Health & Housing source list - Falkirk Community Trust

Contents
Falkirk Archives
Source List 1- Health & Housing
Housing
Environmental health
Hospitals and the medical professions
Further reading
This source list contains a list of some of the original archives and photographs
held by Falkirk Archives which can be used for studying health and housing in
the Falkirk area. Digital copies of some of the documents can be found on the
Collections Browser or on the Falkirk Archives pages in GLOW.
In 1830, public health was not considered to be the responsibility of government
either at local or at national level. By 1930, local authorities had a statutory
responsibility for constantly improving standards of housing and environmental
health. Central government took responsibility for medical care and in 1948
established the National Health Service. How did this happen?
To help you find out, this source list contains notes on the general background to
the three different aspects of public health, 1830-1930 and lists of original
documents you can look at to find out about the way people in Falkirk and the
surrounding areas dealt with health and housing.
What other options are there?
Visit Falkirk Archives to see the archives and photographs in the list
Search the on-line Collections Browser for photographs
http://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/
Visit your local library to read the Falkirk Herald and other local newspapers.
.
Falkirk Archives
Callendar House
Callendar Park
Falkirk, FK1 1YR
Tel: 01324 503779
Email: archives@falkirkcommunitytrust.org
Opening hours: 10.00-12.30, 1,30-5.00; Monday to
Friday

1. Housing
Housing of the poor in the 1830s was overcrowded, insanitary and confined to
small areas of the towns. Housing of the middle classes and wealthier people
was slowly moving out of the inner urban areas and into the suburbs. In 1840,
Professor W P Allison of Edinburgh University claimed that poverty was the root
cause of ill health in his pamphlet "Observations on the Management of the Poor
in Scotland and its effects on the health of the great towns", His pamphlet was a
significant factor in the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Poor
Law and the subsequent Poor Law (Scotland) Amendment Act of 1845. Housing
was one of the main issues which Allison identified.
The main impetus for improving housing came from local magistrates and
councillors in the large cities in an effort to improve public health and reduce
disease. Glasgow led the way with the Glasgow Improvement Act, 1866, which
permitted the Town Council to clear areas of the inner city, pull down the slums
and sell the land for the building of new houses which were controlled by the
planning authority, the Dean of Guild Court. In 1885 there was a Royal
Commission of Inquiry into Housing and this was followed by a series of Acts of
Parliament designed to improve the housing stock, destroy slums and re-house
the inhabitants in better accommodation. The Acts put the responsibility for
better housing on local authorities. They included the Housing of the Working
Classes Acts of 1890 and 1914 and the Housing and Town Planning Act, 1909.
Falkirk Archives holds plans showing housing developments under the Housing
of the Working Classes Acts, rent books of tenants, registers of local authority
housing and registers of new housing under the Acts. The minutes of the Town
Councils for the four burghs of Bo'ness, Grangemouth, Denny & Dunipace and
Falkirk and the minutes of their respective housing committees are useful in
tracing the response of the local authorities to their housing responsibilities.
Ordnance Survey maps and other maps and plans can be used to see the
changes in town boundaries and the growth of housing estates. There are also
many relevant photographs which can be viewed on the Collections Browser

Bo’ness Burgh
A005.003/01 20 May 1898-20
Sep 1962
""Fit for occupation"" notices under Burgh Police (Scotland) Act,
1892
A005.003/02 1898-1899 ""Fit for occupation"" notices under Burgh Police (Scotland) Act,
1892
A005.005 1923-1962 Notices to attend to defects in connection with discharge of roof
water under Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1892
A005.001 1931-1956 Notices to occupiers to cleanse areas under Burgh police (Scotland
) Act 1892. Contains counterfoils recording names, addresses and
areas to be cleaned.
A005.002 1898-1943 Notices to occupiers to cleanse areas under Burgh Police (Scotland)
A005.004/01 20 Oct 1948-05
Apr 1954
A005.004/02 (Early 20th
Century) {nd}
A005.028/01 (Early 20th
Century) {nd}
Act 1892. Contains counterfoils and unused notices.
Notice to occupiers on ""sweeping and washing of common stairs
and passages"". Contains counterfoils and unused notices
Unused notices to whitewash or paint walls and ceilings of common
stairs and common passages
Printed notices for display in rooms for letting regulating number of
occupiers of room (unused)
A440.01 27 Feb 1926 Burgh of Falkirk Sanitary Department registration ticket. Shows
number of persons permitted to use specified room. Framed for
display in room.

