Blackburn, West Lothian
Encyclopedia
Blackburn is a town in West Lothian
, Scotland
next to Bathgate
and five miles from Livingston
. It is situated about 32 kilometres (19.9 mi) from Edinburgh
along the old A8 road between Edinburgh and Glasgow
.
burn (stream
)", from Old English
blæc "black" and burna "stream". The name was recorded as Blachebrine in 1152. As a small industrial town Blackburn originally developed as a cotton manufacturing town. In the mid-19th Century it became a centre for coal mining.
Its small population expanded rapidly from 4302 in 1961 to around 9000 by 1965 as a result of employment opportunities in Bathgate to the north and through in-migration following the inception of the Glasgow Overspill Plan.
The closure of the British Leyland plant in 1986 brought decline to the area, along with the destruction of many homes built during the 1960s.
The Highlander Crisps factory was originally based in Blackburn until the M8 motorway was constructed beginning in 1965; it is now based in Whitehill Industrial Estate, Bathgate, with the motorway being the reason for the split.
The railway station at Bathgate reopened in 1986 and the 30-minute journey to Edinburgh attracts commuters to live in Blackburn.
) is located in Blackburn, with the Rev. Dr. Robert Anderson serving as its minister since 1998. The congregation celebrated its centenary in 2008. Blackburn Gospel Hall (Christian Brethren) meets for worship services and Bible studies in a well-kept church building originally constructed as Blackburn's village school in the late 18th century. Our Lady of Lourdes, a Roman Catholic church located in Blackburn, also serves neighboring communities and partners with a branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
(commonly called St. Kent's), which is a large secondary school
that attracts students from the surrounding areas of West Lothian
.
Another catchment is Bathgate Academy, which is 2 miles away from Blackburn.
The village also houses three primary schools: Murrayfield Primary, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, Blackburn Primary, and a combination primary/secondary special school called Pinewood School.
Blackburn Academy was a non-denominational secondary school; it closed in 1992.
football
club Blackburn United
who play at Murrayfield Park near the centre of the town.
and Susan Boyle
from Britain's Got Talent
.
Tam Dalyell
in the House of Commons on 14 November 1977 in which he posed what would become known as the West Lothian question
.
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...
next to Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
and five miles 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...
. It is situated about 32 kilometres (19.9 mi) from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
along the old A8 road between Edinburgh and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
History
Blackburn means "the blackBlack
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
burn (stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
)", from Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
blæc "black" and burna "stream". The name was recorded as Blachebrine in 1152. As a small industrial town Blackburn originally developed as a cotton manufacturing town. In the mid-19th Century it became a centre for coal mining.
Its small population expanded rapidly from 4302 in 1961 to around 9000 by 1965 as a result of employment opportunities in Bathgate to the north and through in-migration following the inception of the Glasgow Overspill Plan.
The closure of the British Leyland plant in 1986 brought decline to the area, along with the destruction of many homes built during the 1960s.
The Highlander Crisps factory was originally based in Blackburn until the M8 motorway was constructed beginning in 1965; it is now based in Whitehill Industrial Estate, Bathgate, with the motorway being the reason for the split.
The railway station at Bathgate reopened in 1986 and the 30-minute journey to Edinburgh attracts commuters to live in Blackburn.
Churches
Blackburn and Seafield Parish Church (Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
) is located in Blackburn, with the Rev. Dr. Robert Anderson serving as its minister since 1998. The congregation celebrated its centenary in 2008. Blackburn Gospel Hall (Christian Brethren) meets for worship services and Bible studies in a well-kept church building originally constructed as Blackburn's village school in the late 18th century. Our Lady of Lourdes, a Roman Catholic church located in Blackburn, also serves neighboring communities and partners with a branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Educational facilities
The village is well known for St. Kentigern's AcademySt. Kentigern's Academy
St Kentigern's Academy is a Roman Catholic, comprehensive school which is situated in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland....
(commonly called St. Kent's), which is a large secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
that attracts students from the surrounding areas of 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....
.
Another catchment is Bathgate Academy, which is 2 miles away from Blackburn.
The village also houses three primary schools: Murrayfield Primary, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, Blackburn Primary, and a combination primary/secondary special school called Pinewood School.
Blackburn Academy was a non-denominational secondary school; it closed in 1992.
Football
Blackburn is home to the juniorScottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club Blackburn United
Blackburn United F.C.
Blackburn United F.C. are a Scottish junior football club from the town of Blackburn, West Lothian. Formed in 1978, they joined the junior grade of football two years later...
who play at Murrayfield Park near the centre of the town.
Famous natives
It is the birthplace of Australian Paralympic gold medalist, Michael GallagherMichael Gallagher (cyclist)
Michael Gallagher OAM is a Paralympic cycling competitor from Australia.-Personal:Gallagher was born on 14 December 1978 in Scotland. He lives in Melbourne, Victoria and is a builder by trade. One of his heroes is Hilton Clarke Senior...
and Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
from Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
.
In British political culture
The town was notably mentioned in a famous speech by MPParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
Tam Dalyell
Tam Dalyell
Sir Thomas Dalyell Loch, 11th Baronet , known as Tam Dalyell, is a British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005, first for West Lothian and then for Linlithgow.-Early life:...
in the House of Commons on 14 November 1977 in which he posed what would become known as the West Lothian question
West Lothian question
The West Lothian question refers to issues concerning the ability of Members of Parliament from constituencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to vote on matters that only affect people living in England...
.