Lands owned by Alexander Russel
Mineral leased to
Pits within the lands of Mosside
References
The connection Gavin Paul and Son with Bathgate dates back to 1878, when the father of the late Gavin Paul took lease of the minerals on the Mosside estate. Two pits were immediately sunk to the Balbardie seam. The seam was rapidly developed, and was worked till it became exhausted in their lease in 1892, Before that, however, the pits were sunk deeper to the jewel coal and main coal seams, and operations have been carried on since then in those two seams.
In 1888 lease was taken of the minerals on the property of Riddochhill, the parish of Livingstone, belonging Sir William Honeyman. A private branch railway was extended into the centre of this property, and two pits were sunk to the jewel coal and the main coal seams.
About this time the proprietor of Mosside, Mr Alexander Russell, also became proprietor the property of Wester Inch, to the east of Mosside, and lease of the minerals on this property was combined with the Mosside lease.
Subsequently leases were entered into with the governors of Daniel Stewart’s Hospital for the minerals in a part of the estate of Balbardie, Standhill estate, belonging Robert Mitchell and others, in Pottishaw estate, belonging to Mr John Johnstone, and part of Boghead estate, belonging to Mr J. A. Robertson Durham, C.A. In 1898 firm of Gavin Paul and Sons was turned into a limited liability company, and this company, addition to holding the leases referred to, became proprietors the estate of Redheugh near the village Blackburn and adjoining their Riddochill leasehold. The property is known to contain valuable minerals, but it has not yet been opened up.
Since 1898 the company have been engaged in fitting, sinking. and developing a large pit on Boghead property. This pit is about 160 fathoms deep and passes through the Balbardie seam, the jewel seam, and the main coal seam. The present output from the company's collieries is about 180.000 tons per annum, double what it was in 1898. Added to the Balbardie Coal Company’s figures, the total output for district about 351,000 tons year. The firm of Gavin Paul and Sons employs over 500 men in connection with their collieries. As already mentioned, steps are being taken increase the workings the district and double or treble the output. When calculated that the coalfield will last for eighty years more perhaps, it. will be seen that there is yet a long run for the flourishing town of Bathgate.
Linlithgowshire Gazette, 14th March 1902
