Ordnance Survey large scale Scottish town plans, 1847-1895
Although somewhat overshadowed by the presence of the large
natural harbour and the railway, the centre of Burntisland saw a considerable
amount of development in the nineteenth century. The construction of a town
hall (sheet XL.10.5) in 1846 was soon followed by a music hall, with a seating
capacity of 400. Built in 1857, the music hall cost approximately £2,000 and
was paid for by Messrs John and Joseph Young of Dunearn. Presented to the town
in 1869, it was used for public meetings and also served as a venue for
entertainment. The United Free Church was also constructed around this time, as
was a fever hospital, police buildings and a public school. The extent of these
improvements suggests that Burntisland was a thriving and prosperous town.
Trade and
Industry
At the time of survey, the harbour at Burntisland was
considered by many to be the best on the Firth of Forth. Throughout the 1870s
and 1880s it underwent major expansion and development, including the
construction of a wet dock and a sea wall, the cost of which, along with other
work, amounted to £150,000. Although an expensive process, the improvements
resulted in a massive growth in harbour revenue, from around £200 in 1860 to
over £16,000 in 1891. Originally a centre for herring fishing, the focus in
Burntisland turned towards cooperage and curing following the appearance of the
fishing stations further north. Fishing was soon supplanted by the exporting of
coal, and distilling was in evidence throughout the nineteenth century.
Although shipbuilding would play a prominent role in Burntisland during much of
the twentieth century, its impact on the local economy prior to this was
marginal.
Hinterland
With around three miles of coastline in the parish of
Burntisland alone, a large number of people living in the area surrounding the
town were involved in fishing the local waters and searching the sands for
cockles and other shellfish. There is also mention, in Wilson (1857), of a
distillery north of the town at Grange and two corn mills, one of which was
powered by the sea and described by Wilson as ‘a rare object of its class in
Scotland’.
Religious Life
In the late nineteenth century, there were at least four
different churches in Burntisland. The oldest and most established was the
parish church, which was built in the 1590s and contained seating for 900.
According to Groome (1894-5), the design of the parish church was based upon
that of the North Church of Amsterdam and included ‘a curious square edifice,
surmounted by a squat, van-capped tower’. Other places of worship in the town
included the United Free church, the United Presbyterian church and St Serf’s
Episcopal church.
Education
At the time of survey, the educational needs of the young
people of Burntisland were principally served by the public school, which was
built in 1876 at a cost of £6,000. There was also an Episcopal school in the
town and a public school at Binnend.
Institutions
The people of Burntisland were well catered for by a large
number of commerical institutions. By the late nineteenth century there were
branches of the Commercial and National Banks and a savings’ bank all located
in the town centre. The post office, which was first opened in 1756, also
included a savings’ bank and insurance departments.
Culture and
Society
A popular destination throughout the summer months, people
flocked to Burntisland for sea-bathing and other recreational activities. The
large stretch of sandy beach to the east of the town, on the opposite side of
the railway tracks, was entirely devoted to bathing. The eighteen-hole golf
course on the links to the east of town also proved popular with holiday makers
and locals alike, as did the annual fair held on the third Friday of July. A
number of cultural institutions and societies existed in the town at this time,
including a science and art institution, a railway mechanics’ reading-room and
library, a masonic lodge and a golf club.
Groome, Francis H. (ed.), 1894-5. The Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland; a survey of Scottish topography,
statistical, biographical, and historical, 2nd ed., (London: William
Mackenzie)
Mackay, George, 2000. Scottish
Place Names (New Lanark: Lomond)
Smith, Robert, 2001. The
Making of Scotland: a comprehensive guide to the growth of its cities, towns
and villages (Edinburgh: Canongate)
Wilson, Rev. John Marius (ed.), 1857. The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland or Dictionary of Scottish Topography
(Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & Co.)
Edina Website – Online Statistical Accounts of Scotland - http://edina.ac.uk/statacc/