Greetings i am wondering if anyone has come across the surname Dot, perhaps Dott. My ancestor was called Ellen Dot and was born in a place called Linlithgow in about 1810 . Her father was a shoemaker . Any help regarding this woudl be much appreciated . Many thanks , Paul Power _________________________________________________________________ Don't know what to wear tomorrow? Get an accurate weather forecast at MSN Weather! http://www.msn.ie/weather

"Janice Aitkens" <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote: Your welcome )) so much interesting information available. regards, agi >Many Thanks for this >Regards Janice > >>From: AAgg435@netscape.net >>Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >>To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >>Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >>Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 18:02:25 -0500 >> >>Hi Jim and all, >> >>Enclosing interesting sites about Scotland and Shale. >> >> __________________________________________________________________ Switch to Netscape Internet Service. As low as $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at http://isp.netscape.com/register Netscape. Just the Net You Need. New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp

Hi Sue, Yes, I think he would sell from a shop. I'm not sure if it would be a shop as we know them now. My wife's granny was widowed at the age of 45 with 12 children, 6 of whom were under 12 yrs old and one unborn, and she set up a shop by partitioning one of the 2 rooms in the shale worker's house. She managed to support the non- working family successfully, no doubt with help from the older members. Archie Gilbert. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Barker" <jsbarker@gidgenet.com.au> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 6:26 AM Subject: RE: [Spam] Re: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Hello Archie, > Thank you for your advice, I already have a street map of the area. > I have always thought a Victual dealer was a spirit dealer as one of my > other ancestors was a Victual dealer and ran an Inn and called himself a > spirit dealer as one of his occupations. But on checking some of the > occupations sites I do see that it is a seller of food/drink > How would a Victual dealer sell his wares, from a shop? > Sue Barker > Gidgegannup Western Australia > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Archie Gilbert [mailto:agilbert@clara.co.uk] > Sent: Monday, 14 February 2005 7:01 AM > To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [Spam] Re: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Sue, > I am not a resident of Edinburgh, but I checked my postal address > book and find 78-134 Pleasance has the post code EH8 9TJ. If you go into > one > of the Streetmap websites and enter the code you will get a map of the > location. It won't tll you anything about the buildings unfortunately, > and > it is sometime since I was there so I don't know if the original > buildings > stand. > I always thought that a Victual dealer sold foodstuffs, and not strong > drink > exclusively. Are you sure that it was a pub ? > > Archie Gilbert, Kinross. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sue Barker" <jsbarker@gidgenet.com.au> > To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:57 AM > Subject: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > > > > > Hello Listers, > > I have found my ancestor John Brown (Victual Dealer) living at 96 > > Pleasance in the 1841 census and the Edinburgh/Leith directory > 1842/43. > > Would any kind person who lives in the area know if there is or was an > > Inn (hotel) at this address. > > Would any of the original housing still be there? > > This John Brown lived at 100 Pleasance in the 1851 census. > > Being a Victual Dealer might mean that he only sold liquor and did not > > run an Inn. Is there any list of Inn's for Edinburgh on the internet? > > Also this John Brown and his son John Brown died in this area. > > John Brown snr died 27 Feb 1853 aged 72yrs and John Brown jnr died Feb > > 1842 aged 24yrs. > > Where would they have been buried and is there any MI's I could chase > > up? > > Thanking you all for any help. > > Sue Barker > > Gidgegannup Western Australia > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

You're very welcome but there is one correction - its James Young not John Young - sorry, my mistake!! Janice Aitkens <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote:Many Thanks for this Regards Janice >From: jeanette >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:52:40 +0000 (GMT) > >Hi > >Shale mining (as well as other types of mining) was a big industry in the >area. If you do a Google search on John Young aka Paraffin Young you should >find quite a lot about it. He was the first to discover how to extract oil >from coal and, slightly later, shale. He built the country's earliest oil >refinery in nearby Bathgate. > >Probably the most prominent evidence of the slag heaps or shale bings is >the 5 sisters just outside West Calder. > >If this link works you should be able to see some pictures. > >http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/w_lothian.htm > > >Janice Aitkens wrote: >Many Thanks >Regards Janice > > >From: "jmercer" > >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 17:25:56 -0500 > > > >Hi Janice, > >Shale contains oil and was dug from the ground and used to make oil > >products. There were mines in the area and even today the huge red slag > >heaps are still to be seen. > >Cheers, > >Jim Mercer. > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Janice Aitkens" > >To: > >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:30 PM > >Subject: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > > > > > > > Hello Everyone > > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander >Aitken > >in > > > Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his >occupation > >so > > > what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i >don't > > > know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited > >the > > > wonderful city on a few occasions > > > Regards Janice > > > > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: > > > Aiken/Aitken > > > Forrester > > > Geddie > > > Haxton > > > Hugh > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: >Aiken/Aitken >Forrester >Geddie >Haxton >Hugh > > > > > >--------------------------------- > ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh --------------------------------- ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun!

