Creed oil works

Throughout the 1850's, various men of business and science attempted to manufacture mineral oils by heating organic materials such as coal, shale, timber or peat. At the same time that James Young was perfecting his method of making oil from coal at his secret works in Bathgate, experiments were taking place near Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, to manufacture paraffin oils from peat.

James Matheson, a native of Lairg in Sutherland, made his fortune in the tea and opium trade with China. In 1847, following his retirement from this dubious business, he purchased the Isle of Lewis, and invested large sums to improve the amenities and economy of his new domain. At that time, grand schemes were afoot to establish new industries in a famine-struck Ireland, including fanciful dreams of an “Irish California” in which layers of peat would be stripped off for the manufacture of oils and waxes, leaving behind fertile agricultural land. Although little progress was ever made with these ill-considered plans, they may have inspired James Matheson to consider what value might lie in the deposits of peat that blanketed much of the Isle of Lewis.

Henry Caunter, a Devon businessman and associate of James Matheson was put in charge of an enterprise to extract oils from peats of Lewis, joined in 1858 by chemical engineer Dr Benjamin Paul. The following year, construction began on the “Lews Chemical Works” at Creed; sited on moorland a little to the west of the Matheson's Lews Castle estate, and close to a small building known as the candle works, where initial experiments had taken place. There appear to have been many setbacks (including the odd explosion) in developing this new technology, but most were overcome by 1862 when Dr. Paul published a full description of the works.

Peat was transported from the peat banks by a network of tramways, wagons being “propelled by steam” (presumably with a haulage cable) or by sail “when the wind is favourable”, The rails ran along the top of the kilns, allowing peat to be discharged directly into two banks of five egg-end furnaces, each holding about two tons of peat. The hot vapours produced by the controlled burning of peat were cooled and condensed to form an oily tar, which was separated from water in tar ponds. This ammonia-rich water was reacted with crushed sea shells to produce ammonium sulphate fertilizer. The process was generally similar to that later adopted by the shale oil industry. The greatest challenge to efficient working was the variable wind conditions that affected the draught through the furnaces and consequently the yield of tar. This was eventually controlled by use of a steam powered fan. Most of the oily tar produced was carted through Stornoway to a refinery at Garrabost, six miles to the east, although some of this crude product was used with minimal processing as grease, or anti-fouling paint.

The works were always considered rather a novelty, and various descriptions were published in national newspapers; one account of 1865 describing it as “a curious monument of advanced chemical science, in a remote region, where civilisation itself is a novelty.” ........... Tar production continued until about 1874 when – like so many Scottish oil works - operations finally succumbed to competition from cheap imported American oils. Plans were considered to convert the works to supply Stornoway with gas, but the equipment was finally dismantled and sold off as scrap in 1877.

Donald Morison – described in one account as “the intelligent foreman at the Creed works” - was intimately involved with the plant from its erection to it's dismantling. He left a diary that not only provides detailed description of practical arrangements, but also gives great insight into the personalities associated with the enterprise. His words describe the accidents, misjudgements, intrigue and occasional dishonesty behind this great adventure. In his book “An Enormous Reckless Blunder”, author Ali Whitford draws on the diaries, along with much other research, and a deep local knowledge, to expertly tell this fascinating story.

In recent years an interpretative panel has been set up in the car park close to the River Creed, and a path signposted to the site of the Creed works. A tombstone-style memorial has been set up on a rocky outcrop overlooking the site of the kilns and condensers.

Little has significantly changed in this landscape over the last 140 years, other than the continued build-up of moss that is slowly obscuring the ridges and hollows left behind by this industry. The routes of tramways can still be clearly made out, but the area thought to have been the site of the works is more difficult to interpret, hindered by the absence of detailed maps that show the original layout. The rectangular outline of a small building, now curiously carpeted in blue speedwell, is still clearly evident. If correctly identified as the ruins of the experimental candle house set up in about 1856, it represents one of the earliest surviving relics of oil industry in Britain.

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