Polbeth
Encyclopedia
Polbeth is a former Oil shale mining
village located about a mile from West Calder
, and not far from Livingston
, West Lothian
, Scotland
.
In 1959 the congregation accepted the proposal to move. Even then when the shape of the future was unknown most who belonged to the congregation saw it as an exciting project and prospect. Pioneering was in the congregational blood. Since its conception and inception in the 18th century it had always been prepared to move out and march on. This was another opportunity to be a pilgrim church.
Now that the decision to move the congregation had taken place a minister was called. Towards the end of 1959 the Rev. David Robertson, a young and very forward thinking minister was inducted.
On the third Sunday in February 1960, the usual service was held in Harwood Church a little earlier than normal, followed by a second service in the new community. So the pattern for the next two and a half years was set.
Worship in Polbeth took place in what previously had been the Engine House of Shale Pit 26. When mining ceased in the community the Engine House was converted into what is now known as Polbeth Hall. Worship took place here while the new church was being built.
Now that the church was located in Polbeth albeit in the old Engine House, it was of significant importance to the community as a whole. It was known that the minister was there as well as the building for all, even those not labelled members. The vast majority of the people in Polbeth soon thought of themselves as part of the church.
The entire community contributed regularly and liberally via a direct giving monthly envelope scheme and through countless exciting money making ventures, the new building fund grew rapidly. In 1961 plans were produced for the initial phase of a suite of buildings. The proposal was to build a large hall plus a smaller one, a couple of rooms, kitchen and toilets on a site in the middle of Polbeth. This was completed by May 1962, as a multi functional building providing for worship, amateur dramatics, highland dancing and other activities.
When Phase 1 opened Harwood Church closed. The final service in the old building took place on the afternoon of Sunday the 27th of May 1962.
Later that week on Thursday 31 May, on the evening of the opening ceremony a cheque for the building work was handed over for the amount asked. It is worthwhile noting that on the day in 1972 when the rest of the building was complete the congregation was not in any financial debt to the Church of Scotland.
No doubt this was not unprecedented but in an area where money was never plentiful on account of unemployment and other factors this was no mean achievement.
The building today is still in the heart of the community, and continues to be used by many groups.
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
village located about a mile from West Calder
West Calder
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...
, and not far from Livingston
Livingston, Scotland
Livingston is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is the fourth post-WWII new town to be built in Scotland, designated in 1962. It is about 15 miles west of Edinburgh and 30 miles east of Glasgow, and is bordered by the towns of Broxburn to the northeast and Bathgate to the northwest.Livingston...
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Polbeth Harwood Church
Harwood Church was one of two Church of Scotland churches in West Calder. There had been a vacancy for almost five years during which negotiations had been held concerning the future of the two congregations in the township. It was obvious that there was no longer room for both and a solution was sought. The outcome was to transport the Harwood congregation to the neighbouring community of Polbeth in which there was no church presence.In 1959 the congregation accepted the proposal to move. Even then when the shape of the future was unknown most who belonged to the congregation saw it as an exciting project and prospect. Pioneering was in the congregational blood. Since its conception and inception in the 18th century it had always been prepared to move out and march on. This was another opportunity to be a pilgrim church.
Now that the decision to move the congregation had taken place a minister was called. Towards the end of 1959 the Rev. David Robertson, a young and very forward thinking minister was inducted.
On the third Sunday in February 1960, the usual service was held in Harwood Church a little earlier than normal, followed by a second service in the new community. So the pattern for the next two and a half years was set.
Worship in Polbeth took place in what previously had been the Engine House of Shale Pit 26. When mining ceased in the community the Engine House was converted into what is now known as Polbeth Hall. Worship took place here while the new church was being built.
Now that the church was located in Polbeth albeit in the old Engine House, it was of significant importance to the community as a whole. It was known that the minister was there as well as the building for all, even those not labelled members. The vast majority of the people in Polbeth soon thought of themselves as part of the church.
The entire community contributed regularly and liberally via a direct giving monthly envelope scheme and through countless exciting money making ventures, the new building fund grew rapidly. In 1961 plans were produced for the initial phase of a suite of buildings. The proposal was to build a large hall plus a smaller one, a couple of rooms, kitchen and toilets on a site in the middle of Polbeth. This was completed by May 1962, as a multi functional building providing for worship, amateur dramatics, highland dancing and other activities.
When Phase 1 opened Harwood Church closed. The final service in the old building took place on the afternoon of Sunday the 27th of May 1962.
Later that week on Thursday 31 May, on the evening of the opening ceremony a cheque for the building work was handed over for the amount asked. It is worthwhile noting that on the day in 1972 when the rest of the building was complete the congregation was not in any financial debt to the Church of Scotland.
No doubt this was not unprecedented but in an area where money was never plentiful on account of unemployment and other factors this was no mean achievement.
The building today is still in the heart of the community, and continues to be used by many groups.