2. Environmental Health
In the 1830s, the activities we now refer to as environmental health did not really
exist in most Scottish towns. There was little effort to collect refuse, there were
open sewers and most people depended on wells for a water supply. Hot water
had to be boiled on a fire and personal hygiene was poor. There was no attempt
to keep the air clean, and smoke from factories and industrial workplaces
combined with domestic fires to turn the air grey. There were few controls over
the preparation of food: abattoirs, butchers, grocers and other food suppliers
were not obliged to keep premises clean or ensure that the food was safe to eat.
The middle classes recognised that poverty and ill-health were linked, and so
they separated themselves from the disease-ridden working classes by building
larger houses on the outskirts of the towns, creating suburbs. However, this did
not remove the threat of death through disease, and so individual entrepreneurs
and philanthropists lobbied central government to give local authorities the power
to set standards and enforce them. People believed that diseases were spread
through bad air rising from the polluted streets.
Sanitation, as environmental health was called in the nineteenth century, was
achieved primarily through the provision of water supplies and drainage and
sewage systems. The City of Glasgow took a lead in this with the Loch Katrine
water supplies in 1859. Towns also introduced other methods of cleanliness,
such as sweeping streets, emptying middens, removing waste and disinfecting
premises. Medical Officers of Health were appointed by Burghs and Counties to
inspect business and domestic premises, dairies and abattoirs and to enforce
standards of public hygiene and cleanliness.
The authority to develop public health in this was granted to local authorities
through a series of private and public Acts of Parliament. The main ones were
the Nuisance Removal (Scotland) Act, 1856, the General Police and
Improvement (Scotland) Act, 1862, the Sanitary Act, 1866 and the Local
Government (Scotland) Act, 1894, as well as the various Public Health Acts and
housing acts.
Falkirk Archives holds copies of some of the private acts for Falkirk and
Grangemouth. There are records which show the debates over drainage and
sewerage in the nineteenth century, records, photographs and films relating to
refuse disposal and to re-cycling schemes, and plans which show drainage and
sewage systems. Important sources are the minutes of the Town Councils of the
four burghs of Falkirk, Grangemouth, Bo'ness and Denny & Dunipace, and the
Sanitary and Cleansing Committees of these Town Councils.

Refuse Collection
A series of short films were made for Falkirk Town Council during the 1950s,
mainly by the Burgh Sanitary Inspector, Mr Alexander C French. These show the
testing of equipment for refuse collection and street cleaning and snow
clearance, as well as the equipment in use. There are also short films showing
smoke emissions from the local foundries.
Reference
No
Date Description
A778.025 (1950s-1960s) Video of films by Alexander C French of Falkirk parks, gala days, housing
developments, royal visits road gritting and snow removal, duties of the
sanitary inspector and refuse collection. Includes a film of Fairlie St Coup
and rubber snow plough; film of Sanitary Inpector's duties including
sewage,street pipes, River Carron, air pollution, steam engine, tannery,
bakery, tinned foor, domestic water pipes; and film showing collection and
disposal of kitchen and garden waste
A935.001 (1950s-1960s) Video of films showing bin test, bins and bin issues, bin emptying at
works. (Cuts from slow motion), bins being emptied with refuse lorry and
workers, bin loaders at works (slow motion), refuse collection (rats &
mice, Golf Course refuse collection, Glenfuir), Redbrae Coup, Stadium
site and Fairly St Coup, refuse collection : side loader, Redbrae Tip,
Refuse Disposal (Appears to be intended for longer film for public viewing.
Begins with Scene 13 Take 1 made by Alexander C French ), Fairly St
Coup and Burnbrae Old Folks Home, street washing experiment, back of
Derwent Ave, horse shoe spraying under gully empties; street washing
140 sprays side gully machine, street washing - lairgs old gully and new
gully, smoke observations (J & A Towers, Falkirk iron Co, Carron Co,
Aitkens, Grahamston Iron Co, Carron Co, Hendry St, Grahamston Iron Co
cupolas, Falkirk Iron Co, J & A Towers) Redbrae Tip. Falkirk Snow
Clearance (shows salting and sanding machines) Falkirk Town Council
Films. "Snow clearing in Falkirk”. ( Shows the development and features
of the Falkirk Rubber Snow Plough: a collection of shots taken during
development, 1952-1963) "Development of a Bin Scheme" , and "Public
Cleansing : Refuse Analysis" Falkirk Town Council film
Falkirk Town Council took a series of photographs to record the machines and
vehicles they used to clean the streets and collect household and business
rubbish. Digital copies of these can be seen in the Collections Browser
Reference
No
Date Description
P15864 1936-1937 Horse-drawn Refuse Cart in Dorrator Rd, Falkirk Message on cart reads
P22476 [1950s]
"If your rates you would reduce, reduce the refuse you produce".
Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle in Cow Wynd. Also shows Woodside
Home a working men's hostel, which was earlier Falkirk Poorhouse, later
Falkirk Trades School
P22477 [1950s] Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle in Cochrane Street, Falkirk
P22483 1965 May 10 Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle, showing compressor. On reverse is
written "Ram moving in"
P22484 1965 May 10 Bin emptying into Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle
P22488 [Mid 1960s] Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle with workers loading bins for emptying
P22489 [Mid 1960s] Falkirk Town Council refuse vehicle. Bins being emptied

