# Timeline of West Calder history

This article is intended to show a timeline of the history of West Calder, Scotland, up to the present day.

## B.C.

Crosswood Cup and Rings
Kipsyke Barrow

## 1-999

79: Romans arrive in the area and build Castle Greg
c.800: Harburnhead Long Cist burials

## 1000-1099

1160: Malcolm IV grants the manor of Calder to Randulph de Clere

## 1600-1699

1643: The large parish of Calder Comitis is divided into two districts, named Mid Calder and West Calder. West Calder Kirk erected
1645, 26 October: Presbytery of Linlithgow make their formal visitation to the parish

## 1700-1799

1792, 15 March: Petition from the parishioners of West Calder denouncing the slave trade in the West Indies sent to Parliament
1795: United Presbyterian Church inaugurated in a converted dwelling house

## 1800-1899

1807: About 12 stone coffins (long cists) were found approximately 330 yds south of Cromwell's Stone, near Harburn
1821: Population of the parish was 1500
1822: Construction of Cobbinshaw Reservoir
1830: Roman coins were found by labourers digging a ditch near Crosswood Burn
1831: Population of the parish was 1617
1841: Population of the parish was 1666
1844: Free Church inaugurated
1847: A further three stone coffins (long cists) were found by Mr J Cochrane
1851: Population of the parish was 2120; the number of houses in the area being 379.
1860: 19 August; John Kane, the artist who painted primitivist scenes of Pittsburgh and memories of Scotland, is born.
1868: The Waterhouse opened by 'Miss Young of Limefield'
1870: The White star Cricket Club was formed
1871: Gas introduced to the village. The gas works was situated in Young Street, obtaining gas, from Young's company
1871: A barbed and tanged flint arrowhead from West Mains was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland
1872: Three-fourths of an acre purchased from Mr James Young by Fr John Prendergast of Bathgate for the building of a RC Church
1874: Addiewell Chemical Cricket Club established
1874: Father A. Goldie becomes the 1st Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1875: Co-operative Society formed by a group of local miners
1877, 13 December: Inauguration of Our Lady & St Bridget RC Church
1878 : 6th Linlithgowshire Rifle Volunteers, formed at West Calder as one company and a subdivision 17 April
1879, 27 November: First visit of Gladstone
1880, 2 April: Second visit of Gladstone
1882: Addiewell Shamrock Football Club formed
1885: An imperfect whinstone axe-hammer from West Calder was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland by A Lumsden
1885, 22 May: William C. Learmonth convenes a meeting in the Masons’ Lodge to gather information for his future history
1885: West Calder and Addiewell Golf Club was formed on ground at Burngrange Farm
1885: Publication of ‘History of West Calder, by a Native’ by Learmonth. Printed at the reporters office by Aikin
1890: Father A. Goldie becomes the 2nd Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1891: The baptismal font in the West Kirk was given by William Cochrane Learmonth in memory of his parents, the Rev. William Learmonth and Mrs Helen Learmonth
1892: A jet ring, 2 inches in diameter, from West Calder was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland by A Purdie

## 1900-1999

1904, 20 November: West Calder ‘Free’ Library built and open, under the auspices of Librarian, Mr Thomas Blackwood
1912: Canon J. Murphy becomes the 3rd Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1913: Fr Henry J. Kenny becomes the 1st St Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church
1918: Fr T. McDonna becomes the 4th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1921: General Sir Francis Davies officiates at the unveiling of the West Calder War memorial
1923: Mgr C. F. Chase becomes the 5th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1923: Harburn Hall erected as the Reading and Recreation Room after being bought second-hand from the British Army
1925, 18 July: The Hardale Golf Club was officially opened
1928: Fr Ewen Connolly becomes the 2nd St Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church
1928: Construction of Burngrange Cottages
1930: Fr J. L. Stuart becomes the 6th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1932: 14 December: Harbuen Golf Club officially opened
1932, 14 December: Official opening of Harburn Golf Club
1932: Originally men only, Harburn Hall now had Women on the committees
1934: Fr M. V. Bruce becomes the 8th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1934, 10 Aug.: Death of John Kane
1937: Fr Michael Kelly becomes the 3rd St Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church
1944: Fr W. Quigley becomes the 9th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1947, 10 January: 15 men killed at the Burngrange Pit disaster
1947: Fr Edward Mohan becomes the 4th St Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church
1947: Fr J. K. Birnie becomes the 10th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1954: A two-pronged flint scraper found near Castle Greg by Mr Alec Ritchie
1954: A barbed and tanged arrowhead of chert found near Limefield Housewas donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland by Alec Ritchie
1965: A stone axe from a bing at West Calder, and probably from The Bads Colliery, Harburn, was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland by H McKerl
1965: Fr James McMahon becomes the 5th St Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church
1970: A barbed and tanged arrowhead from near West Calder was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland by R Cleland
1971: An early Bronze Age flat axe found at Cobbinshaw
1973: Canon D. P. Boyle becomes the 11th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.C. Church
1980: Elvis Costello and the Attractions play the Regal, 22 March.
1980: Fr A. Shiels becomes the 12th Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Bridget's R.
1980: Madness play the Regal, 3 May.