Mansions to explore
Livingstone’s retreat up for sale as homes of original oil tycoons go on market
SCOTLAND had its own legendary oil baron – more than 100 years before J.R. Ewing hit our TV screens in Dallas. James ‘Paraffin’ Young, from the East End of Glasgow, is so highly-regarded by oilmen today that he is known as ‘the father of the oil industry’.
Together with partner William Meldrum, he pioneered the British shale oil business of the 19th century, fully nine years before the first well was drilled in the USA.
The pair created patents which protected their work and even though most of them eventually expired, the businessmen had already made their fortunes along the way.
They splurged some of their cash on their own versions of Southfork in Scotland and by pure coincidence, both men’s family homes have come on to the market at the same time.
Limefield House, near West Calder in West Lothian, was the grand home of Mr Young who bought the elegant country mansion in 1855.
One of his closest friends was David Livingstone, the missionary and explorer, who spent a lot of time relaxing at Limefield between expeditions to Africa.
In his honour, Young built a waterfall on Harburn Water to mimic the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, which Livingstone ‘discovered’ the same year as Young bought his house. Estate agents Rettie don’t hold back when it comes to the description of the property in their sales brochure.
They state: ‘Limefield has a magical persona, setting it aside from many period and contemporary properties.
‘This is Georgian living at its most elegant, with gracious public rooms, a stunning pillared hallway and imposing staircase.
‘From painted ceilings to marble fireplaces and intricate cornicing work, this house has it all!
‘With close historical connections to David Livingstone and James ‘Paraffin’ Young, custodianship of Limefield is a privilege open to few…but the envy of many.’
Just a few miles away in Livingston lies Dechmont House. Dating from 1914 to 1918, it was commissioned by the son of William Meldrum in typical Edwardian style.
Distinctive for its prominent chimney stacks, it has seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, a drawing room, study and games room.
The house offers generous proportions and rich, embellished interiors befitting the wealth of the family which built it. More practically, a three-car garage, home office, garden room and workshop have been fashioned from a range of outbuildings for a variety of uses.
It falls to Alastair Houlden the privilege of steering prospective viewers around what he describes as two of West Lothian’s ‘most iconic’ homes.
MR HOULDEN said: ‘It is very pleasurable to be involved with properties which are not only striking in themselves, but which carry such a rich vein of history. ‘The houses offer two quite contrasting styles.
‘Arguably, the Georgian Limefield and Edwardian Dechmont represent two of the most attractive architectural styles in this country. They are monuments to the achievements of two entrepreneurs but also manage to provide two of West Lothian’s most iconic buildings.’
It is ironic that recovery of shale oil in this country is considered – literally – to be a groundbreaking industry.
Yet anyone requiring proof of a healthy shale oil market 100 years ago need only cast their eyes on the huge spoil heaps that run along the M8 motorway.
They are the 21st century legacy of a time when Scotland ruled the world of oil. At one stage the industry employed 13,000 men in the West Lothian area alone.
Thanks to Messers Young and Meldrum, Bathgate oil lit a quarter of the lamps in London and some of the shale employed in the process was later used to build the M8 itself.