Hello Archie, Thank you for your advice, I already have a street map of the area. I have always thought a Victual dealer was a spirit dealer as one of my other ancestors was a Victual dealer and ran an Inn and called himself a spirit dealer as one of his occupations. But on checking some of the occupations sites I do see that it is a seller of food/drink How would a Victual dealer sell his wares, from a shop? Sue Barker Gidgegannup Western Australia -----Original Message----- From: Archie Gilbert [mailto:agilbert@clara.co.uk] Sent: Monday, 14 February 2005 7:01 AM To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [Spam] Re: [MLN] 96 Pleasance Sue, I am not a resident of Edinburgh, but I checked my postal address book and find 78-134 Pleasance has the post code EH8 9TJ. If you go into one of the Streetmap websites and enter the code you will get a map of the location. It won't tll you anything about the buildings unfortunately, and it is sometime since I was there so I don't know if the original buildings stand. I always thought that a Victual dealer sold foodstuffs, and not strong drink exclusively. Are you sure that it was a pub ? Archie Gilbert, Kinross. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Barker" <jsbarker@gidgenet.com.au> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:57 AM Subject: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Hello Listers, > I have found my ancestor John Brown (Victual Dealer) living at 96 > Pleasance in the 1841 census and the Edinburgh/Leith directory 1842/43. > Would any kind person who lives in the area know if there is or was an > Inn (hotel) at this address. > Would any of the original housing still be there? > This John Brown lived at 100 Pleasance in the 1851 census. > Being a Victual Dealer might mean that he only sold liquor and did not > run an Inn. Is there any list of Inn's for Edinburgh on the internet? > Also this John Brown and his son John Brown died in this area. > John Brown snr died 27 Feb 1853 aged 72yrs and John Brown jnr died Feb > 1842 aged 24yrs. > Where would they have been buried and is there any MI's I could chase > up? > Thanking you all for any help. > Sue Barker > Gidgegannup Western Australia > > > > > >

Many Thanks for this Regards Janice >From: jeanette <jeahof01@yahoo.co.uk> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:52:40 +0000 (GMT) > >Hi > >Shale mining (as well as other types of mining) was a big industry in the >area. If you do a Google search on John Young aka Paraffin Young you should >find quite a lot about it. He was the first to discover how to extract oil >from coal and, slightly later, shale. He built the country's earliest oil >refinery in nearby Bathgate. > >Probably the most prominent evidence of the slag heaps or shale bings is >the 5 sisters just outside West Calder. > >If this link works you should be able to see some pictures. > >http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/w_lothian.htm > > >Janice Aitkens <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote: >Many Thanks >Regards Janice > > >From: "jmercer" > >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 17:25:56 -0500 > > > >Hi Janice, > >Shale contains oil and was dug from the ground and used to make oil > >products. There were mines in the area and even today the huge red slag > >heaps are still to be seen. > >Cheers, > >Jim Mercer. > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Janice Aitkens" > >To: > >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:30 PM > >Subject: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > > > > > > > Hello Everyone > > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander >Aitken > >in > > > Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his >occupation > >so > > > what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i >don't > > > know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited > >the > > > wonderful city on a few occasions > > > Regards Janice > > > > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: > > > Aiken/Aitken > > > Forrester > > > Geddie > > > Haxton > > > Hugh > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: >Aiken/Aitken >Forrester >Geddie >Haxton >Hugh > > > > > >--------------------------------- > ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

and let's not forget the detrimental effect on the environment and the health dangers to the miners and families living in the area. I attended West Calder High School when they were stil mining and I suffered tremendously from headaches associated with sinusitis which I attribute to the air pollution. I was lucky as I lived in Currie (which at that time was not part of Edinburgh and did not have a High School) so I was only affected during my time at West Calder. We should not forget the abominable working conditions of the miners, - moira in sunny Florida > >