Drainage and Sewage
Local authorities were responsible for drainage and sewage.
Falkirk drainage schemes
Reference
No
Date Description
A066.161 26 Jul 1852 Estimate submitted to Henry Salmon, Chairman of Sanitary Committee, by
Nimmo & Harrison, Bo'ness, for drainage work in Falkirk High St and
surrounding areas.
A066.162 14 Jul 1852 Specification for the sewerage and causewaying of the High Street of Falkirk
as proposed to be done by the Committee appointed by the Subscribers to
the Fund for that purpose (ie : Falkirk Sanitary Committee)
A066.158 10 Oct 1877 Report of James Deas, Glasgow, on the sewage arrangements in Falkirk
Burgh with recommmendations for improvements. Critical of outfalls ""which
I found in a more or less offensive state and I fear prejudicial to the health of
those living or engaged in business in their vicinity"". Detailed report.
A066.174 22 Oct 1877 Letter, James Deas, Clyde Navigation to John Russel, Provost of Falkirk
concerning estimate for sewage scheme
A066.173 1878 Minute of meeting of Falkirk Police Commissioners Drainage Committee
concerning refusal of some ratepayers to pay for drainage scheme
A066.147 29 Nov 1878 Minutes of meeting on progress of drainage scheme for Falkirk
A066.149 29 Nov 1878 Draft minutes of meeting of Falkirk Police Commissioners as the local
authority under the Public Health Act, 1867, concerning objections to the
Falkirk drainage scheme
A066.151 1878 Minutes of meeting concerning drainage and rates
A066.175 28 Jan 1878 Report, Drainage Scheme Committee of the Police Commissioners,
concerning work in progress
A066.145 27 Apr 1878 Saturday Falkirk Herald and Linlithgow Journal. Contains articles on Falkirk
drainage scheme and advertisement for let of the customs
A066.184 1878 List of proprietors who have commented on proposed drainage scheme
066.156 14 Oct 1878 Letter, William Black, civil engineer and architect, Falkirk to Robert
Henderson, (Clerk to Police Commissioners) with estimate for drainage
scheme
A066.157 21 Jun 1879 Letter, William Black, civil engineer and architect, Falkirk to Robert
Henderson, (Clerk to Police Commissioners) concerning alterations to
drainage scheme
A066.146 1879 Contract between Falkirk Police Commissioners and J & A Reid, builders,
relating to drainage improvements for Falkirk
A066.182 1879 Report to the Board of Supervision on the drainage of the Burgh of Falkirk
outlining necessary improvements.
A066.155 09 Jun 1879 Letter, Board of Supervision for the Poor Law to Clerk to the Falkirk Police
Commissioners concerning loan of £4,500 from the Publicc Works Loan
Commissioners
A066.181 06 Jun 1882 Letter, Local Government Board to Falkirk Town Clerk, concerning request
from Police Commissioners for loan and requesting further details of
drainage scheme
A066.177 22 Jun 1882 Draft letter, Robert Henderson, Burgh Clerk, to the Local Government Board
concerning expenses incurred in carrying out the burgh drainage scheme
and request for loan to complete works
A066.159 17 Nov 1882 Letter, Caledonian Railway Co Canal Dept to Robert Henderson, Town
Clerk, concerning the line of the proposed sewer
A066.180 29 Dec 1882 Letter, John Gibson, Camelon Iron Co, complaining of damage to goods
caused by a culvert overflowing and flooding warehouse

