Kinghorn exhibition celebrates 35 years of Historical Society

Kinghorn Historical Society is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a special exhibition starting this weekend.
The former bottleworks plant in KinghornThe former bottleworks plant in Kinghorn
The former bottleworks plant in Kinghorn

Last year the group was awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant of over £42,000 to carry out a three year project on the history of the town.

As part of this the group is hosting the ‘Industrial Heritage of Kinghorn,’ covering the industries that influenced Kinghorn’s prosperity between 1790 and 2000, including Abden Shipyard; the flax mills; Gibson’s Cleekworks and the bottleworks.

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The exhibition includes new research which could explode some long-held myths about the town. Members have delved into old land records, deeds and leases; combed Kinghorn Town Council minutes and searched newspaper archives for information.

The site of the former bottleworks in Kinghorn is now a housing developmentThe site of the former bottleworks in Kinghorn is now a housing development
The site of the former bottleworks in Kinghorn is now a housing development

They found answers to questions such as: Where was the Water Castle located? Who built the first spinning mill, where was the first tannery and what is heckling?

The exhibition opens at Kinghorn Station Gallery on Saturday 10am– 4pm and Sunday 12–4pm from September 1-30. Entry is free thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund funding.

Kinghorn Historical Society was founded in 1983 by a group of local people who were enthusiastic about recording the history of Kinghorn for future generations.

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Over the years the society has grown and now has a healthy following from people around Kinghorn and further afield.

It has organised 250 talks on topics including Fife’s mining heritage; the BBC World Service; Kinghorn Bottleworks and the unforgettable ‘Toilet Talk’.

The new session starts on September 27 with ‘The Vikings in Kinghorn’ by Alan McNiven. Entry is £3, or a £15 membership covers all eight talks. For more information on the programme, visit www.kinghornhistoricalsociety.org.uk.

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