Bellsquarry Oil Works

Bellsquarry Oil Works were listed by Redwood and stated to be in operation between 1864 and 1871. His book "Mineral oils and their products" includes a drawing of a "McBeath retort" said to have been used at Bellsquarry at about 1867.

Historical notes compiled by Scottish Oils in 1947 lists a Wilderness pit or mine, operated by McBeath. The 1870 Post Office directory for Edinburghshire lists "James Weir, oil works, Bell's quarry". A James Weir, labourer, is listed in the 1871 census.

Little more is known about this small-scale oil works. Bellsquarry, now part of Livingston, was a rural village and a centre for limestone mining. The 1871 census lists several shale miners and oil workers resident in Bellsquarry.

• John Campbell - shale miner.
• John Fairlie - labourer at oil works
• Alex Ferrier - labourer at oil works
• Gregor Grant - labourer at oil works
• George Peat - labourer at oil works
• James Smellie - fitter at oil works
• Hugh Prentice - shale breaker
• William Watson - labourer at oil works

Charles McBeath, a "house carpenter" aged 32, and his family are recorded in the 1871 census as living at Yellowstruther, Bellsquarry. Also resident was McBeath's brother in law James Robertson, age 30, a "mineral oil refiner".

An plan of Alderston (or Alderstone) estate, dated 1878 (LVSAV 2010.004) shows "old shale workings" and a disused shaft adjacent to a belt of woodland known as "The Wilderness". A pond and rough ground is marked on the 1893 OS map at this location. A raised area of flat ground survives immediately west of the small burn, corresponded to hatched area on the map, which seems the most likely location for the oil works.

See story; Bellsquarry, the Oil Works in the Wilderness.

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