KIRKCALDY MUSEUM & DISTRICT.  Kirkcaldy was once Scotland’s biggest port after Leith and it is now home to Scotland’s only surviving Linen Manufacturer.  Kirkcaldy was once home to no fewer than 11 linen mills, with the sole remaining mill located on St Clair Street.

   The town began as a burgh under the control of Dunfermline Abbey. Kirkcaldy harbour was acknowledged for having "a sheltered cove round the East Burn", thus giving easy accessibility for boats. By the early 16th century the vessels of the harbour had begun to engage in trade with the Baltic; later dealing with the import of grain in 1618 and continental beer in 1625. A shipbuilding trade also existed on the site until this was phased out temporarily in 1645. The success led to the growth of the burgh, surrounding the harbour, Main Street and Tiel (West) burn. As Kirkcaldy entered into the 19th century, the arrival of the Kirkcaldy and District Railway, later to become part of the North British Railway, saw the town develop into the industrial heart of Fife—reviving the use of Kirkcaldy port, which had a severe setback during the mid–17th century. The harbour was catering for the growing trade of imports of flax, timber and hemp and exports of coal, salt and linen cloth, when a decision was made to build a new wet dock and pier from 1843–46.

    Bennochy Works (linen), Abbotshall Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife This was a medium-sized flax-spinning mill, built in 1865 to a design similar to that of contemporary Dundee textile mills. It supplied linen yarn to several weaving factories in Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area. This shows the main goods entrance to the works. Behind the gate is the warehouse for raw flax. Note the use of cannon as protection for the gate piers from the iron hubs of cart wheels, and the bracketed lamp, signs of an intention to impress. This was one of two flax-spinning mills in this part of Kirkcaldy, both modelled on Dundee practice. The Kirkcaldy and district linen trade produced finer goods than was common in the Dundee area.

 

Kirkcaldy Museum and District
#	OBVERSE  click thumbnail		REVERSE click thumbnail			Notes
KIRK 01	no photo	ДЕСЯТ АЛЕКС. -УМАК (ALEKS. -UMAK)	no photo	АРХ.БP  ЧECKA 2-COPTЬ В.ЛЕD 1864	ARKH.BR CHESKA 2 SORT (flax) V.LED 1864	Kirkcaldy 1 KIRMG.1999.207
KIRK 02	no photo	ДЕСЯТ  ИBAH. --- (IVAN. ---)	no photo	KROHЪ 2 :COPTЪ B.ЛED  1843	CROWN 2  Sort (flax) V.LED 1843	Kirkcaldy 2 KIRMG.1999.208
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KIRK 17		AБ ДAMAЦKOИ 1846  CПБ  ФEДOCEИ		Ho2 _,_ O.9.П	2nd grade (hemp)	Kirkcaldy Museum 17 KIRMG:2006.207 IDS 684
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KIRK 19	no photo	?? ДЕСЯТ (inspector) АНДРЕИ ПРУСКОВ (ANDREI PRUSKOV)		APX БP ОТБОРНЫ 3"COPTЬ В.Д 1838	ARK. BR SELECT 3rd SORT (flax) V.D 1838	Kirkcaldy 19 KIRMG: 2006.209 Insp. Andrei Pruskov
KIRK 20	no photo	APX БPAK (Archangel Bracked) ДЕСЯТHЬ (by inspector) ПЕТРЪ ЖУКОВЪ (PETR ZHUKOV)		APX БP КРОНЪ 3"COPTЬ Ф.P 1875	ARK. BR KRON 3rd SORT (flax) F.R 1875	Kirkcaldy 20 KIRMG: 2006.210 Insp. Petr Zhukov
KIRK 68	no photo	A(PX.ПОР) (Archangel Port) ДЕСЯT(H) (Inspector) ВАСИЛ(IИ)  БPЮXAHOBЪ (VASILII BRYUKHANOV)	no photo	А(РХ.БP) КУД(ЕЛ) (?) СОРТЪ E.П.1870	ARKH.BR KUDEL 1st SORT E.P  1870	Kirkcaldy 68 KIRMG:2006.268
KIRK 89	no photo	ЛД / ?.ЗAMAPИHЬ / H173 LD / ?.ZAMARIN / H173	no photo	??? / ????/ ?? / 1837	173 post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 89 KIRMG.2006.289
KIRK 92	no photo	ЛД = LD Г.РЫБНИКОВЪ (G.RYBNIKOV) H80	no photo	NP Ho.2 I.P 1841	80 post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 92 KIRMG:2006.292
KIRK 95	no photo	ЛД = LD C:ЧEЛПAHOB (S.CHELPANOV) H??	no photo	NP ?P12H 1794	?? post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 95 KIRMG:2006.295
KIRK 105		ЛД = LD А.КУЧКОВЪ (A.KUCHKOV) H2		NP ПЧ12H 1815	2 post (Krown flax)	Kirkcaldy 105 KIRMG:2006.305
KIRK 108	no photo	ЛД = LD M.KOHOHOB (M.KONONOV) H15	no photo	NP IB12H 1804	?? post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 108 KIRMG:2006.308
KIRK 132	no photo	ЛД = LD M.KOCTИHЬ (M.KOSTIN) H32	no photo	NP ЛГ12K 1802	32 post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 132 KIRMG:2006.332
KIRK 139	no photo	ЛД = LD M.KOCTИHЬ (M.KOSTIN) H--	no photo	NP BK12H 179-	-- post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 139 KIRMG:2006.339
KIRK 140	no photo	ЛД = LD M.KOCTИHЬ (M.KOSTIN) H-3	no photo	NP ПЗ--- 18--	-3 post (flax)	Kirkcaldy 140 KIRMG:2006.340
KIRK 153		ЛѢГОДСКОИ (LEGODSKOI)	no photo	no photo	no photo	Kirkcaldy 153 KIRMG:E585.04
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KIRK 156		APX БPA ДЕСЯТ ИBAH  HAУГOЛЬHOИ IVAN NAUGOL'NOI		APX БP KPOHЬ 2"COPTЬ Е.П 1871	ARKH. BR Crown  (flax) 2nd SORT E.P 1871	Kirkcaldy Patrick Brooks