West Calder
Coordinates: 55°51′07″N 3°34′07″W / 55.85199°N 3.56854°W
| West Calder | |
 West Calder Main Street looking towards the West End |
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 West Calder
West Calder shown within West Lothian |
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| Population | 5,370 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NT019632 |
| Council area | West Lothian |
| Lieutenancy area | West Lothian |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Livingston |
| Postcode district | EH55 |
| Dialling code | 01506 |
| Police | Lothian and Borders |
| Fire | Lothian and Borders |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Livingston |
| Scottish Parliament | Livingston |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
West Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland, located 4 miles west of Livingston. The village was an important centre for the oil shale economy in the 19th and 20th Centuries. West Calder has its own railway station. It is also has the most northerly centre of the Dogs Trust, closely followed by the new centre at Glasgow. The town is a 10 minute drive from Livingston, which is host to two large shopping centres.
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[edit] History
[edit] Burngrange Pit disaster
A memorial in the centre of the village remembers the fifteen men killed on the 10th January 1947 as a result of an explosion at the Burngrange oil shale mine southwest of the village.
[edit] Architecture
Most housing in the village dates from the mid-20th century, though it has a public library built as early as 1903. Funded by Carnegie money this building represents a fine example of the Art Nouveau style and has a decorative interior. The parish church (1643) was abandoned in 1880 and is now roofless.
[edit] Notable residents
- Sir Archibald Douglas (1298–1333), Guardian of Scotland and military leader.
- The birthplace of James Douglas (1675–1742), Scottish physician and anatomist
- The birthplace of John Kane (1860–1934), painter celebrated for his skill in Naïve art.
- George Hogg (1869 – ????), Scottish footballer
- Thomas Fairfoul (1881–1952), Scottish footballer
- Laurence Ennis, chief engineer on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Robert McKeen (1884–1974), Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
- Dougal Haston (1940–1977), mountaineer and pupil at West Calder High
- Douglas Rankine (born here 1980), Famed Editor of Total Vauxhall magazine, grew up in West Calder before moving to Bristol work on Total Vauxhall Magazine in 2005.
[edit] Sport
West Calder is home to the junior football club West Calder United.
[edit] Misc
West Calder also has a Masonic Hall which is home to Lodge Thistle number 270 of the Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The hall is also home to the West Calder chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
West Calder is also the home of the West Calder Model Flying Club, the club is run for the enjoyment and promotion of radio control model aircraft flying in the area. The club has its own tarmac runway and is maintained by the members for use through out the whole year. www.modelclub.org
[edit] External links
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Calder. |