Hi Shale mining (as well as other types of mining) was a big industry in the area. If you do a Google search on John Young aka Paraffin Young you should find quite a lot about it. He was the first to discover how to extract oil from coal and, slightly later, shale. He built the country's earliest oil refinery in nearby Bathgate. Probably the most prominent evidence of the slag heaps or shale bings is the 5 sisters just outside West Calder. If this link works you should be able to see some pictures. http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/w_lothian.htm Janice Aitkens <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote: Many Thanks Regards Janice >From: "jmercer" >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 17:25:56 -0500 > >Hi Janice, >Shale contains oil and was dug from the ground and used to make oil >products. There were mines in the area and even today the huge red slag >heaps are still to be seen. >Cheers, >Jim Mercer. >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Janice Aitkens" >To: >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:30 PM >Subject: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > > > > Hello Everyone > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander Aitken >in > > Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his occupation >so > > what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i don't > > know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited >the > > wonderful city on a few occasions > > Regards Janice > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: > > Aiken/Aitken > > Forrester > > Geddie > > Haxton > > Hugh > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh --------------------------------- ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun!

I can remember as a child driving along, I think, Queen St in Edinburgh and seeing licensed victualler on a shop front. I was told then they sold food and drink (alcohol). A Google search on victualler gave up a number of results - here's one http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/victualler roger kelly <roger.kelly1@virgin.net> wrote: I used to shop at a Victualler in Portobello in the 1970s. The shop sold things like flour, barley, oats, dried fruit, nuts and peas in sacks -a forerunner of a health food shop! There was no alcohol sold there. A victualler was a provision dealer. Victuals; Vittals; Vitals from the Latin 'vita' meaning 'Life'. Best Wishes, Jane ps pronounced: Vittler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Barker" To: Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 6:26 AM Subject: RE: [Spam] Re: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Hello Archie, > Thank you for your advice, I already have a street map of the area. > I have always thought a Victual dealer was a spirit dealer as one of my > other ancestors was a Victual dealer and ran an Inn and called himself a > spirit dealer as one of his occupations. But on checking some of the > occupations sites I do see that it is a seller of food/drink > How would a Victual dealer sell his wares, from a shop? > Sue Barker > Gidgegannup Western Australia --------------------------------- ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun!

I used to shop at a Victualler in Portobello in the 1970s. The shop sold things like flour, barley, oats, dried fruit, nuts and peas in sacks -a forerunner of a health food shop! There was no alcohol sold there. A victualler was a provision dealer. Victuals; Vittals; Vitals from the Latin 'vita' meaning 'Life'. Best Wishes, Jane ps pronounced: Vittler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Barker" <jsbarker@gidgenet.com.au> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 6:26 AM Subject: RE: [Spam] Re: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Hello Archie, > Thank you for your advice, I already have a street map of the area. > I have always thought a Victual dealer was a spirit dealer as one of my > other ancestors was a Victual dealer and ran an Inn and called himself a > spirit dealer as one of his occupations. But on checking some of the > occupations sites I do see that it is a seller of food/drink > How would a Victual dealer sell his wares, from a shop? > Sue Barker > Gidgegannup Western Australia