Reference
No
Date Description
A066.178 29 Dec 1882 Letter, John Aitken, Gartcows, to Robert Henderson, Clerk to Police
Commissioners, claiming compensation for damage to boundary wall
caused by the flooding of the town's reservoir.
A066.179 27 Mar 1883 Letter, William Black, civil engineer, to Town Clerk, concerning details of
proposed diversion of water course at Falkirk Upper Station [High Station]
A066.150 14 Jun 1888 Extract minutes of meeting of Falkirk Sanitary Committee concerning the
extension of drainage pipe to Parkfoot
A066.113 20 Oct 1888 Record in appeal (to the Court of Session), the Feuars of Falkirk against the
trustees for the Roman Catholic diocese of Edinburgh and St Andrews
concerning drainage and sewerage through Callendar Riggs
A066.148 1889 Report on the progress of Falkirk Drainage Works from the date of
acceptance of Mr Gall's offer to 31 March 1889
A066.171 Nov 1889 Falkirk drainage works. Report on work done for month ending 16th
November 1889.
A066.172 Nov 1889 Falkirk drainage works. Statement of work done on west section for weeks
ending 22 June 1889 and 3 August 1889
A066.164 23 Sep 1890 Plan showing line of proposed drain from Blinkbonny to Burnhead, Falkirk.
A066.165 27 Feb 1890 Report on Falkirk Drainage Works as executed by Mr Alexander Gall,
Contractor, Alloa, following inspection by James Strang and Sanitary
Committee
A066.176 1890 Report to sanitary committee, estimated cost of improved drainage
proposals for the souther portion of Falkirk Burgh
A066.183 1891 Report, William Neilson, Sanitary Inspector on Howgate drainage
A066.153 23 Feb 1893 Report by Sanitary Inspector as to Drainage from Hospital. Relates to cost
of proposed sewage improvements
A066.143 01 May 1894 Sanitary Inspector : Report for March & April
A066.144 1895 Sanitary Inspector: Report for January 1895
A066.166 1901 Statement of Claim, Defence and Judgement in action of J Ambler & Sons
Ltd against Bradford Corporation. Relates to increase of volume of water
passing through streams under premises of J Ambler & Sons Ltd due to
drainage schemes of Bradford Corporation
A066.198 1909 List of drains to be indexed in drainage book.
A066.200 1909 Draft measurement of slaughterhouse improvement. Schedule of quantities
of various works at slaughterhouse and schedule of iron and engineering
work of proposed alterations at slaughterhouse. Envelope annotated ""176""
A066.209 1909 Draft calculation for Camelon main outfall from slaughterhouse. Envelope
annotated ""168""
A066.169 1911 Analysis of sewage contamination of River Carron and water analysis.
(Pages torn from larger document)
A066.170 1911 List of privies and ashpits in the districts of Larbert, Stenhousemuir, Carron
and Laurieston, compiled for the promoters of the Falkirk Burgh Extension
Order, 1911. Includes information about condition of privies and ashpits, and
name of owners.
A066.070 1929 Falkirk Burgh Order Confirmation Act 1929. Relates to Falkirk Burgh
Extension
A066.077 10 May 1929 Falkirk Burgh Confirmation Act, Relates to Burgh extension, drainage & c
Grangemouth Drainage
A007.012 (Circa 1950s) Articles on drainage and sanitation in
Grangemouth
Porteous Collection
Bo’ness drainage schemes
A818.002 1894-1900 Minute Book No 1. Bo'ness Burgh Local Authority. (Public Health)
A005.051 Oct 1878 Report on proposed main sewer outfall at Bo'ness
A010.239/01 19 Oct 1878 Plan of Bo'ness Sewerage containing details of manholes, sewers,
pipe sections, tied door sectional plans. Drawing no 2, Plan no 0225
General scale 1"":2ft
A058.014 19 Oct 1878 General plan and section for Bo'ness sewerage. Drawing No 1. Plan

