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Search shale oil industry records
At it's peak, the Scottish shale oil industry employed over 10,000 men and women. Sadly very few records have survived of the many that worked in the Scottish shale industry. The few ledgers, indexes and documents that have survived by chance and now form part of the museum collection are presented here.....
| Global Search | Search all employment and tenancy records. |
| Salary Records | Entries from various time, salary, National Insurance Contribution and cash books, covering the period from 1881 and extending beyond the end of the shale oil industry in 1962. |
| Tenancy Records | Names and dates of tenants of oil company housing in Pumpherston Village covering the period 1884 - 1958 |
| Employee Cards | Over 350 record cards of employees of Scottish Oils Ltd providing work histories and home addresses of staff from 1887 and extending beyond the end of the shale oil industry in 1962. |
| Apprenticeship Records | Records of trades and office staff who served their apprenticeship with Scottish Oils Ltd at Middleton Hall, Uphall between 1920 - 1967. |
| Accident Books | Entries from 24 accident books from Westwood Pit, West Calder, covering the period 1951 - 1961. |
| Other Employment Records | Names and details of staff and tenants from a variety of company records and correspondence files including agreement books, personnel lists, notebooks, employment references and appointment cards. |
| Non Company Records | Records of oil company workers from a variety of sources including Fatal Accident Inquiries, Health & Safety Executive accident records, newspaper and magazine articles. |
As some of the records from the industry relate to the relatively recent past, it is not always possible for us to ascertain whether individuals are living or deceased. Following guidance on Data Protection from The National Archives, only records relating to individuals who are known to be deceased or were born more than 75 years ago can be published in full.