Pumpherston - North Village

Including Drumshoreland Road,

see also Pumpherston South Village, Pumpherston Erskine Place and Pumpherston Uphall Station Rd, Pumpherston Pumpherston Road

A substantial village constructed by the Pumpherston Oil Company to house the workforce of the Pumpherston Oil Works. The housing became known as the "old rows" once further housing was constructed in Pumpherston south village.

The Pumpherston Oil Company own 220 houses in this village, which is situated about one mile north from Mid Calder. These houses are built of brick, and rough-cast or cement-washed. In a number of cases, however, the back of the house, which faces the drying greens, is neither rough-cast nor cement-washed, and this presents an unfinished appearance. There are about 173 houses consisting of room (12 ft by 11 ft, also bed-recess and press), kitchen (14.5 ft by 11 ft, also two bed-recesses), scullery (7.5 ft by 6 feet) with sink and water-closet. A washhouse is provided for every four tenants. The rental is 2/6 to 2/9 per week, inclusive of rates. In the case of thirty-six of these houses, the room and kitchen are approximately 11 ft by 16.5 ft each, and the scullery is 10 ft 5 inches by 7 ft 8 inches, which contains sink, set-in tub, boiler, and water-closet. There are nineteen houses consisting of three apartments, and all conveniences as above, let at from 4/- to 4/9 per week. Then there are 27 single-apartment houses, with scullery and water-closet, let at 1/6 per week, inclusive of rates. Some sixty houses are built back to back. A good supply of gravitation water is obtained, and a good drainage system exists. The refuse is collected daily by the Company, from dustbins provided to each tenant. The gardens are made good use of by the workers, and present a good appearance in the season.An Institute, with a good library and hall, exists. There is also a bowling green in the centre of the village, for all of which the workers subscribe weekly.The total number of houses in Pumpherston district is 260, and in Mid Calder 335, with an approximate population in the two districts of 2990 persons.

The first housing, built at the same time as construction of the Pumpherston oil works was described in company minutes as "48 double houses of a very good class constructed so that we might command a superior class of workman"

The area that came to be known as the Old Rows consisted of three lines of rows (each with four blocks) running parallel to Uphall Station Road. Six of these blocks contained six two-room homes arranged back to back, four blocks contained six two-room through houses, and two blocks contained twelve single room homes arranged back to back. There were also four blocks known as the Work Rows, beside the Drumshoreland Road which led to the oil works. Each block contained eight two-room homes. All 116 homes were complete by 1885. A Co-op store and two short rows to house coop staff were built close to the corner of Uphall Station Road and Drumshoreland Road.

Most of the Old Rows (No. 1 to No. 84 Pumpherston?) were uninhabited by 1958 while the Work Rows (No. 85 to No. 116 Pumpherston?) were "converted" in 1955 and still provide sturdy homes.

For details of the Pumpherston branch of the West Calder Cooperative Societym see story Joe and his horse invade Pumpherston.

Location map

Detailed maps

Housing areas in Pumpherston

c.1895, 25" OS map, courtesty National Library of Scotland

c.1905, 25" OS map, courtesty National Library of Scotland

c.1862, 1.2500 OS map, courtesty National Library of Scotland

Archive plans

See full record, 143031

See full record, 143026

See full record, 143026

Archive images

See full record LVSAV2015.010

See full record, LVSAV2015.006

See full record, LVSAV1998.026.001

See full record, LVSAV1998.026.013

Recent images

Drumshoreland road, 4th ‎October ‎2009

Drumshoreland road, 4th ‎October ‎2009

Drumshoreland road, 4th ‎October ‎2009

Recent images, Cooperative buildings

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston, 4th ‎June ‎2011

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston

Co-op buildings, Pumpherston, 4th June 2011

Notes from company records

215661-1of2, 215661-2of2

• 14/11/83 - agreed to purchase materials for the erection of 50 worker's houses
• 12/02/84 - 48 double houses of a very good class constructed so that we might command a superior class of workman. The first 24 of these are now in a forward state and will soon be ready for acceptance
• 06/05/84 - 24 additional workmans house to proceed at once
• 14/05/85 -Agreed to erect a school at Pumpherston at a cost not exceeding £400. Agreed to subscribe £5. 5. 0 to funds of workmans cricket club
  
  
  
  

Newspaper references

(Description of Pumpherston North and Pumpherston South villages.)

