Articles
Woodrow’s Lemonade
In the third of his series on aerated water manufactures in Dunfermline, George Beattie presents the history of James Woodrow and Sons, the largest and longest lasting of the these businesses. For 100 years from 1908 this firm produced, bottled and distributed a wide range of soft drinks, and also bottled beer and cider for several drinks companies. In 1993 they bought Mitchells as part of an ambitious expansion campaign. Their history is one of growth, in volume and geographical range, until they too were bought over by a still larger business.
Lighting Dunfermline
In the next of his series of articles based on “Reminiscences of Dunfermline”, George Robertson presents Alexander Stewart’s description of life before gas lighting, both indoors and in the streets. He also discusses the means of communicating local news and announcements to the town – made by a bellman or, at a higher cost, by a drummer.
Bacca B, Tobacconist and “Medical Rubber”
In “Bacca B: John Beveridge and his Two Careers” Jean Barclay gives us a short biography of a well-known Dunfermline tobacconist and Town Councillor, who, in 1850, moved to Edinburgh and began a new career in an unusual profession.
Mitchell’s Soft Drinks
In the next in our series on Dunfermline’s Industrial Past, William Mitchell and Sons Ltd, George Beattie relates the history of another of the soft drinks manufactures. They latterly operated from Garvock Hill, having built the factory which later became the Vine Centre. The firm operated from about 1938 until 1993, when they were taken over by Woodrow.
Dunfermline without the Handlooms?
In “An Excellent Goose for Dunfermline“, our last new article for this year, Jean Barclay brings to our attention an unusual newspaper article written in 1865 and collected in the “Folio of Oddities”. In it, the unknown author speculates on how Dunfermline may have developed, or rather , not developed, had the Damask Linen business not become established. This gives us an unusual assessment of how important hand-loom weaving industry actually was to the growth of the town.