Westwood's Parochial Directory for the Counties of Fife and Kinross, 1862

Parish of Beath.

Beath is an inland Parish in the western division of the County. It is bounded on the north by the parish of Cleish, by Ballingry and Auchterderran on the east, by Auchtertool on the south-west, by Aberdour and Dalgetty on the south, and by Dunfermline on the west. It is about four miles in length, by about three in breadth. The surface is hilly and rugged, though not mountainous. The highest ground is the beautiful hill of Beath, which commands a fine and extensive prospect. A shallow and tame lake, called Loch Fitty, lies on the western boundary, and sends eastward through the centre of the Parish, a principal tributary of the Orr. The Kelty, a head water of that stream, flows along part of the northern border. A considerable amount of coal is raised in the Parish, four collieries being in active operation; and the Forth Iron Co. work a bed of black-band iron-stone at Cowdenbeath, and have furnaces for smelting it at Oakley.

There are four villages in the Parish - Cowdenbeath, Oakfield, Cantsdam, and Kelty. The greater portion of the population are engaged as miners, some in agricultural pursuits, and the remainder as village tradesmen and shopkeepers. Though there is some good land in the Parish there is a considerable extent of inferior soil, and more than half is in pasture.

The great north road and the Kinross-shire Railway traverse the Parish northward; and the Dunfermline branch of the E. P. & D. Railway traverses it eastward, and there is a station at Cowdenbeath.

The Postal Arrangements of the Parish are in connection with the Post Offices at Kinross and Lochgelly, with Sub-Offices at Cowdenbeath and Blairadam. A walking postman leaves the Sub-Office at Blairadam about eleven a.m., and delivers letters on his route through Kelty, Cantsdam, &c. Another leaves Lochgelly for Cowdenbeath on the arrival of the Mails from the east, about 8.30 a.m., and 5 p.m.

BAKERS.
Christie, David, Cowdenbeath
Strachan, Thomas, Oakfield

BLACKSMITHS.
Irvine, John, Oakfield
Lindsay, John, Cowdenbeath
Watt, Alexander, Kirkford
Wilson, William, Cowdenbeath

BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.
Dalgleish, James, Cowdenbeath
Kirk, George, do
Lamont, Thomas, Kelty
Maundell, A., & Son, Cowdenbeath
M'Vicar, Donald, Kelty

CARRIERS.
Black, James, to Dunfermline, Monday & Thursday
E. P. & D. Railway, Station at Cowdenbeath

CARTERS.
Dewar, Robert, Kelty
Martin, John, do
Thomson, Robert, Cowdenbeath
Wilson, John, Kelty
Wishart, James, Cowdenbeath

CLERGY.
Beveridge, James, Cowdenbeath, Assistant to Minister of Parish
Ferguson, James, D. D., Minister of Parish

COLLIERIES & COALMASTERS
Cowdenbeath, Forth Iron-stone Co.
Hill of Beath, Mr Ord Adams
Kelty, Earl of Moray
Lassodie, Lassodie Colliery Co.

FARMERS.
Blackwood, David, Oakfield & Lassodie Mill
Brown, Alexander, Shiells
Collier, Andrew, Muirton
Collier, John, Home Farm, Lassodie
Curror, John, Leuchars, Beath
Curror, Mrs, & Peter, Netherton
Dalgliesh. James, Esq. ,New Beath (pasture)
Dewar, John, Esq., Braeside, Lassodie (pasture)
Donaldson, Alexander, Lochend
Hardie, James, Lochornie
Heggie, Walter, Mosside and Foulford
Hutchison, Robert, Whinnyhall
Mackie, A., & J., Mossgreen
Moffat, James, Cocklaw Mains
Murrie, Peter, Blairenbathie
Philp, John, Grievesland
Reekie, William, Kirkton and Kirkford
Robertson, James, Hilton
Stark, Andrew, Hill of Beath
Stenhouse, James, Esq., Stevenson's, Beath
White, William, Windyedge

GENTRY & PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.
Adams, Ord, Esq., Dalbeath
Dewar, John, Esq., Lassodie
Stenhouse, James, Esq., Beath House

GROCERS.
Those marked thus* are also Spirit Dealers.
*Bruce, James, Lassodie Colliery Store
*Crawford, Robert, Cowdenbeath
*Ferrie, William, do
Gibson, Miss, Oakfield
Kennedy, Robert, Cowdenbeath
Kinninmonth, Alexander, do
M'Cullam, Alexander, do
M'Rae, Duncan, do
Penman, Robert, Cowdenbeath
Philp, Thomas, Kelty
Ramsay, George, Cowdenbeath
*Wilson, Robert, Kelty

JOINERS & WRIGHTS.
Kirk, James, Kirkford
Kirk, George, Cowdenbeath
Lamond, Angus, Kelty
Swan, David, do
Toshack, John, Cowdenbeath
Wilkie, James, Oakfield

MASONS.
Hill, William, Cantsdam
Nicol, John, Cowdenbeath

TAILORS.
Dickson, James, Cowdenbeath
Henderson, Joseph, Kelty
Malloch, A., Cowdenbeath
Scotland, James, Cantsdam

TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.
Brand, James, Forth Iron Co.'s School, Cowdenbeath
Grainger, Adam, Free Church School, Kelty
Scott, Thomas, Parish School, Cantsdam

VINTNERS.
Bowman, Lawrance, Cowdenbeath (Inn license)
Forrester, Andrew, Kelty
Gillespie, James. Cowdenbeath
M'Kenzie, George, Oakfield
Nicol, David, Cowdenbeath

MISCELLANEOUS.
Adams, Ord, Brick & Tile Maker, Hill of Beath Brand, James, Inspector of Poor, Cowdenbeath
Crawford, Robert, Railway Agent, Cowdenbeath
Drummond, Andrew, Cattle Dealer, Kelty
Forth Iron Co., Beath Iron Works
Heggie, Walter, & Son, Yarn Bleachers, Beath Bleachfield
M'Arthur, John, Flesher, Cowdenbeath
M'Lean, William, Contractor, do
Peebles, John, Post Master, Merchant, & Proprietor of Public Hall, Cowdenbeath
Paul, James, Slater, Cowdenbeath
Rattray, T., Wood Merchant, Cantsdam
Richardson, Charles, Manager, Forth Iron Co.'s Works
Scott, Thomas, Collector of Poors' Rates, Registrar, & Session Clerk, Cantsdam
Smith, John, Turner, Cowdenbeath
Spence, Robert, Saw Miller, Lassodie Saw-Mill
Terras, James, Manager, Kelty Colliery