The Pumpherston Oil Company own 220 houses in this village, which is situated about one mile north from Mid Calder. These houses are built of brick, and rough-cast or cement-washed. In a number of cases, however, the back of the house, which faces the drying greens, is neither rough-cast nor cement-washed, and this presents an unfinished appearance. There are about 173 houses consisting of room (12 ft by 11 ft, also bed-recess and press), kitchen (14.5 ft by 11 ft, also two bed-recesses), scullery (7.5 ft by 6 feet) with sink and water-closet. A washhouse is provided for every four tenants. The rental is 2/6 to 2/9 per week, inclusive of rates. In the case of thirty-six of these houses, the room and kitchen are approximately 11 ft by 16.5 ft each, and the scullery is 10 ft 5 inches by 7 ft 8 inches, which contains sink, set-in tub, boiler, and water-closet. There are nineteen houses consisting of three apartments, and all conveniences as above, let at from 4/- to 4/9 per week. Then there are 27 single-apartment houses, with scullery and water-closet, let at 1/6 per week, inclusive of rates. Some sixty houses are built back to back. A good supply of gravitation water is obtained, and a good drainage system exists. The refuse is collected daily by the Company, from dustbins provided to each tenant. The gardens are made good use of by the workers, and present a good appearance in the season.An Institute, with a good library and hall, exists. There is also a bowling green in the centre of the village, for all of which the workers subscribe weekly.The total number of houses in Pumpherston district is 260, and in Mid Calder 335, with an approximate population in the two districts of 2990 persons.

Theodore K. Irvine, Report on the Housing Conditions in the Scottish Shale Field, 1914

.......

Pumpherston North Village: the houses numbered 1 - 24 adjacent to the main road are being maintained. When the occasion arrives the single apartments will be eliminated by reverting to the original arrangements, thus making all houses in the street of two apartments. In the remaining portion of the village 28 houses have been officially closed and four blocks completely vacated. Demolition may be carried out at any time. A few tenants have still to be rehoused to enable demolition to be completed in this area.

Meeting held at Middleton Hall on 9th September 1958 to review position of house properties etc.

---

Additional resources

• Oral history transcript: Mr Thomas Hutchinson

• 143026 - Pumpherston 17 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Robert Scott. Document concerning the sale of 17th Drumshoreland Rd., Pumpherston to Robert Scott for the sum of £425, with an entry date of 15th February 1965. Accompanied by a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the property of 0.084 acres in red and common access areas in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located.
  
• 143027 - Pumpherston 19 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of James Archibald Anderson; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First document concerns the sale to James Archibald Anderson of 19 Dumshoreland Rd., Pumpherston for the sum of £425 with an entry date of 29th November 1971. Accompanied by a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.074 acre property in red, with common access areas in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. The second document, dated 9th May 1975, records the receipt of the sum of £6.93 by Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. from James Anderson in redemption of cumulo feuduty of £0.99 per annum under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974.
  
• 143028 - Pumpherston 23 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of William Crozier Newton; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First document records the sale of 23 Drumshoreland Rd., Pumpherston to William Crozier Newton for the sum of £425 with an entry date of 29th November 1971. Accompanied by a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360, showing the location of the property of 0.103 acres in red, with common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. The second document, dated 9th May 1975, records the payment by W. Newton of £6.93 to Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co. Lrd. in redemption of cumulo feuduty of £0.99 per annum on the same property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974.
  
• 143029 - Pumpherston 24 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Paul Charles Cairns and Spouse; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. The first document records the sale of 24 Drumshoreland Rd. to Paul Charles Cairns and Mrs. Carole Anne Cairns, spouses, for the sum of £2800 with an entry date of 7th October 1971. Accompanied by a plan at ascale of roughly 1:360 showing the property of 0.142 acres in red, with common areas shown in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. The second document, dated 15th May 1975 records the receipt of a payment of £7.14 from Paul C. Cairns to Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co., Ltd. in redemption of cumulo feuduty of £1.02 per annum on the same property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974.
  
• 143030 - Pumpherston 26 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited with consents of Charles Mulholland and Brian George Sillars in favour of Leeds Permanent Building Society; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item concerns the sale to Charles Mulholland of 26 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston for £425, and his resale of the property to Brian George Sillars for £1875, giving an entry date of 15th February 1965 for Charles Mulholland and of 30th December 1968 for Brian George Sillars. A plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 accompanies the item, showing the location of the 0.081 acre property in red and the common access areas in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt, dated 12th May 1975, for the sum of £7.14 paid by S. McLuckie to Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974.
  