No 0224. Scale 1"":100ft
A058.077 30 Mar 1881 Plan, Bo'ness Drainage Scheme. Showing existing drains and
proposed new sewers. Sheet No.1. Scale 0.75"":100ft
A058.056 1881 Plan, Bo'ness Drainage Scheme. Sections, details and elevations.
Sheet No.2. Referred to in a report on the drainage of Bo'ness dated
8th Apr 1881
A058.057 (1881) {nd} Plan, Bo'ness Drainage Scheme. Sections and details. Sheet No.2.
Scale 0.75"":100ft
A058.063 09 Apr 1881 Plan of Bo'ness Burgh proposed system of Main Sewerage. Sheet
No.1. Scale 1"":125ft
A058.349 (1881) {nd} Diagram of Bo'ness Drains according to alterations plan. Sheet No.3.
Diagram if referred to in the report on the Drainage of Bo'ness of 8th
Apr 1881.
A005.028/02 31 Aug 1882 Report on a scheme of drainage for the town of Bo'ness
A058.018 (Circa 1903) Plan showing drainage system for Furnace Row and Snab, Bo'ness.
Scale 1"":50ft
A058.078/01 21 Nov 1949 Plan of Bo'ness Burgh West End Drainage. Proposed outfall at Snab.
Showing the line of the sewer on Bo'ness Town Council property.
Scale 1"":200ft
A058.078/02 21 Nov 1949 Plan of Bo'ness Burgh West End Drainage. Proposed outfall at Snab.
Showing the line of the sewer. Scale 1"":200ft
A058.078/03 20 Dec 1949 Plan of Bo'ness Burgh West End Drainage. Showing amended line of
sewer on the property of thee National Coal board at Kinneil Colliery.
Scale 1"":200ft

Recycling
There are a number of photographs which show recycling efforts in the 1940s
and 1950s
P22430 1940s Recycling advertising on Glasgow tram during the Second World War
P22431 1940s Caravan with recycling advertising during Second World War
P22432 1939-1945 Caravan with recycling advertising at Brockville refuse depot, Falkirk
P22433 1940s Shop window display about recycling from domestic refuse during
Second World War
P22436 1950s Bales of waste paper stockpiled in area at rear of Brockville
separation and incineration plant.
P22437 1950s Scrap metal at Brockville Refuse
P22438 1940s Shop window display about recycling from domestic refuse during
Second World War
P22439 1951 Sep 25 Display about recycling from domestic refuse
P22440 1951 Sep 25 Display about recycling from domestic refuse
P22441 1951 Sep 25 Display about recycling from domestic refuse
P22449 [Early 1950s] Refuse depot and workers on recycling drive, Brockville Dump
P22450 [Early 1950s} Recycling drive in Camelon. Railway station in background
P22451 [Early 1950s] Brockville refuse depot and workers during recycling drive
Landfill and Disposal of Refuse
P22498 1955 Landfill site at Easter Carmuirs. Handwritten on the reverse is "This
shows the original ground surface and the concrete culvert taking the
stream. The proximity of the houses is clearly shown" Site at Easter
Carmuirs, due to be landfilled and then landscaped, showing the
culvert on the burn The site was landscaped and turned into playing
fields off Mariner Avenue
A005.023/06 27 Sep 1893 Notice issued by Bo’ness Port Authority on discharge of water by
vessels arriving from cholera infected ports

Street Cleansing
P22456 Mar 1960 Street sweeping by machine in Cow Wynd. Looking towards town
centre, Comely Park School railings on left
P22457 Mar 1960 Street sweeping by machine in Woodside Terrace, Falkirk
P22458 Mar 1960 Street sweeping by machine in Cow Wynd. Looking towards power
station
P22459 Mar 1960 Street sweeping by machine in Woodside Terrace, Falkirk
P22460 [1950s] Drain cleaning, corner of Hodge St & Cockburn St, Falkirk . Same
lorry is seen in p10912, p22461, p22462
P22461 [1950s] Hosing down Westburn Avenue, Falkirk
P22462 [1950s] Street washing. Two men washing down Falkirk street Same lorry is
seen in p10912, p22460, p22461 On reverse is written “Falkirk’s new
Squeegee”
P22465 [1950s] Workmen washing down Camelon Rd
P22466 [1950s] Workmen washing down Falkirk street
P22491 [1960s] Falkirk Town Council suction machine. Drain cleaner
P22497 [1940s] Road sweeping vehicle