Sue, I am not a resident of Edinburgh, but I checked my postal address book and find 78-134 Pleasance has the post code EH8 9TJ. If you go into one of the Streetmap websites and enter the code you will get a map of the location. It won't tll you anything about the buildings unfortunately, and it is sometime since I was there so I don't know if the original buildings stand. I always thought that a Victual dealer sold foodstuffs, and not strong drink exclusively. Are you sure that it was a pub ? Archie Gilbert, Kinross. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Barker" <jsbarker@gidgenet.com.au> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:57 AM Subject: [MLN] 96 Pleasance > > Hello Listers, > I have found my ancestor John Brown (Victual Dealer) living at 96 > Pleasance in the 1841 census and the Edinburgh/Leith directory 1842/43. > Would any kind person who lives in the area know if there is or was an > Inn (hotel) at this address. > Would any of the original housing still be there? > This John Brown lived at 100 Pleasance in the 1851 census. > Being a Victual Dealer might mean that he only sold liquor and did not > run an Inn. Is there any list of Inn's for Edinburgh on the internet? > Also this John Brown and his son John Brown died in this area. > John Brown snr died 27 Feb 1853 aged 72yrs and John Brown jnr died Feb > 1842 aged 24yrs. > Where would they have been buried and is there any MI's I could chase > up? > Thanking you all for any help. > Sue Barker > Gidgegannup Western Australia > > > > > >

Hello Listers, I have found my ancestor John Brown (Victual Dealer) living at 96 Pleasance in the 1841 census and the Edinburgh/Leith directory 1842/43. Would any kind person who lives in the area know if there is or was an Inn (hotel) at this address. Would any of the original housing still be there? This John Brown lived at 100 Pleasance in the 1851 census. Being a Victual Dealer might mean that he only sold liquor and did not run an Inn. Is there any list of Inn's for Edinburgh on the internet? Also this John Brown and his son John Brown died in this area. John Brown snr died 27 Feb 1853 aged 72yrs and John Brown jnr died Feb 1842 aged 24yrs. Where would they have been buried and is there any MI's I could chase up? Thanking you all for any help. Sue Barker Gidgegannup Western Australia

Hi Lorraine I have no Lindsay on the tree but that could be just that i not had a connection, who are your Aitken & Forresters who have married my lot mostly start from Kettle in Fife it only Alex Aitken who came to West Clader from sometime after 1871 census (married there 1873) until abt 1889 he died in Buckhaven Fife 1890 Regards Janice >From: LorraineinFL@aol.com >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 16:44:00 EST > >Hi Janice, > >I'm not sure if I contacted you before, but do you have any of your Aitkens >or Forresters marrying any Lindsays? > >Take care, >Lorraine > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

Many Thanks for replying Regards Janice >From: Margaret <margaret@scottishwool.com> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 08:13:04 +0000 > >On 12/2/05 9:30 pm, "Janice Aitkens" <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote: > > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner > >Oil shale was mined extensively in West Lothian until the import of Middle >East oil. The main area is west of Edinburgh by a few miles. >The Calder's area has many large pit bings remaining. The shale was mined >and then heated to extract the oil with the waste being piled high above >ground some times the neat pyramid heaps remain and are now protected >landmarks and natural heritage sites (rare plants have colonised them). > >Robin >-- >Robin and Margaret McEwen-King >Lanark Scotland > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

Many Thanks Regards Janice >From: "jmercer" <jmercer@mountaincable.net> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 17:25:56 -0500 > >Hi Janice, >Shale contains oil and was dug from the ground and used to make oil >products. There were mines in the area and even today the huge red slag >heaps are still to be seen. >Cheers, >Jim Mercer. >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Janice Aitkens" <aitkens64@msn.com> >To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:30 PM >Subject: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > > > > Hello Everyone > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander Aitken >in > > Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his occupation >so > > what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i don't > > know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited >the > > wonderful city on a few occasions > > Regards Janice > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: > > Aiken/Aitken > > Forrester > > Geddie > > Haxton > > Hugh > > > > > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

Thank you for replying Regards Janice >From: Alistair Cameron <acameron@hinet.net.au> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 09:15:54 +1100 > > > >Janice Aitkens wrote: > > > Hello Everyone > > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is ..... > >In the days before petrol motor cars and the international mineral oil >industry >the common cooking and lighting products kerosene, candle wax and >"vaseline" >were made from baked shale. A soft laminar stone, I think of it as baby >coal. >But much older than peat. > >Edinburgh was the source of large scale mfr of shale products and some to >the >town horizon is now the artificial hills of waste dumped in the process. > >Joadja NSW now a ghost town, was populated with hundreds of immigrant >miners >from MLN, whose managers brought the science of mining and refining the >stuff. >They built a railway and a tramway to move it, plus the retorts, storage >tanks, >pipelines, offices, laboratory, chapel, school etc for the village. > >A nuisance waste product was petrol ie motor spirit. Motor cars not yet >invented, the petrol tanks would be drained into the river on New Years Eve >and >set alight to illuminate the celebrations. > >The nearest town is Mittagong NSW and bus tours are sometimes offered. I've >been twice. > >Cheers, > >ALISTAIR M. CAMERON A.A.G.R.A. > >Professional Genealogist http://quozl.netrek.org/cameron-research/ > >PO Box 215 BUNDANOON NSW 2578 AUSTRALIA > > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