• 143031 - Pumpherston 27 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of William George Tweddle and Spouse; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item records the sale of 27 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to William George Tweddie and Mrs Mary Muir Morrison Tweddie, spouse, for the sum of £1750 and with an entry date of 25th April 1969. Accompanied by a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 that shows the location of the 0.097 acre property in red, with the common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 9th May 1975 for the sum of £6.93 paid by William G. Tweddie to Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform Act (Scotland) 1974.
  
• 143032 - Pumpherston 28 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of James Peffers. Item records the sale of 28 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to James Peffers for the sum of £1570 with the entry date of 30th July 1969. Accompanied by a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.080 acre property in red, with common access areas shown in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Also includes a letter from James Peffers, dated 5th February 1970, asking if there is a small piece of land near the property where he could erect a wooden garage. Pinned to this is a receipt from Scottish Oils Limited dated 13th February 1970 for the sum of £55/13/11 received from Messrs. Miller, Thompson, Henderson & Co. in payment of interest, feuduty and local rates owed on the same property.
  
• 143033 - Pumpherston 29 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of John O'Hara; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item records the sale of 29 Drumshoreland Road Pumpherston, to John O'Hara for the sum of £425, with the entry date being 29th November 1971. This is accompanied by a plan to the scale of roughly 1:360 which shows the location of the 0.074 acre property in red, and common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 9th May 1975 showing the payment of £6.93 to Young's Paraffin Light & Oil Co. Ltd. by John O'Hara in redemption of feuduty under the terms of the Land tenure Reform Act (Scotland) 1975.
  
• 143034 - Pumpherston 30 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Thomas Buckle; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item is a record of the sale of 30 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to Thomas Buckle for the sum of £425, with the date of entry being 8th February 1965. Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.111 acre property in red and common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 9th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. by Mrs. Jean A. Buckle of the sum of £7.14 in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975.
  
• 143035 - Pumpherston 33 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Joseph Wylie and Mrs. Helen Speedie or Wylie; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item is a record of the sale of 33 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to Joseph Wylie and Mrs. Helen Speedy or Wylie for the sum of £425, with the date of entry being 29th November 1971 Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.114 acre property in red and common access areas in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 8th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. by Jospeh Wylie of £6.93 in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975.
  
• 143036 - Pumpherston 34 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Hugh Johnson O'Hagan; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974 First item is a record of the sale of 33 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to Hugh Johnson O'Hagan for the sum of £425, with the date of entry being 17th June 1956. Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.111 acre property in red and common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 8th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. by Hugh Johnson O'Hagan of the sum of £6.93 in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975.
  
• 143037 - Pumpherston 36 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Mrs Mary McNamee White or Splatt; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item is a record of the sale of 36 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to Mrs. Mary McNamee White or Splatt for the sum of £425, with the date of entry being 28th February 1966. Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.079 acre property in red and common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. by Mrs. Mary Splatt of the sum of £7.14in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975.
  
• 143039 - Pumpherston 40 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of John Sneddon McNab; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item is a record of the sale of 40 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to John Sneddon McNab for the sum of £2300, with the date of entry being 24th May 1968. Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.128 acre property in red and common access areas in green. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 15th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. byThomas Wm. Jenkins of the sum of £7.14 in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975.
  
• 143038 - Pumpherston 38 Drumshoreland Rd. - Disposition by The Pumpherston Oil Company Limited in favour of Mrs. Esther Baxter; Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974. First item is a record of the sale of 38 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, to Mrs. Esther Baxter for the sum of £425, with the date of entry being 29th November 1971. Item includes a plan at a scale of roughly 1:360 showing the location of the 0.078 acre property in red and common access areas in green and brown. The plan also incorporates a map at a scale of 1:2500 showing the wider area in which the property is located. Second item is a receipt dated 19th May 1975 recording the payment to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co. Ltd. by Mrs. Esther Baxter of the sum of £7.14 in redemption of feuduty on the property under the terms of the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1975. Also included are some letters concerning the sale from Scottish Oils to Mrs. Baxter and to Miller Thompson Henderson & Co., Solicitors, dated 4th November 1971, and a further letter from Miller Thompson Henderson & Co. to Scottish Oils, dated 10th November 1971.
  
• 142790 - Application for a piece of ground at North Village, Pumpherston, on which to erect a garage - Application to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company Limited for a piece of ground at North Village, Pumpherston by Mr Alexander Morrison, 34 Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, on which to erect a garage. Correspondence is dated 27th January 1964. Includes a plan of the proposed site for the erection of a garage, highlighted in red. Scale of plan is 1/500.