3. Hospitals and the medical professions
In the 1830s, there were very few hospitals. The ones which existed were built
with charitable and private funds and bequests, usually through the work of a few
doctors and philanthropists. During the nineteenth century, large teaching
hospitals, known as infirmaries developed in Glasgow and Edinburgh, while
smaller towns built cottage hospitals and fever hospitals. The fever hospitals
were intended to cope with the regular outbreaks of cholera, typhus and other
infectious diseases which resulted in a very high mortality rate. Often fever
hospitals were built in conjunction with poor houses under the Poor Law
(Scotland) Amendment Act of 1845.
Between 1856 and 1911 there were a series of Public Health Acts which aimed
at improving general health and controlling the spread of diseases. These
included the Scotch Vaccination Act, 1863, which made vaccination against
infectious diseases compulsory; the Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act, 1890
and the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1890. In 1909 the government introduced
the medical inspection of schoolchildren.
Until 1911 the main responsibility for hospitals and medical facilities was tackled
at the local level and by local hospitals. In 1911 the National Insurance Act
provided for insurance against sickness for workers and from then on the trend
was for central government to take more control of the provision of health
services.
The medical professionals in the 1830s were all doctors and surgeons, most of
whom in Scotland were trained by Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities and by
the large teaching hospitals. Nursing was not considered to be a profession until
the work of Florence Nightingale in the Crimea in the 1850s and the creation of
training schools for nurses in Scotland in the 1880s.
Most of the local records for hospitals and health services are held by the Forth
Valley Health Board or by the National Archives of Scotland. Falkirk Archives
has plans and photographs of some local fever hospitals and infectious diseases
hospitals. There are also some records relating to the prevention of cholera

Preventing disease
Hospitals and health services were used to prevent the spread of diseases as
well as to care for people who were ill. Separate hospitals were built to take
patients with infectious diseases in order to isolate them from the general
population. There were strict rules about visitors. Often, hospitals limited the
number of visitors and did not allow visitors into the ward but instead required
them to stand behind a barrier a certain distance away from the patient. There
were also strict rules about disinfecting clothes and other possessions.
A174.022 1907 Rules for the management and regulation of infections diseases and
smallpox hospitals in Bo'ness issued by Bo’ness Town Clerk.
A1004.001 1928 Card issued to patients at Falkirk Infectious Diseases Hospital for use
as admission card for visitors
Paying for health
Doctors and health care had to be paid for until the National Health Service was
set up in 1948. There are a few documents in the Archives which show how
much it cost to call in a doctor.
Reference
No
Date Description
A002.031 19 Jul 1808 Letter, James Burns, Parish of Craig to John Burns, Falkirk, following the
death of John's son. Mentions preaching on the subject of children and
disease
A558.19 Jan 1907 Invoice & receipt from J. Harcourt Laurie, (doctor) "for professional
attendance" to Louden family.
A985.006 17 Sep 1936 Invoice to Mrs Christina Mackenzie for doctor's fees for attendance at birth
of Iain MacKenzie (from MacKenzie Family Papers)
A258.29/02 1939 Receipt, Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary, Sharp family
A424.01/03 1948 National Health Service medical card of Margaret MacDonald, Carronflats
Rd, Grangemouth
A424.01/04 1946 Medical card of Robert M MacDonald, Carronflats Rd, Grangemouth
Fundraising
Until the National Health Service was introduced, most hospitals were built with
funds raised by the local community. Some early hospitals were built by rates
levied by the parochial boards under the Poor Law of 1845.
Reference
No
Date Description
A510.069 23 Dec 1904 Programme: Caledonian Railway Larbert Ambulance Corps twenty-second
annual concert and assembly in Dobbie Hall, Larbert
A510.070 01 Mar 1907 Programme: Caledonian Railway Ambulance Brigade (Larbert Corps)
twenty-fourth annual concert and assembly in Dobbie Hall, Larbert
A681.001 1925 "Callendar House, Falkirk. The opening of an historic mansion in the cause
of charity" Contains description of house and furnishings. Printed to support
Falkirk and District Infirmary. (See also A412.01 for photocopy)
A233.012 11 Feb 1921 Photocopy of programme for recital by Fred Johnston and Miss F C Smillie
in Bonnybridge Public Hall, in aid of Falkirk & District Infirmary Fund
A609.001 (Nov 1939) Notice of appeal for funds for Slammanan, Limerigg & Avonbridge Nursing
Association

