January, the first Thursday in March, the
third Thursday in May, the second Thursday in June, the second
Thursday in. July, the third Thursday in August, and the first
Thursday in November; besides two days for hiring servants (the
first Thursday in April, and the last Thursday in October), called
feeing Thursdays, which are numerously attended.
The three Falkirk trysts, which are large cattle markets, are
held at Stenhousemuir on the second Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday in August, September and October. "
There are branches here of the Bank of Scotland, the Clydes-
dale Bank Limited, the Commercial Bank of Scotland Limited,
the National Bank of Scotland Limited, the Roval Bank of Scot-
land and the British Linen Company's Bank, as well as a
Savings Bank.
In the town is a tower 148 feet high, containing a clock and
2 bells, and near it is an equestrian statue of the great Duke
of Wellington, erected in 1854 by public subscription.
Falkirk is historically famous as being the scene of two memor-
ab'e battles, the first, between Edward I. of England and the
Scots, under Sir William Wallace, was fought July 22, 1298, on
the level ground to the north of the town, and, mainly through
the havoc created by the English archers, resulted in the total
defeat of the Scots, and sealed the fate of Wallace, who never
recovered his position, and was ultimately executed on Tower
Hill. 23 Aug. 1305 ; the second conflict took place Jan. 17, 1746
on high ground south-west of the town, between the young
Pretender. Prince Charles Edward, and the English forces under-
General Hawley. who was defeated with the loss of guns and
baggage and retreated into Falkirk, thence to Linlithgow and
Edinburgh.
Near the canal, standing in a small park, is Kerse House, the
seat of the Marquess of Zetland K.T., P.O., D.L., JP William
Forbes esq. D.I... J.P. of Callendar, James Wilson esq. of
Bantoskine, the trustees of the late John Wilson, of South
Banta;kme, and the Marquess of Zetland are the principal
landowners.
The area of the entire civil parish is 15,111 acres; burgh,
1,670 acres; rateable value, landward, £63.978; burghal (in-
cluding part of Grangemouth parish), £88,730; the population
of the parish in 1891 was 30,731. and in 1901, 36 628 as
follows:— Bonnybridge Town (part of), 1,935: Falkirk Burgh
(parliamentary and municipal!, 20.515 : Falkirk Burgh (municipal,
beyond parliamentary). 8,765; Laurieston Town, 2,080; land-
ward, 3,333. Included in the total population was 3 officials
and 111 inmates of the Poorhouse.
In 1901 the population of the wards were : First, 5,219 •
second, 5,196: third, 6,030; fourth, 7.161; fifth. 5.664.
The population of the ecclesiastical parish in 1901 was 18,889.
The number of electors on the Falkirk parliamentary register
in 1903 was 2,740, and of the district, 11,744.
Grahamston is a quoad sacra parish in the burgh of Falkirk,
and separated therefrom only by the line of the Caledonian
railway. The population in 1901 was 8,680.
Bainsford is small village in Falkirk parish, 1 mile from the
town hall, on the Larbert high road.
Laurieston (or Lawriestoun) is a town in the parish of Falkirk,
about 1 mile east from that town. Nail making, formerly carried
on to a considerable extent, is now almost extinct. The place
was originally called Langtoun, afterwards Merchiston, and is
now named Laurieston, in honour of the late Sir Lavrenee
Dundis, who made considerable additions to and much improved
it. The population in 1901 was 2,030.