Kirk's Close Bo'ness

[Seoras]

Good find Imber and that photo is only 10 years or so after the will, I'll have to get a look at that.

Osprey, thanks for the reply, very interesting reading. I have a few more place names to throw at you, I will dig them out later today. My Brown's lived mainly in Corbiehall. I have visited Bo'ness since I posted this but spent most of my time in Upper and Lower Wynd graveyards.

[osprey28]

Seoras

No problem - I'll be glad to help if I can. 

The Corbiehall area changed a lot in the 1970's - and the buildings where Kirk's Close was have all gone now.  But if you look at the bottom of School Brae from South Street on Google Streetview - there is a pub to the left - set back from that is a more modern housing building - I think Kirk's Close would have been in that vicinity, I certainly recollect a lot of old buildings right up to the edge of School Brae.

Regards

Osprey

[Seoras]

Hi Osprey, I thought rebuilding might have been the case, especially when I was stood in the Lower Wynd graveyard, where my 4xG grandparents and two of their sons are buried. A bit of a gloomy place surrounded by the backs of buidings.

[osprey28]

Hi Seoras

Gloomy buildings indeed - the town had the nefarious nickname of 'Dirty Bo'ness' - the stone buildings in the town centre area were all covered in dirt/soot from the various industries in the town's heydays - particularly from the foundries / potteries / pits / brick-works concentrated in the area.  This gave the town a very dark appearance(particularly on grey/wet days).  It would not have been a very healthy place to live in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

At that time Bo'ness was the principal port on the River Forth (before Leith took over) and was a fair hive of industry and commerce - sadly only a shadow of its former self these days.

Osprey

[osprey28]

Hi Seoras

I had a look back on this thread – Fifer posted some good info and links.  There is one which shows South St around 1910 – this is taken from the west looking eastwards.  There is a building with a round turret in the right foreground of the photo – just to the right of that building (towards the camera) is the bottom of School Brae – Kirk’s Close would have been in that vicinity:-

http://www.falkirklocalhistorysociety.co.uk/uploadfiles/larbert6_c.jpg

Another is this shot looking west towards Corbiehall – on the left just beyond where the 2 men are standing is the bottom of Church Wynd

http://www.bokonline.org.uk/wp-content/gallery/1/corbiehall-circa-1888-web.jpg

Osprey

[Seoras]

Thanks Osprey, it looks a bit grim. Then again I suppose many towns were then.