Local Hospitals
The earliest hospitals in the local area were built by parochial boards as
poorhouses under the 1845 Poor Law. These housed people with no means of
support, many of whom were disabled or diseased and so unable to work. Later,
fever hospitals were built to isolate patients with infectious diseases, such as
smallpox and measles.
Articles and souvenirs on local hospitals
Reference No Date Description
A302.01 "Bellsdyke Hospital: A Short History" Written as part of a Manpower
Services Commission project by R W Penn
A240.023 11 May 1974 Photocopy of newspaper article ""Falkirk Infirmary. A look back to a local
institution in the early 1920s"" by George Cruickshank
A1099.003 1982 ""The Community that became one. A record of Provost John Docherty's
Hospital Appeal Fund, 1981-1982"" by Alex Howson.
A937.001 1901-1903 Photocopy ('The Passing Hour: The Magazine And Chronicle Of The
Stirling District Asylum, Larbert'. Vols I,II,III - 1901, 1902, 1903. Contains
articles written by and for patients and staff at Stirling District Asylum and
photographs of the hospital. (see P24969 - P24980)
A323.001/01 18 Jan 1932 Souvenir booklet for official opening of the new [Falkirk] infirmary by Prince
George
Running the hospitals
Reference No Date Description
A076.018 1945 Annual report, Denny and Dunipace Cottage Hospital
A980.006 Apr 1898 Ninth annual report by the managers of the Falkirk Cottage Hospital
A066.117 1907-1908 Proceedings (typescript) at a public inquiry into allegations of maladministration
at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Falkirk.
A066.153 23 Feb 1893 Report by Sanitary Inspector as to Drainage from Hospital. Relates to cost
of proposed sewage improvements
Training the staff
Reference No Date Description
A319.004 1940-1944 Nursing Certificate of Helen L Fairweather from Falkirk & District Royal
Infirmary
A469.01 1894 ""The ambulance pupil's vade-mecum. Notes on First Aid"" by J F
Sutherland
A469.02 1936 Newscuttings relating to First Aid competitions and presentations
A770.001 20 Dec 1942 St Andrew's Ambulance Association first aid certificate issued to Mrs Janie
Macfarlane
A736.005 23 Oct 1939 British Red Cross Society First Aid Certificate awarded to Flora
MacDonald
A736.007 25 Apr 1940 British Red Cross Society Home Nursing Certificate awarded to Flora
MacDonald
A736.020 1941 British Red Cross Society, Scottish Branch. Certificate of enrolment and
permit to wear uniform issued to Ann MacDonald, Stirling Detachment 44

Further reading
Sydney & Olive Checkland Industry and Ethos. Scotland 1832-1914 (1984) pp
103-111
T C Smout A Century of the Scottish people, 1830-1950 (1986) Ch. 2 The
Tenement City
Enid Gauldie Cruel Habitations. A History of Working Class Housing, 1780-1918
(1974)
Douglas Niven The Development of Housing in Scotland (1979) pp21-31
Gordon McLachlan (ed.) Improving the Common Weal (1987) pp9-21 and pp
58-59
Local newspapers should also be consulted
The Falkirk Herald available on microfilm from 1845-present
Grangemouth Advertiser
Bo’ness Journal
Other printed sources
B J Elliot (ed) Historical Sources For Central Scotland No 6. Housing, Health
and Welfare Central Regional Council, Stirling, 1982
Edwin Chadwick Report On The Sanitary Condition Of The Labouring
Population Of Great Britain, 1842
Reprinted 1965 by Edinburgh University Press, M W Flinn (ed)
Public Health in 19th Century Glasgow Strathclyde Regional Museum Education
Service, Glasgow, 1996
Fever in 19th Century Scotland Strathclyde Regional Museums Education
Service, Glasgow,1996