Many Thanks for this Regards Janice >From: AAgg435@netscape.net >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 18:02:25 -0500 > >Hi Jim and all, > >Enclosing interesting sites about Scotland and Shale. > >http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/bathgate/bathgate/ > >http://www.sorbie.net/lanarkshire_mining_industry.htm > >http://www.xs4all.nl/~jorbons/souterrains/art/scotunst.html > >http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/e912.htm > > >http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/sec119b.htm > >http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/broxburn/broxburn/ > >http://members.optushome.com.au/scottsoftb/ShaleOil.htm > >Happy Valentines Day everyone ))) > >aggie > > > > >Hi Janice, > >Shale contains oil and was dug from the ground and used to make oil > >products. There were mines in the area and even today the huge red slag > >heaps are still to be seen. > >Cheers, > >Jim Mercer. > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Janice Aitkens" <aitkens64@msn.com> > >To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> > >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:30 PM > >Subject: [MLN] What is a Shale Miner > > > > > >> Hello Everyone > >> Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander >Aitken > >in > >> Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his >occupation > >so > >> what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i >don't > >> know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited >the > >> wonderful city on a few occasions > >> Regards Janice > >> > >> > >> Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: > >> Aiken/Aitken > >> Forrester > >> Geddie > >> Haxton > >> Hugh > >> > >> > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________________________ >Switch to Netscape Internet Service. >As low as $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at >http://isp.netscape.com/register > >Netscape. Just the Net You Need. > >New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer >Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. >Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp > Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh

Janice Aitkens wrote: > Hello Everyone > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is ..... In the days before petrol motor cars and the international mineral oil industry the common cooking and lighting products kerosene, candle wax and "vaseline" were made from baked shale. A soft laminar stone, I think of it as baby coal. But much older than peat. Edinburgh was the source of large scale mfr of shale products and some to the town horizon is now the artificial hills of waste dumped in the process. Joadja NSW now a ghost town, was populated with hundreds of immigrant miners from MLN, whose managers brought the science of mining and refining the stuff. They built a railway and a tramway to move it, plus the retorts, storage tanks, pipelines, offices, laboratory, chapel, school etc for the village. A nuisance waste product was petrol ie motor spirit. Motor cars not yet invented, the petrol tanks would be drained into the river on New Years Eve and set alight to illuminate the celebrations. The nearest town is Mittagong NSW and bus tours are sometimes offered. I've been twice. Cheers, ALISTAIR M. CAMERON A.A.G.R.A. Professional Genealogist http://quozl.netrek.org/cameron-research/ PO Box 215 BUNDANOON NSW 2578 AUSTRALIA

On 12/2/05 9:30 pm, "Janice Aitkens" <aitkens64@msn.com> wrote: > Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner Oil shale was mined extensively in West Lothian until the import of Middle East oil. The main area is west of Edinburgh by a few miles. The Calder's area has many large pit bings remaining. The shale was mined and then heated to extract the oil with the waste being piled high above ground some times the neat pyramid heaps remain and are now protected landmarks and natural heritage sites (rare plants have colonised them). Robin -- Robin and Margaret McEwen-King Lanark Scotland

Hello Everyone Could someone tell me what a Shale Miner is as i have a Alexander Aitken in Wallace Row West Calder on the 1881 census giving this as his occupation so what is it & where would he do this was there mines in this area i don't know the area just know a little of Edinburgh from when i had visited the wonderful city on a few occasions Regards Janice Researching in & Around Kettle Fife & West Calder Edingburgh Scotland: Aiken/Aitken Forrester Geddie Haxton Hugh